How to setup correct MAME game resolutions?

apocalypto

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I really need help setting MAME up to run games in their native resolution as pixel perfect as possible to the originals.

Here are my MAME settings:

Version 0.142u3 compiled (no nag/hi score)
Frontend: Mala 1.74

MAME .ini file is default except for these settings I changed:

#
# CORE ROTATION OPTIONS
#
rotate 1
ror 1

#
# WINDOWS VIDEO OPTIONS
#
video ddraw

#
# DIRECTDRAW-SPECIFIC OPTIONS
#
hwstretch 0


#
# FULL SCREEN OPTIONS
#
triplebuffer 0
switchres 1

I used the Arcade VGA Res utility to generate individual ini files for every game.

For example, the donkey kong ini file has this information:

## dkong ##

screen0 \\.\DISPLAY1
ror 1
switchres 1
hwstretch 0
bezel 0
backdrop 0
resolution 256x240
resolution0 256x240@0

I am running Windows XP with 640x480 32 bit color desktop using a Radeon 9550XL (not an ArcadeVGA Card) through a VGA-to-CGA Converter Card into my Sanyo 20EZ monitor.

When I load up Donkey Kong for example, the screen looks like this:

dkongres2.jpg

dkongres1.jpg


It does the same with Pacman which uses:

resolution 288x240
resolution0 288x240@0


Any ideas?? I really want to get this to play games at the right resolution, nice and sharp.

Thanks!
 
If you don't want to dink around with pesky settings of the command line version of MAME, then I'd suggest MameXT
older version: http://www.mamext.net/
newer version : http://www.emulab.it/page_emus.php

It is a GUI version of MAME and is really easy to customize settings, if for some reason the defaults do not work. There is also the option to set settings global (all games).

Very easy to run. Start program and it will display list. Can search for certain games in the text box. Then all you have to do is double click on the rom and the game starts up. To make this easy, I have a tiny wireless keyboard and touchpad to select.

This is not a front end version. This is an all in one program, MAME is built into it. You can also display screenshots, cabinet, CPO pictures - but you must download them separately. I downloaded the entire MAME ROM package on a torrent site a while back and all those picture files were in there.

mamext.jpg
 
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If you don't want to dink around with pesky settings of the command line version of MAME, then I'd suggest MameXT
http://www.mamext.net/

It is a GUI version of MAME and is really easy to customize settings, if for some reason the defaults do not work. There is also the option to set settings global (all games).

This is not a front end version. This is an all in one program, MAME is built into it. You can also display screenshots, cabinet, CPO pictures - but you must download them separately. I downloaded the entire MAME ROM package on a torrent site a while back and all those picture files were in there.


Looks interesting, kinda like AdvanceMame. The thing is, even with that how do I know what resolution settings to use for my games? I'd rather not move away from MALA as I've made an awesome layout for it :) I dont have a problem editing the mame .ini file, I just need to know what combination of settings to use to display games in their native resolution. Right now, my monitor is throwing a tantrum with those very low resolutions.
 
I have windows set to either 640 X 480 OR 800 X 600, thinking 800 X 600.
All of the game resolutions are controlled by the MAMEXT program. I have not set anything up.
But some games do look better if you change the aspect ratio. That can be done in the program, but I find it easier to change it by game if that game does not look right. Like filling the screen with Arkanoid looks ok, but stretching out pac-man looks like crap.

Very easy to change the way it is displayed, and this works on any MAME program. Push the TAB button, then go to video options and there you can choose standard or pixel aspect, plus there are other options too like bezel view or full or cropped view.

--Also, where you have resolution 288x240 setup, try changing that to whatever you have windows setup to. That might be why it is blowing the image of donkey kong up?? I remember having that exact problem when I first installed everything, but messing with the setting cleared it up.
 
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There are a couple of resolution tools that will create config files for each game. Check BYOAC. It is still going to be a pain, and not all of them will be perfect. I finally gave up the fight and bought an LCD TV.
 
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