Arcade@Home(tm)

CPU Speed/Type (MMX seems to help) - This seems to be the most marked speed increaser. I run a P166 overclocked to 180mhz and I am relatively happy with 3/4 or more of MAME's games.
Video Card/Resolution - Sometimes a game seems to run faster in different resolutions. Having a good, high quality (read this as 'not cheap') video card seems to dramatically increase performance as well. Again, I use a Screamin'3D card at home and a Creative Labs 3D Blaster at work (each about $75 on the street) and it seems to work pretty well. If you are using some cheap on-board video like Aptivas, Packard Bells, and Compaq have, you will some great performance increases by even moving to a separate PCI video card - on-board video seems to be quite bottlenecked in some applications. Check your video card drivers, too. Newer drivers (especially for S3 cheap card users) can make all the difference in the world.
Version of MAME - Believe it or not, some games run better/faster on different versions. For example, Marble Madness -for *MY* system setup - seems to run best in MAME32. Your mileage may vary. MAME for DOS rules for complete compatibility though.

You also have many options within MAME to try that will help increase your speed. Check these out:

Lower the screen resolution/color depth of the game (-320x240 or -depth 8).

Try adding -sr 11025 to the command line, which will decrease your sound playback quality, offering you more speed.

Disable the joystick and use the keyboard. (-nojoy)

Use Frameskip to skip every so many frames (F8/F9 decrease/increase/set to auto this in the game or you can set the frameskip in MAME.CFG). The more you skip, the faster it will run (to a point) but the game will get choppier.

Play without sound. (-soundcard 0) Put that Partridge Family album in the CD-ROM drive (or 8-track as applicable) and jam out while you play RASTAN ... HAHAHAHAH (as if I could resist). Seriously, playing without sound really speeds things up. Be warned; some games REQUIRE that sound be active (like Marble Madness, Indiana Jones, etc.) to actually be able to play them. Back

D9. Some games seem to work right, but others (yes, I read the readme.txt and the game should work) don't.

In some cases, complete emulation just isn't possible. Spy Hunter just doesn't 'feel' right because the controls to play the game are so vastly different than the arcade. Capcom Bowling isn't nearly as much as it was with the trackball.

If the game just PLAIN doesn't work - period - and you have checked the README.TXT considerations and you know other people have run it - then perhaps you have a bad set of ROMs. Normally you are notified when MAME starts if the ROMs that it loaded were bad, but it wouldn't be the first time. Remember, some games don't actually HAVE hi-score support or require samples to emulate sound successfully.

Consider ONE thing before you go on a rampage about the failed/bad acting game - it didn't cost you a dime. You aren't out of pocket. Back

D10. What is VESA V3.0 and why don't I have it with this brand new video card I just bought?

I am no video card expert by far, but this is my basic understanding. VESA V3.0 is a standard that defines how graphic applications 'talk' to the video card. It is like a 'translator'. When a new VESA standard comes out, older cards designed to speak in the older tongue (VESA 1.0, VESA 2.0) will not properly communicate with the program calling the graphics. In MAME language you get UNABLE TO INITIALIZE DISPLAY. VESA 3.0 is very new and most video cards currently in circulation do not have it. As for why your 'new' video card doesn't have VESA 3.0 implemented - well, remember the computer axiom "It was obsolete the day before you bought it". There are only a handful of cards that I know of that actually have it built-in. However, via special software, you can often get your card up to these standards - either through a driver update from the manufacturer or using Sci-Tech's Display Doctor software.

Nicola assures me that MAME does NOT require VESA 3.0 compatibility and that the -depth 8 command is purely for speed purposes. On my Screamin'3D video card, however, I cannot obtain the 16-bit color modes without Display Doctor and my card is VESA 2.0 compliant. As per always, your mileage will vary. Back

D11. Why does <insert game>'s bootleg work, but the other versions don't?

