The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: mike boss on February 21, 2008, 07:13:12 am
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forgive me guys if ive posted in the wrong area, ive seached up and down these pages w/o any luck. im hoping to tackle a mame cabinet in the very near future and am simply floored by all the available info out there. there is so much that im no better off then i was weeks ago when i started this journey.
ive decided to use MAME32 & MaLa and house the cpu in an empty arcade cabinet.
my objective is to have the classics and mostly fighters. prior i have had no luck getting games like street fighter II rainbow to work ! thats the game i really want.
simply put my question is this, does my rom set have to match my build of mame ?
so if i have MAME32 build 123 for example i should look for rom set 123 ?
and would the rom sets be the same for MAME and MAME32 ?
forgive me if its a dumb question, im just lost
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Yes and No.
The question I would be asking is what version of Mame32 are you using?
Some work others don't.
Link:
http://mamerominfo.retrogames.com/ (http://mamerominfo.retrogames.com/)
This might help you.
.84 is the best version IMHO for Mame32 after that it went down hill from there ;D
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The issue when you go to rom sites they are often out of date and incompatible with the current version of mame that you have. It often helps to locate a romset set up for a certain version. If you have your heart set on that game then pretty much any version of mame that you can locate (even .84) will run most of the street fighter series (pre cps3).
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I personally would suggest either the July 12 .117 build, or a .119 build of MAME32, as they have very good CPS3 support
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I personally would suggest either the July 12 .117 build, or a .119 build of MAME32, as they have very good CPS3 support
I personally would suggest either the July 12 .117 build, or a .119 build of MAME32, as they have very good CPS3 support
There are resources (found very easily on a bit of a googling hunt) for full updated rom torrents. Due to the rules of this site and legality reasons I can't provide links, but knowing that it is out there and alive and kicking and you don't have to get each one individually is half the battle. If you point your browser there get the torrent and it will include every game available for mame, along with all of the CHD files as well. Also if you need rollbacks (older roms that have been replaced for older versions of mame before mame123) they have those available as well.
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again bieng new im a little lost. at this point i have no version of MAME 32.
but i will look for the one mentioned above.
can i ask what CP23 is ?
also do you (users in general) suggest using a front end with mame 32 ?
if so can you (users in general) suggest a good one for a newb !
thank you kindly
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CPS-1 CPS-2 and CPS-3 are capcom arcade platforms.
Capcom Play System - X.
CPS-3 is the platform that the Street Fighter 3 games, and a couple of other fighters like Jojo's Bizarre adventure.
MAME 32 is a build of MAME that has a built in GUI such that it doesn't really need a front end. Thats the whole point of the MAME 32 builds.
As I said, i recommend the july 12 .117 build, or any of the .119 builds as they have the most complete compatibility with the roms
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thanks for the info, i will seek out the build(s) you mentioned.
im hoping to pick up an empty cabinet @ a local auction in march.
then move forward with a MAME cabinet, the fighters are very important to me.
id say there is no more then 100 games id really, truly play....but its ideal if they work !
SF II RAINBOW perhaps tops the list ......... anyway............
thanks again
i will begin my journye agian
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Gross, Why would you want to play Rainbow edition for anything more than a few giggles. Look at me, My uppercut unleashes 12 homing fireballs that you can't avoid! Watch as I press start and Change from Ryu to Gief, and piledrive you from across the screen
Super Street Fighter II Turbo is where its at
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what exactly is so special about the rainbow sf2?
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what exactly is so special about the rainbow sf2?
EDIT: I was going to mock the OP (being the grumpy old man that I am), then I realized who it was and that I had encouraged him to come here to get away from people like me who like to make fun of the eleventy brazillion SF variants.
PS -- Hi mike! ;)
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all be it that no skill is needed to win/play that game i enjoyed it. i enjoy most of the SFII franchise, but just think it would be really "neat" to have SF II rainbow working in my MAME cabinet. im 31 now, so my idea of classics are BAD DUDES, NARC, MK, KILLER INSTINCT, and the SF games.
i mean i like pac man, donkey kong, etc ...... but its really not my cup of tea.
back on topic, thanks guys for the info re: mame.
i think i have a good idea of what i need to get my machine working & running well.
i know now i dont need a front end, and i know what build/rom set to look for.
once i get that i can start to edit the rom set, as i dont want 100's (or 1000's) of games i will never play.
