I hate how these tutorials never show you how to download the ROMs. "you have to do a quick google search" ok? there's like 50 links. how do I know which one to use? no one ever explains this.
I understand your frustration. I did start by giving links etc. on my videos but someone complained to RUclips that I was encouraging illegal downloading and I got a RUclips Community warning. Since then I have to skip those instructions like all the rest of the creators.
Thank you for these retro gaming videos, sir. I have already tried out several of them, and this one will be no exception. Can’t wait to see the follow-up to this one.
Another great video that unlike others does not assume prior knowledge. Interested in your comment in making your setup portable so will look out for this in the next instalment.
I appreciate you putting this together but I just haven't been able to get this to work so far. Admittedly I'm not a computer whiz by nature but usually on stuff like this I can bumble my way around and figure it out eventually. But I've been fooling with this for hours just trying to get a handful of arcade games to boot and nothing has worked for me so far. I can use Stella and Altirra to run old Atari games without trouble but this beast is on another level. So if any of you are having trouble don't worry you're not alone.
Did you manage to get Launchbox to import the games? Do they show up in your menu? If you've got that far it's usually a mismatch between the Mame version and the romset version. Try running something like Donkey Kong. That rom is pretty much bomb proof so if your Mame is working it should work. If that doesn't work try reinstalling Mame. If it does work you might need a different rom set. Moving to an older romset, e.g. 0.78 can sometimes help. Just make sure you instakll the matching Mame version. Hope this helps.
Subbed to your channel due to this video, I'd been using a stand alone install of MAME yet it's the only thing that won't work within Launchbox for me. So I've decided to go with a download of the most recent merged set and let the install wizard do the work. Thanks.
Hi, i followed every steps of instructions until 'Where are your Mame ROms located?" after click the Mame folder and press Next, i got"The specified folder does not contain a full Mame ROM set" prompt, and i tried choosing the ROM folder, still got the same prompt, any other options? tq for the video
Hi. If you downloaded a full rom set out probably came as a single zip file. You need to extract the contents into your folder. This will put individual zip files for each game into your folder. Try importing the rooms again and Launchbox should recognise the games.
I did all this just because one game I want to play - California Speed. Of course game is not working but every other game I try is working. Any idea how to make this game work ?
If I want to replace the program with a new version, which files in the folder do I have to replace? I don't want to lose my highscores or my settings for the games.
I'll be honest and say that I'm not sure. I think the high scores etc. are held in a separate area to the ROMs so changing the ROM files won't affect them but I haven't tried it.
I have been messing around trying to get launchbox, mame. I extracted the roms and only 40 were even recognized I deleted them and left them zipped and it picked up a lot. I got the box art etc... to work but when I would click to play it would flash a black screen and go back to the game page.. I finally gave up for the day I tried yo get mame to play it alone...I guess I will delete it all tomorrow and try again .I may have got a bad set of roms? any Idea why it wont play.
It sounds like you've got a mismatch between your Mame version and romset version. Make sure you download a romset where you know what version it is. When you install through Launchbox make sure it's got the right version number selected. Things should work much better. Good luck!
Hi. I was using a fresh install of LaunchBox for the tutorial and was going to do a full MAME import with the smaller ROM set. But in the end I showed the installation setup on screen but used my main LaunchBox installation to show the final result. This is a 0.232 installation which is how I describe the set up in the video. Well done for spotting the deception!!
I downloaded MAME 261, but when I tried to add my ROM Set I get an error saying "The specified folder does not contain a full MAME ROM Set" even though it does, as I am looking at it.
The favourites in Launchbox work on the folders you create. If you select a folder on the left menu it will show the favourites for all the systems in that folder. When you select a single system it shows just the favs for that system.
Thank you very much for the guide. One question though,I use a ps4 controller I don't know hot to set up custom button controls but it works just don't know how to configure controller. Also games like killer instinct and NBA jam don't recognize 2 players so if you know how to configure controller and add another player please do tell me
Once you start a game in mame you can press the tab key to get to the settings menu. In there you can map all of your controls, and add mappings for player 2 etc.
@@BytesNBits that's the problem,I do that and when I press enter to map a key i press the button on controller and it does nothing,I tried to add more players with every method under the sun but to no avail
You're not making it east for yourself! Try them and see. Some will work some won't. Getting a full set isn''t that hard and will solve a lot of your problems.
Hi. You'll need to install Mame as a standalone and then configure it to run inside RetroBat, or try using one of the RetroArch Mame cores. The standalone will probably give you a better solution but is more complex to set up. The RetroArch cores should still be fine but make sure you match the ROMs with the core version.
I'm not understanding, I see so many tutorials where the .xml file magically turns into a folder where there are all the titles inside. But how do you get them? Is there any need to do any particular conversion of the .xml file? Thank you for those who help me.
Hi. You'll usually download a .zip archive file for your mame roms. If it's a single game you don't need to do anything. If it's a game collection or a full rom set you'll need to extract the files (usually these will be individual game zip files).
When I look up ROM .256 merged set it indicates 935 GB with CHD files...? With Launchbox do I just download the ROM set or do I need the CHD files also?
There are a few games that need the CHD files but the majority don't. I think it's more of the later titles that use them. I don't download CHD versions and have only come across one game that needed them, but I do tend to play the older games.
So a mame rom set that is, for example: mame 0.239 , has the same games as 0.240 but they just play better in 0.240? And as I go up in version, the better they will run? Sorry, this mame stuff is confusing lol
Hi. The ideal situation is to match versions but in reality it doesn't matter so much. Most ROMs from a lower version will run on a higher mame software version. Newer versions of mame have bug fixes and optimisations so can run better but can also break some games. I did make a video that explains mame roms a bit better. Keep the version numbers reasonably close and you'll be fine.
