Hey guys
Found a real time 2021 solution to CPS3 games not playing in launchbox. This one is a doozy, so get ready.
1. Goto Arcade database website http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/ and search for the required romset of your game (basically for CPS3 games this is your *.zip file; for example Street fighter 3: New Generation is sfiii.zip).
2. Find your required CHD (compressed hunks of data) file (for example you need the cap-sf3-3.chd file). Do a google search or internet archive search (LINK REMOVED) This is the actual rom file.
3. Your zip file should have the correct key file within it usually this is a *.u2 file (European ver sfiii.zip; US ver sfiiiu.zip; Japan ver sfiiij.zip)
4. Check arcade database if the CHD file associated works with your particular language specific zip file pack/romset. For example Street Fighter 3: New Generation Japanese and US ver use the same CHD file. Not all games are similar. Each uses a specific CHD file and later revision games may use another CHD file.
5. If you cant find the *.CHD file you can sometimes find an *.img file or *.iso file ripped from the disc/cartridge. This file can be transformed to a *.bin and *.cue combo files (via AnyBurn; freeware for disc image conversion). Once you have burned your img or iso file to appropriate dual BIN and CUE files then your ready to convert to the *.chd format or CHD file.
6. Use the attached batch file (named CUE or GDI to CHD.bat) to convert from BIN and CUE with chdman (comes with MAME). Step1: Put your batch file, chdman file, and *.bin and *.cue file in the same folder. Step 2: Double click the batch file and it runs a CMD window to convert your BIN and CUE to the CHD format and outputs to the same folder. Note: You can also use Philips CDi image files or *.bin and *.cue to convert to CHD for MAME.
7. Make a folder named the same file name as the *.zip CPS3 romset you want to run. For example sfiii.zip is the Street Fighter 3: Next Generation romset. Put in the roms folder of MAME a new folder named sfiii with the CHD file in it. DO NOT zip the CHD file, it will not work that way. Make sure you name the CHD file the name that MAME associates with this zip file; in this case cap-sf3-3.chd by double checking the Arcade database website and clicking required files near the romset section of your game.
8. Goto Launchbox, import the *.zip file into Launchbox by importing roms. Sometime I choose Retroarch as the emulator at first because importing a single MAME games is ignored by Launchbox and will not work. Once the artwork and romset is imported, right click the game and click Edit. Goto Lauching section and rename the launch string appropriately ie sfiii.zip (European ver) or sfiiiu.zip (US ver) or sfiiij.zip (Japanese ver). MAME will start and the ROM will load and say it needs to clear the memory. It takes about 15 to 20 min (I have an i9-10900 with a u.2 drive and it still takes that long; remember these are emulating old CD speeds). Once it reloads the memory, the game should start normally thereafter.
9. Cheers! Hope this helps for frustrated users who only want to play some nice CPS3 games.
CUE or GDI to CHD.bat