Help with MAME Neo Geo

[Special T]

Hello, I have the full MAME 0.289 ROM & CHD set that I imported into LaunchBox.  All the CHD are in the correct folders in the same directory as the roms.

LaunchBox created a playlist of SNK NEO GEO MVS and those games work fine without any issues. 

Is there a way I can use those same roms without having to duplicate them to make a new "SNK Neo Geo AES" platform that I can be displayed in the consoles section? I would like them to launch the AES version instead of MVS but I'm not sure how to accomplish this. I assume I would need to duplicate the MAME emulator and enter a special command line parameter I'm just not sure what it would be.

Also, if possible, I'd prefer not to have to pick through the thousands of files to find the Neo Geo specific ones to import. I assume there is some easy way of doing this that I'm not aware of. I want to automate it as much as possible so when I update my sets I don't have to redo everything.

[JoeViking245]

46 minutes ago, Special T said:

Also, if possible, I'd prefer not to have to pick through the thousands of files to find the Neo Geo specific ones to import. I assume there is some easy way of doing this that I'm not aware of. I want to automate it as much as possible so when I update my sets I don't have to redo everything.

One way, though may not "look" easy (but really, it is) is to:

• Select your SNK NEO GEO MVS playlist
• Select all games in that playlist (click one, then press Ctrl+A)
• Tools < File Management < Export/Copy ROM Files from Selected Games to New Folder...
• Copy them to a new (temp) location
• Import those ROMs into a new Platform "SNK NEO GEO AES"
• Once done, 
  • Select the new platform
  • Select all games
  • Tools < File Management < Change ROMs Folder Path for Selected Games...
  • Select the original ROMs folder
• You can now delete the temp folder/files you created

Now edit your MAME emulator (in LaunchBox) and under Associated Platforms, add the new platform and put in the Default Command line Parameters to start those games as AES (which off hand, I don't know what they are. But should give you a good start towards your endeavors).

[Special T]

Thank you @JoeViking245 I appreciate your help!

I was unsure how to get the roms to boot into AES mode. After doing some research, here's what I did, I don't know if these are the correct steps but it's kind of working for me now. If some of these steps are unnecessary so others don't need to complete them please let me know.

• I followed the steps you outlined above
• I opened the mame.ini file and replaced "rompath roms" with "rompath E:\Games_Backup\Arcade\MAME\MAME ROMs (merged);roms"
• I copied the aes.zip and neogeo.zip files into the following folder "C:\_LaunchBox\_Emulators\MAME 0.289\roms\"
  • NOTE: both of those zip files are still in my mame directory as well so I just made a copy of them and placed it in my mame/roms folder
• I made a copy of my MAME emulator in LaunchBox and added the following command line parameters "aes %romfile% -bios usa"

After doing all that, the games load in AES mode but I get an error message (see screenshot)

Any idea what I did wrong or how to fix it?

Edited 16 hours ago by Special T

[JoeViking245]

8 hours ago, Special T said:

If some of these steps are unnecessary so others don't need to complete them please let me know.

 

8 hours ago, Special T said:

I copied the aes.zip and neogeo.zip files into the following folder "C:\_LaunchBox\_Emulators\MAME 0.289\roms\"

• NOTE: both of those zip files are still in my mame directory as well so I just made a copy of them and placed it in my mame/roms folder

Your rompath in mame.ini points to this folder (/roms/).  It also points to where all your ROMs are located (/MAME ROMs (merged)/).  Copying the 2 ROM files here, MAME can see them, but it can also see them in the 'other' folder. Making this an unnecessary duplicative effort.

 

8 hours ago, Special T said:

I made a copy of my MAME emulator in LaunchBox and added the following command line parameters "aes %romfile% -bios usa"

I think you're saying you added a 'new' emulator in LaunchBox ("MAME 0.289 Neo Geo AES") and it points to the same exe file as your 'original' MAME emulator you have setup in LB.  So, 2 separate emulators in LaunchBox, both using the same MAME exe, mame.ini, folders etc..

If that's the case, this is where (if you're so inclined), you could use just the 'original' emulator.  Since these [AES] games are in their own platform, in the 'original' emulators Associated Platforms section, you can add that 'new' platform, the parameters for it and check the Default box. 

