Need Some Help With Mamewah & Fusion / Opening a Sega CD image?

[M.A.M.E Power]

Ok so I have fusion up and running just fine, boots 32x, genesis, mastersystem games with no issues.

The trouble I am having is with Sega CD images - as I have a large HD I have put the roms onto that instead of all the discs. Is it possible to play these games if they are in zipped format?

I create the list in mamewah, go to launch the game, and the sega cd screen comes up and tells me to reset to open the CD draw. I copied the ini file from John's site, and I think that could be part of the problem (please see below)

### segacd.ini (mamewah v1.61) ###

emulator_title                            Sega CD

### List Generation Settings ###
rom_path                                  D:\fusion\roms\Mega CD
rom_extension                             zip
dat_file                                 
nms_file                                 
catver_ini_file                           
list_generation_method                    rom_folder

### Execution Settings ###
emulator_executable                       D:\fusion\fusion.exe
commandline_format                        "[rompath]\[name].[romext]" -scd -fullscreen{nodosbox}{nosafelaunch}
alt_commandline_format_1                  [name]
alt_commandline_format_2                  [name]
game_specific_config_path                 

### Artwork Locations ###
artwork_1_image_path                      D:\fusion\snap\cd
artwork_2_image_path                     
artwork_3_image_path                     
artwork_4_image_path                     
artwork_5_image_path                     
artwork_6_image_path                     
artwork_7_image_path                     
artwork_8_image_path                     
artwork_9_image_path                     
artwork_10_image_path                     
movie_preview_path                       
movie_artwork_no                          1

### Screen-Saver Settings ###
enable_music_in_screensaver               0
saver_type                                launch_scr
movie_path                               
movie_fullscreen                          1
quit_delay                                30
wrapper_executable                       
wrapper_commandline_format                [name]
scr_file                                 

### External Application Settings ###
ipc_file_or_path                         
app_1_executable                         
app_1_commandline_format                 
app_2_executable                         
app_2_commandline_format                 
app_3_executable                         
app_3_commandline_format                 
auto_launch_apps                         

### Additional Settings ###
music_path                               
lcd_display_file_path                     
lcd_fe_text                               

### Settings used by MAMEWAH ###
current_list                              0

I imagine it is a simple fix - but cannot seem to find the answer.

Thanks

Lea

[Minwah]

IIRC you need to create a folder for each CD game within your rom folder.  Then each of these folders should contain a bin/cue/iso image of the CD and relevant MP3's.

eg:

\fusion\roms\Sonic CD\Sonic CD.iso
_________________\Track 2.mp3
_________________\Track 3.mp3
etc.

I am 99.9% sure this is explained in the Fusion docs otherwise I wouldn't know how to do it! 


Note to seamlessly have these games integrated with a list of 'normal' Sega games, you would need to use the latest Mamewah beta...

[M.A.M.E Power]

Thanks for the reply!

I have unzipped the folders, they do not all contain bin files.

I can open the image up through fusion (using the unzipped folder and selecting the iso image).

The trouble is getting mamewah to load it - I know it is me @ fault, but cannot seem to put my finger on it.

The list can be generated in mamewah if the folders are zipped - but how do I create a list using the folders when they are unzipped?

I tried telling the mamewah ini file to look for iso's but that showed nothing up.

The folders contain other tracks as you mentioned - do i need to rename these from there original format?

Suggestions welcome.

Am using the latest release of mamewah.

Thanks

Lea

[unclet]

I am also interested in this discussion.  I tried to set up my SegaCD as well, but MameWah only generates one game in the list.  I have 6 game directories (see below) which each have an ISO or BIN file within (as well as MP3 files)

C:\Emulators\RomFiles\SegaCD\myCDs\Adventures of Batman & Robin\<files>
C:\Emulators\RomFiles\SegaCD\myCDs\Earthworm Jim Special Edition\<files>
C:\Emulators\RomFiles\SegaCD\myCDs\Jurassic Park\<files>
C:\Emulators\RomFiles\SegaCD\myCDs\Mad Dog McCree\<files>
C:\Emulators\RomFiles\SegaCD\myCDs\Secret of Monkey Island\<files>
C:\Emulators\RomFiles\SegaCD\myCDs\Sonic CD\<files>

I have my MameWahv1.62b9 INI file "rom_extension" set to "iso;bin" and when I generate a game list, then only the first CD directory game (ie: Adventures of Batman & Robin) is displayed.

When I start the Batman game in MameWah, it asks me to press RESET as well.  If I start the game from the command prompt it asks me to simply press START and when I do this, then the game starts.

Why does MameWah only list one game in the gamelist and why does it ask for me to press RESET ?

