Why are the MAME Software Lists different to other sources?

[strich]

I've been recently trying to get a bunch of different platforms working such as NES and SNES and I chose to use the MAME Software List for them. However many just don't work. The exact same emulator config does work if I get the same game ROM from another source like No-Intro. Is there something special about the MAME Software Lists I'm missing?

[JoeViking245]

I can't attest to no-intro sets as I've never used them.  Assuming you're using MAME as your emulator, are any of the Software Lists NES games working?  Or none at all?  If using a different emulator, which one?

Of MAME's softlists I've imported, NES is the only one I use MAME for. And without issue.  I'm sure I had a good reason for using MAME when I set it up that way years ago, but don't remember exactly what it was.  For all other MAME softlists I've imported, I use either RetroArch or a stand-alone emulator.  again, without issue.  

Though I really should be using no-intro for cart-based systems.  

[strich]

I'm using Mesen, but had Nestopia to begin with. Neither work. Some games would work but many would not. For example Super Mario Bros 1 or 2 would not. The No-intro ones would. Maybe they need a _specific_ bios vs the ones I've got? I dunno.

[JoeViking245]

1 hour ago, strich said:

I'm using Mesen, but had Nestopia to begin with. Neither work. Some games would work but many would not. For example Super Mario Bros 1 or 2 would not. The No-intro ones would. Maybe they need a _specific_ bios vs the ones I've got? I dunno.

I believe neither Mesen nor Nestopia directly (or even indirectly?) support MAME ROMs.  Cudos on getting some to launch.

Though the content of the ROM data is [for-the-most-part] the same, how the data is stored is different.  MAME Software List ROMs are just that... ROMs generated for the MAME emulator.

MAME doesn't require an NES BIOS. Not sure about the other 2 emulators.

[sundogak]

5 hours ago, strich said:

I've been recently trying to get a bunch of different platforms working such as NES and SNES and I chose to use the MAME Software List for them. However many just don't work. The exact same emulator config does work if I get the same game ROM from another source like No-Intro. Is there something special about the MAME Software Lists I'm missing?

MAME ROM Software sets do not have cartridge headers that indicate to the emulator the type of cartridge, size, and mapper information.  They are the game ROM data only.  The MAME emulator doesn't need this header on the ROM file as it deals with this by including this data in the HASH file XML for each cart system (if applicable). For example, if you look at "NES.XML" in your MAME Hash directory you will see information on the header data. MAME matches the ROM checksum looks to the XML for mapper data and the emulator knows how to run the cartridge.  For archive purposes the non-headered are preferred or if you are going to do patches for hacks as you need to match specific checksums or the patch will fail (or make corrupted ROM).

Some non-MAME emulators get around all this with built in databases within the emulator so will work with either type ROM.  Other emulators need the header in the ROM file or will just not run (as you experienced). Others yet, may stop and ask for the header information which is annoying if on a Big Box type view (some Atari 800/5200 emulators).

There are various utilities to add headers to things to non-headered roms like here for NES https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/1352/   But for emulation, best to pick a ROM set that works with your emulator so don't have to get into that gory level of detail.