@@BytesNBits I ended up with mame 0.220 full rom pack. Most games work, but some don’t. Killer instinct and killer instinct 2 don’t work. Do you know why that would be? Thanks
If i have emulation station can i just use the games i already have in those folders for launch box? Or do i have to duplicate all my roms again for LB?
You can reuse the files. In the import function in LaunchBox specify your existing folder or files but make sure you select the option to leave the files in their current location. LaunchBox will then connect with the existing files.
So at 7:07 mins, I see you went with a mame0.232 set, but you never said whether it was split, merged or non-merged. So I'm still in the dark just as much as I was before the video. That was the whole reason why I watched (to see what version and what type).
Hi. I made a separate video explaining what the difference is between all of the mame rom sets. Please have a look at that to see what each one means. In the end whatever full rom set you get will generally work after Launch be ox had imported it.
@@BytesNBits I watched that video and I know the difference. That's not what my comment is about. You never said what you used and I would still like to know.
Hi. Yes. It will install Mame and import the game files you have. The full ROM set simply ensures that you have all the roms needed to get all the games working. If you have a working sub set that will be fine. Hope it works OK!!
@@BytesNBits i installed mame manually and it works fine thanks. for whatever reason it wasn't working when i was just installing mame without launchbox.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ IF you have time, if at all you are familiar with autobleem or the ps1 mini, I am trying to run mame on that system. I can't seem to get a few games to run properly.
Hi. Sorry, I don't have a Play Station to try that out on. I guess your problems will be to do with having the correct sets of ROMs. Have a look at ruclips.net/video/p8EARNSOGI0/видео.html for info on how the MAMA ROMs work.
This version and the current version of the Launchbox ( July 2023 ) does not give me the option to "make a copy" when importing the ROMset so that I cannot easily copy the "Launchbox" folder on to a USB drive for portability. The "Lauchbox" folder is missing the "Games" folder. Thanks for your videos, BTW. Excited to start playing all the oldies!
To get a portable Mame installation you need to manually set things up at the beginning. Either install Mame into the Emulators folder in the LaunchBox installation (you might need to create the folder) or get Launchbox to install it for you. Then copy the roms into the roms folder inside the mame insallation. Then do the full import inside Launchbox. This will keep all the files inside the Launchbox installation folder and link things up correctly.
Some games, usually the newer ones, need the CHD files. I'd personally wait until you hit a game that needs them and then download the files for that game.
@@Suhadisgood Hi. My 0.232 ROM set gave me about 3700 games. Maybe try a different ROM set. Not all are the same, and not all are fully working. I think the file naming conventions can be a bit fiddly in the ROM sets.
Please help I'm trying to learn how to program Are there any plugins for mame that enable export of sprites or scenery graphics? Is there a disassembler for game code? Mame now emulates computers - the Sam coupé Now has support for compact flash and sd memory cards this is called atom lite does mame support this?
You'd need to do a bit of searching for disassemblers etc. These need to match with the processors in the arcade cabinets. It can be done but it will be a bit tricky. If you're learning to code poking around in arcade machines will get confusing very fast. These tend to be written in machine code which is definitely not beginner friendly. I'd strongly advise looking at Python coding, or Unity to get you started. Or, if you really want to learn by coding games try one of my TIC80 courses. TIC80 is virtual games console that gives you a fully integrated development system so you can create the code, sprites, sounds, music, and other assets all from within on application. Space Invaders - ruclips.net/p/PLvOT6zBnJyYF3FzmfXz2QXMA8xk7JHA_b Asteroids - ruclips.net/p/PLvOT6zBnJyYHhjMGSWMIAFa5y29dplXkK
Your videos are incredibly helpful and detailed. Thank you so much. I'm installing a merged ROM set .202 and having issues with any game actually loading despite following all directions very carefully. Brand new computer. Brand new LaunchBox. All latest updates (with the exception of the .202 set itself). Games when double-clicked will simply not load or appear to open. Any ideas? I've removed everything and started over a few times with the same results. Edit: The screen will flash black for a moment, say "Initializing" and then go back to the Launchbox library. As a troubleshooting step, I asked a few random games to launch with RetroArch's "mamelibretro" -- which then returns an error saying "7-zip returned an error when trying to extract the archive."
Hi. The emulators need to unpack the rom files before they can play the game. They do this in the background. It sounds like either your rom files are corrupted (most likely) or your 7zip package is not working correctly. I'd try downloading a different rom pack. You can also try unzipping some of the games to see if 7zip can extract the contents. I hope this helps.
@@BytesNBits It certainly does help, and I will absolutely get back to you in this comment thread as soon as I am able to with consideration to your advice. I hope I speak for many people on the channel when I say that we really appreciate your time, support, effort, and dedication. Thank you again.
@@BytesNBits Ok. Does the rom pack contain bios files etc. that allow games to run? In other words, if I want to import a single game, would I also need to acquire the related files to make it run? Thanks
@@tseawell90 Hi. Yes. Game files generally need some other files to run. Have a look at this video which explains the whole system - ruclips.net/video/p8EARNSOGI0/видео.html
So I followed the video exactly, but I have a problem. Certain games, mostly 3D games don't work. I wanted to play Carnevil and it won't run, I tried installing a different rom of it and still nothing. Anybody know how to fix this?
There are some games that don't work, yet! Make sure you're using the latest version of ROMs you can find with the matching Mame version. That will give you the best chance.
@@BytesNBits hi..I've got everything working... But I can't start a game..I'm using an Xbox controller but games say insert coin.. Non of the buttons on the controller do anything... How do I get to change this please
The best option is to use a full ROMset but that is a big download and you may still find some games aren't quite right. I'm just making a video to show you how to add or fix single games so keep an eye out for that.
