MAME (0.137) - for kids... any way to apply specific cheats automatically?

[ARTIFACT]

My youngest kid loves to play arcade games (Megaplay Sonic, Ms Pac Man, and others). At this point, she is training to move characters around and jump etc...

I would like to choose specific cheats, enable them, and save this state somehow, so the next time the game loads, they are enabled and applied. Right now, I must hit TAB, navigate to the CHEATS menu, and manually enable the 2 or 3 items... Every. Time.

Any idea?

I am open to following instructions on applying these using a HEX editor, if there is NO way for me to run some kind of command when launching MAME and the games...

I am using Hyperspin, and HyperLaunch (1) to run the games.

THANKS

PS: straight from the mp_sonic.xml cheat file (for sonic), this is the kind of script it applies to the game

<cheat desc="Invincibility 'ON'">
    <comment>Falling down Bottomless Pits will still kill you!</comment>
    <script state="run">
      <action>maincpu.pb@FEFE2D=01</action>
    </script>
  </cheat>

[jimmy2x2x]

Does the state of the cheats save if you do a 'save state' from within mame?

if it does then maybe you can create a gamelist with those save states, not tried it just an idea

[Dan_Dan_91_07]

Perhaps create a macro using AHK or something (a program called HotKeyboard is MUCH easier imo though)?



 

[ARTIFACT]

Thanks guys

yes if I set autosave = 1 in mame.ini, all is great - however ALL games now load back to their last state

do you know if it is possible to have a .ini file for a SPECIFIC game? That way I could set the kids games to load the last state, and the rest boots normally

THANKS

PS: I am using HyperLaunch 2.0 and there is an option to have per-game INI files - I could try it that way too

[Howard_Casto]

Thanks guys

yes if I set autosave = 1 in mame.ini, all is great - however ALL games now load back to their last state

do you know if it is possible to have a .ini file for a SPECIFIC game? That way I could set the kids games to load the last state, and the rest boots normally

THANKS

PS: I am using HyperLaunch 2.0 and there is an option to have per-game INI files - I could try it that way too

mame has ALWAYS had the option of making game specific ini files.

1.  Copy your mame.ini to the "ini" folder in mame.  Rename it to the name of the rom you wish to alter.
2.  Remove all the settings in this ini except for the ones you want to change, and set those accordingly.
3.  Save and you are good to go!

[Dan_Dan_91_07]

Not all games have save state support right? I know I have tried it with a few and it wouldn't work.

Just in case you experience problems further on and for my own curiosity.

[ARTIFACT]

Thanks guys

yes if I set autosave = 1 in mame.ini, all is great - however ALL games now load back to their last state

do you know if it is possible to have a .ini file for a SPECIFIC game? That way I could set the kids games to load the last state, and the rest boots normally

THANKS

PS: I am using HyperLaunch 2.0 and there is an option to have per-game INI files - I could try it that way too

mame has ALWAYS had the option of making game specific ini files.

1.  Copy your mame.ini to the "ini" folder in mame.  Rename it to the name of the rom you wish to alter.
2.  Remove all the settings in this ini except for the ones you want to change, and set those accordingly.
3.  Save and you are good to go!

Thanks for pointing that out! I actually did that years ago for video settings, and I forgot all about it!