MAME IS @!*%#$!!!

[EnderWiggen22]

The whole reason I converted the cab was to run mame and it is sucking some seriously fat soggy sausage. SNES, SEGA, NES, and ATARI all run perfectly. GBA has to skip a few frames but it isn't noticable to the non-scrutinous. MAME is freakin HORRIBLE!!!! 

I have my monitor set to 60htz (60 fps) and I have to reduce Mame to 4 FPS to be able to get it to run at 90%!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why the crap is this happening?!?! I'm using an 800mhz computer w/ a 64mg GeForce card, and none of the other emulators seem to be having a problem with that. What can I do, b/c it doesn't look like a hardware issue.

[Banacek]

What verison of mame are you using? If you're using the newest version I would suggest going back to an older one.

[EnderWiggen22]

Mame CMD line version 109b

[Buddabing]

What games are you trying to run? An 800 MHz processor won't run the more complicated games.

You might try compiling MAME with optimizations, or using an older version.

Or, if you think MAME is so terrible, use a different emulator which will run on your hardware. Or write your own, you seem to think that creating an emulator is easy.

[EnderWiggen22]

I have had no problem with it on my xbox, etc and assumed I wouldn't have one with my conversion because it has been done so many times before and worked well for so many people.

I'm greatful for Mame (I do tread lightly, for I know that I'm treading on your dreams), it's just frustrating to have to run pacman at 4 fps. That's right, pacman at 4 fps to get 90% speed.

I think I will try a different/older version of mame, or perhaps an unofficial version. Oh, and I really didn't appreciate the name calling. I never said programing was easy, you assumed that's what I was thinking.

[Banacek]

Are you running v0.109 with the bezel artwork turned on? If so you should turn that off. But I still recommend either upgrading your system or going with an older version of Mame.

[EnderWiggen22]

I'm not using the bezel artwork; it is turned off. The problem is, I'm not too sure that hardware upgrades will help that much. I've switched around video cards and gotten similar results.

oh, btw, anybody know where to get the older versions of Mame? The official site has version .1 up to version .69 and the latest 1.09, but nothing in between .69 and 1.09. Anybody got a link, some advice to get Mame to run faster, etc?

[loadman]

oh, btw, anybody know where to get the older versions of Mame? The official site has version .1 up to version .69 and the latest 1.09, but nothing in between .69 and 1.09. Anybody got a link, some advice to get Mame to run faster, etc?

Dude... all versions are on the site but not all have a link:

Quote from the site at the top of the page

'Oh, and if you didn't notice yet, this page is rarely updated, so if you REALLY need a new older version which is not yet linked from this page, try http://www.mame.net/zips/mame???b.zip , replacing ? with the version number. '

Try Mame 089 and an old game like Galaga and if that does not run well.............ummmm

[Circo]

Is it all games or only some???

[EnderWiggen22]

Yeah, it's all of the games. I'm going to give another version a shot and see what happens...

[EnderWiggen22]

Great! the 089 version got rid of the lag problem, thanks! The only weird thing now is that some of the games are all over the screen. They look all twisted and stretched out and "wrap around the monitor" (left half of game is on right half of monitor and right half of game is on left half of monitor). I think I'll try a few more versions and see if I can find the right one for me. Thanks for the heads up on the "no link" stuff

[EnderWiggen22]

Fixed the video stuff (turned direct draw off and direct3d on) Works fine now. Thanks for the help, but the video quality seems lower now. Am I just crazy?

[loadman]

Fixed the video stuff (turned direct draw off and direct3d on) Works fine now. Thanks for the help, but the video quality seems lower now. Am I just crazy?

Have you got hardware stretching on perhaps?

[spystyle]

Try running MAME .36 (or up to .55) and you'll change your tune

"d00d this runs super great!!!!"

[Havok]

The newer versions of Mame are CPU hogs - they are now officially worse than Microsoft applications. Get a new computer, or use an old version of Mame...

[divemaster127]

run a older version of mame or gett a faster computer the 800 just will not cut it on the new versions
dm

[Tiger-Heli]

I'm not using the bezel artwork; it is turned off. The problem is, I'm not too sure that hardware upgrades will help that much. I've switched around video cards and gotten similar results.

