Should I update MAME?

[Mr. Dude]

Hey Guys,
I've been out of the loop for a while and am currently running MAME version 0.96.  I'd like to update mainly so I can play Radiant SilverGun.  My machine has an AMD Sempron 2600+ processor, 512 mb of RAM, a NVidia Geforce 5200 128 mb graphics card and Windows XP SP2 and it runs my current setup pretty decently.  So is it worth it for me to upgrade so I can play one game?  And if so what version would fit my system well?  Thanks!   

[retrometro]

yes

[DaveMMR]

Download a new version of MAME and test it out (you'll have to update your rom set too if you're testing all the games).   If it's just for the one game, there's nothing stopping you from running multiple versions of MAME (except for extra work configuring a front-end). 

My copy of MAME .99 runs most games faster than .116.   So why do I keep .116 around?  Bubble Bobble.   

[SGT]

Hey Guys,
I've been out of the loop for a while and am currently running MAME version 0.96.  I'd like to update mainly so I can play Radiant SilverGun.  My machine has an AMD Sempron 2600+ processor, 512 mb of RAM, a NVidia Geforce 5200 128 mb graphics card and Windows XP SP2 and it runs my current setup pretty decently.  So is it worth it for me to upgrade so I can play one game?  And if so what version would fit my system well?  Thanks!   

You may find several games that do not run to your satisfaction with your machine if you use the latest Mame.  I agree with DaveMMR that you should test carefully before going to too much trouble.  I like using multiple versions of Mame, and my computer is faster than yours.  I use the latest Mame, but on the games that run too slowly, I use a pre-.106 version.

[loadman]

I like .79

But I'm a 'sad sack' who only plays 80's games

:-)

..Except PS2 Guitar Hero

[Mr. Dude]

Thanks for the tips guys.

[TOK]

Please post a follow up with how it runs on your machine... I have my vert cab set up with .84, but have a single shortcut made to run Raiden Fighters Jet with a later version of MAME. If Radiant Slivergun runs well, I'd probably consider incorporating the newer version of MAME into my emulators list for the newer shooters.

[Haze]

Hey Guys,
I've been out of the loop for a while and am currently running MAME version 0.96.  I'd like to update mainly so I can play Radiant SilverGun.  My machine has an AMD Sempron 2600+ processor, 512 mb of RAM, a NVidia Geforce 5200 128 mb graphics card and Windows XP SP2 and it runs my current setup pretty decently.  So is it worth it for me to upgrade so I can play one game?  And if so what version would fit my system well?  Thanks!   

there are many reasons to upgrade from something that old, lots of things have been improved, however you will find performance is lower.

RSG is not a good reason to upgrade however, there are places in the game (the more intense ones with rotating backgrounds) where it only just hovers at about 110-120% on my 3.5Ghz C2D, so a Sempron 2600+ is way underpowered for running it.  (Considering this machine seems about 3x faster than my old Athlon XP3000+)

Also sound on RSG isn't very good yet, although should be significantly better once 121u3 comes out as there have been some substantial improvements to the sound emulation in the last week.

MAME is always improving, although sometimes things to get broken for a while along the way...

[Haze]

I like .79

But I'm a 'sad sack' who only plays 80's games

:-)

..Except PS2 Guitar Hero

Yeah, but even if you only run old games there have been many improvements to the drivers since .79.. Even the likes of Bubble Bobble have only had perfect protection emulation since 0.107u3...

There were huge improvements made to Space Firebird in 0.115u3 likewise Berzerk in the same version..

etc.

[Red]

Please post a follow up with how it runs on your machine... I have my vert cab set up with .84, but have a single shortcut made to run Raiden Fighters Jet with a later version of MAME. If Radiant Slivergun runs well, I'd probably consider incorporating the newer version of MAME into my emulators list for the newer shooters.

TOK,

How exactly do you set that up- to have a single game run from a shortcut with a later version of MAME?  Thanks.

Red

[TOK]

Please post a follow up with how it runs on your machine... I have my vert cab set up with .84, but have a single shortcut made to run Raiden Fighters Jet with a later version of MAME. If Radiant Slivergun runs well, I'd probably consider incorporating the newer version of MAME into my emulators list for the newer shooters.

TOK,

How exactly do you set that up- to have a single game run from a shortcut with a later version of MAME?  Thanks.

Red

This is really lame, and I did it to test Raiden Fighters Jet. Since it worked, I left the shortcut.

Just right click on the desktop like a normal shortcut, then put your MAME path and rom in there with the options you want to use. I just named the shortcut Raiden Fighters Jet and it fires up the rom and command line options when you click on it.

I've been meaning to add a newer version of MAME in a separate area of my front end, but there aren't many newer games I want to run -just the vert shooters.