Often times an arcade game's ROM chips were protected by a hardware device or encryption system to prevent arcade operators from pulling the chips out and making a copy of them for his fellow arcade owner down the street. Occasionally, a pirated 'bootleg' copy of the ROMs are found - missing all forms of protection, making them easy to emulate without having to come up with a deprotection system. In the MAME world, bootlegs are often the working version, while the original ROMs go unusable due to the encryption/protection. Back

D12. RETURN OF THE JEDI looks messed up. Is it my monitor or screen mode?

Neither ... the README.TXT clearly states:

- background graphics are blocky because the hardware which smoothes them is not emulated. Back

D13. The game seems to be cut off on the top or bottom .. what can I do about this?

First, check to make sure your monitor's on-board screen adjustments don't cure your problem (screens aren't always situated the same way in different screen modes.)

Just try adding -vesa to the command line. The best resolution will be picked automatically. Back

D14. I think I found a new bug that no one knows about. How can I tell the team about it?

Please don't email them. First, get another human in earshot to discuss your bug. The chances are good that other people have already experienced and reported the problem. Best thing to do is wander into the IRC channel #arcade (on EFNET - try irc.idle.net as your IRC server). Chat with us. Alternatively, you can post a message on a MAME Message Board. Be warned; you better have your ducks in a row and have really checked into your alleged new bug before posting publically. Flames have been known to fly at people that post POPEYE DOESN'T WORK .. DOES ANYONE HAVE A GOOD SET even though the README.TXT file clearly states that it doesn't work. Back

D15. When playing Star Wars with a mouse, the crosshair moves in the wrong direction! How can I fix that?

Star Wars was played using a yoke, so the behaviour is correct. To reverse the Y Axis movement, all you have to do is go in the Analog Setup menu. Back

D16. I have an AWE32/AWE64 sound card, but if I select it MAME slows down to a crawl. Can this be avoided?

No. Use the Sound Blaster 16 setting. It is faster, and is also much more faithful to the original, since the AWE32 introduces a lot of echo/reverb effects which were not present in the real machine. Back

D17. I get an error like this: "Exiting due to signal SIGNOFP Coprocessor not available at eip=0014d62c". Help!

MAME requires a math co-processor to function as of version .28 - which means if you have an SX processor (i.e. 386/SX, 486/SX, an SLC based processor, or any other SX-rip off processor) you can no longer run MAME. Frankly, you wouldn't want to run MAME on any of these processors anyway. You need to upgrade your computer to play MAME.

Note: I have heard of early CYRIX processors (which have emulated FPU vice true FPUs) causing this same error. Once again, you wouldn't want to run MAME on something this slow anyway. Back

TROUBLESHOOTING - Win9x

W1. Why doesn't MAME/W or MAMEnu work with MAME32? Is there a front end for it?

I still can't believe I get emails about this. MAME32 is its own program - it has its own front end and setup utility within it. While you can use the MAME/W front end with it (be sure to use the -quit parameter in the ADDITIONAL COMMANDS box) - it is completely unnecessary.Your mileage with other front ends may vary. Back

W2. I keep getting a DINPUT.DLL error when I start up. What's up?

Do you have Direct X V3.0+ installed? If not, download it and install it (check www.microsoft.com/directx/ for the latest version). Chances are, that will fix your problem.

Your joystick/pad/controller is either 1) not installed properly 2) not functioning 3) or is not compatible with Direct X. It is very common to get this error if you didn't install your joystick properly (remember that 20 page manual and CD that came with your joystick? The one you tossed away only moments before you plugged in your new joystick and tried to play MAME?) Most of today's 'hi-tech' joysticks require a full driver installation and setup within Windows. Go to your CONTROL PANEL and check under GAME CONTROLLERS. Do you see your joystick listed by name? If this area is empty, your joystick isn't installed right. Dig your docs out of the trash and reinstall it.

What, your joystick didn't come with a CD or drivers? Did it cost around $10? Then you have the typical 'DOS' compatible joystick. You need to go into CONTROL PANEL and GAME CONTROLLERS and manually add a joystick that represents your stick/pad. Once it is installed and reads 'OK', then try MAME again.

