Fully-merged rom sets

[crashdmj]

When looking for roms is there any problem with getting a fully-merged set or should I look else where?
Any diff. Thanks
Derek

[Aceldamor]

http://www.mameworld.net/easyemu/

If you look there under the clrmame pro guide, it should tell you the difference between normal and merged rom sets.  

[crashdmj]

Well if I "bought" a fully merged rom set would it affect gameplay in any way? Plus I know mamewah right now has the feature but it is broke....however there is a way around it (discussed in software forum)
Derek

Edit* I could always use CLRMAME PRO to make them um not split (?) right?

[Tiger-Heli]

Well if I "bought" a fully merged rom set would it affect gameplay in any way? Plus I know mamewah right now has the feature but it is broke....however there is a way around it (discussed in software forum)
Derek
Edit* I could always use CLRMAME PRO to make them um not split (?) right?

Shouldn't affect gameplay.  MAME won't care and any decent front-end should work around them.

The biggest disadvantage to a fully merged set is you don't really know what you have.  (For those who are confused, a fully merged set will contain the 1942, 1942a, and 1942b roms in a single file called 1942.zip.  An unmerged set will contain a 1942.zip and 1942a.zip, and a 1942b.zip file containing all required roms for each game.  This make for a larger rom directory (file size wise) because the same rom may be needed by all three games.  A split set will contain all three files but won't duplicate files in the clone zips, so 1942a.zip will not work unless 1942.zip is also present).

The problem comes when you are several mame revisions down the line.  With a merged set, you have no easy way to tell if 1942.zip also includes 1942b or only 1942a, and what files you need to get.

Yes, ClrMAME can fix this, but be sure your set is backed up somewhere before you start as it can make errors sometimes.  Also, you probably need double your rom directory size free to use this.

Finally, why are you "Buying" a rom set instead of going through a burner like tombstones who will send them to you for the blank discs.

PM me for the link if you need it, as I don't want to post it here.

[Howard_Casto]

Shouldn't affect gameplay.  MAME won't care and any decent front-end should work around them.

Mame won't care, but just about every fe out there will.  Windows front-ends don't do crc checks.  

You best bet is to split it with romcenter btw, it's much easier to use then clrmamepro.