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what exactly is so special about the rainbow sf2?
Rainbow SF2 is one of the dozens of illegal bootlegs/hacks made of the SF2 board in the early 1990's. It vastly sped up the gameplay of SF2: Champion Edition and allowed for things such as switching characters mid-match, multiple projectiles on screen, throwing projectiles in the air, and various other insane moves that completely threw the balance of the game out the window.
It was these bootlegs and hacks of the SF2 games that led Capcom to develop Street Fighter 2: Turbo Hyper Fighting and then later on the CPS2 board system. The CPS1 boards were INCREDIBLY easy to hack and create bootlegs for, so Capcom decided to nullify that practice and developed the heavily encrypted, suicide-battery CPS2 system so that if a bootlegger or hack-maker tried to hack the CPS2 boards the board would die and the bootlegger/hacker would be out of the money they spent to get the game. (Since Capcom would not repair any board that had been tampered with).
The encryption and protection method were so good that no bootlegs or hacks were ever made of the CPS2 system. (Until the encryption was bypassed in the early 2000's and by then the arcade scene basically died. The encryption wasn't even decrypted until last year, I believe, when the proper keys were discovered and the emulation of the decryption process actually took place. Prior to this, you had to use xor files to bypass the encryption).
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[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=y5gOaWNtRrY[/youtube]
heres an example of what Rainbow SF2 looks like =x
Its entertaining for a little bit, but obviously not meant to be taken too seriously hehe
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i think like alotta things it will run its course. not many games (in my opinion) have major re-play. but i will say im not a huge gamer. none the less i still want to build a mame cabinent and house mostly fighting games in it. neo geo makes alotta good fighting games, will mame support them ? or do i need a neo geo emulator also ?
thanks
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You're in luck, MAME has built in Neo-Geo support as well.
You can get down on that KOF98 and Garou:MOTW for sure
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sweet ! thanks for letting me know that. i went thru the entire KLOV site and compiled a list of all the roms i want. mostly fighters (as i said) ......im looking forward to this project. i think ill order a JPAC
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belive it or not i went thru the KLOV site and there is only about 300 games id like in total to work/run on my mame cabinet.
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For me, the joy of MAME is finding games that I barely remember seeing in the arcade but never played, or games that in general I just never saw before. Makes it fun to have a whole slew set up and to click on "random game". :cheers:
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i have three "altered" xbox @ home, i have a disc of emulators that includes mame.
i find it a little too much when i put it in and im greeted with all these titles. its kind of too much ! it takes me back a lil. i thought id rather customize it, pair it down,and just have what i want and like.......most import games i will really play.
there is a local auction in toronto this weekend and im hoping to get an empty cabinet for my mame project. id like to do something retro, looking like a DK or DK jr. cabinet.
the powder blue with white trim ........ anyway thats off topic.
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other question, i have tinkered with mame in the past and seem to recall a vast list of games coming up when i began the application.
when/if i do my mame system, and add all the 300 games i want......when i turn on my arcade will it only show the 300 (or so) games i have in my system ?
also is there a way to make it that when the computer is on it goes right into mame ?
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there is a local auction in toronto this weekend and im hoping to get an empty cabinet for my mame project.
I may or may not be there (big bald guy with a goatee and glasses) -- depends on if my son insists that we go and I keep changing his mind for him.
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For me, the joy of MAME is finding games that I barely remember seeing in the arcade but never played, or games that in general I just never saw before. Makes it fun to have a whole slew set up and to click on "random game". :cheers:
Chicken Shift :)
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i think im also shafted now for SB. my friend who usually takes home my winnings will be in daytona for bike week. ie no means of transport !
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other question, i have tinkered with mame in the past and seem to recall a vast list of games coming up when i began the application.
when/if i do my mame system, and add all the 300 games i want......when i turn on my arcade will it only show the 300 (or so) games i have in my system ?
also is there a way to make it that when the computer is on it goes right into mame ?
