Still crashes. Tried both CHD sets from mame 0.181 and creating a CHD of my own copy of Baseball Stars (only one I have currently available on hand). Tried troubleshooting with aorin1’s directions and using the same bios sets he is.
Weird thing is I used to be able to run CDI games on prior builds, but even that is broken now… And the txt log file just stops after the game is loaded, it doesn’t say what error it runs into.
you should probably set the config to defaults, i have mine at defaults and it works fine with neogeo cd
also make sure that the filenames are the one that is needed or is in mame’s hash, you should have this in mame/hash. load the neocd.xml and find there the games you have and create the correct chd file name, and the correct dummy file-im not sure why other methods do not run on my system(windows) but this procedure is the easiest i am able to play neo-cd as long as you are using the updated mame_libretro.
sample game from xml:
<software name="**ironclad**">
<description>Choutetsu Brikin'ger (Jpn)</description>
<year>1996</year>
<publisher>Saurus</publisher>
<info name="alt_title" value="超鉄ブリキンガー" />
<info name="serial" value="NGCD-220" />
<info name="release" value="19960920" />
<part name="cdrom" interface="neocd_cdrom">
<diskarea name="cdrom">
<disk name="choutetsu brikin'ger (1996)(saurus)(jp)[!][ironclad]" sha1="4d518370686853c727eb300a91c0f070c3333225"/>
</diskarea>
</part>
</software>
the “software name” should be the name of your dummy zip( ironclad.zip), and “disk name” is the actual name of the chd file.
to get a better log, run this from cmd(command-line), go to your retroarch folder: type this:
retroarch --verbose --menu >> log.txt > 2>&1
run your game, when RA crashes check your log.txt, and upload it here.
There`s no need to follow the hash naming, I use mine according to Redump naming convention, King of Fighters 95, The (World).chd.
I updated Retroarch yesterday to 1.4.1, got the latest core and it crashed loading any MESS game, that because “Boot from CLI” was off. I recommend that you create a MAME configuration, load a normal MAME game, inside Quick Menu Options>change Boot from CLI to ON and Media Type to cdrm, save your config and see if everything works.
Hey @aorin1 it’s really great that you have taken the time to write some guides 
I will give this a test the enable software lists set to off, as I currently use the software lists for Android.
Can you confirm a couple of things so when I’m testing I don’t go round in circles please.
By setting cli enabled and soft lists off I can directly launch CHD games of different names to MAME convention?
Will I have to change these settings to run other systems each time (or use per game overrides?) as RA can tell the difference between “systems”.
Hey That, glad you’re liking the guides. I believe this method won’t work for direct loading, like “load content” and the go find the chd and load it directly, this method will work fine if you use Rocket Launcher.
And for that, I’m now thinking of making tutorials for both ways, i.e., for those who use the frontend and Rocket Launcher, and for those who launch files directly via Retroarch or use a frontend that launches the games directly without a manager like RocketLauncher.
Answering the second question, you shouldn’t need to change configs to load other games that aren’t consoles, like a normal MAME zip.
My current setup works this way, I have Arcade Classics that is almost totally emulated by MAME core, except sega model 2 and 3, I also have some consoles emulated by MAME (former MESS), that are NEO GEO CD, CD-i and in the near future FM Towns Marty. All games are running fine and I don’t have to mess with any configs to play all systems, this is what we want after all, a solid setup without our intervention.
I’ll have to dig the other way a little and build up a specific tutorial for cases like yours, probably the dummy files and the hash.
I tried to run NEO GEO CD using the hash, dummy and naming the CHD according to the hash file naming, naming the roms folder to neocdz, Retroarch crashes, I’m not sure why it crashes since it works fine via RocketLauncher, so it’s definitely not a MAME driver problem.
It doesn’t mean this guide is not useful, I use RocketLauncher, Hyperspin as my frontend. RocketLauncher gives Retroarch instructions on what to run and how to run it, that’s where comes the Boot from CLI. Although Retroarch is crashing in the hash and dummy method (not covered in this tutorial), if you use a frontend that is managed by RocketLauncher, NEO GEO CD and other systems emulated by MAME will run fine.
I also updated the title stating it’s focused for RocketLauncher use.
When I manage to run these systems in the most common way (directly via Retroarch) I’ll make a guide explaining how, if no one else does before.
