Advanced Arcade Emulation on Batocera

? If new to arcade emulation, it is recommended to read the arcade guide first before reading this one.

⚠️ This section could probably do with an overhaul of its headers.

Cleaning the ROMset

Often times, ROMsets will include all known releases. You may not have interest in copying over every known arcade game onto your Batocera.

There are two sorts of tools to help out with this. First, getting a full set in the place can be made easier with the use of a ROM manager, but isn't strictly required if you have a full ROMset all ready to go.

? You can create your own custom set of filters using Arcade Italia's search tool. When you're done setting your filters, click Options → Export the results (most managers will accept the MAME XML format).

ROM Managers:

• RomVault: Multi-dat manager. Can consolidate ROMs from any set into any working set. Useful to those who randomly grab ROM files from all over the joint without regard to acquiring full sets.
• RomCenter: A more powerful but slightly more difficult to use multi-dat manager. Useful to those that need to maintain multiple sets at once.
• ClrMAMEPro: The big daddy. The "everything and the kitchen sink" approach. It is the hardest to use, but also the most powerful.

Once you have a full set, use of a filtering tool can remove clones, non-games, non-working, etc. files from the set. Some ROM Managers also include filtering tools, but dedicated filtering tools are usually better.

ROM filterers:

• Arcade manager: A simple UI-driven filter. Easiest to use, but is focused on Recalbox/RetroPie.
• BestArcade: A Python script focused on filtering down the non-merged reference ROMsets (fbneo, mame2003, mame2003plus and mame2010).
• ROMLister: A simple tool which filters down a given ROMset based on defined attributes.

Manager Details

This section provides more detailed information on the ROM management tools.

RomVault

RomVault. If not able to run, may require the installation of .NET 4.7.2.

⚠️ Works by using a simple three folder system: DatRoot, RomRoot and ToSort. Put the ROMs from an unknown set into the ToSort folder and RomVault will organise everything it knows (dat files from the DatRoot folder) into the RomRoot folder.

Crash course on how to use RomVault: https://wiki.romvault.com/doku.php?id=install_and_setup

RomCenter

RomCenter.

⚠️ Each database requires its own dat file, but any amount of folders can be assigned to it. There is no distinction between unsorted and sorted ROMs, RomCenter will simply attempt to organise the current working ROM folder. For this reason, it is recommended to back up your ROMs first in case RomCenter or your configuration gets it wrong.

RomCenter Getting Started guide.

ClrMAMEPro

To Do

Crash course on how to use ClrMAMEPro: http://mame.3feetunder.com/clrmamepro-quick-start-guide/

Just note that you'd want to set the ROMset type to "Non-Merged Sets" and also probably want to click Advanced and turn off Separate BIOS sets (the equivalent of a "full" non-merged set).

Filter Details

For more in-depth option explanations, refer to the ClrMAMEPro manual.

Arcade manager

Arcade manager.

Was designed for Recalbox and Retropie, thus it's focused on the low powered SBCs like Raspberry Pi. Still a pretty useful tool for understanding conceptually what's going on and a very good filter.

BestArcade

BestArcade.

⚠️ Requires a non-merged set. Acts as a filter which uses a smart score system to decide which ROMs to keep when there are multiple matches for a single game. Somewhat simple to use, but does require Python.

ROMLister

ROMLister.

⚠️ To Do. This tool is no longer maintained.

All the Arcade Emulators on Batocera

⚠️ Too many columns. Information is not accurate. For the actual information here, can it be merged with the table on the regular guide?

NeoGeo System

The NeoGeo system is not an emulator itself, but uses the FBNeo emulator. ?️ Fix Me! Why do we have this? This doesn't work like this for any other system. This section is also confusing, are we no longer defining systems by their folder? Are settings retained from the general mame and fbneo folder?

You can use this system to visually separate the NeoGeo games from the other arcade games, they will appear as a dedicated system in EmulationStation.

It uses the same romset as the FBNeo emulator.

Setting a Rotary Joystick with libretro mame2003plus

If you have a special stick like the Happ Rotary Arcade you need to configure both joystick and keyboard at same time:

Dial : AZERTY keyboard: "^" (between "P" and "Enter") -- QWERTY keyboard: "[" (leftbracket)

Dial : AZERTY keyboard: "$" (between "P" and "Enter") -- QWERTY keyboard: "]" (rightbracket)

Dial 2 : AZERTY keyboard: "*" (between "m" and "Enter") -- QWERTY keyboard: "/" (slash)

Dial 2 : AZERTY keyboard: "!" (between "m" and Right) -- QWERTY keyboard: "\" (backslash)

You must launch your game, open the Retroarch menu with Hotkey + B, go to Input Interface and activate the option Simultaneous. Then you can use your joystick and keyboard keys at the same time.

Highscores

Highscores can be tracked and kept through the use of highscore.dat which must be in the right version for each emulator / emulator version. They can be found or must be placed here:

• For FBNeo : /userdata/bios/fbneo
• For mame2003plus : /userdata/saves/mame/mame2003-plus/hi
• For mame2010: /userdata/saves/mame/mame2010/hi
• For mame: see temporary solution in following post

Configuration Menus

This is the per-game menu for accessing the machine's advanced configuration such as its dip switches, service mode and diagnostic input.

MAME Configuration

?️ Fix Me! For MAME, the default combo is pushing in [L3] + [R3] (old versions (what older versions? Be specific). I also don't think this was even removed, i.e. you can still press Tab on the keyboard to access the dip switch menu): [Tab] on the keyboard.