• Yes, in MAME32, you select the "available games" option in the left most panel .. it will then only show the games you have in your folder.
• Yes, in WinXP just drop a shortcut to your executable in your startup folder.
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If you want it to start up and control directly from your joysticks you need a front end for your various programs. Think of the xbox dashboard that runs all your different stuff. There are not a whole lot of good ones but here are what I recomend (The best I could think of off the top of my head)
Mgalaxy - the easiest front end to set up...period. The only problem with this one, other then the fact there are no user created skins, Is it only supports MAME. If you want to play anything other then mame on your machine, try a different one. If you want to have a dedicated mame cabinet, this program is a breeze.
Maximus Arcade - easy to set up, and works with a ton of stuff
Mamewah - everyone uses it here, and I like it, just getting a bit older
Gamex - Pretty easy to set up and very versatile. Verry pretty.
AtomicFE - An awesome front end and has a lot of features, tons of skins on the net to give it different feels, but a bit advanced for a first setup, there are always message boards and readmes though.
Mala - A massive juggernaut that is a frontend. Very similar to Atomic in a lot of ways, and I think they would partially agree. Tons of features and cool looking skins. Slightly complicated set-up.
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other question, i have tinkered with mame in the past and seem to recall a vast list of games coming up when i began the application.
when/if i do my mame system, and add all the 300 games i want......when i turn on my arcade will it only show the 300 (or so) games i have in my system ?
also is there a way to make it that when the computer is on it goes right into mame ?
It's apparent you're a noob who just got bit by the arcade building bug. Welcome aboard and join our ranks of people obsessed with arcades. It's a fun ride.
Tip:
Instead of just blurting out questions and things you want to know, I suggest you buy Saint's book and read it. Plus read a lot on this forum. You can even go back to old threads. And if you do find stuff there is no answer for, then gladly ask. Where here to help. ;D
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ya ! i do have the bug. i always wanted a games room and this year bought my house so the games roon had to follow. i purchased a neogeo 2 slot 1st, then two 25" midway cabinets. a slot machine & 3 more games live outside in the garage. its a great hobby, lots of fun.... anyway.........
as the collection grows i notice a few things, i dont have space for all the things id like. and i dont think id find all the items i want at the prices i want to pay.
with that said MAME is ideal. which leads me to this forum & my quest for info.
i just find that there is sooo much info idont know where to start. where to look, etc.
so that could be why it seems i "blurt" out random questions.
what is saints book, and where do i find it ? cause i will take a look.
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You can find it here:
http://www.projectarcade.com/
You can buy it on Amazon, but use the link above so give Saint the reference link if you can.
~ DeLuSioNaL
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I think ill stick with mame32 and mala, from what i read they seem to be a good tag team. im debating weather or not put SK Jukebox in the cabinet. i think it would require the install of some extra buttons, but none the less could be neat.
a real battle i fight with myself often is trying to think what i will really use ?
like if i make a jukebox and host all my mp3s on the cpu will i use it ?
or will i fill up the ipod, take the docking station and head down to the basment ?
its a toss up !
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You could always network your arcade to your PC. Then you wouldn't have to waste any precious hard drive space on the arcade cab! ;)
~ DeLuSioNaL
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thats a good point, as the house is smart wired. the plan was to hard wire the mame cpu to the router (which would also be downstairs) . i also have to wireless usb adapters that i can use. the networking of the house is a lil tricky, trying to decide what to hook up and how. not that its hard, just so much stuff.
3 pcs incuding the mame & 2 "altered" xboxes.
but again this issue becomes how will i use the items ? i guess the reality is that just using windows media player and going into the music folder is just the same as the jukebox. might not be something "special" but end of the day it does the same thing.
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If you can network it, Winamp has a lot more options (at least in my experience) for skinning and other things that could make it more "juke boxy"
I've got my MAME box hooked up like this... I'm not one who really cares a whole lot about the overall presentation as much as the end result (college kid, what can I say) so I just use standard Winamp when i'm using it at a music player
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You should also check out Uncle T's Jukebox software. It's free for all BYOAC members.
http://unclet.arcadecontrols.com/Jukebox/
~ DeLuSioNaL
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so i think i have this thing cracked/figured out...whatever you wanna call it.
simply put the rom set needs to match your build of mame.
i was able to D/L both mame & mame32(ui) version 124.
now i need to locate/purchase (as i dont want to do anything illegal) rom set 124.
that so far has been my issue to date. any suggestions ? PM me, email me, etc
thank you kind sirs !
