Can't get any Platforms (e.g., Atari 2600, Apple II, etc.) to work using Mame as emulator

[alf89]

Hi all.

 

I  went to Tools > Import > Rom files and added my 4 Apple II folders (at E:\MAME\Roms\apple2_cass, E:\MAME\Roms\apple2_flop_clcracked, E:\MAME\Roms\apple2_flop_misc, and E:\MAME\Roms\apple2_flop_orig).  Then I chose Mame as the emulator and "Copy the files into my LaunchBox games folder".  However, when I try to play a game, the screen will black out as if it was loading the game but nothing would happen and it would bounce back to the previous game select screen.  

I have also tried leaving the files where they were (and simply pointing to the roms folder) but that did not work either.

Trying to open the game directly in Mame works fine so I know it is not an issue with the Rom itself or a mismatch.  (I am on 0.263 BTW).  

I did the same process when I created an Atari 2600 platform but instead chose Retroarch.  Retroarch seems to work, but if I switch the emulator over to Mame, it does nothing.  

Is there simply something about Mame and software list roms that does not work in LB, or am I just doing something wrong?  My arcade roms work fine using the Import > Mame Arcade full set feature.

Thanks for your help!

[JoeViking245]

To run MAME's software list consoles from the command prompt, you need to add the system name and the media flag (as well as the ROM name).

Atari 2600 Example:

mame.exe a2600 -cart1 adventur

 

Since you chose to "Copy the files into my LaunchBox games folder" (which is fine), the ROMs aren't in MAME's default /roms/ subfolder.  So MAME doesn't know specifically where to find the ROM.  So now you need to tell MAME exactly where the ROM is.  You also need to give the full filename.ext.

mame.exe a2600 -cart1 "D:\LaunchBox\Games\Atari 2600\adventur.zip"

 

The problem with this is, to do that in LaunchBox you need to uncheck the boxes "Remove quotes" and "Remove File Extension" in your [edit] MAME emulator.  This can potentially mess up your Arcade platform (depending on how you installed its ROMs).

To get around this, you can add the command-line parameter -rompath.

mame.exe a2600 -cart1 adventur -rompath "D:\LaunchBox\Games\Atari 2600"

 

Now to put all that in LaunchBox.

• Edit you MAME emulator.
• Go into Associated Platforms and for Atari 2600, add the Default Command-line Parameters -rompath %romlocation% a2600 -cart1.

If all goes well, you'll be good to go.

As for Apple II, that can be a bit more convoluted to get running. But it CAN be done.  There're several topics here on the forums regarding setting up this console to use MAME.  Also, for consoles that require BIOS and Device files (a2600 doesn't require any), those should be placed in the same folder as their ROMs so MAME can find them too.

 

If you plan to import a bunch of MAME's softlists, you may want to look into adding the MAME Software List Import Plugin to your LaunchBox setup.  It'll help get the games named properly in LaunchBox and attempt to add the required Default Command-line parameters.  Assuming you're using MAME's Software List ROMs.  ROMs from ither sources may not be accommodated. 

[alf89]

Thanks JoeViking245!  Adding the "-cart1" fixed it.  I actually had the Atari 2600 roms in both the LB and the original Mame\roms folders (just to troubleshoot) but without the "-cart1", it still would not work.

I think I encountered a bug though.  When I erase the platform and start over again, selecting Mame as the emulator results in LB finding only 123 games to import.  If I select Retroarch as the emulator and point to the same folder, LB find 723 games to import.  I wonder why that is.  I guess i will have to import using Retroarch and then bulk change everything over to Mame as a workaround.

Now I just have to find that "-cart1" trick to creating NES, SNES, Saturn, Apple, and other platforms.

Edited March 15 by alf89
typo

[Lordmonkus]

You really shouldn't be using Mame for 2600 and other main stream systems, like Nintendo or Sega. There are much better emulators available for them.

[alf89]

 

28 minutes ago, Lordmonkus said:

You really shouldn't be using Mame for 2600 and other main stream systems, like Nintendo or Sega. There are much better emulators available for them.

Yes, I have recently read that.  As a noob, it has taken me forever just to understand where and how to piece together a full set with Mame, so I was trying to get up and running with what I know and have now.  

Sorry for the noob question but can I use the SL Mame roms I have with these other, better emulators or do I need to get roms specific to these other emulators?

[JoeViking245]

22 minutes ago, alf89 said:

Sorry for the noob question but can I use the SL Mame roms I have with these other, better emulators or do I need to get roms specific to these other emulators?

Even though others may tell you 'you should get a no-intro set' (for cart-based systems), the MAME softlist ROMs can be used with [at least] RetroArch.

[Lordmonkus]

Mame does a fantastic job at emulating arcade systems and does a very good job at emulating some consoles and computer systems but a great many of those other systems Mame is outclassed by a large margin in terms of emulation quality.

I can't say what emulators will use Mame SL lists but I can tell you that Mame will use No-Intro and ReDump sets without any issues if needed.

[Broggle]

I'm having a similar problem running Genesis games. 

I've tried using all of these as Default Command-Line Parameters, to no avail:

Quote

genesis -cart
genesis -cart1
genesis -cart -rompath %romlocation%
genesis -cart1 -rompath %romlocation%

Just shooting in the dark really. I can get MAME to run Genesis games straight from command line, but I'm messing something up in LaunchBox. Thanks in advance for any help.

