Mame and the "Experience"

[OrioleFan]

Wondering what folks' thoughts here is on Mame cabinets.

I think it is obviously the best bang for your buck and space. Thousands of games in one cabinet.

But what about the emulation itself? I've heard of some games not being able to perfectly emulate the gameplay on certain games. For example, I've read Robotron 2084 has limitations in Mame as the game gets very difficult quick. If you make it past Level 9 or 10 you've really achieved something.

What are your thoughts? Mame may be the best financially and in terms of space but is it really the best when it comes to giving you the same experience of the original rom/game itself? Does the monitor effect the way the game appears? For example, does a Wells Gardner display differently than these modern Mame cabinets with fancy monitors and does that effect the gaming experience?

Also, isn't there something about having the cabinet, the marquee, and the artwork to the original game?

[tombutler]

Im 32 and I get bored very easily with a game so I cant see myself committing hundreds of dollars per game.

 I am also a tinkerer when it comes to electronics so the process of building the cabinet was big for me. 

As far as the whole robotron (unique controls) thing I understand where people are coming from but for me I built myself a dual joystick control panel for my mame machine and although Im sure it isnt how it feels on the original cabinet it feels good to me.
I know people get made fun of for the frankenstein mame machines but as a father of 2 it is hard to get any budget for wii u games let alone a few dedicated arcades when my wii u costs about the same as a machine. (on the cheap side of course)

I agree the art is a big part as well so what I did with my mame machine was to build it as a dual screen system where I can put a picture of a marquee or game I am into or have a program do it automatically when mame is loaded. 

I know these things might not jive with the more traditional guys but it works well for me.

Good topic though.  I like discussions like this.

[iankellogg]

You might get bored with a game quickly if its on mame but nothing forces you to play a game like owning it outright. Yes there are limitations with mame. A lot of games emulation that isn't quite right. But that isn't to say its unplayable. Mame is fine if you aren't serious about the hobby and you just want to play a game with controls that are better than using a keyboard. Don't waste your money buying a prebuilt cab. Find a cheap cab, figure out how to load mame on it. If you have the room, maybe try to figure out what the must have games are. there still is no comparison to the real thing.

[tombutler]

I totally agree with what Ian is saying. 

Nothing compared to the original.

One of the reasons I am so excited to go to my first hobby related expo pin a go go in May. 

I am trying to make an attempt at social arcade going cause that was one of the main reasons we are all so nostalgic.

[offset]

I prefer original hardware, but space can be an issue.

My dedicated games tend to be those with unique controls (ie, Qbert, Defender, racers (Pole Position, Turbo, Super Hang On), Operation Wolf, etc).

I'll eventually have some type of mame setup for the majority of generic joystick/button games for Horizontal/Vertical (ie. Zback cabinet restored to SF2, but with Mame inside, but I have a SF2 board anyway, just I like variety).

None of them will look like a multi-cade awful beast with 4 player controls, steering wheels, etc.   Have more cabinets with fewer controls on them.

http://www.wickedretarded.com/~crapmame/

[tombutler]

I prefer original hardware, but space can be an issue.

My dedicated games tend to be those with unique controls (ie, Qbert, Defender, racers (Pole Position, Turbo, Super Hang On), Operation Wolf, etc).

I'll eventually have some type of mame setup for the majority of generic joystick/button games for Horizontal/Vertical (ie. Zback cabinet restored to SF2, but with Mame inside, but I have a SF2 board anyway, just I like variety).

None of them will look like a multi-cade awful beast with 4 player controls, steering wheels, etc.   Have more cabinets with fewer controls on them.

http://www.wickedretarded.com/~crapmame/

That wicked retarded page is wicked retarded.

Just seems like he is spewing hate

What's up with all the hate?  If those machines work for them then that's all that should matter.

[knaagi]

I prefer original hardware, but space can be an issue.

My dedicated games tend to be those with unique controls (ie, Qbert, Defender, racers (Pole Position, Turbo, Super Hang On), Operation Wolf, etc).

I'll eventually have some type of mame setup for the majority of generic joystick/button games for Horizontal/Vertical (ie. Zback cabinet restored to SF2, but with Mame inside, but I have a SF2 board anyway, just I like variety).

None of them will look like a multi-cade awful beast with 4 player controls, steering wheels, etc.   Have more cabinets with fewer controls on them.

http://www.wickedretarded.com/~crapmame/

That wicked retarded page is wicked retarded.

Just seems like he is spewing hate

What's up with all the hate?  If those machines work for them then that's all that should matter.

If space is an issue there´s nothing wrong with building an emulation cabinet, but people should at least have a sense for aesthetics and ergonomics.

[skykid]

But what about the emulation itself? I've heard of some games not being able to perfectly emulate the gameplay on certain games. For example, I've read Robotron 2084 has limitations in Mame as the game gets very difficult quick. If you make it past Level 9 or 10 you've really achieved something.

I don't know why, but people don't really seem to care about updating to the latest version of MAME when a new one comes out. A new one comes out every month now.

