MAME Newbie Guide: SDLMAME + Frontend...

[Scott00]

*Configuring and installing SDLMAME and Frontend on Ubuntu*

Just a short and basic newbie guide for setting up MAME on Ubuntu using the most up-to-date packages. After much frustration in finding up-to-date MAME ports for linux that are (fairly) easy to setup, this is what I came up with. Hopefully this guide will be of use to someone wanting to play MAME on Ubuntu, or even setting up a MAME cabinet.



PACKAGES:
download and install

SDLMAME - MAME port; Ubuntu package.
WahCade - Frontend. Get the .deb package

Edit 09-15-07:
added simplier frontends

Loemu - Frontend (simpliest)
QMameCat - Frontend



CONFIGURING:


Configuring the frontend

Open terminal and type

wahcade-setup

Switch to the Emulators tab, in the "M.A.M.E." profile, change the Application to /usr/games/sdlmame and verify application parameters, they should be set to [name]


Now lets set the directories, under List Generation select your roms folder and rom extension (zip), List generation can be kept as XML. Do the same for all of your the artwork directories (snaps, cab, marq, etc). Move to the "M.A.M.E. Only" tab and click generate next to XML field, this will generate the XML list of available games. You can also add your history.dat here.


Now File > Save. But don't close the window just yet.


Configuring SDLMAME

Open a new terminal and type

sudo gedit /etc/sdlmame/mame.ini

In WahCade Setup, copy the rom directory and replace the dir after "rompath"... You can also change any other directory you wish, otherwise save and close both.

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You can now launch Wah!Cade.. >>Applications > Games > Wah!Cade
If you get a blank screen, press Z and select emulator (press 1 to select). 2 for options.


CUSTOMIZATION / LAYOUT:

WahCade layout can be customized with the layout editor.

wahcade-layout-editor

If you are getting a white background or hard to read text you can goto screen properties and simply add a dark background image. Be sure to save any changes as a new layout file, or make a backup of the original.

CONTROLS:

WahCade keys are changed within the setup. Game controls and dips are changed in game by pressing TAB.


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Check out mameworld.net for art and support files.

[BigSilly]

Cheers for this guide. It's great for plonkers like me who are still finding their way around!

I'm having a bit of bother still though. I've followed your instructions, but I'm still getting a white background which is driving me mental. I went into the layout screen and screen properties, but it's showing that I should have a black background. I've changed it to some other colours and saved it, but I'm still getting the white background. What do you reckon I should do?

[Scott00]

I'm having a bit of bother still though. I've followed your instructions, but I'm still getting a white background which is driving me mental. I went into the layout screen and screen properties, but it's showing that I should have a black background. I've changed it to some other colours and saved it, but I'm still getting the white background. What do you reckon I should do?

I haven't had a lot of time messing around with this particular frontend (or layout) yet, but I just set a background image rather than changing the color.

[Scott00]

SDLMAME just released a new version today. 0.118u5

[BigSilly]

Cool!

/grabs

[trinireddman]

How do you install on feisty amd64?

[gigaferz]

it always stops when is initializing, or decoding a 9x%.....(sdlmame)

someday...

[Scott00]

I edited the original post to include a couple other frontends which are far simpler and have better UI. Also 0.119 is out.

[BigSilly]

Okay, I've got this but now suddenly my Streetfighter Alpha 3 isn't working. It says I'm missing some files, but it was fine on the last release. Can you help?

Also, what is sdlmame-tools? Is it something that helps you manage your roms, and if so is there a guide anywhere on how to use it? Cheers.

[i23098]

How do you install on feisty amd64?

yes, please. How on an amd64 gutsy...