Direct3D not working in MAME (Voodooł PCI)

[Ginsu Victim]

Used to be I could run mame with d3d on my voodoo3 pci. Ever since I built my cabinet and started fresh, I can't get it to work.

I'm running XP SP2. I'm using the same drivers I had before (and I've tested SEVERAL different versions, as well), though oddly it always gives an error when trying to install 3dfx Tools.

When I run dxdiag.exe, the D3D tests all pass just fine.

However, no version of MAME will work with D3D, only DDRAW. It works ok with DDRAW, but I get a speed boost from D3D. (Plus I can use effects much better)

Any suggestions before I format and install Win2k?

[headkaze]

When your run Mame from commandline is it giving you an error? Try it in verbose mode

mame.exe -verbose <ROMNAME>

[Ginsu Victim]

Thanks, I run and try it real quick. (Yes, it gives an error. Both in command line and 32)

[headkaze]

Thanks, I run and try it real quick. (Yes, it gives an error. Both in command line and 32)

Whats the error?

[Ginsu Victim]

I knew I worded that in an odd way. I was referring to the original error (that it couldn't initialize direct3d).

Here's what the verbose output was:

C:\FastMAME84>fastmame -verbose dkong
parsing mame.ini...N/A
parsing fastmame.ini...OK.
parsing dkong.ini...N/A
Using DirectInput 5
Keyboards=1  Mice=1  Joysticks=2 Lightguns=0
trying to parse ctrlr file windows.ini
Mouse support enabled
Joystick support enabled
Keyboards=1  Mice=1  Joysticks=2
Initialising DirectDraw & Direct3D 7 blitter (14.06MB video memory available)
Best mode = 640x480x16 @ default Hz
Using a triple buffer and pageflipping
Primary surface created: 640x480x16 (R=0000f800 G=000007e0 B=0000001f)
Warning: using fall-back method for scanline blending.
Texture surface created: 256x256x16 (R=0000f800 G=000007e0 B=0000001f)
Blit surface created: 272x224x16
Scanline surface[0] created: 2x2x16
Scanline surface[1] created: 4x4x16
Blitter initialisation complete (13.40MB video memory free)
Primary buffer: 44100 Hz, 16 bits, 1 channels
SSE supported
Average FPS: 54.698570 (857 frames)

[headkaze]

Can you run your PC in 32 or 24 bit color mode? Go to your display properties and try changing it. The fact your running in 16 bit might be the problem.

[Ginsu Victim]

It is in 32. I must've run the verbose during the few minutes when I switched to 16 to see what that would do. No different either way.

[headkaze]

I still don't know what the error your getting is. I don't see any error in the verbose output either. If your getting an error, what is it. Mame looks like it's launching okay, is it just a blank screen or what?

It might be worth downloading MameUI just so it's easier to try some of the different video options. You can always go back to command line Mame later on. I recommend you try turning off triple buffer and play around with some of the settings.

When you say "Ever since I built my cabinet and started fresh". What do mean by that? Did you wipe your PC clean and re-install everything?

[Ginsu Victim]

I still don't know what the error your getting is. I don't see any error in the verbose output either. If your getting an error, what is it. Mame looks like it's launching okay, is it just a blank screen or what?

I'm not at home, so I can't tell you the exact error. It starts up, goes black, then tells me there's an error using Direct3D.

It might be worth downloading MameUI just so it's easier to try some of the different video options. You can always go back to command line Mame later on. I recommend you try turning off triple buffer and play around with some of the settings.

I've used MAMEUI (v .125) and command line MAME .84 (official, fastmame, and advmame). All of them give the error. (The main one I'm using for my cab is FastMAME .84)

When you say "Ever since I built my cabinet and started fresh". What do mean by that? Did you wipe your PC clean and re-install everything?

I bought a new computer and decided to use my old one for the arcade cabinet. MAME ran fine in D3D before, but after I wiped out everything and installed just what I needed for the cabinet, it hasn't worked since. I've reinstalled windows xp sp2 twice (same OS as before) and I've tried a plethora of drivers. DXDIAG shows D3D working, but MAME never seems to get it.

I haven't tried any other programs that use D3D. Maybe I should just to see what they do.

[headkaze]

I got your PM but there's not much more I can help you with until there is a bit more feedback from your end

- What is the exact error you receive?
- What video options in MameUI did you try? (did you try turning off tripple buffer like I suggested?)

Since your previous install of Mame worked okay, and if your running the same version of Mame we can mostly assume it's not a problem with your video card. Since you say you've installed the same video driver version, we can also mostly assume it's not the video card driver. So I would play with the video options in MameUI. The reason I suggested MameUI is because you can access the video options from the menu strip rather than from command line. It makes it easier to test different configurations.

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeha, I tried turning off TripleBuffer. Didn't help, so I turned it back on (I get no tearing with it on). I've messed with damn near every video setting at some point or another.

I give up. Thanks for trying, though. It runs well enough in DDRAW. When I get the extra cash to upgrade the PC in my cab, I'll have it all straightened out anyway.