So it all looks good, but still doesn't work? Some joysticks are just plain not compatible with Direct X. I recommend changing to keyboard control or purchasing a newer, compatible controller. You can always use the DOS version of MAME which should work with ANY DOS-style controller. Back

W3. I keep getting a Dxxxxxxx.DLL error (other than DINPUT.DLL) when I start up. How do I fix it?

According to the author, you won't get this error in the V.31 version of MAME32. If you are still getting this error, you are running a 'pre-V.31' version. Upgrade your version of MAME32.

If you receive the alternate message regarding Direct X, your system is having a problem with Direct X. Either you have too old of version of Direct X (V3.0+ is required), your sound or video card is incompatible with Direct X, or you just haven't installed Direct X. If you don't think you have Direct X installed (or even it you do - it can't hurt) get it from here and install it again. Direct X may attempt to replace your old out of date drivers. Normally you will follow Direct X's recommendations during the install.

If you successfully install Direct X and MAME32 still won't work, chances are you need a new video card or sound card. If your problem is DDRAW.DLL, you may try getting the latest drivers for your video card or install Sci-Tech's Display Doctor software to upgrade your driver. Back

W4. I don't get an error but I can't get sound or music? How come?

In Windows, normally only ONE program can allocate the sound card for use at one time. Compaqs, Packard Bells, and other such department store computers often have a lot of stuff load up when Windows boots (answering machines, etc.) that can potentially conflict with MAME32. Close EVERYTHING running other than MAME32 and try again. You may also check MAME32's sound settings and try its various options. Your sound card may be a cheapie that isn't Direct X compatible. Consider a sound card upgrade. Back

W5. I don't get a DINPUT error, but my joystick still doesn't work.

Sounds dumb, but look behind your computer and make sure it is still plugged in. Go to CONTROL PANEL then GAME CONTROLLERS and make sure the proper joystick is there. If not, make it happen. If you have a no-name generic stick/pad, it may not be usable with Direct X. Back

W6. I am not hearing the backround music in Bad Dudes, BreakThru, Fire Trap, and others. What's up?

Right from the README32.TXT file:

"There are some games which use an OPL chip for music. These are identified in the readme.txt file as requiring a Sound Blaster OPL chip. MAME32 will not produce music for these games since it does not emulate the ym3812 OPL chip." Back

W7. I have a (insert non-Intel processor here) CPU and MAME32 won't execute. Why?

It seems I have reports that if you have an AMD, Winchip, or Cyrix processor (you asked for it) you will need the -nocpudetect option when running MAME32. You can do this from the command line: MAME32 -nocpudetect or make a .PIF file in Win9x that will add the command to the shortcut. Consult your Windows help file or documentation regarding PIF files and shortcuts.

The author assures me that this will be repaired in the next release of MAME32. Back

MISCELLANEOUS

M1. Why are there so many versions of Galaxian, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, etc? What's the point?

In many cases, games were licensed to other companies when the parent company figured they had used them up. Or, a game was so popular that another game company just wanted to license it to try and profit off of it; Dig Dug and Pac-Man were offered by both multiple companies - Pac-Man was offered by both Namco and Midway and Dig Dug was offered by both Atari and Namco. Sometimes a different set of ROMs with a different copyright date is found, a bootleg set is found, or other such versions surface and they are easy to add to MAME, so the developers offer it. In some cases, the different versions are tweaked slightly different - the game levels are in a different order, the game is harder, faster, etc. In some cases even, the ROMs are hacked to run on hardware that they were not intended to run on. Some arcade operators figured out a way, for example, to pirate the ROMs from Pac-Man and hack them to work on a Scramble machine, giving them a hot new game without legally purchasing the new Pac-Man board. FYI, Scramble seems to be an easy to hack board since so many games were hacked to play on it including Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. Since these hacked versions are masterpieces in their own right, the developers include these in MAME. A long running joke with MAME enthusiasts is that EVERYTHING can be run on Scramble hardware (even your toaster and N64 could be run on Scramble hardware. :) Back

M2. How are video arcade games 'copy protected' and why?

