I am sure it has been discussed before, if yes, mods please delete this one and guide me to the right place.
Well yesterday I installed MAME on my SAM adding some thousands of ROMs. I am using xMAME and xMAMEGUI. Think I did the right choice cause I know that there are some other versions in existence. Anyway On the startup I got some errors on the log window. First one is that the SDL sound plug inns have not been installed. Secondly it repots some incorrect lines on the config file that I have never edited myself it was the ready one came with the software. Errors reported in lines about sound and mouse. The GUI started. But all the games runs very slow and the sound is playing with much delay. No smooth at all both pic and sound. Changine the resolution for Full screen in config file making it 320*250 did some trick but still it is not the MAME experience I was waiting for.
Please give me some guidance, what are those SDL sound plugins I should download and form where? Any other tips and tricks to make it run fast and smooth?
These startup errors dont matter at all, it doesnt affect anything: warning: no mixer plugins available error: unknown option bpp, on line 2 of file: Mame:xmamerc ignoring line error: unknown option scanlines, on line 6 of file: Mame:xmamerc ignoring line error: unknown option sound, on line 18 of file: Mame:xmamerc ignoring line error: unknown option mouse, on line 25 of file: Mame:xmamerc ignoring line
However, I dont think Sam can run MAME at full speed. On my A1XE G3 @800mhz, it ran my favourite beat'em ups at 59.8fps. On Sam it runs them at around 13fps. The Sam doesn't have any L2 cache, and it really affects performance of emulators.
Thanks for the tips. So I guess there is no way to make the thing roll a little bit faster... Unfortunately my favorite games are not playable due to slow motion.. For example Metal Slug...
Actually xMame seems problematic on Sam board, MagicSN are working hard lately to try to update it a little, hopefully he can release a new version soon ...
In the past weeks I could reduce the amount of linker problems from several hundreds to *8*. So we are getting closer to a first testable executable, sorry for the time it took, I have some important non-computer-issues to handle lately.
Will work some more today on it.
A question to CountRaven: On the Peg2 this is also my port of Mame which is running? so same Mame-exe on both tests?
@jahc: thanks for the comparision numbers A1 vs. Sam. This sort of confirmed what I feared, that it is a special issue with the Sam. And yes, if Sam has like you say no L2 Cache then I agree with you that this is most likely the problem.
From the early days of WarpUP and OS 4 Porting I still know how much memory speed is an issue with Emulators. I had been working on a CyberstormPPC back then, and sometimes something which ran like a dream on my machine was awfully slow on BlizzardPPC (which had a slower memory interface).
I will ask around a bit if I can get more info concerning Sam and memory speed.
The Mame wasn' t playable even on the Micro amigaone with a g3 800, when it had amiga os 4.0 prerelase, it become playable starting from the 4 update.. So i think that the same will be for the Sam.. a lot of work need to be done to optimize the code and eliminate bugs.. We have to wait for updates
I'm not too worried since the only game I want to run is probably defender plus a few other simple ones...
I dare say any rendition of MAME for the SAM will handle these just fine...
as a side note I just downloaded the 0.129 MAME collection last night and that has 7443 individual roms (17.44gigs worth) surely a few will play just fine
good luck MagicSN!
~Yes I am a Kiwi, No, I did not appear as an extra in 'Lord of the Rings'~ 1x AmigaOne X5000 2.0GHz 2gM RadeonR9280X AOS4.x 3x AmigaOne X1000 1.8GHz 2gM RadeonHD7970 AOS4.x
I hope it's ok when I use this Thread. I'm using XMame on my PegII. Speed and Sound is fine, but how can I use my Gamepad? In AmigaInput it is installed and useable but in Mame I can't use the pad. (Logitech WingMan) Any ideas? Many thanks. :)
Mame on OS4 doesn't support the joypad, only keyboard but on os4depot.net there is an utility that allow you to use joypad instead of your keyboard.. it is called amigainputanyware
Another question, can i set mame to really fullscreen? I mark "fullscreen" in the options, but the only effect is that mame opens an own screen. In the middle is the gaming screen framed with big black balks. :(
Metal Slug are great but I prefer older arcades like Spy Hunter,Final Fight or Downtown that is great too!!!
Out Run is incredible but a bit slow to play on fullscreen on my AmigaOne XE-800 Mhz.
One of the games on the beat'em'up series impressed me more is Marvel Super Heroes and MarvelVsSNK.
On my MAME drawer I have nearly more than 2000 roms and now on my new laptop I am downloadind MAME with more than 6000 roms!!These will be played later on my Amiga One when the new version for OS4.1 comes to us.
I go mad when I first installed and played xMAME on my AmigaOne on 2006 because is the thing I wanted to do more with my previous Amiga 1300-030/50 Mhz.
Well let's see when it comes the new MAME how it is the results but I am sure it will make us all happier.
A question I have to is there list of the games suported by xMAME 0.97 somewhere? I don't remember if it comes with the emulator archive but I need to know what roms I can play with MAME 0.97.
MAME is amazing simply the best emulator ever!!!
Amiga 500 1MB Chip RAM with ACA 500+ACA1232,CD32,Amiga 1300 030/50 Mhz,32MB (now on my hands at least)and Amiga One G3 XE PPC 800 Mhz,ATI Radeon 9250 128 MB,256 MB RAM,Seagate 200 GB HD,2 working DVD drives,X-Arcade double for MAME,Sil0680,4 USB ports,LG
I hope to find some time this week to continue to work on xMame OS 4. Maybe even to get it to the point were it fully links and a first testable version is ready.
As to Joystick Support... I did play Mame with AmigaInput on my A1, just not sure if I released the A1 version ever outside AmigaOS betatesters. But might be it is only an issue in the config file of mame. The new version is definitely compiled with AmigaInput support enabled.