Can you compile?

[paigeoliver]

I need a favor from one of you monkeys who knows how to compile.

Can you compile me a Centipede/Millipede only version of Mame. An older codebase would be preferred (since they are usually faster, and Centipede/Millipede have been running correctly for years).

 I am slapping together a Mame Multipede cabinet in my last spare cabinet, and only have like a Pentium 133, PS2 arcade trackball, and monitor to use.

I am only asking because I know some of you guys have been compiling for years and could probably do it in 5 minutes.

[PacManFan]

I would do it for you, But you just called me a monkey..

Seriously, why only centipede /millipede? Can't you just create a bat file or shortcut that specifies the right rom on the command line?
-PMF

[IIOIOOIOO]

Go get vantage Paige. It will be alot closer to what you want. And specifically, go get Erik's Vantage Boot CD.

[SirPeale]

Go get vantage Paige. It will be alot closer to what you want. And specifically, go get Erik's Vantage Boot CD.

* DING DING DING * Wrong!

VAntAGE doesnt' support Centipede or Milipede.

However, going back to the compiling part...

There won't be any advantage to taking out the code that runs the other games.  MAME only uses that portion of the code when actually called upon.

My advice would be to get an older version and just run that.  MAME .10 has Centipede.  I'd go with .36 to be on the safe side (bug fixes, etc.)

[Grasshopper]

A Centipede/Millipede only version of MAME would presumably take up less memory than a full version of MAME.

This might have a slight effect on speed because you would have more choices over what memory model to use etc. A lot of it would depend upon what compiler you used.

[Howard_Casto]

A Centipede/Millipede only version of MAME would presumably take up less memory than a full version of MAME.

This might have a slight effect on speed because you would have more choices over what memory model to use etc. A lot of it would depend upon what compiler you used.

Absolutely not.  Mame only loads the drivers into memory as it needs them.  The size of the executabe would go down, but not the footprint it takes up in memory.  Unless you were to hack away at the mame core, you would get little to no speed benefit from removing other drivers.  

The answer is to use a really really really really really old version of mame as each version is optimized for the average processor emulated for each game.  (All the games as a whole.)  Earlier versions of mame ran the classics super fast because mame was optimized to emulate those puny processors much better/faster.  

All of this is in the mame faq btw, which I suggest the original poster read.  Look under "why is mame getting slower with each release"  and info on the sweet spot.  

[paigeoliver]

Hee hee. I guess this is where you guys all get revenge on me for always answering the questions that are not asked.

I want a tiny compile because I want to run the whole thing from floppy (no hard drive), with no front end. Boot to DOS and then directly to game all on floppy. One disc that does Centipede, and a second disc that does millipede.

[IIOIOOIOO]

Don't forget to see if you can reflash your BIOS with a different startup image!

[AlanS17]

Is there a reason you can't put it on a CD rather than a floppy?

I'm not sure you could cut it down small enough to fit on a floppy. I may be mistaken (and Howard will surely tell me if I am), but I don't know for sure.

[paigeoliver]

I have seen a Ms. Pac-man setup that boots from a floppy.

I am trying to not waste any computer bits that I would rather use for other things. Plus, the 2 floppies would be much less likely to get scratched up. Finally, not even sure if the comp I am going to use can boot from CDROM.

[SirPeale]

I do remember a special version of MAME from WAAAAAY back that would fit on a floppy.  It didn't have any sound support though, IIRC.  It was for only a couple games.

Might want to hit AGM and ask there, or groups.google.com for 'floppy mame' and ask.  Do a search for my name (Peale (Obviously)) as I was one of the posters in the thread.

[Howard_Casto]

I have seen a Ms. Pac-man setup that boots from a floppy.

I am trying to not waste any computer bits that I would rather use for other things. Plus, the 2 floppies would be much less likely to get scratched up. Finally, not even sure if the comp I am going to use can boot from CDROM.

I see what your getting at and it's not a good idea.  If a floppy is used as the primary "harddrive" it has a shelf life of about a month or two.  Floppies are a temporary medium now days.  They aren't designed for constant use.  Why can't you just burn a cd,  remove your cdrom from your primary computer, put it into the mame computer, copy to a cheap harddrive, and put the cdrom back.  You'll only have to do it once.

[SirPeale]

I have seen a Ms. Pac-man setup that boots from a floppy.

I am trying to not waste any computer bits that I would rather use for other things. Plus, the 2 floppies would be much less likely to get scratched up. Finally, not even sure if the comp I am going to use can boot from CDROM.

I see what your getting at and it's not a good idea.  If a floppy is used as the primary "harddrive" it has a shelf life of about a month or two.  Floppies are a temporary medium now days.  They aren't designed for constant use.  Why can't you just burn a cd,  remove your cdrom from your primary computer, put it into the mame computer, copy to a cheap harddrive, and put the cdrom back.  You'll only have to do it once.

I've got an old 80M Caviar that I got with my first computer, back in 1991.  It worked for years.  I went to use it for just such a project just a couple days ago, and it's dead!  Doesn't do anything!  Damn!  I had to scrounge around for a 500M, and that's overkill by far.