@@BytesNBits Hi I downloaded a "Full rom 2.55 Merged" and worked much better the games, didnt found any non working games yet, launchbox also help filters games that works or not
PacMan generally comes packaged inside puckman which was the original Japanese version. In the Launchbox list of games just right click on PuckMan and then select version. You should see a list of the clones, one of which should be the Midway original that was the US release.
Never have any issues launching games with Mame32U and MameUL32 but the latest versions are a pain in the ass, either wrong machine or missing components. I don't get it but I'll try your way sir
Hi. When you use the new version do you also download new versions of the game ROMs? That might be the issue. Have a look at this video - ruclips.net/video/wtnvlapx4J4/видео.html. It might help you to get things running.
MAME is so great! You only need a completely different program to be able to use it! Seriously though, why is MAME so damn hard to use? I have the files, but MAME is so obtuse that it refuses to even look at them. It's a hallway full of locked doors. Maddening.
Mame is doing a lot of work as each arcade cabinet was almost a completely unique computer system. The versions issue is just one you need to get used to. Just try to match your ROM version and Mame version. If you download random roms you'll get into real difficulties.
Hi. I'm not sure what the Legends machine uses. I suspect it would need the game roms copied over to its own games roms folders. Does the machine have a set of buttons and joystick to control the games?
@@tazblzr88 Hi. It really depends on what software the box is running. It probably already has a version of Mame built in. You'd need to research your model and see if anyone has managed to add systems or games.
Downloaded a full romset for Mame 0.248 as well as the same version of MAME itself. With every game, i get nothing but a brief black screen and it immediately boots me out of the game.
Hi. Try running mame without Launchbox to see if that installation is OK. Browse into the launchbox\emulators\mame folder and you should find the exe file. You can also try running one of the older games like PacMan etc. These rom files are the same across most versions of Mame so might show up if there is a version issue.
That problem has to do with the video rendering. You need to open to the DOS prompt then open the config.ini. From there(this is how I was shown to fix the Black screen issue)you need to scroll down until you find the line that gives the choices for video & type in the Open GL script. Not sure exactly which one it is but it has to do with opengl. Then reboot & you should be alright. Something to do with the video settings this much I know.
Hi. It is possible to just download and install single games. Give it a go. If they don't work you need to find out what other game files they rely on.
I literally just want to play arcade light gun games like all the time crisis games, house of the deads, silent scope, Police 24/7, Jurassic Park, Crisis Zone etc But I can't get ANY of them to work except Time Crisis 1 but even that has bad sound!
You should be able to map your mouse to the light gun control - you'll probably have to go in to the MAME setup screen by pressing TAB to do that. Sound corruption is usually either a non working ROM or your PC is struggling to run the game at full speed.
@@BytesNBits Followed your guide to a T and launchbox has been downloading assets all through the night! Hopefully it helps run the games better! I've found some new roms after I've already imported the romset, If I want to import more games do you just drag and drop them into the MAME rom folder or do you have to then choose import via launchbox for it to recognize the new roms? Thanks for the vid it has been easy to follow so far!
Most of the games don't work, the screen goes black then returns back to the launchbox library. I got T2 arcade to play but nothing else so far. Frustrating as hell!
@@NBKRebelGamer87 Hi. Drag and drop the files into the game folder and then open the menu and choose tools -> scan. There are a couple of options but just choose the one that you need. This will look in the game folders and find your new games. If you've saved the games outside LaunchBox you'll just need to import them as normal. Hope this helps!
@@NBKRebelGamer87 Sorry, working through the comments in date order... Try downloading the game files from a separate source. maybe the ones in your ROM set are the issue (I'm just clutching at straws here but worth a try!). On a completely separate note I made a video a few days ago about how to make a code fix for Emuparadise. As I mention in the video this is not a tutorial about how to download games as that would be illegal, but you might find it interesting.
Hi. Mame only allows you to play arcade games. You need a separate emulator for other systems. Have a look at my general Launchbox video to see how to do that. ruclips.net/video/AAFLzdwsTPk/видео.html
MAME 0.249 MAME Emulator: archive.org/download/mame-merged/mame/ MAME BIOS Sets: archive.org/download/mame-merged/BIOS/ MAME ROM Set (Merged) - No CHD: archive.org/download/mame-merged/mame-merged/ MAME CHD (Merged): archive.org/download/MAME_0.225_CHDs_merged (Maintained by @lollo_220) MAME SL ROM Set (Merged) - No CHD: archive.org/download/mame-sl/mame-sl/ MAME Support Files: archive.org/download/mame-support/Support/ MAME Official Website: www.mamedev.org/ MAME Official GitHub: github.com/mamedev/mame I want to ask if I download rom set which one do I need? I feel confused. CHD? Merged? What is that
@@DragonAKGaming I would try opening up the mame folder and running mame without LaunchBox. Check that Mame starts. Then try loading a game in from there to see if it works. This should verify if Mame is working or if there is something wrong with its connection to Launchbox.
Been looking for days and about 5 hours today. I am tired of all these "how too" bastards telling me to Google it. Thanks for nothing. No shit; "getting a hold of a romset can be difficult". Why bother wasting this time. Make a where to get roma video and I guarantee you go viral.
Hi. It is frustrating for us as well. Unfortunately RUclips does enforce it's rule on this as I (and probably all the rest) have found out. The video gets deleted and you get a guideline warning. I think 2 warnings and the channel gets turned off for a month. Considering some of the weird and vile content out there telling someone where they can get the ROMs does seem rather tame!
Hi. Yes! Have a look at ruclips.net/video/AAFLzdwsTPk/видео.html. You can emulate pretty much any computer, console or arcade machine that you can think of. All the games are out there on the Internet.