Here's what I've got:

[spycat]

As far as I know, there is no genesis software list, only a megadriv one.
Have you tried using the LaunchBox parameters
megadriv -cart

That's what I use and games launch ok.

I've just rechecked my megadrive games and found that I am using custom parameters for some games.
Gargoyles uses
genesis -cart
and Pulseman uses
megadrij -cart

Most of the games I have seem happy with
megadriv -cart
 

Edited March 15 by spycat

[Broggle]

On 3/15/2024 at 6:24 PM, spycat said:

As far as I know, there is no genesis software list, only a megadriv one.
Have you tried using the LaunchBox parameters
megadriv -cart

That's what I use and games launch ok.

I've just rechecked my megadrive games and found that I am using custom parameters for some games.
Gargoyles uses
genesis -cart
and Pulseman uses
megadrij -cart

Most of the games I have seem happy with
megadriv -cart
 

I've tried using megadriv too, with the same result.

Just using command line, either genesis or megadriv works.

[JoeViking245]

1 hour ago, Broggle said:

I've tried using megadriv too, with the same result.

Just using command line, either genesis or megadriv works.

 

megadriv -rompath %romlocation% -cart

   in the Associated Platforms Default Command-line Parameters. 

 

And realistically, you can probably get away with not having -cart at all.

megadriv -rompath %romlocation%

 

[Broggle]

17 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

 

megadriv -rompath %romlocation% -cart

   in the Associated Platforms Default Command-line Parameters. 

 

And realistically, you can probably get away with not having -cart at all.

megadriv -rompath %romlocation%

 

No luck with that either I'm afraid. There must be something else wrong. I've tried with a few different games.

 

 

[JoeViking245]

44 minutes ago, Broggle said:

No luck with that either I'm afraid. There must be something else wrong. I've tried with a few different games.

You mention a couple times you can 'get it to work from the command line' using either genesis or megadriv.  Any chance you're meaning you can get them to work from the Windows Command prompt using command line parameters?  If so, what exactly are you typing at the command prompt that does work?

[spycat]

Without further information it's hard to say whether you're games are part of a MAME software list or not?
If not then you should try unchecking the Remove Quotes and Remove file extension and folder path boxes.
 

[Broggle]

On 3/17/2024 at 2:08 PM, JoeViking245 said:

You mention a couple times you can 'get it to work from the command line' using either genesis or megadriv.  Any chance you're meaning you can get them to work from the Windows Command prompt using command line parameters?  If so, what exactly are you typing at the command prompt that does work?

This runs the game:

Quote

c:\Users\me\LaunchBox\Emulators\MAME 0.236
λ mame genesis -cart "C:\Users\me\LaunchBox\Games\Sega Genesis\Splatterhouse2USA1992-03-02SegaChannel.7z"
Warning: layout view 'Bezel Artwork' contains deprecated bezel element
Warning: layout view 'Bezel Artwork' contains deprecated bezel element

 

This crashes:

Quote

c:\Users\me\LaunchBox\Emulators\MAME 0.236
λ  mame genesis -cart Splatterhouse2USA1992-03-02SegaChannel.7z -rompath "C:\Users\me\LaunchBox\Games\Sega Genesis"
Warning: layout view 'Bezel Artwork' contains deprecated bezel element
Warning: layout view 'Bezel Artwork' contains deprecated bezel element
Fatal error: Device Mega Drive Cartridge Slot load (-cartridge Splatterhouse2USA1992-03-02SegaChannel.7z) failed: No such file or directory

 

I've tried some other variations on that, but I can't get it to work with the -rompath argument.

[JoeViking245]

37 minutes ago, Broggle said:

This crashes:

Quote

c:\Users\me\LaunchBox\Emulators\MAME 0.236
λ  mame genesis -cart Splatterhouse2USA1992-03-02SegaChannel.7z -rompath "C:\Users\me\LaunchBox\Games\Sega Genesis"
Fatal error: Device Mega Drive Cartridge Slot load (-cartridge Splatterhouse2USA1992-03-02SegaChannel.7z) failed: No such file or directory

My guess is that when you use this method (with the filename only, then the rompath), MAME is looking for a MAME ROM, named after a MAME convention.

 

If you were to rename the ROM to splatth2u.7z and then from the command line typed

mame genesis -cart splatth2u -rompath "C:\Users\me\LaunchBox\Games\Sega Genesis"

...my guess is that it'll work (note, no file extension).  Here you'd be using the ROM name that MAME has in its internal 'database'.  aka: you can't use the -rompath parameter with ROMs that aren't using MAMEs naming convention. Even if you add the full filename.

 

Obviously renaming all your ROMs is not realistic.

 

This fix (or at least one way to do it) is to create a 2nd MAME emulator in LaunchBox.  You can point to the same mame.exe executable, but in this one, un-check the 2 boxes to NOT remove quotes and to keep the file extension and full path to ROM.

 

Then in the Associated Platforms, add Sega Genesis, and for the command-line parameters you'd only need...

genesis -cart

LaunchBox will send the command just like you have it in your This runs the game.