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so i think i have this thing cracked/figured out...whatever you wanna call it.
simply put the rom set needs to match your build of mame.
i was able to D/L both mame & mame32(ui) version 124.
now i need to locate/purchase (as i dont want to do anything illegal) rom set 124.
that so far has been my issue to date. any suggestions ? PM me, email me, etc
thank you kind sirs !
Sorry Mike ... against the rules to ask here (since it IS illegal).
5. Nothing illegal! Do I even need to explain this one? Need a ROM to repair an arcade board you own? Fine to talk about. Need a ROM to complete your MAME collection? Don't bother to post here. If someone posts such a request, please don't answer it -- no direct answers, no hints, no private messages.
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Wow....imagine LEGALLY purchasing set .124
Exactly how much would that cost? (All those licenses......wow....)
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all be it that no skill is needed to win/play that game i enjoyed it. i enjoy most of the SFII franchise, but just think it would be really "neat" to have SF II rainbow working in my MAME cabinet. im 31 now, so my idea of classics are BAD DUDES, NARC, MK, KILLER INSTINCT, and the SF games.
i mean i like pac man, donkey kong, etc ...... but its really not my cup of tea.
back on topic, thanks guys for the info re: mame.
i think i have a good idea of what i need to get my machine working & running well.
i know now i dont need a front end, and i know what build/rom set to look for.
once i get that i can start to edit the rom set, as i dont want 100's (or 1000's) of games i will never play.
you my friend have great taste in games!
:notworthy:KILLER INSTICT :notworthy: ULLLLTTRRAAAAA COMMMBBOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Wow....imagine LEGALLY purchasing set .124
Exactly how much would that cost? (All those licenses......wow....)
imagine that by a miracle the copyright owners of all the sets decide to give the permission and that they only want a symbolic price pf 50 cent per game, do the math.
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Over $3,000 for the complete set (based on my 6,000 something roms)
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Over $3,000 for the complete set (based on my 6,000 something roms)
but then...would you really be paying fifty cents each for 300+ versions of mahjong...?
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well me, the stand up man i am would NEVER DREAM of doing something illegal.
so please dont PM me , email me, etc re: any useful info you may or may not have.
again, i dont want to break the rules ....i dont want trouble, i come in peace !
ill just have to dream about v124 MOR < set
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^I have a hard time believing you, for some reason. Sort of a "read between the lines" thing going on...
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no no no, not me ! im by the book man. ill just give up the dream since i have no place to look for the required tools. if i dont have the tools i cant build it ?
:tool:
anyway i might opt to continue this journey. we will need to see where this ride takes me. im going to a local auction 4.12.8 alot will depend on the outcome from that.
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i dont know if any of you guys have your own mame cabinets. but i wanted to ask an opinion question. i plan on (trying) to begin a mame machine in april.
i want to do a fighter style cabinet, 6 buttons per side with 2 player layout.
along the top of the machine i want to add :
tab (menu)
player 1 & 2 start
and player & 2 credit buttons
so ie : 5 buttons in a row (more or less) on the top of the control panel.
good idea, bad idea ? thoughts ?
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i dont know if any of you guys have your own mame cabinets
:laugh2:
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what can i say im a comedian ! none the less ive started a blog to document my "journey."
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Journey Cabinets look real cool.
Let us see your creation when you make one, or buy one. :cheers:
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Here is the artwork for your Journey Cab marquee :-)
You need an escape button too I think
Besides the book, there are lots of discussions on control panel layout
Including a layout brag book
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59359.0
and some info on control panels can be found in the wiki
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Controls
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thanks guys for the direction. I have a few questions IM hoping you guys can help.