******PLEASE NOTE: Launchbox only gives options in the installer for Full Set Versions 0.121 and newer. Unless someone shows a way to get the full older set to install, it can waste hours of your time and internet bandwidth downloading the 2003 set so many recommend, as it is older than those versions with no choice in the wizard to install the full set. Personally, I don't like the idea of thousands of games cluttering things up when only a handful are wanted, anyway.
Hi. Thanks. I wasn't aware of the limitation. I generally use the latest version I can get hold off with LaunchBox. The 2003 version is great if you're using Mame2003 which I think is the default for RetroPie. It is a smaller download but I'm not aware of any other advantages.
2003 is only meant for low end devices. Games have been made more accurate and thus a little harder to run over time but retropie haven't gotten much faster so people use the old set so certain games will perform better. Unless you're using a potato pc always use the newest set
I tried that but it asks for which platform to run the game on. If it is just a mame game, there does not seem to be one on the list? And if it is not on the list you cannot proceed in the next menu. Help?
@@BytesNBits it means i can't run a 400kbit contra without downloading all that garbage and that i can't enjoy anything because mame is insane and for linuxoids only
@@incaseofimportantnegotiations You don't have to download the full ROM sets. That just makes it easier to install the games and make sure that everything works. You can just grab the ROM files for the games you want and try those. You may find that some games rely on other game ROMs so you'll need to download those as well, but you should be able to get a working set quite easily. Have a look at this video which explains how the MAME rom sets are set up. ruclips.net/video/p8EARNSOGI0/видео.html
The BigBox interface should work with your controller. Make sure you've got it set up correctly. Some emulators do need a bit of setting up to allow you to get out of games using the hot key combinations rather than the escape key, but it can all be done.
Make sure your Mame ROM set matches the version of Mame you installed. If that's all OK try running mame from the installation directory (should be in LaunchBox - emulators - Mame). If that doesn't get you to a Mame control screen you'll need to uninstall it and re install.
I hate how these tutorials never show you how to download the ROMs. "you have to do a quick google search" ok? there's like 50 links. how do I know which one to use? no one ever explains this.
I understand your frustration. I did start by giving links etc. on my videos but someone complained to RUclips that I was encouraging illegal downloading and I got a RUclips Community warning. Since then I have to skip those instructions like all the rest of the creators.
The video will be taken down by youtube if they show how to download roms
thank you for taking so much time and effort out of your day to create such a helpful video, thanks man *New subscriber*
Thanks for the sub! Glad you found it useful.
Thank you for these retro gaming videos, sir. I have already tried out several of them, and this one will be no exception. Can’t wait to see the follow-up to this one.
Glad you like them!
Another great video that unlike others does not assume prior knowledge. Interested in your comment in making your setup portable so will look out for this in the next instalment.
Thanks. Portable version out in the next couple of days! Works great!
Even then i did not understand sh1t from this video. How can you even say that?
This is the best (explain it like I'm 5) Mame video on RUclips! 👌
Glad it was helpful!
I appreciate you putting this together but I just haven't been able to get this to work so far. Admittedly I'm not a computer whiz by nature but usually on stuff like this I can bumble my way around and figure it out eventually. But I've been fooling with this for hours just trying to get a handful of arcade games to boot and nothing has worked for me so far. I can use Stella and Altirra to run old Atari games without trouble but this beast is on another level. So if any of you are having trouble don't worry you're not alone.
Did you manage to get Launchbox to import the games? Do they show up in your menu? If you've got that far it's usually a mismatch between the Mame version and the romset version. Try running something like Donkey Kong. That rom is pretty much bomb proof so if your Mame is working it should work. If that doesn't work try reinstalling Mame. If it does work you might need a different rom set. Moving to an older romset, e.g. 0.78 can sometimes help. Just make sure you instakll the matching Mame version. Hope this helps.
Fantastic video mate ! Exactly the information I was looking for 🙂 Gotta love RUclips 👊😎
Glad I could help
Great info just what i need to know, thanks for the time making this
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant mate, can't wait to try this out dude, liked and subscribed, and looks like you have the same taste as me for the gaming 😊 👍🏻
Thanks. Have fun!
Finally I can play mame thanks to you! you earned a subscriber
Glad I could help
Thank you for uploading these videos as well🤙🏽
Glad you like them!
Subbed to your channel due to this video, I'd been using a stand alone install of MAME yet it's the only thing that won't work within Launchbox for me. So I've decided to go with a download of the most recent merged set and let the install wizard do the work. Thanks.
Thanks for the sub. Hope it's all working now!
Hi, i followed every steps of instructions until 'Where are your Mame ROms located?" after click the Mame folder and press Next, i got"The specified folder does not contain a full Mame ROM set" prompt, and i tried choosing the ROM folder, still got the same prompt, any other options? tq for the video
Hi. If you downloaded a full rom set out probably came as a single zip file. You need to extract the contents into your folder. This will put individual zip files for each game into your folder. Try importing the rooms again and Launchbox should recognise the games.
I did all this just because one game I want to play - California Speed. Of course game is not working but every other game I try is working. Any idea how to make this game work ?
You are probably missing the CHD file for the game. If you check the Arcade Database it lists the one you need in the required files section.
@@BytesNBits Thank you, it's working now 👍
If I want to replace the program with a new version, which files in the folder do I have to replace? I don't want to lose my highscores or my settings for the games.
I'll be honest and say that I'm not sure. I think the high scores etc. are held in a separate area to the ROMs so changing the ROM files won't affect them but I haven't tried it.
I have been messing around trying to get launchbox, mame. I extracted the roms and only 40 were even recognized I deleted them and left them zipped and it picked up a lot. I got the box art etc... to work but when I would click to play it would flash a black screen and go back to the game page.. I finally gave up for the day I tried yo get mame to play it alone...I guess I will delete it all tomorrow and try again .I may have got a bad set of roms? any Idea why it wont play.
