The official MAME thread

[Iron MikeyJ]

I'm really big into MAME, so I thought I would start a thread talking about ALL things related to it. 

I have an old Dell Dimensions PC that I converted into an arcade machine. It has roughly 600 or so games on it. Which some people have machines with over 1000 games on them, but for what I can do (hardware wise), I can't really do much more (I've tried, lol). 

Right now I have around 200 arcade games, around 60 Atari games, 120 NES games, 70 SNES games, 70 Gameboy/advance games, 60 N64, 60 Sega Master system, 70 Genesis/Mega Drive, 35 Turbo graphx/PC Engine, MUGEN and Terrordrome. Due to the age of my PC I can't get any disc based systems to work, so it's only cartirdged based for me. Which I would consider upgrading my PC at some point, but with the future of emulation in jeopardy... IDK??? So I have really tried to get the BEST of the BEST, and I'm pretty happy with it. IMO, having 600 or so good games is better than 2000 with over half being kinds crappy (I mean honestly how many really GOOD NES games do you think exist, lol). I really do wish I could get Sega Saturn working (that system would be my dream), I was working on it yesterday. I actually got it running, but it was only running around 40 fps, so the games were just too laggy. So I just washed my hands of it, and deleted it off my PC last night in frustration. 

As of right now, I use Xbox 360 controllers to play the games, which has advantages and disadvantages. The pluses are, they are wireless controllers, so you can play easily from a couch. The cons... the arcade games feel less magical without the joysticks. The NES and SNES games also dont respond as crisply with the xbox D pad, as with the official controllers. So while they do a "good enough" job, I do miss the precision of the real controllers at times. It's only with NES and SNES that I have noticed any differences though.

So that's what leads me to my next big addition, going to an actual arcade set up with joysticks. Honestly it's always been my goal, I just settled for the xbox controllers. So I plan on getting a proper arcade cabinet with 4 player joysticks, in the near future. It's not going to be cheap, honestly it's rather expensive, but I wont be satisfied until I do it. A company called recroom masters sells kits, and that's what I'm going to go with. Once completed, not only will it be a pretty cool arcade machine, but also quite a show piece. Honestly, when you turn it on, it plays a video with a "greatest hits" with game play footage, all to You Could be mine, lol. I just felt that song felt "right" for my machine, lol. I also have individual videos (for each system), with video game music from each system. So when you click on NES for example, you see game play footage from NES, while hearing the original Mario music. 

 

So that's just a bit of a background into what I'm doing. I've talked about it a bit in other threads, I figured it was time to start an "official" one. Again this topic is open to ALL discussions related to it. How to, legal aspects, ideas, thoughts, software, hardware, etc. 

[Iron MikeyJ]

Here is a video I made a couple of years ago, of my current set up. Not the best video quality...

 

This is my next step.

https://www.recroommasters.com/32-Pro-Upright-Xtension-Arcade-4-Player-Cabinet-p/rm-xt-32-pro-4p.htm

[Iron MikeyJ]

I'm actually about to get the X Arcade tankstick. Im going to hook it up to the the machine in the video above (for now). I cant afford to get my BIG machine as of now (but hopefully in the next couple of months). So until then, I'm gonna use the Tankstick. After I get the BIG machine, I'm gonna hook the tankstick up to my OG Xbox, 360, Gamecube, and Switch. I'm gonna make a 2nd cabinet for more modern games, and it'll have actual arcade controls for them. First person shooters will always work better with a traditional controller, yes. But games like Smash Brothers and the new Mortal Kombat that's coming, will be AWESOME with arcade style controls.

Here is the tankstick I bought myself for Christmas. BTW, thanks @RussTCB for showing a little interest in this topic, lol. I'm a BIG arcade nut, lol.

https://shop.xgaming.com/collections/arcade-joysticks/products/x-arcade-tankstick-trackball-usb-included

[RussTCB]

1 minute ago, Iron MikeyJ said:

I'm actually about to get the X Arcade tankstick. Im going to hook it up to the the machine in the video above (for now). I cant afford to get my BIG machine as of now (but hopefully in the next couple of months). So until then, I'm gonna use the Tankstick. After I get the BIG machine, I'm gonna hook the tankstick up to my OG Xbox, 360, Gamecube, and Switch. I'm gonna make a 2nd cabinet for more modern games, and it'll have actual arcade controls for them. First person shooters will always work better with a traditional controller, yes. But games like Smash Brothers and the new Mortal Kombat that's coming, will be AWESOME with arcade style controls.