I am not a developer per se, but I have a pretty good handle on this topic.

Due to hacks and bootlegs (see the above question), some manufacturers of video games come up with some devious schemes for preventing arcade operators from stealing their games. One of the most devious (and unhackable until just recently) was the slapstic board. In a nutshell, the manufacturers take a special 'security board' (my local operator called it a "deflector" board - basically a slapstic board) and connect it to the system board (PCB) of the game. Within the ROMs they write protection checks to ensure that the security board is actually there. If not, the game hangs. This is much akin to the gruesome 'dongle' protection that is still in use by some computer programming companies. Since this slapstic board only came with the 'purchased' version of the PCB/video game, even if the arcade operators copied the ROMs, they would be unusable in any other PCB. Games like Marble Madness and Indiana Jones used this protection, which is why, regardless of the fact that we had the ROMs, they could not be played.

The final way to protect the ROMs was to encrypt them with a protection algorithm that was decoded on the fly by the PCB. Hence, copying the ROMs is worthless without knowing and decoding the decryption system. Back

M3. Is there a live chat area that I can discuss MAME issues?

You can join #arcade on the EFNET IRC server (I recommend irc.idle.net if you don't have a good IRC server already). If you are not sure about how to access IRC groups, please check out the official mIRC site (a Windows program that allows you to connect to these channels). We don't recommend #mame as it's been taken over and is now run by a group of jerks.

Remember that we are sitting there as a hobby and just do it for fun, so act nice when you are hanging on the channels. Some people doesn't like you just come into a channel to ask where to get ROMs..

If you are very new to MAME try atleast to read all the text here. It should answer most of the questions, but alot of new things happens and this might give new questions about MAME. Back

ROMS

R1. What exactly are 'merged ROMs' and how do I go about doing it?

There seems to still be a lot of confusion how rom merging works. Let me see if I can shed a bit more light on it. I am no expert, but this is how I understand it (this will be added to the FAQ later tonight).

ROM MERGING is the process where similar roms, running on the same hardware, are merged into a single shared file (consisting of the 'core' or original rom plus the 'differential files' of the other/alt/boot/etc ROM) or the other/alt/boot/etc differential files being stored in the alterate romzip, without the core files that already exist in the original set. Confused? Here is a non-applicable (this is for demonstration purposes only) sample in English to explain it:

There are two Quantum sets - an original and an 'alt' set; quantum.zip and qauntum1.zip respectively. In the original set there are five rom files q-1.bin through q-5.bin. In the alt set there are also five rom files q1-1.bin through q1-5.bin. Now, these rom files are IDENTICAL except for the second rom file in each set. Set one has, say, a Nintendo copyright and the second one has a Bally/Midway copyright - otherwise they are the exact same game. So, in reality, the only file you REALLY need out of the alt set is q1-2.bin (this file has the different copyright name in it - in this example) - since the other files are identical (aside from name). The MAME team - in MAME V.33 B7+ - has 'merged' this game's two sets into a single one; q-1.bin through q-5.bin PLUS q1-2.bin. These files reside in the ORIGINAL rom's zip files (quantum.zip). When you attempt to run MAME QUANTUM1 (the alt set), MAME is instructed to check the rom for the original files PLUS the alt set (within the same archive), then - failing to find the alt set - checks for the existance of quantum1.zip - to see if the extra file is there. If not, it fails to load. That is how a simple MERGED ROM works. Imagine how much room you can save with the Callus games like Willow and Magic Sword being merged.

Well, actually, I can tell you how much you will save - in MAME V.31, the full romset is just over 100 MB (about 107 if I remember right). In MAME V.33 B7, the merged set of 628 roms takes 77MB! WHOO HOO!