It sounds like you've got a mismatch between your Mame version and romset version. Make sure you download a romset where you know what version it is. When you install through Launchbox make sure it's got the right version number selected. Things should work much better. Good luck!
You initially showed the mame2003 romset on your computer, but when you went to import in launchbox you selected mame0.232... I'm confused.
Hi. I was using a fresh install of LaunchBox for the tutorial and was going to do a full MAME import with the smaller ROM set. But in the end I showed the installation setup on screen but used my main LaunchBox installation to show the final result. This is a 0.232 installation which is how I describe the set up in the video. Well done for spotting the deception!!
I downloaded MAME 261, but when I tried to add my ROM Set I get an error saying "The specified folder does not contain a full MAME ROM Set" even though it does, as I am looking at it.
Is your romset a single zip file? If so you need to extract it so you have the individual game zip files showing.
@@BytesNBits It was, then I unzipped it into a Folder. Inside that folder it has two folders CHD and SL, plus a lot of ROMs in zip format.
I have a question can we get in launchbox Favorit section like other Frontends they have extra one and not just per emulatore listed on the top
The favourites in Launchbox work on the folders you create. If you select a folder on the left menu it will show the favourites for all the systems in that folder. When you select a single system it shows just the favs for that system.
Thank you very much for the guide. One question though,I use a ps4 controller I don't know hot to set up custom button controls but it works just don't know how to configure controller. Also games like killer instinct and NBA jam don't recognize 2 players so if you know how to configure controller and add another player please do tell me
Once you start a game in mame you can press the tab key to get to the settings menu. In there you can map all of your controls, and add mappings for player 2 etc.
@@BytesNBits that's the problem,I do that and when I press enter to map a key i press the button on controller and it does nothing,I tried to add more players with every method under the sun but to no avail
What if you have different mame versions of roms and you don’t have the whole set??
You're not making it east for yourself! Try them and see. Some will work some won't. Getting a full set isn''t that hard and will solve a lot of your problems.
Urgh, I have Retrobat... does this mean it wont be as easy compared to Launchbox?
Hi. You'll need to install Mame as a standalone and then configure it to run inside RetroBat, or try using one of the RetroArch Mame cores. The standalone will probably give you a better solution but is more complex to set up. The RetroArch cores should still be fine but make sure you match the ROMs with the core version.
I'm not understanding, I see so many tutorials where the .xml file magically turns into a folder where there are all the titles inside. But how do you get them? Is there any need to do any particular conversion of the .xml file? Thank you for those who help me.
Hi. You'll usually download a .zip archive file for your mame roms. If it's a single game you don't need to do anything. If it's a game collection or a full rom set you'll need to extract the files (usually these will be individual game zip files).
When I look up ROM .256 merged set it indicates 935 GB with CHD files...? With Launchbox do I just download the ROM set or do I need the CHD files also?
There are a few games that need the CHD files but the majority don't. I think it's more of the later titles that use them. I don't download CHD versions and have only come across one game that needed them, but I do tend to play the older games.
So a mame rom set that is, for example: mame 0.239 , has the same games as 0.240 but they just play better in 0.240? And as I go up in version, the better they will run? Sorry, this mame stuff is confusing lol
Hi. The ideal situation is to match versions but in reality it doesn't matter so much. Most ROMs from a lower version will run on a higher mame software version. Newer versions of mame have bug fixes and optimisations so can run better but can also break some games. I did make a video that explains mame roms a bit better. Keep the version numbers reasonably close and you'll be fine.
@@BytesNBits I ended up with mame 0.220 full rom pack. Most games work, but some don’t. Killer instinct and killer instinct 2 don’t work. Do you know why that would be?
Thanks
If i have emulation station can i just use the games i already have in those folders for launch box? Or do i have to duplicate all my roms again for LB?
You can reuse the files. In the import function in LaunchBox specify your existing folder or files but make sure you select the option to leave the files in their current location. LaunchBox will then connect with the existing files.
Thank you good Sir. Great educational skills.
Very welcome
So at 7:07 mins, I see you went with a mame0.232 set, but you never said whether it was split, merged or non-merged. So I'm still in the dark just as much as I was before the video. That was the whole reason why I watched (to see what version and what type).
Hi. I made a separate video explaining what the difference is between all of the mame rom sets. Please have a look at that to see what each one means. In the end whatever full rom set you get will generally work after Launch be ox had imported it.
@@BytesNBits I watched that video and I know the difference. That's not what my comment is about. You never said what you used and I would still like to know.
@@rwprime1 Hi. I'm pretty sure it was a merged set.
Great Video!
Thanks!
Are there any input lag-related settings for MAME? Psikyo games in particular are REALLY BAD about that.
Hi. I'm not sure. It's not a problem I've come across with the games I play.
@@BytesNBits hm. ok
so it won't install mame if you have a partial rom set? bummer. I really don't want to get a full one
Hi. Yes. It will install Mame and import the game files you have. The full ROM set simply ensures that you have all the roms needed to get all the games working. If you have a working sub set that will be fine. Hope it works OK!!
@@BytesNBits i installed mame manually and it works fine thanks. for whatever reason it wasn't working when i was just installing mame without launchbox.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ IF you have time, if at all you are familiar with autobleem or the ps1 mini, I am trying to run mame on that system. I can't seem to get a few games to run properly.
Hi. Sorry, I don't have a Play Station to try that out on. I guess your problems will be to do with having the correct sets of ROMs. Have a look at ruclips.net/video/p8EARNSOGI0/видео.html for info on how the MAMA ROMs work.
