PocketCultMAME User's Guidev0.4a ('Road to MAME 0.36!' release)
| PocketCultMAME User's Guide v0.4a ('Road to MAME 0.36!' release) |
> Index
Minimal requirements. Changes since last version. New games added. Launching games. Options. When a game does not load... using a rom manager. FAQ. Contact information. > Minimal requirements
> Changes since last version
> New games added
> Launching games
Your roms must be placed in the 'rom' directory located where you installed PocketCultMAME and compressed in Zip format with a concrete name. PocketCultMAME uses the same romsets that MAME 0.34 used since it's based in this version of MAME. There are also some romsets of newer MAME releases and could be hard to get some roms working without a rom manager, see the 'Using a rom manager' section to get more information about this and take a look to the file 'gamelist.txt' to know what games works with PocketCultMAME.
The games that PocketCultMAME detects are listed in the upper box. You could also to include a screenshot to help you to identify your games when you tap over: to make this, place a screenshot of the game in the 'screenshots' directory with the same name of the zip file with the rom dump. The screenshot must be in GIF or JPG format, with 180 pixels of width and 135 pixels of height.
To launch a game, tap over the name of the game and tap over the 'Play' button. You can also tap the 'options' button to configure a single game if tapped over a game before or make a default configuration if you didn't tap any game before.
> Options
Video options
- Orientation: You can configure the screen orientation of the game using this list. You can select 'Auto' to leave PocketCultMAME decide the best orientation (landscape or portrait) depending of the screen ratio of the game or force a concrete orientation.
- Scaling: Using this list you can specify if the game must fill the entire screen deforming the image selecting 'full screen', if the game must be presented 'as is' selecting 'No scaling' or if the game will be scaled to maintain the correct aspect ratio selecting 'Auto'.
- FX: PocketCultMAME can apply effects when the image is presented in the screen, this version includes two effects: 'Scanlines', that makes a very simple simulation of a TV screen and 'Skiplines', that skip lines to speed up the emulation.
- Intel 2700G Double pixel size: Using a specific Intel 2700G register the size of the pixels could be doubled. This feature is totally experimental and I have not intention of maintain this in future releases because this doesn't speed up the emulation too much (in some cases, enough to make a game playable but not in all cases) and it's too specific for a single PocketPC model. The best way to apply all the power of this chip is using a standard method as OpenGL or DirectX and future releases will include this kind of support that also could be used for next generation of devices. An experimental version of PocketCultMAME using OpenGL is done and could be released shortly with a DirectX alternative.
- Show FPS: Check this box to show the frames/second during the game.
Sound options
- Enable sound: Check this box to enable or disable the sound. Disabling the sound you'll get more emulation speed in slower devices.
- Bits: You can specify the resolution of each sample using this list. 16 bits have more quality that 8 bits without significant speed cost, but it could not be supported in all devices.
- Freq: Specify the frequency for the sound. Hi values have speed cost for slower devices.
- Stereo: Check this for stereo sound where available.
Input options
- Analog: You can enable the analog control emulation by this list and the level of sensibility in the list at right. 'Track by stylus' emulates trackball or others analog controls like wheels or pads moving the stylus over the screen, this option will disable 'onscreen buttons'. 'Joystick by stylus' emulates analog joysticks using the stylus over the screen, move the slytus while tap the screen in the direction where you want to move the joystick, release the stylus will centre the joystick position. This option will disable 'onscreen buttons'. At last, 'Joystick by pad' will not disable 'onscreen buttons' simulating the max move possible of the joystick in the direction pressed.
- Autofire: This feature simulates rapid press of fire button A (the rest of buttons are not affected by this feature because you could lose all your bombs accidentally, for example). There are three speeds of autofire but those speeds does not affect to all games in the same manner, a slower speed may work better than a faster speed in some cases, try different values.
- Redefine controls: You can redefine the function of your device keys tapping over a button and pressing a key in your device when requested. You should be sure that you have a correct key assigned to 'Qt' (Quit) function.
- Onscreen buttons: If you are not using the stylus as controller, you can use invisible buttons on the screen as fire buttons. The onscreen buttons divides the screen in three identical sections that you can tap to fire and can be configured in orientation (horizontal or vertical) independently of the orientation of the game, also you can configure any section to simulate any button. Those buttons does not disturb the visible area of the game and allows to play landscape games like you do in portable consoles. The first times that you use those buttons may be annoying but once you be accustomed to use it you don't want to use the device buttons again.
> Using a rom manager
Is very recommendable to use a rom manager to check your romsets since PocketCultMAME is based on an old MAME release and may be difficult to find compatible dumps.
You'll find a file called 'pcmame.dat' in the same directory where you installed PocketCultMAME: this file can be used to check, repair and list the games accepted by PocketCultMAME, you only need a rom manager. A very effective rom manager available is 'RomCenter' but you can use 'ClrMAME' or any other rom manager that accepts MAME generated files. Use the corresponding documentation included in the rom manager to know how to repair and check romsets.
> FAQ
Q- PocketCultMAME does not work on my device XXX.
A- I tried to make PocketCultMAME as compatible as possible but it does not cover all devices available in the market as occurs with any other program, it does not work with Windows Mobile 2002 or non ARM processors, sorry, but if you have all requisites and PocketCultMAME does not works correctly on your device, send me an email explaining what is wrong, the model and the version of your Windows Mobile. Also if PocketCultMAME works perfectly on your device, would be nice if you send me an email too.
Q- Game XXX does not work (and it does with MAME XXX).
A- Please, read the section 'Launching games' and 'Using a rom manager'.
Q- PocketCultMAME works very slow on my Dell Axim x50v/x51v.
A- I know it, Axim x50v/x51v users are not in lucky (PocketCultMAME works at full speed with the rest of Dell models), I tried to make an OpenGL render for this model but is too slow and the only solution seems to be DirectX. While I do the DirectX version, I added the option to double the pixel size using 2700G and also you could rotate the screen to make the higher resolution smaller, it speeds up the emulation a little. Read the 'Video options' section to obtain more information about this.
Q- What is the best device to run PocketCultMAME?
A- Any machine with score better than 1000 in the follow list are suitable to work fast enough.
Q- Where can I download roms for PocketCultMAME.
A- I don't know and please, don't send me emails asking about this, I will not answer.
> Contact information
If you have any question or comment about PocketCultMAME I'll be glad to read it. You can write me to: manu@NOSPAMpocketcult.com (without NOSPAM). Also you can check new releases of PocketCultMAME or PocketCaprice at www.pocketcult.com.
I hope you enjoy with PocketCultMAME !