Here is the tankstick I bought myself for Christmas. BTW, thanks @RussTCB for showing a little interest in this topic, lol. I'm a BIG arcade nut, lol.

https://shop.xgaming.com/collections/arcade-joysticks/products/x-arcade-tankstick-trackball-usb-included

I keep thinking about buying something like this, a Raspberry Pi, a 32" TV and calling it a day. Not sure if I'll actually get around to it, but I do it I'll probably just do that. 

[Iron MikeyJ]

21 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

I keep thinking about buying something like this, a Raspberry Pi, a 32" TV and calling it a day. Not sure if I'll actually get around to it, but I do it I'll probably just do that. 

That's how it starts, lol.

Before I'm done 8m probably going to have 3-5 machines in my house (if my wife let's me, lol). 1 machine for 4 player arcade games (all using the computer in the video). That machine has games from arcades, Atari 2600 7800, NES, Gameboy, SNES, Sega master system, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Saturn (well the arcade versions), N64, Turbo Grafx 16, and Playstation 1. 

Then the 2nd machine (which is what I'm gonna use the tankstick for) will be my more modern system. Which like I said before will have OG Xbox, 360, Gamecube, and the Switch. Plus once I get one, Xbox One. 

Then down the road, I want to do a dedicated driving cab for all of my driving games (Hard Drivin/ Race Drivin, Outrun, Daytona USA, etc).

Plus I would also like to get an Arcade 1 up (or two), lol. 

My wife has already approved the first two machines. Only time will tell... 

[FRANSAD]

For 300 bucks u can build a pc that can run every game from every console ever made up until today.  This excellent channel shows you how to build one and offers some great freeware to set up your own pc for emulation. Not sure if you know the channel but this is definitely the best video about emulation I ever saw very well produced. Especially the part with the freeware where he shows you how to have your roms running from a great interface. #Mustwatch

 

[Iron MikeyJ]

@FRANSAD,

thanks man, I'll give it a watch for sure. I watch a lot of videos by a youtuber named ETAPrime. He's kinda the "guru" right now, everybody in the arcade/emulation watches his videos, lol.

My PC is actually done. I used an old 2004 Dell PC that I had (pretty much) lying around my house. So the main hardware didnt cost me anything. I show it in the video in the 2nd post. I've actually improved quite a bit since then, like I said before it has all the BIG systems from PS1 and earlier on it. 

While every aspect of building MAME machines can be expensive, you CAN actually save some pennies on the PC portion of the project (like Russ said), you can probably go buy a raspberry pi (right now), that has all this stuff ready to go, for $50 or so. You can get it cheaper than that, if you already have the roms and emulators.

The question then becomes HOW do you plan on playing? Just plug it all in to your TV? If so, what are you going to use as a controller? That's kinda where I'm at. I just used a TV and hooked up Xbox 360 controllers originally, and that worked great. I'm just ready for a more retro experience. I want the joystick controllers and I want a self contained cabinet. 

Then once I'm done with this build, I'm doing a 2nd and hooking up my actual modern systems to the X Arcade joystick. Itll give it more of a modern feel, like modern day Arcade cabinets. While emulation is great for older systems, its NO WHERE as good on the more modern systems. I already have the all the original hardware (OG Xbox, 360, Gamecube, Switch) that I would rather play on the actual hardware than do emulation with those. Besides, like I said, the games WILL be better on the actual hardware than with emulation on these systems. 

[Iron MikeyJ]

@FRANSAD,

I watched most of the video, and yes I have watched his videos before. Overall I really like his content, but I dont think he is being completely honest in this video. 

For starters, NO PC can play accurate versions of ALL emulated systems. The emulation scene just isnt as "complete" as he makes it sound in that video. Going all the way back to the N64 to the present, all of those systems and games are NOT 100% accurate. Now you CAN do certain "work arounds" that will allow you to play certain games/systems. For one, instead of getting the Xbox one or PS4 versions of games, you can just get the PC version, so in theory you are still playing modern games, yes. Just NOT the Xbone or PS4 versions. 