This version and the current version of the Launchbox ( July 2023 ) does not give me the option to "make a copy" when importing the ROMset so that I cannot easily copy the "Launchbox" folder on to a USB drive for portability. The "Lauchbox" folder is missing the "Games" folder. Thanks for your videos, BTW. Excited to start playing all the oldies!
To get a portable Mame installation you need to manually set things up at the beginning. Either install Mame into the Emulators folder in the LaunchBox installation (you might need to create the folder) or get Launchbox to install it for you. Then copy the roms into the roms folder inside the mame insallation. Then do the full import inside Launchbox.
This will keep all the files inside the Launchbox installation folder and link things up correctly.
@@BytesNBits thank you so much for the reply! Will try it out
thanks for the tutorial! do I also need to download the full set of CHD files? I've seen that it's huge
Some games, usually the newer ones, need the CHD files. I'd personally wait until you hit a game that needs them and then download the files for that game.
Mame shows you all the games that were released in the arcade but it doesn’t unlock all the games for you I used limewire to help me get roms I needed
Did you manage to get a full ROM set? That should let you play all the games.
@@BytesNBits no it didn’t get me all the games it only unlocked 1,400 games out of 4000 games
@@Suhadisgood Hi. My 0.232 ROM set gave me about 3700 games. Maybe try a different ROM set. Not all are the same, and not all are fully working. I think the file naming conventions can be a bit fiddly in the ROM sets.
People still use Limewire? It's 2022 not 1996.
Please help
I'm trying to learn how to program
Are there any plugins for mame that enable export of sprites or scenery graphics?
Is there a disassembler for game code?
Mame now emulates computers - the Sam coupé Now has support for compact flash and sd memory cards this is called atom lite does mame support this?
You'd need to do a bit of searching for disassemblers etc. These need to match with the processors in the arcade cabinets. It can be done but it will be a bit tricky. If you're learning to code poking around in arcade machines will get confusing very fast. These tend to be written in machine code which is definitely not beginner friendly.
I'd strongly advise looking at Python coding, or Unity to get you started. Or, if you really want to learn by coding games try one of my TIC80 courses. TIC80 is virtual games console that gives you a fully integrated development system so you can create the code, sprites, sounds, music, and other assets all from within on application.
Space Invaders - ruclips.net/p/PLvOT6zBnJyYF3FzmfXz2QXMA8xk7JHA_b
Asteroids - ruclips.net/p/PLvOT6zBnJyYHhjMGSWMIAFa5y29dplXkK
@@BytesNBits have u seen zx spectrum next?
@@zxspectrum16KB Only on other RUclips videos.
Your videos are incredibly helpful and detailed. Thank you so much. I'm installing a merged ROM set .202 and having issues with any game actually loading despite following all directions very carefully. Brand new computer. Brand new LaunchBox. All latest updates (with the exception of the .202 set itself). Games when double-clicked will simply not load or appear to open. Any ideas? I've removed everything and started over a few times with the same results.
Edit: The screen will flash black for a moment, say "Initializing" and then go back to the Launchbox library. As a troubleshooting step, I asked a few random games to launch with RetroArch's "mamelibretro" -- which then returns an error saying "7-zip returned an error when trying to extract the archive."
Hi. The emulators need to unpack the rom files before they can play the game. They do this in the background. It sounds like either your rom files are corrupted (most likely) or your 7zip package is not working correctly. I'd try downloading a different rom pack. You can also try unzipping some of the games to see if 7zip can extract the contents. I hope this helps.
@@BytesNBits It certainly does help, and I will absolutely get back to you in this comment thread as soon as I am able to with consideration to your advice. I hope I speak for many people on the channel when I say that we really appreciate your time, support, effort, and dedication. Thank you again.
Can I import one rom instead of the entire rom pack?
Hi. Yes. Just import the single rom file using the import menu option.
@@BytesNBits Ok. Does the rom pack contain bios files etc. that allow games to run? In other words, if I want to import a single game, would I also need to acquire the related files to make it run? Thanks
@@tseawell90 Hi. Yes. Game files generally need some other files to run. Have a look at this video which explains the whole system - ruclips.net/video/p8EARNSOGI0/видео.html
@@BytesNBits Ok thanks for the reply.
So I followed the video exactly, but I have a problem. Certain games, mostly 3D games don't work. I wanted to play Carnevil and it won't run, I tried installing a different rom of it and still nothing. Anybody know how to fix this?
There are some games that don't work, yet! Make sure you're using the latest version of ROMs you can find with the matching Mame version. That will give you the best chance.
How do you get the arcade art on the sides on mame games?
You need to setup the Bezel Project in Launchbox. Have a look at the documentation.
Thanks!
Thank you very much!
Thank you mister, very helpful. Have a good day
Thanks, you too!
which torrent client should i use
I use bittorent
@@BytesNBits hi..I've got everything working...
But I can't start a game..I'm using an Xbox controller but games say insert coin..
Non of the buttons on the controller do anything...
How do I get to change this please
some mame games dont work for me, how do i get a working set ?
The best option is to use a full ROMset but that is a big download and you may still find some games aren't quite right. I'm just making a video to show you how to add or fix single games so keep an eye out for that.
@@BytesNBits Hi I downloaded a "Full rom 2.55 Merged" and worked much better the games, didnt found any non working games yet, launchbox also help filters games that works or not
Brilliant
Thanks
Still not working for me, I bought game from steam and after I import it in launchbox it still error missing file MSVCP120.dll, what can I do?
Hi. Sorry. I don't use Steam with LaunchBox. Have a look on the LaunchBox website for some advice.
How do I get pac man I can't find it anywhere plz help me
PacMan generally comes packaged inside puckman which was the original Japanese version. In the Launchbox list of games just right click on PuckMan and then select version. You should see a list of the clones, one of which should be the Midway original that was the US release.