Ive got my MAME + ROM set installed in the cpu. when i was testing out street fighter II rainbow it was very "choppy." could this be a videocard issue ? and (in general) would you say a 128mb card should be good for MAME ?
also, how do i get games to display full screen ? I like that when showing me a cocktail game, like PAC MAN i can see the bezel. but when playing BAD DUES for exaple Id like full screen. any tips ?
thanks
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thanks guys for the direction. I have a few questions IM hoping you guys can help.
Ive got my MAME + ROM set installed in the cpu. when i was testing out street fighter II rainbow it was very "choppy." could this be a videocard issue ? and (in general) would you say a 128mb card should be good for MAME ?
More likely your CPU, or your monitor running less than the game's refresh rate. If your card is dx9 (or probably even dx8) compatable, it's fine. What's your CPU & speed?
also, how do i get games to display full screen ? I like that when showing me a cocktail game, like PAC MAN i can see the bezel. but when playing BAD DUES for exaple Id like full screen. any tips ?
How to not show the bezel? A few ways:
* delete the bezel from the artworks folder (probably too drastic ;))
* after game starts, press tab (unless you remapped it), select video options, and hide the art stuff. (A pain if you want to do lots of games, but maybe the way to go if only a couple.)
* edit mame.ini. disable the art stuff. (prevents all games from having art)
* make a copy of mame.ini, put it in your ini folder, make the same edits to the art stuff, and delete all the non-changed lines. Copy and rename the one file to all the games you want the art hidden. (more work at the beginning, but fast to add each new game. Great start at learning more of controlling mame, too.)
Read mame/docs/config.txt for more details on each of the art options fi you want to try the latter two. If you edit mame.ini, I'd suggest starting with enabling -artwork_crop and see if you like it. If not, then try disabling -use_bezels. If that's not good enough, then disable the other two art options.
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my computer is a P4, 1700GHZ.
it was recently formated and only has MAME32ui + ROM set, mozilla, and MSN .....thats it ! im not sure about the video card as I think its built into the motherboard.
i did notice a REFRESH RATE option in MAME, should I click that ?
i did figure out how to get games fullscreen, which is cool. I dont know if it can be done,but id like all horizontial games to be fullscreen & verticle to show the bezel.
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does anyone know, will MALA work with my MAMEui ? i cant seem to find an answer to this question.
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does anyone know, will MALA work with my MAMEui ? i cant seem to find an answer to this question.
I've used it with MAME32 (v.90), but haven't tried it on a recent version.
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Nevermind, I thought this was a newer thread.... ???
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hey guys, long time and nothing to report.
well ive started a blog and made some good progress in my MAME project.
www.mymissiontomame.blogspot.com
just started after many,many,many a stall/delay wiring up the controlls. i feel i will be done my project by jan 09! i had wanted to be done for dec but things happen.
anyway to sum up what ive done/where im at i thought i would make a post.
i also have a question im hoping to get some help on.
i need to clean up my PC a little, remove some old programs and i want no icons on the desktop. i want to add a mame desktop image as it takes a minute or so for the PC to boot into MAME. this has nothing to do with function more just about the look. as is right now i have a few icons on my desktop.
i need to wire up player 1 to my IPAC then do some testing on the PC.
then ill need to install my monitor and i should be done.
my question is ............. and this is driving me nutts !
for some reason after not using my computer for lets say 2 months i had to repoint mame to all my folders (roms,marquees,flyers,etc)
mame didnt see any roms on my system. after i told mame where to look i had no issue. my MASSIVE problem was my favorites. i had a favorites folder with about 200 titles that i had selected. this folder is gone ! now when i boot up mame i see my 6000 + games but am unable to select a folder with a custom set.
any help would be great, thanks very much
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sorry guys thought i would add something to my original question.
previously i had gone thru my entire rom set, looking,selecting,adding all of my "favorite" games to "favorites." as im sure you all know to do so was a breeze, simply right click on the title and select "add to favorites." then if i recall correctly on the left side of my screen is a bunch of folders, one of which was called "favorites."
now that folder is nolonger listed, however i am able to right click and still send roms/titles to this location.
id really like to rectify this as its far more simple to search 200 games i like then 6000, 5800 of which i have no clue about.
again any help would be great.