This way, only games that are in this 'new' platform (shown "Neo Geo AES") will use the "aes..." parameters.  Any game that's in the Arcade platform (or in a playlist where that game comes from the Arcade platform) will use whatever parameters are shown in the Details section.  Eliminating the need for the 'new' emulator (aka essentially duplicative emulators).  The fact that both Platforms use the same ROMs is insignificant.

 

9 hours ago, Special T said:

After doing all that, the games load in AES mode but I get an error message (see screenshot)

Any idea what I did wrong or how to fix it?

To clarify, once you've pressed the "any key", do the games run (are they playable)?

[Special T]

Thank you for the information about unnecessary duplicative steps. Your post was very helpful 

59 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

I think you're saying you added a 'new' emulator in LaunchBox ("MAME 0.289 Neo Geo AES") and it points to the same exe file as your 'original' MAME emulator you have setup in LB.  So, 2 separate emulators in LaunchBox, both using the same MAME exe, mame.ini, folders etc..

Yes that is how I set it up in my testing. I've always just used the default command-Line Parameters which is why I created a second emulator section in LaunchBox pointing to the same MAME.exe file. I've never used the default Command-Line Parameters in the Associated Platforms section. Your suggestion seems like a much better solution. Thank you.

59 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

To clarify, once you've pressed the "any key", do the games run (are they playable)?

Yes they do run at least the handful of games I tested I was just unsure if it was causing any issues since it came up every time I launched a game.

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Special T

[Special T]

1 hour ago, JoeViking245 said:

Your rompath in mame.ini points to this folder (/roms/).  It also points to where all your ROMs are located (/MAME ROMs (merged)/).  Copying the 2 ROM files here, MAME can see them, but it can also see them in the 'other' folder. Making this an unnecessary duplicative effort.

Actually after testing your method, it only works if I update the mame.ini file like I mentioned in my previous post.

Everything else you mentioned works i.e. getting rid of the extra MAME AES specific emulator in LaunchBox and just updating the associated platform code to the one you listed in your screenshot.

I'm not sure why editing the mame.ini file is required but that's the only way it worked for me. I still get the warning about missing files when I launch a game but they appear to be working.

 

[JoeViking245]

4 minutes ago, Special T said:

Actually after testing your method, it only works if I update the mame.ini file like I mentioned in my previous post.

I thought you were using the same "_Emulators\MAME 0.289\mame.exe" for both instances in LB which would have read the same mame.ini file. Which in turn directs MAME to where [all] the ROMs are located.

My guess is in the Details section, the Default Command-lime Parameters contain -rompath %romlocation%.  That said, you could un-edit the mame.ini and then add this to the aes parameters and it will work.  e.g.  -rompath %romlocation% aes %romfile% -bios usa

This [added] parameter is telling MAME that the ROM files (-rompath) for the game being launched are in the same location as the ROM (%romlocation%).

Regardless, it's working now.  

 

18 minutes ago, Special T said:

still get the warning about missing files

It doesn't say anything about "missing files".  It mentioned "incorrect" files.  Semantics matter when trying to troubleshoot.  

It might be with your -bios usa parameter.  I've only ever seen it be -bios and then a number. e.g. -bios 16  I'm not saying "usa" is invalid. I just don't know if it is valid.

 

In the spirit of troubleshooting:
Try removing that part and see if that message still appears.
If not, then try my example.

If that doesn't resolve it (the message still appears), this usually means that you have a mismatched set.  Like maybe mame.exe is version 0.289 and your ROMs are version 0.288.

[Special T]

You are awesome,! Thank you.

You were correct about everything. I updated my mame.ini file back to what it was originally 



I updated the associated platforms command line parameters to this



Everything is working and now no screen pops up about "incorrect" files. 

Thank you for taking the time to trouble shoot that. I appreciate your help!

[JoeViking245]

25 minutes ago, Special T said:

You are awesome,!

Thanks! 😊

26 minutes ago, Special T said:

You were correct about everything.

26 minutes ago, Special T said:

I updated my mame.ini file back to what it was originally 
I updated the associated platforms command line parameters to this

Everything is working and now no screen pops up about "incorrect" files. 

That's what we like to hear.  

27 minutes ago, Special T said:

Thank you for taking the time to trouble shoot that. I appreciate your help!

You're welcome.  Always glad to help and glad to hear it's all working.

Now go play some games!