Okay, just to clarify some misconceptions:

Bezel artwork is NOT a significant slowdown with the latest MAME's (0.106 or so, whenever they switched from .art to .lay files), it was with the older versions.

MAME is dependent on:
1)  CPU
2)  System RAM
3)  Video Card,

Pretty much in that order, so swapping video cards will have little impact.

Older MAME's are MUCH faster.

[leapinlew]

Thread Crappin Time!

Why do some people think everything should work perfectly everytime? Building a cab to play mame isn't a science. Especially using an older computer and trying to run the latest versions of mame software.

Guess what... it's not mames fault, it's your fault for not understanding. It's like trying to open a mpg video with Microsoft Word and complaining about Word. It's your lack of understanding... nothing a quick search wouldn't have fixed. There has been lots of complaints about the latest versions of mame - you would have seen that if you looked.

Lastly, when doing homebrew projects like this.... expect to find some bumps in the road. Your method of trying to resolve your problem is annoying. You look silly crying about mame being the problem...

You could just bypass this whole mame issue and use this:

[EnderWiggen22]

Quick question for you leapinlew:
What did your post accomplish? Did it help anyone?

I was frustrated about the lag problems, I had read that they occur, but never got a full explination as to why, or various ways to solve this problem untill now. The reason that I am a member of this message board is because I know how difficult this project was going to be, so I opted to ask some people that have been there before and know more than I do about emulation. And guess what? They helped me. They gave me possible solutions, and any newcomers to the board will be able to read these posts and be helped as well.

I guess you were just venting frustration, similar to myself, but please try to be more constructive in the future.

[leapinlew]

Quick question for you leapinlew:
What did your post accomplish? Did it help anyone?

I was frustrated about the lag problems, I had read that they occur, but never got a full explination as to why, or various ways to solve this problem untill now. The reason that I am a member of this message board is because I know how difficult this project was going to be, so I opted to ask some people that have been there before and know more than I do about emulation. And guess what? They helped me. They gave me possible solutions, and any newcomers to the board will be able to read these posts and be helped as well.

I guess you were just venting frustration, similar to myself, but please try to be more constructive in the future.

Quick Answer... I gave you a solution. Use the Jakks plug in tv joystick. It works, just put in batteries and plug it up to your TV. So, to answer your question - my post was helpful.

Your first message is a temper tantrum of how crappy mame is. Meanwhile, you give NO details on what version or type of mame you are using. I mean, look at your topic for crying out loud. Lately, the board has become cluttered with people looking for quick fixes and crying about things not working and not getting a response quick enough.

Since you missed the constructive portion of my post, I'll spell it out. In the future, you should consider asking questions instead of ranting, raving and pointing blame in the wrong direction. You get more flys with honey after all...

 

[Tiger-Heli]

Quick question for you leapinlew:
What did your post accomplish? Did it help anyone?

Evidently, it didn't help you, as you don't seem to be going to take his advice or even get the message.  Maybe it will help others.

Seriously, I'm glad we could help you out, but you waited until the second paragraph to say you were using an 800Mhz CPU, and until someone asked to say you were trying to use MAME 0.109b.

I was frustrated about the lag problems, I had read that they occur, but never got a full explination as to why, or various ways to solve this problem untill now.

Could have answered both with a visit to the MAME FAQ:

http://www.mame.net/mamefaq.html#g02
http://www.mame.net/mamefaq.html#t10

If you really want to know WHY they are occurring - follow the MAME.net Serious boards, or search BYOAC for Sweet Spot, which would eventually lead you back to the FAQ:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=49407.msg492067#msg492067
http://www.mame.net/mamefaq.html#m14

To paraphrase and make a long story short (in the dev's viewpoint):

MAME is concentrating on making dual CPU and 90's era games more playable, and if that means PacMan and Galaga play slower than they used to, oh well. . .

Entry-level PC's are somewhere in the neighborhood of a Duron 1.8 Ghz, or an XP 2600, and the Fast PC's are Conroe or FX 5200, or PIV 3.4 Ghz.  So if MAME is sluggish on your PIII 500 Mhz, oh well . . .

