"mess2015_libretro". How does it work?

Libretro Cores
#1

I have an old “mess_libretro” core with a modified date of 22/12/2015 00:14. I don’t remember where i got it from, i think it was a member here who compiled it himself back in the day. This core works fine and i use it to launch games from very old consoles that don’t have their own emulator. Like Astrocade, Supervision, GX 4000, etc. The core even works with no folders in the RA system folder so it doesn’t need hashes and stuff like that.

The problem, however, is that this core isn’t maintained and it has the nagging screens.

So i decided to try the “mess2015_libretro” core that is maintained in the buildbot and see if it has options to remove the nag screens. This core however doesn’t work. I don’t know what it needs to work and the only thing i found in this forum is a “mess2014” tutorial here: [Guide] Play Non-Arcade systems with MAME or MESS

I followed all the steps and it’s not working. Has anyone managed to use this core? And if yes, how?

#2

MESS2015 should work just like MESS2014 or MAME (latest, which includes MESS). The instructions at the link you have are still good. What exactly doesn’t work?

#3

I managed to make everything run with the regular MAME. But the guide didn’t make a difference for me in most systems. And it’s almost as if every system needs a different guide. For instance, some systems work out of the box by just running any rom you have, without hashes and regardless what the guide says. Other systems like the Intellivision needed the bios specifically in the same folder as the games, unlike other systems.

Watara Supervision only works with the softilst roms and only if the game folder is called “svision”. So i changed all the roms and media files and then i realised my old roms do work if i launch them through Launchbox but not through Hyperspin or RetroArch itself.

It was a mess (pun intended). But in the end i didn’t ever use the mess2015 core at all.

#4

The guide tells you to put the BIOS files into the same folder. What your describing sounds like you have a romset issue. This should work the same for all systems that mess supports. As the guide says, you’re better off trying a game from the command line first to see what the core is complaining about (not finding a particular file) if it’s not working.