ROMs not loading

[Geminii23]

Hi.  I am new to LaunchBox.  I tried reading through the Noob section to see if there was something that could address my issue, but so far haven't found anything.

So I imported all my ROMs for fighting games to test out LaunchBox on my Windows 10 computer.  This ROM set are all tested and working on my Mac via OpenEmu.  But when I tried to load some of these either they wouldn't load at all, or it would bring me to the Machine Loading screen with the percentage and then it would just close and send me back to LaunchBox.

Can anyone point me in the right direction here?  Do I need to find different ROMs for these games to work?  Or is there some configuration that is not right?

Thanks 

[JoeViking245]

First step is to see if they can run outside of LaunchBox (in Windows).

Once that works, go here (assuming you're talking about MAME):

 

[Headrush69]

It's been a while since I've used OpenEMU, but I think the version of MAME included with it was older (.174ish maybe).

So checking in MAME first as Viking said is first step. If you find it is a rom issue, you have several options: get an updated MAME set, use an older MAME version,

[Retro808]

Always test your games first directly in the emulator before you import anything into Launchbox. That way you eliminate it either being a rom issue or an emulator one. Even if you are using an older romset and older emulator version it can still work in Launchbox. Using updated versions is always best. 

The roms you have now do they run directly in the emulator you are using? For Launchbox you have to make sure the emulator is setup correctly and the games run in them. Launchbox does not do any of that. 

[Geminii23]

So I am using the latest MAME64 for windows.  I believe it is 213b.  I tried loading some games directly using MAME instead of Launchbox and it showed me missing files such as qsound.  For example, Darkstalkers says it is missing dl-1425.bin file. But what I don't understand is that qsound.zip is in the roms folder.  I searched online this morning and tried a couple different versions of qsound.zip but it still won't work.

I checked my OpenEmu setup on my Mac, and I seem to be using older Mame version (but it is also the Mac version, so not sure if that makes difference).

[Retro808]

Newer Mame version will need the updated qsound file which contains that file. It is qsound_hle.zip. If you have a new full romset that file should be in there. If you are using roms pieced together than that would be your biggest issue. 

[Geminii23]

13 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

It's been a while since I've used OpenEMU, but I think the version of MAME included with it was older (.174ish maybe).

So checking in MAME first as Viking said is first step. If you find it is a rom issue, you have several options: get an updated MAME set, use an older MAME version,

It has been a long time since I downloaded these roms, so they are definitely not most update set.  Any recommendations on where I can get most updated versions of these roms.  It seems like some of the sites I remember using way back no longer have downloads. 

[Geminii23]

1 minute ago, Retro808 said:

Newer Mame version will need the updated qsound file which contains that file. It is qsound_hle.zip. If you have a new full romset that file should be in there. If you are using roms pieced together than that would be your biggest issue. 

Yeah.  These have definitely been pieced together over the years.  Some of the sites I remember using don't even seem to have downloads anymore.  

[Retro808]

2 minutes ago, Geminii23 said:

It has been a long time since I downloaded these roms, so they are definitely not most update set.  Any recommendations on where I can get most updated versions of these roms.  It seems like some of the sites I remember using way back no longer have downloads. 

We cannot link to sites but can recommend places like Pleasure Dome (there are some rules you need to follow to download from their site) and the Archive contains relatively new romsets. It is best to use a romset that matches the mame version, but as long as they are close you will typically be ok. I am using .209 romset with the current Mame version. 

[neil9000]

Just now, Geminii23 said:

It has been a long time since I downloaded these roms, so they are definitely not most update set.  Any recommendations on where I can get most updated versions of these roms.  It seems like some of the sites I remember using way back no longer have downloads. 

It would be easier for you to use a older version of the MAME emulator. This is why MAME has versions, not all roms will work with all versions of the emulator as the files change. In this case back at version 0.182 i think it was the qsound bios was changed, so if your roms are older than 0.182 then you have to use a version of the emulator prior to 0.182 also.

[Headrush69]

32 minutes ago, neil9000 said:

It would be easier for you to use a older version of the MAME emulator. This is why MAME has versions, not all roms will work with all versions of the emulator as the files change. In this case back at version 0.182 i think it was the qsound bios was changed, so if your roms are older than 0.182 then you have to use a version of the emulator prior to 0.182 also.

I just checked OpenEmu on my Mac and it us using MAME 0.149, so it's fairly old in terms of MAME.

This does not mean it isn't good, it just might not run some newer games that have been added since. If you are happy with the MAME roms you can play in OpenEmu, you can download MAME 0.149 from mamedev.org and use that version and your current roms will work.

If you decide to update, sometimes sites like Pleasuredome don't always work well for some, you can just google for the specific name of the rom you are missing, you'll find a link fairly easily.   (as a pure example, if your missing roms for a game, lets say tron.zip and its says you are missing pro0.d2, search for that, not tron.zip. That will usually make sure you get the version you need)

[Retro808]

@Geminii23 Yeah, I would recommend not piecemeal roms. Will it work? Yes. Can it cause more issues than needed? Yes. You can easily find yourself hunting down random file after random file and nowadays getting roms from random sites means easily getting something in a file you may not want. Just look at the fact that trying to update you already are having issue. 

