Frequently Asked Questions

What is MAME and how does it work?
Once I receive my cabinet what do I need to do to get it set up?
What is the interface and how do I start to play?
How do I set up and use MAME, is MAME legal?
How do I navigate the emulation software and change between games?
Are other options available?

What is MAME and how does it work?

MAME is a free software program that allows users to download and play classic and current arcade games on a computer. MAME works by emulating the way Arcade games operate, allowing them to be played on a PC. With the EMUCADE arcade cabinet you will swear you are playing the original game.

The following information is taken directly from mameworld.net:

MAME (pronounced "maim") stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator. Its purpose is to document the inner workings of those pioneering games of the video arcade era. Remember Pacman, Space Invaders, DigDug, etc, well, they are all documented and more fully playable in the MAME project.

MAME is software, written in 'C' and 'ASM', which emulates the hardware of the original machine the games were built with. This enables the original game programs (often called ROM images) to run quite happily on a PC. The other advantage is that these games will be preserved forever, thanks to this project.

MAME is co-ordinated By Nicola Salmoria of Italy, but there are well over 100 people contributing to this project. The code is written in a manner which allows several people to submit 'drivers', and is merged with the current code. MAME currently emulates over 4000 sets, however, some of these are clones, bugfixed and bootleg versions. Still, there are well over 2000 individually different games emulated by MAME.

And here is a note taken directly from mame.net:

ROM images are copyrighted material. Most of them cannot be distributed freely. Distribution of MAME on the same physical medium as illegal copies of ROM images is strictly forbidden.

ROMS are the programs files for each game. Once you download them and place them in your c:\mame32\ROMS folder you can play them on your arcade system. If you think of the EMUCADE cabinet like an Mp3 player, then the ROMs are the mp3 music files. Just like Mp3’s not all ROM files may be legal to download. Copyright issues are complex and there is a fair amount of gray area in the law. Because of this EMUCADE cannot provide legal advice on ROM copyright issues. However, you can rest assured that all the game ROMS we sell with our tables are legal and licensed.

You are not allowed to distribute MAME in any form if you sell, advertise, or publicize illegal CD-ROMs or other media containing ROM images. This restriction applies even if you don't make money, directly or indirectly, from those activities. You are allowed to make ROMs and MAME available for download on the same website, but only if you warn users about the ROMs's copyright status, and make it clear that users must not download ROMs unless they are legally entitled to do so.

Can I just download MAME and play games?
The short answer is yes, you can. MAME can be freely downloaded and used on your home PC. However, playing games with your home computer is nothing like the authentic feeling playing them on one of our Arcade tables.

This sounds great, where can I learn more about MAME?
Start with the MAME FAQ’s page MAME FAQ’s page
Arcade Controls is the best place to find information on building your own arcade.
The MAME homepage also contains great information
Classicgaming.com has MAME information as well as information about other emulators

Visit http://www.mame.net or http://www.mameworld.net for additional information.

Another great MAME faq can be found at http://dweasel.com/agmfaq/

Once I receive my cabinet what do I need to do to get it setup?

Unpack the machine carefully. Be cautious to never lift the game by the control boxes or the top only. Move or lift the machine only from the bottom. Have another person available to help bring the unit into your home. The driver is not allowed or insured for such a task.

At this point your game cabinet is literally “PLUG AND PLAY”. All you need to do is plug it in, turn it on and you are ready to play the pre-installed games. Emulation software is included for several versions of game emulation and the drive has plenty of room for future games. See your instruction booklet for the location of game ROMS on the machine. When you add game ROMS to the machine they must be placed in the “ROMS” sub folder of the MAME directory.

What is the interface and how do I start to play?

Your Emucade Arcade Machine will boot up like a normal desktop computer. Most machines will have a power button on the right player side of the machine. Press this button to turn on the machine, making sure the unit is properly plugged in. If your model does not have a power button, simply plug the machine in and the power will be automatic. For both model types, Emucade recommends the owners to use a properly rated surge protector to not only protect the machine from electrical harm, but also to regulate power to the machine and turn it “on” or “off”.

A normal boot up process is expected. The computer will run all the internal checks normal for such a system. When this process is complete you will see the desktop of a normal Operating System. Shortcuts for your emulation software have been placed on the desktop. Simply double click the emulation software you wish to play. For Arcade games the software is called “MAME 32”.

Inside your mame32 folder should look something like this. All of the folders on top are (sub-directories) of mame32. Place all your files in the appropriate sub-directory. Artwork, Cabinets, Flyers, Icons, Marquees, Roms, Samples, Snap. You will see other folders too. These folders such as (hi, cfg) mame will write a file to these folders. hi is for high score not all games yet support this. cfg is your configuration. Also in this screen shot you can see where to put your other files (hiscore, mameinfo, cheat and history). If you decide to download them.

Once the program is loaded press the (F5) key to do a refresh this will find the games that you have installed. Simply double click on your game of choice to start. Once the game has loaded it may tell you a few differnet things and say click O.K. to continue. you can spell out O.K. or you can just use the left and right arrow keys. For Williams games you will need to press (F2) to get the game to finish loading up. You will only have to do this once. Whenever you download and install new games you will need to do a refresh so the emulator will recognize the games. simply press (F5) to do this. One thing to keep in mind is all of the games are going to show up but the roms for the games are not installed. If you double click on a game that is not there a window will open up and tell you that you are missing certain files to play the game.

M.A.M.E. is always updating the files. So you can either use this page or book-mark all of the links on this page. The point here is to keep up to date with the files. mame releases a new beta about every four weeks. This new release will support new games, update some older games etc... Occasionally when a release comes out other drivers get broken. This is why its a beta. After downloading a new release (DO NOT) copy/cut & paste over your current mame32.exe file. Although most games will play OK it will cause other problems down the line for you. Also mame supports some games that have pornograhpy if you want to make sure your kids don't get into these files or if you want to get rid of all mahjong games. You can get this program called content manager to help you out.

How do I set up and use MAME, is MAME legal?

MAME32 is already installed and set up. Double click the icon on the desktop. Any included games will show in the MAME window menu. If you add games to the machine it is important to run an “audit” before playing them. The audit will tell the MAME software what games are available. To run an “audit” go to the ”file” menu and click on “audit”. As an additional resource, an excellent site with help on how to install and setup mame is: http://www.mameworld.net/easyemu/

About the copyright law on video games:

The copyright law was recently updated to mention the following:

"Computer programs and video games distributed in formats that have become obsolete and which require the original media or hardware as a condition of access. A format shall be considered obsolete" (from the copyright law) "if the machine or system necessary to render perceptible a work stored in that format is no longer manufactured or is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace."

More information at: http://www.copyright.gov/1201/

Emucade does its best to be sure your game machine is compatible with as many games titles as possible. We test hundreds of game titles on each machine. In the rush of production, you may find some game titles have been left on your machine. If this happens, please obtain the proper licensing for these titles or delete them from the machine.

How do I navigate the emulation software and change between games?

Included with your Emucade is a wireless keyboard and mouse combination. The mouse pointer uses a small stick on the right hand side of the keyboard. The buttons on the left are your right and left mouse buttons. Use the keyboard to start game software and “escape” from game software as well as; add credits for Arcade games, change MAME settings, Select games, navigate game menus with the arrow keys, and use the machine for general computer use.

Are other options available?

This is the answer to the question.