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Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
#330081 - 08/18/14 06:34 PM
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Hi everyone,
I'm planning to make a custom build of MAME for a party, that loads a number of machines into memory and switches between them instantly at regular intervals, and loads a random save state. I'm about to dive into the source, but I thought it might potentially save some time if I asked here:
a) whether this is possible, and
b) if there are any technical headaches I should be aware of in advance.
I don't expect anyone to hold my hand, but I'd appreciate any sage advice from more experienced emu programmers.
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Sune |
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Bennett]
#330108 - 08/18/14 11:06 PM
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> I'm planning to make a custom build of MAME for a party, that loads a number of > machines into memory and switches between them instantly at regular intervals, and > loads a random save state.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but are you sure that's a good idea? I predict constant frustration and nerd rage at your party. I'd be royally pissed off if I was in the middle of a game and it suddenly quit on me and loaded up some other game.
If it's not going to actually be played, why don't you just make gameplay videos and stitch them together?
S
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redk9258 |
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Bennett]
#330111 - 08/19/14 12:19 AM
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Make a batch file...
Code:
MAME64 pacman -seconds_to_run 20 MAME64 dkong -seconds_to_run 20 MAME64 centiped -seconds_to_run 20 MAME64 pong -seconds_to_run 20
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Sune]
#330123 - 08/19/14 04:09 AM
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It's a fair question. The plan is to carefully curate the save states so that the play is always continuous. To take a simple example: suppose you jump over the pole in Super Mario Bros and then it jumps into another game where you are also just finishing a jump, running to the right.
Think of it more of an art project than a game?
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: redk9258]
#330124 - 08/19/14 04:10 AM
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I considered this - I think it'll be too slow to switch. I kind of want to keep them all in memory.
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R. Belmont |
Cuckoo for IGAvania
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Bennett]
#330222 - 08/20/14 08:41 PM
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> Hi everyone, > > I'm planning to make a custom build of MAME for a party, that loads a number of > machines into memory and switches between them instantly at regular intervals, and > loads a random save state. I'm about to dive into the source, but I thought it might > potentially save some time if I asked here:
This sounds really similar to the built-in front ends on the XXX-in-1 Chinese ripoffs. I'm going to assume you aren't actually here to try and rip us off though
It's not currently possible to have multiple running_machine objects active at the same time. I'm no longer sure what the remaining issues preventing it are; it's been a long-term goal of the project since about 2009 and a lot of the refactoring which has occured in that time has gone towards making that kind of thing possible.
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Bennett]
#330226 - 08/20/14 09:26 PM
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> It's a fair question. The plan is to carefully curate the save states so that the > play is always continuous. To take a simple example: suppose you jump over the pole > in Super Mario Bros and then it jumps into another game where you are also just > finishing a jump, running to the right. > > Think of it more of an art project than a game?
Sounds somewhat like Rom Check Fail.
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Traso]
#330263 - 08/21/14 06:46 AM
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Related idea, except IIRC Farbs coded Rom Check Fail entirely from scratch, with ripped sprites.
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: R. Belmont]
#330513 - 08/24/14 05:35 PM
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Quote:
I'm going to assume you aren't actually here to try and rip us off though
Haha, thanks.
Quote:
It's not currently possible to have multiple running_machine objects active at the same time.
Ah, bummer. Do you know if this is also true of MESS?
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Bennett]
#330654 - 08/26/14 11:25 AM
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> I'm going to assume you aren't actually here to try and rip us off though > > Haha, thanks. > > It's not currently possible to have multiple running_machine objects active at the > same time. > > Ah, bummer. Do you know if this is also true of MESS?
Considering they share the same code base, I'd assume the same would be true for MESS.
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R. Belmont |
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Re: Newbie question: loading multiple machines in MAME
[Re: Bennett]
#330900 - 08/30/14 02:02 AM
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> It's not currently possible to have multiple running_machine objects active at the > same time. > > Ah, bummer. Do you know if this is also true of MESS?
Yup. MAME and MESS run on the same cores, as should be well known by now.
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