[EnderWiggen22]

Leapinlew, your response wasn't intended to be helpful at all. It was condescending. So don't attempt to act innocent. And yes, I was venting frustration, as I have already admitted, but it was for a purpose: in doing so I got an increadible amount of input/responses. Had I not done so I would have gotten less and my posting would have gotten frequently overlooked. Don't you agree?

I do appreciate the time all of the people put in posting responses to my problems. I thank all of you for that, and I look forward to being able to help others the way (some of) you helped me. I personally appologize if the method in which I did this offended any of you, but you can't argue against its effectiveness.

Also, with regards to searching FAQs vs posting:
I prefer, as insubstantial as it may be to some, this moderate form of human interraction. True, I have gotten most of my information through walkthroughs, faqs, and reviews; but utimately I enjoy being able to ask people directly because they frequently come up with suggestions/information that I would not have been able to figure out easily on my own. To use what is more than likely going to be refered to as a bad analogy, it's as if I'm trying to build a car, and you tell me to read the manual. True, the manual will help me and I will eventually be able to build the car through its help, but I could have done it faster and better if i had someone who had built a car before helping me personally. And you will have to excuse me if I misinterpereted the purpose of this message board. Perhaps you should establish a board for newbs, such as myself, where simple questions are to be the expected postings. This way I wont evoke the wrath of the elders for "improper usages" of message board.

[leapinlew]

And yes, I was venting frustration, as I have already admitted, but it was for a purpose: in doing so I got an increadible amount of input/responses. Had I not done so I would have gotten less and my posting would have gotten frequently overlooked. Don't you agree?

According to you then... I would get more proper attention if I were to rant opposed to ask an intelligent question politely? Did you notice that I answered your other thread within 15 minutes of you asking it?

Check it out - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59469.0

You asked a specific question (even though you didn't give near enough details) and you asked it politely. It was obvious you did 0 searching for the answer. I spoon fed you an answer. Why? Because you asked politely. You think the solution is to make alot of noise so you can get attention. Am I understanding you correctly?

but you can't argue against its effectiveness.

I just did. Furthermore, keep throwing your little temper tantrums... see how far it gets you.

Also, with regards to searching FAQs vs posting:
I prefer, as insubstantial as it may be to some, this moderate form of human interraction. True, I have gotten most of my information through walkthroughs, faqs, and reviews; but utimately I enjoy being able to ask people directly because they frequently come up with suggestions/information that I would not have been able to figure out easily on my own. To use what is more than likely going to be refered to as a bad analogy, it's as if I'm trying to build a car, and you tell me to read the manual. True, the manual will help me and I will eventually be able to build the car through its help, but I could have done it faster and better if i had someone who had built a car before helping me personally.

This is a well wrote peice of crap. Your anology is flawed ... you aren't building a car. Your seriously dillusional if you think mame running slow on your computer is equivelant to building a car. A more accurate analogy would be the gas cap not properly fitting on the car. (you have the wrong gas cap).

I don't mind helping out - but your whole idea of making alot of noise so you can get some attention is juvenile.

[EnderWiggen22]

I did notice your response, and I thanked you for it. I'm not so sure why you are constantly so angry/hostile. The tone of your replies is very demoralizing and I don't appreciate it very much. Personally, I don't think that is the environment that these message boards are about. I have not written so much as one impolite word to you, yet you seem to have some personal vendetta against me. I haven't quite figured out why that is.

Well, as much as I have thouroughly enjoyed this vein of out conversation, I would the combattiveness to end. So, I would like to apologize once more if I ever offended you in any way. I have no problem with you and I hope that, should you choose, our future interractions would be more civil.

[spystyle]

You could just bypass this whole mame issue and use this:

[releasedtruth]

You could just bypass this whole mame issue and use this:

Cold, stone cold, but I find myself laughing all the same. This has gotten a little out of hand, that's for sure.

[spystyle]

I was laughing too!

But honestly :

"MAME IS @!*%#$!!!" = heresy

[FrizzleFried]

But honestly :

"MAME IS @!*%#$!!!" = heresy

Not if @!*%#$!!! = "THE FERSHIZZLEMAHNIZZLE"...

[spystyle]

I'm telling mom