Author Topic: Mame Performance Problem (Read 4805 times)

sportswizdan · « **on:** January 24, 2006, 01:20:08 pm »

Hello to everyone...
Here is my problem. I am running Mame32 version .99 with a Pentium3 1 GZH computer with Windows XP. I am having troubles running NBA JAM with it. It has skipped frames and runs between 75 and 83% of the CPU power usage. When i run this same set-up on my P4 3.4 GZH computer, of course I have NO PROBLEMS at all and it runs at 100%emulation. I want to be able to put my P3 in my new cab that's being built, but I need it to run NBA JAM and GOLDEN TEE GOLF games at 100%. Everybody tells me that my P3 should be just fine for running these...but, IT'S NOT!!! Is that because I'm running Windows XP and not Windows 98 for the operating system? Also, would running the command line version of Mame help out? I have always used Mame32 and not Mame so would be very unfamiliar with that and setting everything up properly. In short, if I would run Mame and keep XP, do you think that would make a difference... OR ... would I have to run Mame with Windows 98 to accomplish this? Any other feedback or comments would be greatly appreciated. Come on Drew, I live in Milwaukee also, so please give me your EXPERT OPINION

Thanks, Dan

thebrownshow · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2006, 02:07:04 pm »

Turn off Vsync and/or Triple Buffering.

zaphod · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2006, 02:49:19 pm »

More Cowbell · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2006, 02:55:26 pm »

NBA Jams runs great on my 1.1ghz system (not trying to rub it in, just saying).

However, NBA Jam TE and Hangtime do not run well at all. I am interested in the recommendations.

lokki · « **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2006, 04:37:24 pm »

You may need a more powerful PC. (or older version of MAME). NBA JAM (and other midway games) have some performance requirements (mainly to emulate the sound).

Good luck

zaphod · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2006, 04:57:53 pm »

I second the older release. I run NBA Jam on .63.

With XP I assume you have at least 256MB Ram on that machine?

sportswizdan · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2006, 06:38:34 pm »

Yes, I have 256 Ram in there. Would it benefit to increase the ram to 512 or better?

Quote from: More Cowbell on January 24, 2006, 02:55:26 pm

NBA Jams runs great on my 1.1ghz system (not trying to rub it in, just saying).
However, NBA Jam TE and Hangtime do not run well at all. I am interested in the recommendations.

What operating system are you running and are you using Mame or Mame32 and what version? Thanks to all

thebrownshow · « **Reply #7 on:** January 25, 2006, 09:46:33 am »

I'm running commandline Mame32 on Windows XP on an Athlon XP 2600+ with 512 MB of RAM.
Triple Buffering and Vsync off.

NBA Jam up to NBA Maximum Hangtime work perfectly, no glitches on the sound whatsoever.

darthbane2k · « **Reply #8 on:** January 25, 2006, 10:05:24 am »

I have a gig of ram on my cab and NBA hangtime and WWF Wrestlemania occasionally glitches in sound. turn audio latency to 2/5 and scanlines off (if any) to reduce the effect.

Still 100% playable though

Popcorrin · « **Reply #9 on:** January 25, 2006, 10:33:41 am »

NBA Jam will barely run on a P3 1Ghz and you will probably have to drop back a few versions. I think I was using version .62 with a P3 933Mhz and barely got full frame rates. As far as the Golden Tees, you probably won't be able to get those to run on the P3.

peeklay · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2006, 11:37:15 am »

NBA Jam TE (and all Midway arcade sports games) seem to have the same problem for me as well. Unfortunately, I cannot get results that make sense.

I am able to run it fine, with no stutter, on my laptop which is only a P1.3/1GB RAM, 32mb vid card, WinXP, v..91 of MAME

I am NOT able to run it on my MAME cab, which is P4, 1.7, 512mb RAM, WinXP, 64mb nvidia GEForce MX w/TV Outv.91 of MAME.

When I run on the MAME, I am able to play the first quarter stutter free, then when the 2nd quarter starts up, it slowly gets worse and worse until unplayable.

I have tried all of the settings above

triple buffer and waitvsync are off by default
tried going into direct3d mode
tried skipping 2 and then 4 frames
audio latency is 2/5 by default (running between 1/5-2/5)
dropped back several versions (tried .62, .63, .81) all get same result after first quarter
Formatted and reinstalled WinXP (The OS was installed with many apps way before me, so I thought maybe there was an issue with services loaded into memory)

I have read and read, and it looks like my 1.7ghz is not enough, but the thing that really throws me off is, why can my little laptop (with much less power) run it fine. I can see why my 3.2 can run it, but the 1.3 just doesnt make sense (unless the 512mb of RAM is the issue....?)

