MAME: what is the min PC requirement for 80s games?

lucifershalo

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MAME: what is the min PC requirement for 80s games?

What is the min PC requirement to fire MAME 80s arcade games?
 
I'd say anything from 486 on up. Good luck finding a functioning 486 PC these days, though.

The sweet spot seems to be the PIII 450 range. Strong enough PC to run XP, so you can build a light front end around it, shell it, and you're good to go. Much cleaner than messing with the command line crap.

Anything prior to the 486 probably COULD run some of the classics, but good luck finding soundblaster compatible audio support for DOS.
 
I'd say anything from 486 on up. Good luck finding a functioning 486 PC these days, though.

The sweet spot seems to be the PIII 450 range. Strong enough PC to run XP, so you can build a light front end around it, shell it, and you're good to go. Much cleaner than messing with the command line crap.

Anything prior to the 486 probably COULD run some of the classics, but good luck finding soundblaster compatible audio support for DOS.

LMFAO...have you even used MAME in the last 8 years? There isn't a 486 or even a Pentium III 450 that could run Pacman full speed since the core changes around 0.86.
If you're running an ancient build of MAME with old roms, yeah...the latest MAME? Pentium 4 is your entry level machine...MAYBE late model PIII at 900mhz+ and that's pushing it.

I have a setup of old roms for MAME 0.85(maybe 0.86) and anything newer than those old classics, and some old Jamma stuff, barely runs full speed on a Pentium 4 1.4ghz.
 
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You contradicted yourself in your own statement. With the correct build and matching roms, MAME will run Pac perfectly on a 486. You'll need to run DOSMAME.

I ran MAME on my PIII (WinXP) 450 until 2002. It was only until I found out it couldn't handle Double Dragon that I ended up upgrading the system.

Yes, I've run MAME in the last 8 years.

Today, my MAME setup consists of a core i5 2500k running at 5.0ghz, paired with a 6GB/s SSD. I can Play Gauntlet Legends at 100%.

I'm running through my stock of 2500k's to see if I can find one that will stay at 5.2ghz with less than 1.45 volts. So far I haven't found one. But I know I will - it's just a matter of time.
 
There was no contradiction...just EXACTLY what I said. I'm amazed anyone would go through the trouble to bother running it on even a P3...you can find used gear newer than that for mere dollars these days.

Double Dragon runs like the real hardware, more than 2 baddies on-screen and it slows down. Even years back. Someone "corrected" it, only to have it corrected again, as it's exactly what the real hardware does.
Even some of the stage changes have issues on real hardware...
 
I have a dedicated Double Dragon machine - the Technos boards boards are all terribly slow when lots of sprites are on screen. Karate Champ is the same way.

That being said - my PIII 450 rig was running DD at 80% or less frame rate, which was unacceptable for Double Dragon. It's bad enough live, even worse with frameskip.

Bringing things back on topic.....

You should be able to lay your hands on a Pentium 4 2.0ish rig for next to nothing. People are giving them away for free on CL all the time. I've got at least a half dozen of that vintage at my work right now that are basically in the junk pile. It shouldn't be hard to get one for nothing.
 
I've tried to give away P4 systems for nothing...they've wound up having to go in the electronics recycling here.

Infact I just tossed SIX identical boards with PIII 1Ghz CPUs in there, along with two P4 systems. Nobody will take the damn things!

I'd use them for this sort of thing myself, but I have newer stuff in use for my server and MAME boxes.
 
Yeah, I've often thought about authoring some sort of disk image that would be useful for a popular board from a business class workstation from, let's say, 2005 or so. Something running a P4 2.8 or so.

A person could code up a compelte n'lighted XP install shelled to Mala running a basic front end design. Strip away all the fluff and boot straight to the front end, or perhaps a specific ROM image if needed.

With the proper encoder equipment and Soft15 (or ultimac ArcadeVGA card), it would make a great drop in replacement for guys who's PCBs are currently under repair. That way they could continue to enjoy their cabs while their game board is being fixed.

In my case, I have a great looking Donkey Kong cab that I'd really like to set up to run the full selection of DK games: I, II, Junior, 3, etc.

A MAME board is the only way I'm gonna accomplish this. Build a basic Kong flavored FE and I'd be set.

If only I had the time.....
 
Today, my MAME setup consists of a core i5 2500k running at 5.0ghz, paired with a 6GB/s SSD. I can Play Gauntlet Legends at 100%.

what about stuff like NFL Blitz? Are those games running at full speed on your system? I haven't messed with "newer" games like that because my mame pc is a P4 3 gig processor with a gig of RAM so it runs like poop. But Im building a new gaming/htpc rig that should be able to play new PC games on 'ultra' settings.
 
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