Emulation is NOT complete on the following systems; N64, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, OG Xbox, PS2, 360, PS3, PS4, Xbone, or the Switch. Now you can play some games from some of those systems to moderate success, yes. But not anything and everything... It's just not possible yet. 

That's why people make certain decisions/compromises when it comes to emulating these systems. For starters, the 2 biggest things people do is have a modded OG Xbox or modded Wii. A modded OG Xbox will allow you to play most systems that came before it including the N64 and PS1 (although all the same N64 issues still exist). But you still cant play the Saturn or Dreamcast. But you CAN download OG Xbox games on the hard drive (roughly 90 games), but you dont have to worry about switching discs or the disk drive breaking. So the OG Xbox is one of the more popular routes to go because of the versatility.

The modded Wii is also pretty popular because you get access to the Wii and Gamecube libraries, plus it can do all the old Nintendo systems, Genesis, arcades, etc. But it CANT do Xbox, Dreamcast, Saturn, or PS2, etc. So while you get all the Nintendo properties, you have to sacrifice Xbox with this route. 

People also mod PS2, but this is the least popular option. Basically you get PS1, PS2, arcades, NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. But I dont think itll even do the N64, let alone dreamcast or Saturn. 

As for anything newer than the Wii, OG Xbox, or PS2 the emulation and modding scene just isnt there yet. People ARE working on the 360, but it's not working out as well as the OG Xbox. The PS3 has been labeled "unhackable." 

As for emulating more modern systems on a PC, here is the deal... Yes you can get SOME games to work. But what you NEVER see in these videos is people go through their entire library of games for those systems. Why? Because they probably only have a handful of games that actually work properly. Like I said, emulation for the N64 is decent at best. Emulation for the Saturn and Dreamcast is not very good at all (only certain games will work well). So you really think the 360, PS3 or newer is good? No way man!! Emulation for the PS2 is not very good either (although the PS1 is perfect). 

In the video he talked about the Dolphin emulator for Nintendo systems (Gamecube, Wii, Wii U), now THAT emulator is actually pretty good though. So yes, most modern PC's can run those games pretty accurately (that's why you will see people emulating Zelda Breath of the Wild), although it's the Wii U version, not the Switch version. But that emulator is more of the exception, not the rule. It's actually interesting that Wii U and Wii emulation is further along than the N64, but it is. 

 

So bottom line, you have to take these types of videos with a grain of salt. He wanted clicks and views, and I'm sure he got them. While I believe what he says, its what he DIDNT say that's the most telling imo. 

 

On a side note, I actually gave up on ever properly emulating the Sega Saturn (and it's one of my all time favorite systems). I instead went for the arcade versions of the Saturns biggest hits (because most of them were arcade games as well). Which those versions actually work perfectly. So to "feed" my Saturn need I have the arcade versions of Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter 2, House of the dead, etc.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Iron MikeyJ

[FRANSAD]

Yes i do believe that  when he says every game its not 100 percent true but with a decent pc u can come close to playing all thats out there  except for the modern system though i have to say that switch and wiiu are easy to be emulated on pc nowadays sure certain demanding games would give you a shitty framerate but if it runs it runs right ;-) the main thing i love is these frontends for pc with the nice menu's etc. which he shows. but i noticed your youtube guy discussed them to. Myself i go way back in gaming and started with a c16 when i was a kid and having owned many consoles after that, thing with retro gaming is certain legendary games which u have good memories of and u fire them up nowadays its mostly a big letdown cause the graphics suck which is offcourse logical but form me its mostly best to keep the good memories from the old days and dont waste them by comparing them to nu gaming. Kinda like the same as with classic gnr and nu gnr ;-)  Not dure why u said it but ps3 is easily hackable for long time now but as it is most of the times sony will bring out new firmware which kills the exploit so u gotta stay on low firmware. Kinda like the swithch is having now but its always been a cat and mouse game between hackers and console producers. Not sure whats wrong with dreamcast but u can run those fine on pc. Have good memories from the dreamcast and for mew its still the biggest step in quality gaming from nu gen to next gen it was like bringing the arcade hall graphics home. I would highly advise to check if your switch is hackable you can tell by looking at the serial number, because the latest homebrew lets you stream any pc game to your switch even emulation and it also works in handheld non docked mode which is awesome new they just need to work on the audio some more. And of course it supports retroarch which you will probably now off