[moogrum]

I think its more of a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" attitude. The only game I have yet to have an issue with is that NBA Jam is choppy and I suspect that's because of my crappy computer.

[Danny Ogg]

I would say "Each to his own". My problem with mame and "Midway arcade treasures cabs from Target and the like is that "It's not real!" It is nothing wrong with it if you are a guy or gal that think a 60 dollar "medival battleaxe" is a fine ornament for your home, but deep down you know that that is not a real weapon. It all depends on what kinda experience you settle with. I have played games in Mame and it's fun, but its not the same thing as a dedicated cab, at least not for me. I have put an xbox with a coinboard in a generic cab and play games i would not care to buy a whole didicated machine for on that cab. I rather have "legitimate" copys of games i care to play, but thats up everyone to deciede for themselves as you could not really call Mame stealing.

Ps. My spelling kinda sucks.

[tombutler]

I would say "Each to his own". My problem with mame and "Midway arcade treasures cabs from Target and the like is that "It's not real!" It is nothing wrong with it if you are a guy or gal that think a 60 dollar "medival battleaxe" is a fine ornament for your home, but deep down you know that that is not a real weapon. It all depends on what kinda experience you settle with. I have played games in Mame and it's fun, but its not the same thing as a dedicated cab, at least not for me. I have put an xbox with a coinboard in a generic cab and play games i would not care to buy a whole didicated machine for on that cab. I rather have "legitimate" copys of games i care to play, but thats up everyone to deciede for themselves as you could not really call Mame stealing.

Ps. My spelling kinda sucks.

That is a really good idea with the xbox thing.  Do you have any links to something similiar?  I am making a few mame machines for my friends and wouldn't mind doing one or two of those.

[shawnsdada]

But what about the emulation itself? I've heard of some games not being able to perfectly emulate the gameplay on certain games. For example, I've read Robotron 2084 has limitations in Mame as the game gets very difficult quick. If you make it past Level 9 or 10 you've really achieved something.

I don't know why, but people don't really seem to care about updating to the latest version of MAME when a new one comes out. A new one comes out every month now.

Even though it is getting updated more often now, the smallest updates are still known to cause major issues. One small update will cause 100 games to stop working. Mouse support has been dead for me in it for a while now. Reported it to them and they were saying it was because I was using Windows 10 Technical Preview. They completely ignored where I mentioned also trying it with Windows 7/8/8.1 Update 1 (Windows 8.1 is where I first encountered it) on three seperate systems and also tried out 4 other mice (ps2/usb) to rule out as much as I could and still never got it to work. It sees the mouse and I can move the mouse in the menu and click, but works with zero games. I just gave up and stopped using it.

They really don't bother listening to many actual users unless it's a major issue that's affecting thousands or a higher-up dev personally finds it. I wasn't the only one having the mouse issue and I'm sure others still are. I know there was one dev who would confirm my issue, but it basically got smacked down by others as nothing.

[Danny Ogg]

I would say "Each to his own". My problem with mame and "Midway arcade treasures cabs from Target and the like is that "It's not real!" It is nothing wrong with it if you are a guy or gal that think a 60 dollar "medival battleaxe" is a fine ornament for your home, but deep down you know that that is not a real weapon. It all depends on what kinda experience you settle with. I have played games in Mame and it's fun, but its not the same thing as a dedicated cab, at least not for me. I have put an xbox with a coinboard in a generic cab and play games i would not care to buy a whole didicated machine for on that cab. I rather have "legitimate" copys of games i care to play, but thats up everyone to deciede for themselves as you could not really call Mame stealing.

Ps. My spelling kinda sucks.

That is a really good idea with the xbox thing.  Do you have any links to something similiar?  I am making a few mame machines for my friends and wouldn't mind doing one or two of those.

Link... Zelda... Sorry ; ) Er'e we go
http://www.arcadeworlduk.com/products/xbox-timer-board-for-cga-monitors.html

[skykid]

Even though it is getting updated more often now, the smallest updates are still known to cause major issues. One small update will cause 100 games to stop working. Mouse support has been dead for me in it for a while now. Reported it to them and they were saying it was because I was using Windows 10 Technical Preview. They completely ignored where I mentioned also trying it with Windows 7/8/8.1 Update 1 (Windows 8.1 is where I first encountered it) on three seperate systems and also tried out 4 other mice (ps2/usb) to rule out as much as I could and still never got it to work. It sees the mouse and I can move the mouse in the menu and click, but works with zero games. I just gave up and stopped using it.

They really don't bother listening to many actual users unless it's a major issue that's affecting thousands or a higher-up dev personally finds it. I wasn't the only one having the mouse issue and I'm sure others still are. I know there was one dev who would confirm my issue, but it basically got smacked down by others as nothing.

Wow, I have not heard of that happening. I was just commenting on the people that worry about quality of emulation but are using versions of MAME that are 4+ years out of date. Maybe not anyone here, but I have seen that. I hope your issue is fixed soon