1. Platform
  2. MAME

MAME (Multi-Arcade Machine Emulator) allows for running a large variety of machinery (arcade, console, computer and other systems) on platforms such as a PC, with the goal of doing so with 100% accuracy. Playability of games is not the primary concern of the project but is a nice side-effect.

MAME has it's own platform category on Twin Galaxies which is specifically for tracking arcade games emulated by the project. All attempts at arcade games played on MAME must be submitted there. MAME may be used to submit to tracks on other platforms which indicate emulators are accepted: this is most often indicated by the track name beginning with the EMU prefix.


Submitting a MAME score

(to be completed)

[see TG's "Official MAME Platform Submission Rules and Guidelines"]


Accepted Versions

[as per TG's "Official MAME Platform Submission Rules and Guidelines"]
"For submissions using the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulation platform, Twin Galaxies only accepts submissions from versions of MAME that provide the ability to record "INP" files."

"INP files are essentially a recording of all the input data that the MAME program receives from you during a play session, and this recording allows for your gameplay to be identically played back by others with MAME for examination in real time."

"There are many versions of MAME that are available. Historically, Twin Galaxies has encouraged the use of a version called WolfMAME since it specifically contains limitations on some general MAME options that may be unfairly used by a player against the rules. Submissions using WolfMAME will tend to be more initially trusted - However, submitters are free to use whatever MAME version they would like as long as that submitters enter in the 3 digit version number of the version of MAME / WolfMAME that was used for the score performance."

"MAME submissions not using WolfMAME are only allowed if video of the complete performance is provided along with INP. The video of the non-WolfMAME score performance must visibly show hands and controls throughout gameplay. It must also show start up of game launch."

While all versions of [Wolf]MAME are now accepted, users are encouraged to use the latest version they can access, and strongly discouraged from using versions prior to 0.106, unless there is a compelling reason to do so.

NVRAM
Non-Volatile Read-Only Memory (NVRAM) is used by many machines to record information: such as the saving of high scores while a machine is powered down or the configuration of the various options a machine may have. MAME replicates this section battery-backed up RAM type in the form of files in its nvram directory (the directory is only created when needed).

For the majority of machines which utilise NVRAM, in order to record and playback an Input (".INP") file correct, it is necessary to disable the NVRAM option.
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