Asteroids Deluxe Is Too Demanding

[DrakeTungsten]

You'd think that an i5 with 4 GB of RAM could handle Asteroids Deluxe. Actually, I know it can, because out of two similarly-specced machines, one plays AD at normal speed, and one consistently averages only 75% speed running AD. Both run MAME .177 with the same roms installed (from a MAME .177 set). The difference is that the one which runs it at normal speed is Windows XP 32-bit, and the one which runs it too slow is Ubuntu 64-bit.  I've tried running other roms and emulators which are much more demanding on the new Ubuntu machine. SFIII 3rd Strike runs at full speed, as well as NullDC with WINE. Is there one weird trick I'm missing with AD?

[Howard_Casto]

*nix is weird.  Run mame on windows unless you want to constantly tinker with your OS.  Also a *i5* should be running a 64 bit OS always.  Get with the times and at least put win 7 on there. 

[DrakeTungsten]

The Linux-as-a-tinkerer's-only OS idea gets trotted out more often than is fair. Yes, I'm going to customize it, but probably no more so than I would a Windows install, and compiling my own MAME build was much easier on Linux, as well as the installation of other emulators being a breeze with apt-get. The switch to Linux has been pretty smooth. So far this Asteroids Deluxe issue is the only oddball thing I'd blame on Linux, and even then, I'd bet in the history of MAME, there's been instances of certain releases having issues in Windows which weren't present in Linux.

 I've discovered that if I make the background artwork unavailable to MAME, then AD runs at full speed. This is the only game I have artwork for, so I don't know if including artwork kills the speed on every game.
 

[Mike A]

Howard is right.

[DrakeTungsten]

I see now what a fool I've been. Thanks Mike!

[Mike A]

Glad to clear things up for you. 

[DrakeTungsten]

I tried using the artwork for a few more games. Using the artwork for Double Dragon caused it to run too fast. Speed was 145%. It was normal without artwork. For In The Hunt, Galaga, and Ghosts And Goblins, speed was unaffected by artwork.  I just used these as a point of reference. The only one I would really like to get working is Asteroids Deluxe, since the artwork for that title consists of a static background image for the screen, as opposed to the cabinet artwork for the other titles.

[Howard_Casto]

My advice still stands.  To elaborate (because apparently you don't believe me):  Linux has substandard driver support for video cards and it sometimes uses odd methods of implementing hardware acceleration.  The reason you are only running into issues with the artwork turned on is because that is the only time mame really uses the hardware acceleration on your video card. 

[DrakeTungsten]

My advice still stands.

Your original post made untrue assumptions.

  Linux has substandard driver support for video cards and it sometimes uses odd methods of implementing hardware acceleration.  The reason you are only running into issues with the artwork turned on is because that is the only time mame really uses the hardware acceleration on your video card.

That's more like it. I was under the impression that MAME never used hardware acceleration. Thank you.

[Howard_Casto]

No, no it didn't.  You just didn't take it. 

[acvieluf]

Sorry to get in the middle of this little tiff  , but AD is also slow on my windows machine, but only with the artwork running.  I can't imagine why, as many others with overlays on are fine.  I wouldn't think this game would be very taxing, either.

[DrakeTungsten]

Any chance you have artwork for Double Dragon? I'm curious if you also have the speed-up issue that I have for that title.

[nitrogen_widget]

Hey Drake,
Are you using official intel drivers or open source drivers?
Sometimes depending on what phase of the moon it is one is usually better than the other when it comes to mame and linux and intel drivers.

Also depends on which desktop and if and 3d desktop affects are turned on.
I usually just use fluxbox for my desktop with mame  to avoid any issues you sometimes see with the default eye-candy desktops.

[DrakeTungsten]

I'm using open source drivers. I'm using Xubuntu, so I have XFCE and no 3d effects. I'm testing on different hardware than what will actually be going in my cabinet, so I haven't been overly-concerned about tweaking my testing build for this one minor issue.

I found a work-around. I've just tested with WINE, and oddly enough, AD runs at double speed through Wine on the same MAME version which runs slow as a native Linux app, but when I use an older version (don't know the exact version, I think it's in the 150s) through Wine (I don't have any other Linux versions), it runs at 100%.

[acvieluf]

Any chance you have artwork for Double Dragon? I'm curious if you also have the speed-up issue that I have for that title.

No i am not using artwork for Double Dragon.  Sorry.