Now for the confusing part. Above is only ONE way to merge. Some sets use only differential sets as a merge. I call this 'differential merging'. This means the original set remains in tact and alone. The alt/boot/etc set is stripped of all the common files from the first set, and only the differential files remain - in their own separate file. Then it works like the first merge system does. In relation to our example, QUANTUM.ZIP stays as it was, and QUANTUM1.ZIP contains ONLY the q1-2.bin file. This allows the front ends and utils to SEE the second romset, and you still save the space.

Wait, there is more. Some games, while being 'child' sets of a 'parent' set, are also parents themselves! Mr. Do is a parent (original) set. Mr. Du is a child (alt) set of Mr. Do. BUT, Mr. Lu is a child of Mr. Du, a child itself. (My god this sucks, doesn't it?) So merging has to be done carefully. In this release, all Mr. XX games are merged together in a single file. This romset, in fact, cannot be split.

Lastly, don't forget something - If a clone runs on a different hardware system, THAT rom is probably NOT going to be mergable (different hardware, different driver). Watch yerself with these 'differential' hardware roms. :)

Yes, you can merge the sets yourself - or go to any romsite to get them. Back

R2. How can I start deleting the unnecessary files after merging?

Do it by hand (takes TIME), or just get ClrMAME.

This is however very bad thing to do unless you really know what you're doing, since later MAME versions might start using some of the currently unused roms (like if sound emulation gets added, the sound roms are needed), and then you have invalid rom sets. Back

R3. I upgraded to the latest version and now my roms don't work!

See above. You're on your own. Your only hope is to keep using the previous version. Back

R4. What the heck are 'proms'? Do I need to know anything about them?

PROMs are color or other necessary game information that is now included within each game rom file. This information used to be 'hard coded' into the MAME driver itself, but now is simply included in the ROMs as its own file. Back

R5. Why can't I just download all the ROMs and samples in one file? And why are siteops so hostile when I ask?

This really should be a 'no-brainer', but I answer this question every single day (as do my fellow siteops) so I figured I better address it here.

First, do you really OWN all 1300+ games that MAME emulates? Do you have the LEGAL RIGHT to all of those ROM images? Gray area or not, you are taking a big chance by having 1300 counts of possible copyright violations on your hard drive (Up to 5 years in prison and up to $50,000 fine for each count). Granted, no one is being prosecuted at this time - but consider the facts. Even the samples for the games are being considered 'legally gray'.

Second, do you REALLY think that the siteops of sites are going to want their visitors downloading a 250MB file (+930MB for Neo Geo) from them? That is about 22 hours of download time at 28.8k (providing your ISP doesn't boot you off after a certain time, no one picks the extension phone in your house and kick you off, or you accidently close the download window. no siteop wants to offer that sort of thing. Then, instead of hearing the visitors complain about not having the availability of downloading them all in one big file, they will be complaining that they can never FINISH the download. You gotta understand that us siteops read hundreds of e-mails a day. You can possibly understand the hostility you may encounter when you (and 50 other people) every day ask the siteops to do something not only forbidden by the MAME team, but give up bandwidth that they often have to pay for without recompensation.

Finally, it is prohibited by the MAME development team. Period. You should need no other reason. If you need proof, it is right in the README.TXT file that accompanies every version of MAME. Here it is for you people who don't read README.TXT files:

"You are not allowed to distribute MAME and ROM images on the same physical medium. You are allowed to make them available for download on the same web site, but only if you warn users about the copyright status of the ROMs and the legal issues involved. You are NOT allowed to make MAME available for download together with one giant big file containing all of the supported ROMs, or any files containing more than one ROM set each. You are not allowed to distribute MAME in any form if you sell, advertise or publicize illegal CD-ROMs or other media containing ROM images. Note that the restriction applies even if you don't directly make money out of that. The restriction of course does not apply if the CD-ROMs are published by the ROMs copyrights owners. " Back

R6. Why can't I find samples for <insert game here>?

Some sample sets simply do not exists. The MAME authors know that sound cannot be emulated at the time of writing the driver, so they add sample support to it, hoping that soon a sample set will be created. There are several games that do NOT have a total (or any) sample sets. In any case, you will always find the most complete sample sets from the official page. Back


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