Scaling/Aspect ratio issues for MAME cores

So I’d like to know how (if possible) to save custom aspect ratios per core, or ideally - per game. The issue here is that MAME supports hundreds of games with different aspect ratios, resolutions, etc. - but the aspect ratio setting in Retroarch for PS3 appears to be global, regardless of what core you’re in. It seems like there is supposed to be a “custom settings per game” option, but it either doesn’t work correctly, or is intentionally disabled.

Example: I’m in MAME 2000 core, and I start Donkey Kong. DK is a vertical oriented 3:4 aspect game. The default ratio for Retroarch on a new install for all cores is 1:1. I change it to 3:4 while in DK, and now DK displays correctly. I choose the option to save core overrides per game. I then close the content, and load another core - say Stella. I start a game in Stella - and the aspect ratio is still set at 3:4. I set it back to 4:3 for Stella. Close and re-load MAME 2000 core, and nothing saved, and because I just changed to 4:3 in Stella - MAME 2000 is now back at 4:3 for all games.

This makes using MAME cores virtually impossible, since every single game is a different resolution and aspect ratio.

Is there an obvious fix for this I’m missing?

The same goes for analog controller settings in MAME cores, where the controls need to be calibrated first, like Pole Position or Steel Talons. None of this stuff saves, and you have to do it every time you start a game. Seems kind of pointless.

can you try setting the resolution to ‘core default’? you shouldn’t have to manually set aspect ratios if all you want is the game’s ‘proper’ aspect ratio.

mame2003 is probably a better core to use… it’s more developed, but may be somewhat more demanding for the ps3.

The core default is 1:1 which is wrong for vertically oriented games because it doesn’t take a standard hdtv aspect ratio into account. 1:1 only works if the screen orientation of the display device (your TV) is the same as the original game’s display. I.e. Donkey Kong or PAC-man at 1:1 assumes you’re outputting the game on a vertical oriented Display. Because you’re not - it stretches the image horizontally.

It’s also wrong for some non-vertically oriented games like Choplifter, which are using a 400x400 resolution and expecting a 4:3 oriented screen to stretch the square resolution to look correct on a standard horizontal screen. The core default 1:1 causes these to look squashed, vertically.

after you change the aspect ratios, you need to choose ‘save game overrides’ not ‘save core overides’

(i’m using retroarch v1.7.0 btw)

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