Problems starting MESS style consoles

RetroArch Windows devices
#1

Hi. I’m getting troubles trying to run Atari 5200 games using Retroarch in Windows 10 at 64bits. I’ve read the guide for working MAME/MESS/UME cores, but having succeded with arcade games (I’ll refer it as MAME style), not succeded with console games (I’ll refer it as MESS style). Tried using “MAME” core, which I understand is the new MAME/MESS merged one, and using “MESS” core. Bios and roms are ok, since in MAME CLI, I can start the games. I’m 100% sure, the problem is how the files are placed in my computer, and the directory structure, but at least for me, the Wiki guide and previous posts are not very clear in that area.

%RETROARCH_HOME% the directory where retroarch.exe is located.

This is the directory structure:

%RETROARCH_HOME%

    • system
      • mame
        • a5200
          • a5200
            • 5200.rom
          • a5200.zip
          • spaceinv.bin
          • spaceinv.zip
        • hash
          • a5200.xml
          • a5200.hsi

Trying to execute Retroarch CLI this way:

%RETROARCH_HOME%/retroarch.exe -L “%RETROARCH_HOME%/cores/mame_libretro.dll” -rompath “%RETROARCH_HOME%/system/mame/a5200” a5200 -cart spaceinv

or

%RETROARCH_HOME%/retroarch.exe -L “%RETROARCH_HOME%/cores/mame_libretro.dll” -rompath “%RETROARCH_HOME%/system/mame/a5200” a5200 -cart “%RETRO_ARCH%/system/mame/a5200/spaceinv.bin”

As I understood from the wiki guide, that is the way it’s supposed to work, but it doesn’t. It shows only a blank screen and suddenly stops.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

#2

Finally found how to do it.

First, I thought the “-rompath” option was also to be passed to retroarch, when it was only an example on how to do it in MAME/MESS standalone. Huge mistake from my part.

The tricky part: A system directory, MUST be specified, at least in RetroArch v1.3. For example, the following works:

%RETRO_ARCH%/retroarch.exe -L “%RETROARCH_HOME%/cores/mame_libretro.dll” --config “%RETROARCH_HOME%/config/mame_libretro.cfg” “%RETROARCH_HOME%/content/mame/a5200/spaceinv.zip”

Only if in the file mame_libretro.cfg IS specified something other than “default” in the parameter system_directory. If you put this

system_directory = “:\system”

And put ONLY the hash directory with the corresponding xml file. The BIOS can go perfectly in the same folder as the rom. So, the directory structure ends up like this:

%RETROARCH_HOME%

    • system
      • mame
        • hash
          • a5200.xml
          • a5200.hsi
    • content
      • mame
        • a5200
          • a5200.zip
          • spaceinv.zip

With this setup it works perfectly fine using the GUI. I am only missing trying from the RetroFE front-end.

I hope this can be useful to everyone who read this thread.

#3

Ah, that is very useful information. Thanks for sharing it!

#4

Yeah, like hunterk said, great post. I gave up with MESS a while back, but your last post inspires me to give it another shot. Cheers.