Issue with MAME

[bodbod]

Hi,

This might be a beginner issue but I can't figure out why MAME is not launching correctly, let me explain below so you can understand better the challenge :

My Menu has : Arcade (MAME) / CAPCOM I / CAPCOM II / CAPCOM III

currently, since I have edited the rom path in mame.ini the below categories are working :

#
# CORE CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
#
readconfig                1
writeconfig               0

#
# CORE SEARCH PATH OPTIONS
#
rompath                   D:\ROM$\MAME;"D:\ROM$\Sega Master System";"D:\ROM$\Amstrad GX4000":\ROM$\CAVE;D:\ROM$
hashpath                  hash
samplepath                samples
artpath                   artwork
ctrlrpath                 ctrlr
inipath                   .;ini;ini/presets
fontpath                  .
cheatpath                 cheat
crosshairpath             crosshair
pluginspath               plugins
languagepath              language

- Arcade : working in general except for capcom II and III roms apparently
- Capcom I : fully working
- Capcom II : not working
- Capcom III : not working
- CAVE : fully working

All related roms above are located in a MAME folder to avoid rom duplication, I only have the categories split in the menu interface so it is better presented like it was originally proposed in the "ready-to-play" version.

I  understand that if i fix my issue with Arcade, it should fix the same automatically for the other categories as it is using the same mame launcher with same config...

All collections have an Arcade.sub file (except Arcade) with the list of roms related to each system.
Only Arcade collection repo has an include.txt file populated with the same list of roms present in all Arcade.sub mentioned above
All setting.conf have the same lines :

list.includeMissingItems = false
list.extensions          = 7z,zip,rar
list.menuSort            = yes

launcher      = MAME
metadata.type = MAME

In regards to the mame launcher.conf file, nothing changed :

executable = emulators\MAME\mame64.exe
arguments = "%ITEM_NAME%"

I believe the problem may come from my romset itself and I d like to check that point by listing and renaming the roms correctly if necessary with don's tool, problem is that for MAME, there is no CRC information in the XML I have and it s a pain to match manually then.


As well, I would like to understand the option -cart that you can find in some launchers, when i run the mame64.exe in Dos command it does not understand this option so I am wondering how this works in retrofe.
Additionally, I am trying to make the Amstrad CPC or GX4000 working but you sometimes need to add some option like gx4000... where can we get the command list for all console emulated by Mame ? This would be handy to me.
Why is mame needing some options like gx4000 or sms... when sometimes it does not and emulates different systems without any problem (recognize by itself ?)

I believe I have overrun my quota of questions

Thanks in advance for your help

I am providing you with my Log so you can see what is going on maybe (see attachment)

[Pieter Hulshoff]

The first step in these situations is always to run MAME from the command line to see what type of error message you get (assuming log.txt from RetroFE doesn't offer any suggestions as to the problem). In your case I assume you may be lacking some of the chd files required by several of the CPS II and CPS III games.

As for your second part: MAME uses the following command structure for arcade games:
mame64.exe <machine>
e.g.
mame64.exe pacman

The same setup can be used for consoles etc., but now you probably want to load a game as well:
mame64.exe snes sturric

If you don't want to use the software lists for consoles, you can also specify a ROM file, but then you need to tell MAME what to do with it, like place it in a cartridge slot:
mame64.exe snes -cart "C:\RetroFE\collections\SNES\roms\Super Turrican.smc"

Hope that helps.

[JonahUK]

For CPS 1, 2 & 3, I do the following without issue:

1 & 2 launch with mame and use the mame versions rather than the "proper" cps 1 & 2 sets.

For CPS 3, I use retroarch with the fba_libretro core and these are launched using rocketlauncher (using the rocketlauncher.conf)

CPS 3 roms that "require" a CHD, you can use No-CD versions for Jo-Jo & the SF3 roms so the CHD are not needed. Adjust the XML accordingly to match (they generally have a "n" after the filename).

Also, I use MESS 0.159 for anything that needs -cart or -cass etc., I just find it so much easier, lol.

[bodbod]

OK thanks guys for your answers.

To Pieter Hulshoff : I have been using the same mame version provided on the release from Emumovies (shouldn't be working then ?).

To JonahUK : I will mess around with other emus once I am sure it's not coming from me (why rocket-launcher to use FBA ?)

[Pieter Hulshoff]

MAME is working fine; my guess is you just don't have the required chd (harddisk files). You can find them as part of the PD MAME CHDs set.

Which rom set are you using?

[bodbod]

Hey,

I would need the following ones :

a2600
Atari jaguar
Capcom I / II / III
Amstrad cpc/gx4000
neogeo

[JonahUK]

Hey,

I would need the following ones :

a2600
Atari jaguar
Capcom I / II / III
Amstrad cpc/gx4000
neogeo

Look at setting everything up in RocketLauncher and then use the rocketlauncher.conf in RetroFe.
So much easier
Make sure everything launches in RL and then you should be golden with any system.

EG: For Atari 2600 (plus others) I use MESS (MAME just never seemed to work for me but I use no-nag versions so that may be why?).

Atari 2600 launching via RocketLauncher (fullscreen disabled for screenshot): http://imgur.com/a/nNlxK

Once a rom launches, change the launcher in that systems settings.conf to use rockerlauncher.conf and retrofe will use it.
I just find it so much easier this way than doing it via command line.

[bodbod]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the tips, i will give a try via rocketlauncher then but wouldn't be easier to have a summary page in the documentation giving you the run command of each emulator with the options so that people can populate the launchers in an easier way.
I am maybe picky but if we want to have more users, it has to be simpler to a certain level i would say.

As well, it would be nice to have a thread on the forum giving you the best/working/compatible emu for each type of system. After it is a personal choice but that can help novice to at least choose among the different emulation possibilities.

cheers !

[JonahUK]

Where is the fun in that?

Part of setting a system up is the learning curve 

RetroFE is as simple as you can get, easier than HyperSpin and plus, it's still 100% free

[bodbod]

Where is the fun in that?

Part of setting a system up is the learning curve 

RetroFE is as simple as you can get, easier than HyperSpin and plus, it's still 100% free

lol, obviously we don't have the same definition of Fun but I can appreciate though !