Loading a 2600 Starpath game with MAME

[MBGeek]

I am trying to consolidate the number of emulators I use and switching to MAME when the performance is similar then other stand alone projects.  My issue is that I cannot get MAME to load Starpath Supercharger games.  From a command prompt, the error I get is

"Fatal error: Device Atari VCS 2600 Cartridge Slot load failed: Unsupported cartridge ROM file size"

Now I get that the games came on tape and there is certainly a switch that is needed, but while the MAME team deserves all the credit in the world for their efforts, the online manual for the docs is a disaster.  Does anyone know how to get this working or do I stick with STELLA?

Thank you all in advance!

Don

[JoeViking245]

1 hour ago, MBGeek said:

From a command prompt, the error I get is

What are you entering at the command prompt?  (it'd be helpful to know where you're starting from)

 

1 hour ago, MBGeek said:

Now I get that the games came on tape and there is certainly a switch that is needed

For consoles, the hash files come in super handy.

For example, you found that scharger.zip is in with /a2600/.  And looking at /hash/a2600.xml you'll find scharger shows the part name to be "cart". (which coincides with all ROMs in /a2600/)

Now grab a cassette.  e.g. The Official Frogger (offifrog.zip). This is found in /a2600_cass/.   Since you found it in /a2600-cass/, you know that the media is a cassette ("cass").  But is also found in the xml file.

Now that you know the system, the required media and the respective ROMs, put them altogether.

mame.exe a2600 -cart scharger -cass offifrog

 

Now you can add to your collection and play all 13 (2 of which are only partially supported and there's 38 if you include clones) games.  

[MBGeek]

Thank you so much for the information.  It really helps knowing that I can look in the XML files to get some answers.

However you have shown me that this is WAY to big of a pain in the ass to make work LOL.  Finding the ROM file for the Supercharger (scharger.zip) has turned up goose eggs on the dozen of so sites I've used over the years.  Then on top of that, trying to find the cassette versions of the games didn't get anywhere either.  Using the .a26 files on Stella has worked for literally over 20 years without the gymnastics, I can only figure that since the MAME team is hell bent on historical emulation, that I can understand the design reasons.  For my purposes, which is just enjoying the games, I personally could care less .

Again please don't think I am unappreciative, I am OVERWHELMINGLY appreciative, but sometimes the correct answer is not the answer your looking for, and in this case the answer appears to be is "Don't use MAME" 🤣

Thank you,

Don

[JoeViking245]

36 minutes ago, MBGeek said:

However you have shown me that this is WAY to big of a pain in the ass to make work LOL.

As for being a PITA, not really.  I mean the information's there. Plus I gave you the answer.  

For MAME, the ROMs are best found getting a MAME fullset.  In MAME's softlist (software list) set, each system is in its own folder. e.g. a2600 and a2600_cass.   

For most MAMEs softlist's, it's just a matter of giving it the softlist name (a2600) and the ROM name.  That is, you can get away without having to state the media (-cart).  In this case, you're loading a cartridge and a cassette. So the media is required.

There's one (or more) threads on this site that go over most every softlist system and the command line parameters for using [standalone] MAME.  And I think you can use the .a26 files with MAME.

Regardless of which route you decide to go, always glad to help. As are many others here on the Forums.  But the ol' adage is, if MAME can emulate it, use it.  That said, there are some cores in RetroArch that can emulate certain systems just-as-well.  Except Arcade.  (My opinion... do NOT use RetroArch for Arcade!)

 

36 minutes ago, MBGeek said:

Again please don't think I am unappreciative, I am OVERWHELMINGLY appreciative, but sometimes the correct answer is not the answer your looking for

Again, glad to help!  And "the correct answer" gives you a 100% working system (Atari 2600 with a cassette to cartridge converter) for all 13 games that you'll never need to look up anything more for it.  Plus, you now have the knowledge to apply towards future systems. 😎