Any help would be great. I know this topic has been beat into the ground, but I thought maybe pointing out a 1.3 running okay would maybe open someones eyes?

I will run it with perfmon watching HD, RAM and CPU later today to see what results come back (maybe I am not even hitting upper cycles of each?)

Thanks for any ideas, I will post my results later today/tonight
-peeklay

screaming · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2006, 12:00:25 pm »

Quote from: peeklay on January 31, 2006, 11:37:15 am

I am able to run it fine, with no stutter, on my laptop which is only a P1.3/1GB RAM, 32mb vid card, WinXP, v..91 of MAME

I am NOT able to run it on my MAME cab, which is P4, 1.7, 512mb RAM, WinXP, 64mb nvidia GEForce MX w/TV Outv.91 of MAME.

Is your laptop a Centrino, Pentium M or Pentium 4? The MHz is only half the equation, man. It's all about the size of your bus. The bigger your bus, the bigger your socks.. or something.

-Steve.

peeklay · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2006, 12:12:11 pm »

My bus is HUGE!

Good point, I meant to post the chip. Its a Pentium M, 1.3ghz.

I realize bus is part of the equation, but I figured since we are not talking Celeron or something with little to no L2 cache, the speed would be a big part of it.

Hope this helps. Again, I will run perfmon here in a little bit.
-Brian

peeklay · « **Reply #13 on:** January 31, 2006, 01:04:37 pm »

alright, when running perfmon, there is no doubt it is the CPU. I am hitting 100% after some period of playing NBA Jam (noticed lag after first quarter again), but not sure on perfmon readout if they correlate (although pretty damn sure)

all things point to CPU, but why after a quarter? What is loading in the 2nd quarter that is killing this thing? Seems liek a memory/cache issue since the problem is after some time of playing, but I think I am out of guesses.

-peeklay

SirPeale · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2006, 07:59:05 pm »

I don't know what resolution you're running it at, but try turning it down. Its native resolution is 400x254, so try 640x480 or lower.

peeklay · « **Reply #15 on:** January 31, 2006, 09:21:39 pm »

Thanks Peale, I forgot to mention that I am running at 640x480.

On the laptop I run at 800x600, but on MAME cab, I run at 640...still no go.

I have come to the conlusion that this PC just can't run it, but want to see if I can find the component stopping it from doing so. The CPU seems to be teh culprit, but a Pentium M 1.3 cannot be that much better than a P4 1.7....or can it...haha.

Thanks for all your help, I will try any/all suggestions as the budget doesnt allow a new CPU anytime soon.

FYI, I will try the native resolution of 400x254

Thanks
-peeklay

peeklay · « **Reply #16 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:01:13 am »

Native resolution a no-go. Same exact problem

Taborious · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:41:37 am »

Peeklay, your problem sounds like a memory leak. You can play the first quarter because you still have the available ram but as the game progresses it is taking more and more ram for whatever reason and eventually starts disk caching which will kill your performance. That is probably why it is ok on your laptop because you have a gig of ram there. I would bet if you put some more ram in the system that it would run fine.
When you're running the game and it gets slow take a look at your hard drive lit and see if it flashes every couple of seconds or flashes alot...

RayB · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2006, 12:26:44 pm »

I got NBA Jam working full frame on a 1ghz system, but it required MAME 0.78, "waitvsync = no", "triplebuffer=no" and no stretch either. Basically, I had to turn off ANY sort of graphics effects or enhancements and let it run in its native res.

peeklay · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2006, 05:27:51 pm »

Taborious - Thanks so much, you were dead on with the memory leak. I could actually see the memory dump out and then the CPU spiked, so I doubled the memory to 1gb total and NBA Jam runs like a dream.

Thanks everyone for your help
-Peeklay

kelemvor · « **Reply #20 on:** February 06, 2006, 09:47:44 pm »

I guess I'll probably end up in this same boat. My Mame PC is currently a P3 1Ghz with 512 RAM. Not using it much yet but my joystick and buttons should be here later this week so I can start trying out more things.

I do have a P4 1.7 (or so) that is currently my jukebox / SageTV PC but that doesn't need a big processor so I could switch the two if needed...

I guess time will tell.

And in case the OP is still checking this thread... Hi from a fellow Milwaukeean.

Howard_Casto · « **Reply #21 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:17:55 am »

I wanted to point out that downgrading mame to an older version is NOT the way to go. Sure you might get better performance, but you'll get the old, inaccurate, scratchy, sound emulation. Since a frame skipping of 10% is only going to be noticable audio-wise it would be the same difference.

Also anyone trying to run mame in xp with only 256 megs of ram is kidding themselves. 512 for xp is MANDATORY even for just running the os.


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