Here is my MameWahv1.62b9 INI file as well

### SegaCD-fusion.ini (mamewah v1.62) ###

emulator_title                            Sega CD (fusion)

### List Generation Settings ###
rom_path                                  [emurootpath]\RomFiles\SegaCD\myCDs
rom_extension                             iso;bin
dat_file                                 
nms_file                                 
catver_ini_file                           
list_generation_method                    rom_folder

### Execution Settings ###
pre_emulator_app_commandlines             
emulator_commandline                      [emurootpath]\Programs\fusion\fusion.exe "[rompath]\[name].[romext]" -scd -fullscreen{nodosbox}{nosafelaunch}
post_emulator_app_commandlines           
general_app_commandlines                 

### Artwork Locations ###
artwork_image_paths                       [emurootpath]\SupportFiles\SegaCD\snaps
movie_preview_path                       
movie_artwork_no                          1

### Screen-Saver Settings ###
enable_music_in_screensaver               1
select_random_game                        0
saver_type                                gamelist_slideshow
movie_path                               
movie_fullscreen                          1
quit_delay                                0
saver_commandline                         

### Additional Settings ###
music_path                               
lcd_display_file_path                     

### Settings used by MAMEWAH ###
current_list                              0

[jcrouse]

First off I would post these questions in the MameWAH forum.

That being said, you have two options.

Option 1:
Leave them in ISO/WAV format and put each in its own folder and modify your ini file accordingly. Not many people use this method.

Option 2:
Convert all the images to bin/cue format, place the bin/cue files all in one folder and then mount them using Daemon Tools. This is the preferred method.

John

[unclet]

If the games are all listed in their own individual directories and MameWah is set up with a rom_extension of ISO (or BIN ... or both), then how does MameWah know to "go into the game directory" to find the ISO or BIN file to get the correct gamelist information?

Are you saying that MameWah will not work with all games in their own directory?  MinWah stated in this post that he believed the games belong in their own directory.

How would you recommend to convert an ISO to BIN/CUE format?

Also, I tried mounting a CD using Daemon tools for setting up NeoGeoCD games, but it did not work for me ..... I really did not spend anymore time trying to figure out what went wrong.   I mean I tried to execute the mount command at the command prompt and then tried executing the NeoGeoCD nebula command next but it did not work properly.   I was kind of looking forward in getting the SegaCD stuff working without having to use Daemon tools.

Why do most people not simply use the "ISO file/separate directory" approach?

Also, if I wanted to stick with the "ISO file/separate directory" setup, then what would my MameWah INI file (see previous posting) need to look like?  I noticed your INI file (from your site) uses BIN/CUE format but does not use the Daemon tools..... so are you sure that SegaCD required Daemon tools ...... they seem like they can be played directory from BIN/CUE or ISO format.

[jcrouse]

For the special occurance of each game having it own directory you somehow (I forget exactly how) use an option of Folder somewhere.

Converting ISO/MP3 to bin/cue takes some work. I know since I have probably done 2000 game, including all of the Sega CD stuff. You first need to use an audio conversion program to conver the MP3's to WAV's. The you need to remove the MP3's and put the Wav's in the same folder as the ISO(s). Then use a program (do a search, it's on the Fusion site somewhere) calle segacuemaker.exe. This will create a cue file. Then you use a program like Alcohol 120% to mount the cue file and rip the ISO/Wav's into bin.cue format.

John

Be aware that you use some audio quality doing this but many would argue that it is undetectable.

[unclet]

No offense but that seems like way too much work at the moment 

I will post something in the MameWah forum asking about the folder option thing .... thanks

[unclet]

The mameworld.info site has been down all night (actually goes down quite regularly for some reason) so I decided to post one more time here .....

I decided to try this ......

I placed all my ISO, MP3 and BIN/CUE files in the same directory and then pointed my MameWah INI file to have a"rom_extension" of "iso;bin" and all the games were now listed in MameWah.

I started about three games and they all asked me to press START, however, after exiting Star Wars (which did not display nicely BTW) it crashed my display driver and I had to reboot.  Now when I start the games, it asks me to press RESET now.   Whats going on?   

Also, if I hit the mapped key for "Z"  (maybe was it some other mapped key) then I get a CD player thing ..... is this normal?  Should this CD thing be displayed?

[jcrouse]

The mameworld.info site has been down all night (actually goes down quite regularly for some reason) so I decided to post one more time here .....

I decided to try this ......

I placed all my ISO, MP3 and BIN/CUE files in the same directory and then pointed my MameWah INI file to have a"rom_extension" of "iso;bin" and all the games were now listed in MameWah.