FB Neo Configuration

For FB NEO, the default combo is [START] + [L1] + [R1] (old versions (what older versions? Be specific): Hold [START])

NEOGEO Configuration

❓ Is this actually the per-game service menu and not the dip switch settings provided by the core?

?️ Fix Me! For the default (factory?) NEOGEO BIOS, the default combo is [START] + [L1] + [R1] (old versions (what older versions? Be specific): Hold [START])

For the universal BIOS:

• At the boot screen, the default combo is holding down ⬆️ + ➕ + ➕
• During gameplay, the default combo is holding down [START] + [SELECT] or holding down [START] + ➕ + ➕ + ➕

Menu Screenshots

The following sections describe various configuration and BIOS menus encountered within Batocera and its emulators.

MAME Configuration Menus

Screenshots display the MAME configuration menus, including options for System Configuration and Game Configuration.

• System Configuration Menu: Options include COIN MODE, CHUTE TYPE, CONTINUE, MONITOR, DEMO SOUND, SOUND MODE, and EXIT.
• Game Configuration Menu: Options include DIFFICULTY and EXIT.
• Test Menu: Options include INPUT & OUTPUT, SOUND & VOICE, COLOR, DOT CROSS HATCH, SYSTEM CONFIGURATION, OBJECT, SCROLL1, SCROLL2, SCROLL3, MEMORY CHECK, and EXIT.

NEOGEO BIOS Menus

Screenshots show the UNIVERSE BIOS menus, including REGION SETUP, GENERAL BIOS SETTINGS, GAMECART CRC CHECK, JUKEBOX PLAYER, PC-2-NEO, and GENERAL UNIBIOS SETTINGS.

An "In Game Menu" screenshot shows options like THE CHEAT DATABASE, DEBUG DIP SETTINGS, PATCH MEMORY, and SOFT REBOOT SYSTEM.

RetroArch Menus

Screenshots illustrate the RetroArch interface, including the Main Menu, Quick Menu, and Options screens, detailing settings for CPU clock, Hiscores, Frameskip Settings, Audio Settings, and DIP Switches.

Specific screenshots show the "DIP Switches" screen with options like Coin A, Coin B, 2C to Start, Difficulty, and Bonus Life.

RetroArch Shortcuts

Accessing advanced features often involves specific shortcut combinations within RetroArch.

Diagnostic Input: Setup via [HOTKEY] + ➡️ Quick Access → Options → Diagnostic Input.

DIP Switches: Setup via [HOTKEY] + ➡️ Quick Access → Options → Dip Switches.

NEOGEO BIOS Setup: Access via [HOTKEY] + ➡️ Quick Access → SPECIFIC NEO GEO BIOS → UNIBIOS or SPECIFIC BY DIP SWITCHES (UNIBIOS).

DIP Switch Options

❓ Not all games have a dip switch menu, and may crash when using these commands.

? Here you can change number of players, get more lives, switch for arcade or console mode, setup subtitles, or even active the free mode!

Options available (Defaults)

• Diagnostic Input (shortcut combination):
  • None
  • Hold Start
  • Start + A + B
  • Hold Start + A + B
  • Start + L + R (Default)
  • Hold Start + L + R
  • Hold Select
  • Select + A + B
  • Hold Select + A + B
  • Select + L + R
  • Hold Select + L + R
• DIP Switches (settings) - may differ from game to game:
  • Autofire: Off* or On
  • Coin Mode: Mode 1*, Mode 2
  • Coin A / Coin B | Coinage | Coin setting : 4 Coins 3 Credit, 2 Coins 1 Credit, 1 Coin 1 Credit*, 1 Coin 2 Credits, 1 Coin 3 Credits, 1 Coin 4 Credits, 1 Coin 6 Credits, Free to Play
  • 2C to Start, 1 to Continue: Yes or No* | Starting Coin: Normal, 2x
  • Difficulty: 1 (Easiest), 2, 3, 4 (Normal)*, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Hardest)
  • Difficulty 2: Easy, Normal*, Hard, Hardest
  • Bonus Life: 100K*, 200K, 100K and every 200K, None
  • Number of Players: 1, 2*, 3, 4
  • Change Lives: 1, 2*, 3, 4, 5
  • Free to play: Yes or No*
  • Freeze: : Yes or No*
  • Flip: Yes or No*
  • Demo Sound | Attractive: Yes* or No
  • Allow Continue: Yes* or No
  • Game Mode: Game* or Test
  • Sound Output: Mono or Stereo
  • Unknown: Off* or On
  • Region: Europe, USA or Japan
  • Mode: ARCADE or CONSOLE-AES
  • Subtitles: English, Japanese, Korean or Portuguese
  • Jukebox

MAME Standalone Input Remap Files

? For libretro MAME, it is recommended to use RetroArch's remapping instead.

In MAME standalone, machines can be remapped using the built-in MAME menu.

1. Launch the machine in question.
2. While in-game, push in [L3] + [R3] at the same time (keyboard alternative: [Tab]) to open the MAME menu.
3. Go to "Input for this game".

Press [Enter] (keyboard alternative: [Enter]) to confirm. Inputs can be cleared by double-tapping /[Enter] while hovering over the input.

Remap configuration files are stored at \userdata\saves\mame\mame\cfg\. More info at the remapping page.

Automatic Controller Mapping

Standalone MAME and libretro/MAME have options to automatically map the controls for certain games and controller types. For more information, see Automatic Controller Layouts.