PD and the Archive work well. PD requires you to sign up and maintain a good upload-to-download ratio, but the good thing is the Mame sets usually do not count against it. Archive is just download and go. Recommendation get a full set and be done with hunting and searching. 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Retro808
Spelling correction thanks to Neil :)

[DOS76]

yeah I would have to agree with just getting a new set at this point even if that means you don't update it for years again. You would at least know exactly what version all your ROMs are from.

[Geminii23]

Hi.  So I found a full set that is supposed to be for v 0.202 of MAME.  So I rolled back to that version and then downloaded all the roms and chd files that I think I need, but there are still several games that are greyed out and don't work in MAME itself.  Most of the Capcom games work now though since I was able to get the proper qsound among the downloads.

I know you guys said don't piecemail it, but I would rather not spend days download 5000+ games when I really only want like less than 100 which are mainly fighting games.  I suppose I will need to figure out how to get PD working if that is best way to ensure I am getting the right stuff. 

[Retro808]

1 minute ago, Geminii23 said:

Hi.  So I found a full set that is supposed to be for v 0.202 of MAME.  So I rolled back to that version and then downloaded all the roms and chd files that I think I need, but there are still several games that are greyed out and don't work in MAME itself.  Most of the Capcom games work now though since I was able to get the proper qsound among the downloads.

I know you guys said don't piecemail it, but I would rather not spend days download 5000+ games when I really only want like less than 100 which are mainly fighting games.  I suppose I will need to figure out how to get PD working if that is best way to ensure I am getting the right stuff. 

We did not specifically say don't, we just recommended not to do so. Thing about doing it piece by piece is you do not know what version Mame that rom is for, most will work fine over the versions, but still can be an issue. Then you have to hunt down a bios or other supporting file that you many times do not know you need until you try to play the game. Also all these random sites that house roms, you never know what else they inject into the file.

Getting a full Mame set from some place well known is always the best.

You said you found a .202 set and downloaded it. Well if it is a full set you would have all you need for most games (roms and bios) with the exception of those games that need a CHD. Those are usually not in a romset. 

What games are still grayed out for example?

[neil9000]

22 minutes ago, Retro808 said:

but there are still several games that are greyed out and don't work in MAME itself

Its also worth mentioning there are thousands of files in a MAME romset that simply do not work in the emulator. A romset contains all known good dumps, that doesnt mean that they are actually emulated at all.

[Geminii23]

9 hours ago, Retro808 said:

We did not specifically say don't, we just recommended not to do so. Thing about doing it piece by piece is you do not know what version Mame that rom is for, most will work fine over the versions, but still can be an issue. Then you have to hunt down a bios or other supporting file that you many times do not know you need until you try to play the game. Also all these random sites that house roms, you never know what else they inject into the file.

Getting a full Mame set from some place well known is always the best.

You said you found a .202 set and downloaded it. Well if it is a full set you would have all you need for most games (roms and bios) with the exception of those games that need a CHD. Those are usually not in a romset. 

What games are still grayed out for example?

Sorry, I didn't download a full set.  Since I didn't get from PD, I can't confirm that the roms are in fact a complete set.  But the place I got these from seems to have lots of large packs.  I will only say that it is from AP.  Hopefully I won't get in trouble for that.  

As for the ones that are greyed out, Bloody Roar, Bloody Roar 2, PacMan, Ninja Gaiden, King of Fighters 2005 10th Anniversary, King of Fighter 2004 Spec Ed.  There are several others that are greyed out for specific regions but in most cases I have a working version either World, Euro, or USA.

I will need to do further testing of every game 1 at a time to get complete list of what games aren't working, but I can confirm that Street Fighter III Third Strike won't load, Strider 2, Bloody Roar 1 and 2, PacMan.  Those for sure don't work in MAME.

[JoeViking245]

Street fight III - 3rd Strike needs a chd file (probably sfiii3u.chd).  Bloody Roar 1 and 2 needs COH1002E.zip.  PacMan probably needs puckman.zip.

[Geminii23]

31 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

Street fight III - 3rd Strike needs a chd file (probably sfiii3u.chd).  Bloody Roar 1 and 2 needs COH1002E.zip.  PacMan probably needs puckman.zip.

Ok, so it looks like the file I downloaded that was supposed to be sfiii chd file was called sfiii3.zip.  When I extracted it to see what was in it shows as:

cap-33s-2.chd

The only sfiii3u file I see has a file size of only 129kb so that can't be right.

[JoeViking245]

Ok. So I may have guessed wrong on SF3. [blush]   

Depends on which SF3 rom you're using.  sfiii3u.zip is one of the US clone roms and uses the cap-3s-2.chd file  You can find info here http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/?mame=sfiii3u   scroll down to where it says Files and click/expand "Show Mame required Files".

sfiii3.zip is the European (parent rom) release.  The small sized zip (129kb compressed) file is the rom and the larger sized same-name.zip file will be the chd.

 

The other (newer) US release is sfiii3ur1.zip which needs cap-33s-1.chd

http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/?mame=sfiii3ur1