(http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6803/screenlikethisvw7.th.png) (http://img266.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenlikethisvw7.png)
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I have questions similar to Mike's; I am building two cabs simultaneously and have settled on a front end (Gameex) running Mame32UI with a 125 rom set. I am running CPS3 games in a separate emulator (Nebula).
Posts above mention that Mame32 .119/.117 has best ROM compatibility. Does that mean it will be compatible with the most current romsets? I hunted all over for a Mame32 .119 download; any idea where I can find it?
I've also just discovered Killerai (altho I don't know how to use it yet). Is there a version of Mame32 that has Killerai and CPS3 support? Where can I find it?
Cheers.
Ryan
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BM, joymonkey.com .
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Long time since I re-visited this post.
I've begun, and am just about complete my MAME project.
www.mymissiontomame.blogspot.com
I'm just waiting on help to install my monitor. Its a SONY PVM 2530, so its heavy!
This week I plan on picking up a new (used) PC. A P4 w. 2ghz.
I think it could help with some of the issues I have playing MIDWAY games.
For example, I have issues with Mortal Kombat, Narc, and NBA Jam.
Soooo anyway reading this post over again I have some new ideas, and some new questions. I like MAME 32, and will still use that.
I am going to look for v 119 as suggested.
Now I have an existing ROM SET that is not 119. So I need to rebuld this rom set ?
How do I do that to make it work with this different build ?
Now with CHDs I have them, but have yet to install them.
I dont belive they have a set number,but I could be wrong.
I need to unzip the CHDs for "X" game, put it into a folder the same name as the ROM folder and I'm good to go ?
IE BLITZ is BLITZ rom, so I create a folder called BLITZ. Unzip the CHD and add to BLITZ ?
thanks guys
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having a hard time finding MAME UI v 119. I can find MAME UV v119 PLUS ?
If anyone has it please email it to me ?
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Look for Mame32. They did a name change but it's the same program.
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I have OCD...............so forgive the three posts so quick together.
I have YET ANOTHER question for you guys.
I have my Mame project for the most part running well. A couple little issues, but nothing that freaks me out. I don't want to mess with what I have. However for a few bucks I'd buy another computer and try a few other options.
I have a P4 1.7ghz cpu now, running MAME UI v 124 w/ complete ROM set
Most of the MIDWAY games don't work. (NARC, NBA JAM, MORTAL KOMBAT)
Now I was told to try fast MAME 0.98
My concern is, it could fix some of the problems but perhaps leave me with more problems when it comes to newer games. (again a huge fan of all the Street Fighter stuff)
Soooooooooo, now I thought of option two. For the most part this seems to me a lil more easy. I can purchase the following PC for $70, however it will not have XP, it will have windows ME
Dell Optiplex GX260 & Compaq EVO SFF Desktop $80
Intel Pentium4 2.0Ghz
512MB DDR RAM
40GB Hard Drive
CD Rom,Floppy Drive
2 Front USB Ports,2 USB Ports at Back
Intel Extream Graphics 64Mb integrated Video
integrated Network & Sound
Internet Ready,Keyboard,Mice and Power Cable included
Win XP Pro installed,Windows COA Sticker is included
Perfectly working with 90 Days warranty
* i have more ram in my P4 1.7 ghz, however its somewhat slower *
Do you guys think if I use this PC with my existing MAME ui build and ROM SET I could eliminate some of the "lag" issues, as its a faster PC ?
I dont know how to roll back my ROM set, nor can I find MAME ui v 119 as suggested.
thanks a ton guys (and gals)
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I dont know how to roll back my ROM set, nor can I find MAME ui v 119 as suggested.
thanks a ton guys (and gals)
Look for Mame32. They did a name change but it's the same program.
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I've decided for simplicity reasons to stick with the MAME + ROM SET I have.
However if anyone has an opinion on the computer related part I'd love the feedback.
Thanks
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Guys just surfing around the world wide web and came across my old post.
I have yet another question. I'm picking up another PC this week, a P4.
I plan on using FASTMAME98 for this new project, but can I use my ROM SET v 124 ?
Or do I need to look for set # 98 ? Or do I try and "figure out" how to rebuild the set into 98 ? I've real a lil about clrmamepro..........................I'm lost !