alt.games.mame FAQ

Maintained by Captain Rotundo mailto:rotundo@dweasel.com

1. About this FAQ

• 1.1 New Versions
• 1.2 What is new in this version?
• 1.3 Acknowledgments
• 1.4 Contact Information

2. About alt.games.mame

• 2.1 What is alt.games.mame?
• 2.2 Can I post/receive binary files on this group?
• 2.3 How should I behave in this newsgroup?
• 2.4 What is top posting? Should I do it?
• 2.5 What is on topic here?
• 2.6 Related newsgroups
• 2.7 Related Websites
• 2.8 Related Other
• 2.9 Header Tags in alt.games.mame posts

3. About MAME

• 3.1 What is MAME?
• 3.2 How many versions of MAME are there?
• 3.3 What is a Front-end?
• 3.4 What games are likely to be emulated in MAME soon?

4. About ROMS

• 4.1 What is a ROM?
• 4.2 What is a sample? Why do I need it?
• 4.3 What is a ROM set?
• 4.4 What are split/merged/parent ROMs?
• 4.5 Can I get a Virus from a ROM?
• 4.6 What does 'No good dump known' or 'ROM needs redump' mean?
• 4.7 Why does most games display garbage, when I start them?
• 4.8 Can I download all the MAME ROMs in one big file?
• 4.9 What are .chd files? What is a CHD?
• 4.10 What do I do with these ROM files? Should they be uncompressed?
• 4.11 What are BIOS ROMs?
• 4.12 Where can I find ROMs?

5. Common Problems with running MAME

• 5.1 Can I use a PC light gun for the arcade light gun games?
• 5.2 How do I get rid of the pesky "OK" screen?
• 5.3 How does the High-Score saving work in MAME?
• 5.4 MAME doesn't work for me - What help is available?
• 5.5 Why won't TAB bring up the configure screen?
• 5.6 Why have my ROMs stopped working?
• 5.7 Game XXX doesn't work in the latest release of MAME!"
• 5.8 Help! My keys don't work!
• 5.9 How do I setup MAME for the first time?

6. The Arcade Experience

• 6.1 Has anyone ever built an arcade cabinet for running MAME?
• 6.2 What about authentic arcade controls?

7. Technical Information

• 7.1 CHDs in a nutshell
• 7.2 Why don't my old CHD files work with MAME anymore?
• 7.3 What are XOR files?
• 7.4 How do I compile MAME From source code?

8. Miscellaneous

• 8.1 Where do I find artwork (screenshots, control panels, flyers, icons, etc.) to use with MAME (or a frontend)?
• 8.2 How do I find the name of 'That Game'?
• 8.3 Why isn't game XXX emulated yet?
• 8.4 How do I perform the *SPECIAL MOVE* in '*GAME TITLE*'?