I started about three games and they all asked me to press START, however, after exiting Star Wars (which did not display nicely BTW) it crashed my display driver and I had to reboot.  Now when I start the games, it asks me to press RESET now.   Whats going on?   

Also, if I hit the mapped key for "Z"  (maybe was it some other mapped key) then I get a CD player thing ..... is this normal?  Should this CD thing be displayed?

What's going on is that I told you previously the two methods that will work but you chose to ignore my advice and try some hair-brained approach.

List generation is VERY simple. It looks for an extension you specify (or multiple in your example, iso and bin) in a folder you specify. THat is all it does and then it displays the results. This has NOTHING to do with actually launching a game which is controlled by the parameters on the "emulator_commandline" entry.

Good Luck,
John

[jcrouse]

OK, after a deep breath (or two) I will try and help calmly. The first thing you will need is all of your images in the same format (not really but for this discussion, yes). Choose either bin/cue or ISO/MP3. I believe the image sets floating around are mostly ISO/MP3 with some bin/cue's mixed it. They are a mess.

Bin/cue:
See the above explination on how to convert to this format. For this format you can put all the files in the same folder because when you make them you will give them unique names. Generate your list with these settings:

### List Generation Settings ###
rom_path                                  h:\fusion\cds
rom_extension                             bin
dat_file                                 
nms_file                                 
catver_ini_file                           
list_generation_method                    rom_folder

To launch a game use these settings in your ini file in MameWAH:

### Execution Settings ###
emulator_commandline                      c:\fusion\fusion.exe "[rompath]\[name].[romext]" -scd -fullscreen{nodosbox}{nosafelaunch}

ISO/MP3:
The problem here is the generic naming of most of the audio tracks. Hence the need for each game to be in its own folder. Create a folder named roms. Inside the roms folder. create a folder for each game you wish to play. The folder name MUST be the same name as the file you are sending to the emulator (your cue file). So, if you have thes files:

My Game.ISO
My Game .cue
Track1.MP3
Track2.MP3

Your folder name MUST be "My Game".

Now for a list generation method use these settings:

### List Generation Settings ###
rom_path                                  h:\fusion\roms
rom_extension                             
dat_file                                 
nms_file                                 
catver_ini_file                           
list_generation_method                    rom_folder_subfolders

And a commandline that looks like so:

### Execution Settings ###
emulator_commandline                      c:\fusion\fusion.exe "[rompath]\[name]\[name].[romext]" -scd -fullscreen{nodosbox}{nosafelaunch}

You will see here why the folder and cue file must have the same name. Because the "[name]" variable is sent to represent both strings.

I have not tried this method for some time and a setting or two may be slightly off but this should get you started. We can tweak from there.

When the CD player appears it means that Fusion did not see or find your image.

Good Luck,
John

[unclet]

My games which have ISO files in them do not also have CUE files .... they just have associated MP3 files.    The MP3 files are numbered correctly already, so I will give the "subfolders" thing a try.   

If this fails then I will try to convert them all to bin/cue.

PS:  I understand the problem to execute games if the MP3 files were named without the standard naming convention required, but since mine are named correctly I thought I could place them all in the same folder.   Not sure why this would cause problems in the emulator, but I will give the subfolders thing a try .....

[jcrouse]

PS:  I understand the problem to execute games if the MP3 files were named without the standard naming convention required, but since mine are named correctly I thought I could place them all in the same folder.

I agree with that statement

[unclet]

Placing the files within their own directory and using the "rom_folder_subfolders" setting within MameWahv1.62b9 worked great.

Thanks again .....

[jcrouse]

Placing the files within their own directory and using the "rom_folder_subfolders" setting within MameWahv1.62b9 worked great.

Thanks again .....

That is why it was added. I had Mini put it in because I was messing with the Sega CD stuff just like yourself. I ten decided to convert everything to bin/cue format.

John

[Minwah]

Just FYI you should be able to use both formats (bin/cue & iso/mp3) with the rom_folder_subfolders list generation method.  I happen to have some of each format...from memory you just need to specify the extensions in the rom_extension setting.

[jcrouse]

Just FYI you should be able to use both formats (bin/cue & iso/mp3) with the rom_folder_subfolders list generation method.  I happen to have some of each format...from memory you just need to specify the extensions in the rom_extension setting.

Yes. This will work if the emulator plays the image natively which is the case for fusion. If they need to be mounted in a virtual drive the bin/cue must be used as ISO/MP3's are not mountable.

John

[Minwah]

Yes. This will work if the emulator plays the image natively which is the case for fusion. If they need to be mounted in a virtual drive the bin/cue must be used as ISO/MP3's are not mountable.

Ah ok thanks...yes I haven't had the need to mount any drives as I've only used Fusion & a few Sega CD games.