@BytesNBits do I do everything the same in this video and when I download launchbox that when I look for pac man
Never have any issues launching games with Mame32U and MameUL32 but the latest versions are a pain in the ass, either wrong machine or missing components. I don't get it but I'll try your way sir
Hi. When you use the new version do you also download new versions of the game ROMs? That might be the issue. Have a look at this video - ruclips.net/video/wtnvlapx4J4/видео.html. It might help you to get things running.
I have been hearing a lot about MAME recently :)
MAME is great. Play all the arcade machines from 1970's up to the modern day machines.
thanks i wanted to set up dk81 for my mom she used to play that game😄
glad it helped
Does this work on steam deck
If the Steam deck runs Windows then it should work. If not then it won't. You'll need to install Mame another way.
Where do you put the 10p in the laptop?
Where the sun doesn't shine :)
MAME is so great! You only need a completely different program to be able to use it!
Seriously though, why is MAME so damn hard to use? I have the files, but MAME is so obtuse that it refuses to even look at them. It's a hallway full of locked doors. Maddening.
Mame is doing a lot of work as each arcade cabinet was almost a completely unique computer system. The versions issue is just one you need to get used to. Just try to match your ROM version and Mame version. If you download random roms you'll get into real difficulties.
This makes things easy thank you. If I want to put some games on a memory stick to play on my legends pinball machine what files would i move over?
Hi. I'm not sure what the Legends machine uses. I suspect it would need the game roms copied over to its own games roms folders. Does the machine have a set of buttons and joystick to control the games?
can i download this emutaltor to my bod arcade??
Hi. I don't know. What does the bod system run on?
@@BytesNBits im sry box arcade (bod) was a typo
@@tazblzr88 Hi. It really depends on what software the box is running. It probably already has a version of Mame built in. You'd need to research your model and see if anyone has managed to add systems or games.
@@BytesNBits the box is shit i returned it for my money back 1 day in of getting it lol
Name a company who is a popular manufacturer of video game consoles .....? ans me
Downloaded a full romset for Mame 0.248 as well as the same version of MAME itself. With every game, i get nothing but a brief black screen and it immediately boots me out of the game.
Hi. Try running mame without Launchbox to see if that installation is OK. Browse into the launchbox\emulators\mame folder and you should find the exe file. You can also try running one of the older games like PacMan etc. These rom files are the same across most versions of Mame so might show up if there is a version issue.
That problem has to do with the video rendering. You need to open to the DOS prompt then open the config.ini. From there(this is how I was shown to fix the Black screen issue)you need to scroll down until you find the line that gives the choices for video & type in the Open GL script. Not sure exactly which one it is but it has to do with opengl. Then reboot & you should be alright. Something to do with the video settings this much I know.
Am wanting just to play a handful of adventure games like Rastan, Strider, GhostsnGoblins, Rygar etc…
Hoping there are some Adv packs out there.
Hi. It is possible to just download and install single games. Give it a go. If they don't work you need to find out what other game files they rely on.
Help me, When I trim the set with lauch box then I installed the trimmed set then the game don't starts which started before like dino
It worked
Great! Glad you got it sorted out.
I literally just want to play arcade light gun games like all the time crisis games, house of the deads, silent scope, Police 24/7, Jurassic Park, Crisis Zone etc But I can't get ANY of them to work except Time Crisis 1 but even that has bad sound!
You should be able to map your mouse to the light gun control - you'll probably have to go in to the MAME setup screen by pressing TAB to do that. Sound corruption is usually either a non working ROM or your PC is struggling to run the game at full speed.
@@BytesNBits Followed your guide to a T and launchbox has been downloading assets all through the night! Hopefully it helps run the games better!
I've found some new roms after I've already imported the romset, If I want to import more games do you just drag and drop them into the MAME rom folder or do you have to then choose import via launchbox for it to recognize the new roms?
Thanks for the vid it has been easy to follow so far!
Most of the games don't work, the screen goes black then returns back to the launchbox library. I got T2 arcade to play but nothing else so far. Frustrating as hell!
@@NBKRebelGamer87 Hi. Drag and drop the files into the game folder and then open the menu and choose tools -> scan. There are a couple of options but just choose the one that you need. This will look in the game folders and find your new games. If you've saved the games outside LaunchBox you'll just need to import them as normal. Hope this helps!
@@NBKRebelGamer87 Sorry, working through the comments in date order... Try downloading the game files from a separate source. maybe the ones in your ROM set are the issue (I'm just clutching at straws here but worth a try!). On a completely separate note I made a video a few days ago about how to make a code fix for Emuparadise. As I mention in the video this is not a tutorial about how to download games as that would be illegal, but you might find it interesting.
You can also download emulators for Android and Apple smartphones.
Thanks for the info. I hadn't come across those.
how to play ps2 games on your pc with mame emulator
Hi. Mame only allows you to play arcade games. You need a separate emulator for other systems. Have a look at my general Launchbox video to see how to do that. ruclips.net/video/AAFLzdwsTPk/видео.html
MAME 0.249
MAME Emulator: archive.org/download/mame-merged/mame/
MAME BIOS Sets: archive.org/download/mame-merged/BIOS/
MAME ROM Set (Merged) - No CHD: archive.org/download/mame-merged/mame-merged/
MAME CHD (Merged): archive.org/download/MAME_0.225_CHDs_merged (Maintained by @lollo_220)
MAME SL ROM Set (Merged) - No CHD: archive.org/download/mame-sl/mame-sl/
MAME Support Files: archive.org/download/mame-support/Support/
MAME Official Website: www.mamedev.org/
MAME Official GitHub: github.com/mamedev/mame
I want to ask if I download rom set
which one do I need?