I’d like that someone that has this system working in the hash and dummy method, to confirm that it’s working on the latest stable Retroarch build and core, so I can figure out why it’s crashing.
BYeah this make more sense now you explain the RocketLauncher integration.
Well I can try again and see if I can get it going.
For direct RA setup with softlist & Launcing from Hyperspin android
I have these things set
MAME folder in RA system folder with ini+hash folder and MAME.ini(read+write config set to 1)
Neocd.ini in the ini folder with custom rompath & read/write config set to 1)
Rom folder is structured Snk Neo geo CD-> neocdz.zip & neocdz folder
Then snk Neo geo CD ->neocdz - all my CHD folders are here with CHD’s in, also the dummy zips are here. AND another neocdz folder with the Unzipped bios inside.
Same rom format as this guide(http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forums/topic/28989-tutorial-android-atari-5200-retroarch-setup/#comment-259437)
In retroarch I have enable softlist and auto rom type set to cdrm (I think- just woke up) and I also set read and write config to on here also. All the “boot to” options are off
Forgot to say I didn’t rename the CHD files. I left them as I got them from the dome of pleasure softlist CHD set .181 or .182 (not sure which one)
I don’t really want to update my core or settings to much for fear of breaking it (I don’t have easy access to the core folder on droid to replace it) I only set it up a week or so ago
OK, thanks for taking the time and for the detailed post. I just need to make sure that it’s broken or not in RA 1.4.1 with the latest MAME core.
heres my log running neogeo CD, using mame(181 as of buildbot release) with default settings + hash folder + dummy file(which likely needed for cd-based like neogeo,segacd,cd-i?) method - folder name, dummyfile name and actual chd filename should be based on hash.
https://hastebin.com/ixexuqiyot.tex
if you do not want the dummy files, then you disabled software list, remove hash, and set the correct media_type but still need the files to be in the right folder(neocdz as in neogeo-cd’s case) as the folder will identify what type of system is to be used on the rom. the disadvantage of having software list OFF and no hash is that you need to switch media_type everytime you switch system. you cannot play neogeo-cd and just decide to play arcade without switching first media_type.
and also, do not enabled “mame_boot_from_cli” as this messes up loading in retroarch.
I been able to make this work with the most recent version of RA.
With dummy files and CHD, make sure it is placed in a properly named folder with the bios, and add another folder inside called mame and add the hash folder inside of it, like this:
Don’t think I have come across this method before. What is your system/bios directory set to?
Bios need to be in the same folder as the rom/chd files
Hi! Where do these 3 bios down (neogeo.zip, neocdz.zip and neocd.zip)?
If possible could post a download link of the pack with retroarch + bios neo geo cd?
Thanks.
BIOS files are copyrighted and cannot be distributed or linked to here. Those files will be in the MAME ROMset alongside any games, and they need to be in the same directory as the games you’re trying to launch, AFAIK.
OK, thank you friend!
I love to play Neo Geo game mostly in Neo Geo game I play its Metal Slug, King of Fighters, Shock Troopers, Puzzle Bobble, Spinmaster, etc. That’s why is a really useful thread for me thanks for the suggestion about it.
It’s been some time, but I’m swinging back to this system. I’m running into the same road block during setup… Changes to controls can’t be saved.
I’ve setup mame_libretro succesfully for standard arcade use. The controls for general and this machine save just fine in the …/games/arcade/mame/ folder I keep my roms in.
Using this core for NGCD though, nothing get’s saved anywhere when I try to change the internal MAME controls - which I absolutely need to do in order to play the games on my setup.
I don’t know where to find where it’s loading the control files from when booting NGCD games. It’s not the …/games/consoles/SNK Neo Geo CD/ folder like mame arcade games, and it’s not the …retroarch/system/ folder either. I put my configured files in both to make sure.
I just checked with KOF 97, for NEO GEO CD, using latest MAME core and Retroarch 1.7.1 stable. Pressed tab when in-game, and configured some buttons, restarted retroarch and the same game, it was saved. I noticed that in Quick Menu/Options has some settings for MAME configurations, like “Read Configuration”, “Write Configuration”, mine are ON, try checking if you have a setup like this and see if it works for you.
Yes those setting need to be on for MAME cfg’ to take effect iirc it saves them into the “saves” folder
