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Using MAME in Retroarch


Flintz

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Hi all!

i would really like to use MAME in Retroarch, but I can't seem to get games to launch. Every time I try, nothing happens or it opens and then crashes. I have the standalone MAME emulator, but I'd like to use Retroarch for its input mapping organization. 

The MAME rom version I have is 0.181. Which version of MAME do I use in Retroarch? Do I have to do anything with any BIOS files besides have them in the System folder? Is there anything I need to do in Launchbox itself?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

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I have the exact same question as I also want to use Retroarch as my MAME  emulator in LaunchBox. I recently put together a brand new unmerged set of v0.182 ROMS. I am new to libreto but is seems that at some point the name of the dll was recently (several months ago?) made to a generic mame_libretro.dll without any year or MAME version designation. How exactly does this relationship work / translate anyway as new versions of MAME are released? Since the emulator needs to match the set I thought how is this supposed to work over time?

Also a side question since I am still a bit of a noob. Besides having to add the SAMPLES files seperatly (as I think I understand it) to the samples folder what else besides art,videos, etc do I need to round up or add to to the ROMS? I have been reading about the CHD files certain games need but how do I integrate them into the overall LaunchBox folder hierarchy and assocaite the CHD filers (or folders) to a game?

 

Thanks 

 

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i apologize if I'm not of any assistance. But I personally used mame in retroarch about a month ago. However, I went back to stand alone mame after a few days because retroarch mame was lacking in many features. Most notably , there is no way to set "per game controls" and the more demanding titles "rival schools, tekken, umk3, killer instinct, etc"   crash and glitch.  IMHO, You are not missing much.

 

I will say that retroarch is a GOD send for all other retro consoles though. Especially the saturn.  With scanline filtes, custom 4:3 borders etc. AMAZING!!
 

20170128_210503_HDR.jpg

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That's true actually.  Per game input controls does make it very versatile.  You make a good point.  I guess for me it's mapping out all of the various control schemes for different games, but I guess that's the beauty of it all!

I guess I'll stick with what I have.  :)

Edited by Flintz
Clarity, hah!
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Retroarch Mame is not bad if using a new git build of the core that is not available through the updater, you can find them on the forums though. Even though it isn't bad the stand alone versions of Mame are still better overall.

If you do want to use RA Mame though there is nothing special with bios, just leave them in the folder with the roms like with stand alone Mame. And as far as using it though LB is concerned just use it like any other core. Set your emulator to Retroarch with the command parameter to use the mame core dll.

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28 minutes ago, lordmonkus said:

Retroarch Mame is not bad if using a new git build of the core that is not available through the updater, you can find them on the forums though. Even though it isn't bad the stand alone versions of Mame are still better overall.

If you do want to use RA Mame though there is nothing special with bios, just leave them in the folder with the roms like with stand alone Mame. And as far as using it though LB is concerned just use it like any other core. Set your emulator to Retroarch with the command parameter to use the mame core dll.

I downloaded all the MAME cores in Retroarch and entered all of the dll names into edit, but they still didn't work for some reason. They would either open and crash or just not open at all. 

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Well the cores with dates are built off of older versions of Mame so they may be totally incompatible with your rom set. I believe the one core with no year is based off of 174 version and is soon to be renamed to Mame2016 and the next Mame with no year will be based off of 181 or 182.

I'd still recommend sticking to the stand alone for Mame anyways. I'm a huge fan of Retroarch but for Mame I don't think I will ever use RA for it unless something drastic happens.

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I'm using MAME in RetroArch by using the Mame2003 core. As @lordmonkus said, the cores with the dates are based off older versions of MAME and require a specific ROM set in order to use them to their full potential:

- Mame2000 will work best with the 0.37b5 ROM set (this ROM set is considered to be the "breakthrough" set for RetroPie builds, and emulating arcade games on mobile devices and Android TV boxes. It contains no CHD games ans has a fairly high compatibility rate). 

- Mame2003 will work best with the 0,78 ROM set

- Mame2010 will work best with the 1.39 ROM set

and the core with no year attached to its name uses 1.54 or 1.59 I believe for best compatibility. I can't remember for sure which ROM set but it's one of the two. As I said, I have the Mame2003 core working pretty nicely with the 0.78 ROM set for which it was built, using newer ROM sets is hit or miss with compatibility. If using a newer set, it's best to use standalone MAME (try to find the version of your ROM set if your not sure and use that version of MAME for best emulation results). The 0.78 set with the Mame2003 core works pretty nicely for my needs but is an older set based on an old and outdated version of Mame, so keep that in mind and if you're looking for the latest and greatest, Mame standalone is the way to go :)

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If you open RA and load the latest core it says that it is MAME0.181 in the bottom left corner of the application that is with the 1.4 version from the stable folder.

Currently their is four versions of MAME found in RA 1.4 2003, 2010, 2014 and the current version.

2003 - 0.78 dll6403

2010 - 0.139 b24b7a2

2014 - 0.159

MAME - 0.181

Edited by DOS76
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  • 2 years later...

Hi guys... i know the topic is old... but.. id like to know if.. when i try to download a newest set of roms... i will need to run the “mame” core or newest mame.emu right??

and if i choose to create a custom pack??? (Cause i probably no need 6000 games.. so where i can search what version is each rom and what files it will need?? (Chd, bios,...) 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Aafneto said:

i will need to run the “mame” core or newest mame.emu right??

Yes.

4 hours ago, Aafneto said:

and if i choose to create a custom pack??? (Cause i probably no need 6000 games.. so where i can search what version is each rom and what files it will need?? (Chd, bios,...)

If you choose to do a custom pack you would need to know what set they are from.

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3 hours ago, Lordmonkus said:

Yes.

If you choose to do a custom pack you would need to know what set they are from.

right... 

so basicly, if i take the last set... and extract from there only ONE rom... there is any way to find what is the others files it will need?!?! if i take a non-merged?!

ex: if i take  that rom; 

xmvsfa.zip (600kb)

i will get a error, cause i will need this other file 

xmvsf.zip (19.000kb)..

but the question is.. how do i will know the other files it will need  (chd? bios?)

 

sorry for the questions :/

 

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On 4/30/2019 at 8:19 PM, Lordmonkus said:

If you use a Non Merged set as a base to pull from you are good to go, every zip file contains everything you need for it, no bios or parent roms required.

thx.... just see if i get it...

if i take a non merged set... and put it out onlye the game i want... i will no need any other file?!? right?! BIOS? CHD? (i ask about chd.. because the pack of chd have about 500gb.)

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