I feel confused. CHD? Merged? What is that
Hi. Have a look at this video. It should help you work out which ones are right for you.
ruclips.net/video/p8EARNSOGI0/видео.html
I can not run the game, the black sceen shown up then nothing happens :(
Hi. Bummer!! Did the game import work OK? Is this for all games? Did you make sure you got the versions matching?
@@BytesNBits same problem for all game, i follow carefully your guide step by step.
@@DragonAKGaming I would try opening up the mame folder and running mame without LaunchBox. Check that Mame starts. Then try loading a game in from there to see if it works. This should verify if Mame is working or if there is something wrong with its connection to Launchbox.
OMG Starship Titanic! I had that one. Need to watch a playthrough, i could never finish it!
Hi. Great game.
TAIKO
I LOVE ME SOME TAIKO NO TATSUJIN
why is it so long to have explanation
I try to explain what you're doing in my videos rather than just a 'press the buttons I press' tutorial.
Been looking for days and about 5 hours today. I am tired of all these "how too" bastards telling me to Google it. Thanks for nothing. No shit; "getting a hold of a romset can be difficult". Why bother wasting this time. Make a where to get roma video and I guarantee you go viral.
Hi. It is frustrating for us as well. Unfortunately RUclips does enforce it's rule on this as I (and probably all the rest) have found out. The video gets deleted and you get a guideline warning. I think 2 warnings and the channel gets turned off for a month. Considering some of the weird and vile content out there telling someone where they can get the ROMs does seem rather tame!
Hold up, does this mean I can play those platform games? 🤔 psp,ps2, Nintendo, arcade all that
Hi. Yes! Have a look at ruclips.net/video/AAFLzdwsTPk/видео.html. You can emulate pretty much any computer, console or arcade machine that you can think of. All the games are out there on the Internet.
Hi linux set up please?
Definitely on the list!!
wont install as i have win8
Mame should run on most versions of Windows. If the latest doesn't work try an earlier version.
That was just as much of a pain in the ass as the normal mame32 installation.
Yes. There are still the same steps but with LaunchBox it helps tie everything together for people who aren't familiar with settings these things up.
It's crazy how no one has compiled these rom sets into collections or anything like that.
That's half the fun of setting up your own arcade machine!!
could you do a vid on mobile emulation?
Good idea, especially as there's now a good version of LaunchBox for Android.
@@BytesNBits Don't forget about Mame4Droid. I use it on my cheap $40 burner phone. (Assuming the game doesn't need chd files)
******PLEASE NOTE: Launchbox only gives options in the installer for Full Set Versions 0.121 and newer. Unless someone shows a way to get the full older set to install, it can waste hours of your time and internet bandwidth downloading the 2003 set so many recommend, as it is older than those versions with no choice in the wizard to install the full set. Personally, I don't like the idea of thousands of games cluttering things up when only a handful are wanted, anyway.
Hi. Thanks. I wasn't aware of the limitation. I generally use the latest version I can get hold off with LaunchBox. The 2003 version is great if you're using Mame2003 which I think is the default for RetroPie. It is a smaller download but I'm not aware of any other advantages.
2003 is only meant for low end devices. Games have been made more accurate and thus a little harder to run over time but retropie haven't gotten much faster so people use the old set so certain games will perform better. Unless you're using a potato pc always use the newest set
How do I install a game into this program?
If you're not using a full rom set you can still import single game files. From the tools menu, choose import, rom file.
I tried that but it asks for which platform to run the game on. If it is just a mame game, there does not seem to be one on the list? And if it is not on the list you cannot proceed in the next menu. Help?
Can I play Cruis'n World doing this?
Hi. Yes. Should all be fine.
@@BytesNBits Thank you
60gb of one-armed bandits in the history of humanity to launch one 300kbit real game
genios
Not sure what you mean but hope you enjoy the games.
@@BytesNBits it means i can't run a 400kbit contra without downloading all that garbage
and that i can't enjoy anything because mame is insane and for linuxoids only
@@incaseofimportantnegotiations You don't have to download the full ROM sets. That just makes it easier to install the games and make sure that everything works. You can just grab the ROM files for the games you want and try those. You may find that some games rely on other game ROMs so you'll need to download those as well, but you should be able to get a working set quite easily. Have a look at this video which explains how the MAME rom sets are set up. ruclips.net/video/p8EARNSOGI0/видео.html
@@BytesNBits i wasted two hours with no result
and you even linked a video with WRONG ASPECT RATIO
Yeah MAME emulation is stupid. There are easier ways to emulate Contra
Setting up a controller is impossible. Used to be able to plug in a controller and play
If u use the RetroArch emulator and update the cores after installing the emulator will do all that for u. For every console too
Hi. If you get stuck there is a controller setup section in the RetroArch settings. This will let you map all the buttons on your controller.
susah menginstalnya
The Launchbox install is fairly easy and it will install Mame for you. The hard part is getting hold of the Rom Set.
Don't extract
i got big box because they said it will work with a controller, LIES!
The BigBox interface should work with your controller. Make sure you've got it set up correctly.
Some emulators do need a bit of setting up to allow you to get out of games using the hot key combinations rather than the escape key, but it can all be done.
I have mame64x on my computer no need
Great. Have fun with the games.
Too complicated for silly games from the previous century, disliked.
How can you dismiss the entire evolution of modern gaming?
sorry but not helpful at all😢😢
Sorry it didn't work for you. There are a few other videos on my channel to help you get Mame up and running.
doesn't work. screen flashes. games dont launch.
Make sure your Mame ROM set matches the version of Mame you installed. If that's all OK try running mame from the installation directory (should be in LaunchBox - emulators - Mame). If that doesn't get you to a Mame control screen you'll need to uninstall it and re install.