This page designed for Microsoft Internet Explorer. Counter reset on December 1st, 2001. Since 1999! Windows Front-End for MAME by Ric

Version 9.4.0 - 09/02/2020 The first Windows Front-End for MAME to feature independent default settings for raster and vector games!  Works with Vista, 7, 8.x & 10. NOTE: When sending email, you must put the words "MAME Classic" in the subject line or your email will be treated as SPAM and deleted before I read it.  The quotes are not required.

.

New In This Version
(For MAME - 0.224)

• Added    : Control for Beam Dot Size.
• Changed    : Beam Width Minimum and Beam Width Maximum values now match the slider values in the built-in GUI.
• Changed    : The MESS Machine listview column headers are now visible.

 

Features

• Independent default options for Raster, Vector and LCD games
• Stores favorite games in separate list
• Custom settings for individual games
• Finds ROM changes between MAME versions
• Numerous game filters
• NPlayers.ini and Catver.ini support
• Icon support  (requires icons to be unzipped in a ICONS folder in your MAME directory)
• Game information (requires the history.dat, mameinfo.dat and cheat.7z files)
• Alternate directories for each directory in the mame.ini file
• Two ROM directories
• ROM and Sample verify with search for bad sets
• Screen Shots
• Ability to find and delete ROMs which are no longer supported in MAME
• Maintenance to your MAME directories

 

User Feedback

"I would be willing to send a $10 contribution for this frontend.  It is the best one, and I have seen all of them."
...Barry

"May I say, your MAME front end is awesome."
...Brian

"I am so glad you decided not to abandon MAME CLASSIC!  What a top notch program!"
...Donald

"This is better than any other Mame frontends.  I like it alot."
...Mitchell

"I wanted to let you know that Mame Classic is by far the best front end that I have used!"
...Tom

"Great stuff.  The MAME Classic front end is in my opinion the best going.  Keep it up!"
...Liam24104

"I wanted to thank you for incorporating a fix into the code which means I can stay with the latest releases until my new PC comes.  The fact that you did this, possibly just for the benefit of 1 person, simply shows how top class the whole Mame Classic show is.  "Simply the best"."
...Per

For more user feedback, click here.

 

Screen Shots
(Click thumbnails for full size view.  Actual screens may vary somewhat due to improvements.)

Main Screen	Main Screen With Screen Shots	Raster Settings Screen	Game Information Screen	Options Screen

 

Requirements

• You must have an official MAME from www.mamedev.org/release.html.  MAME Classic does not support the different options of unofficial MAME releases or MAMEUI.
• You must have mess.ini from www.progettosnaps.net/renameset in your MAME Classic\support folder.  This is now included with MAME Classic.
  
• To work properly on Vista or higher, MAME folders must be installed in a location that is not protected by the OS or the MAME Classic shortcut must be set to "Run this program as an administrator".
• Your Effects files must be in your Artwork directory.
• Your ROMs must be zipped in merged-split or full-split format (fully-merged is NOT supported).
• Your screen shots must be unzipped in the MAME required folder structure.
• Your screen resolution should be at least 1152 x 864.

 

FAQs

Problem: I cannot see anything in the game lists.
Solution: Make sure that your back color is different than your font color in Options.

Problem: I downloaded and installed a ROM.  I see it in the MAME Classic installed list but it will not play or I just see the parent game in the installed list, not all of its clones (and I do not have Hide Clones selected in MAME Classic Options).
Solution: Make sure that the ROM you downloaded has the correct files in it and is not in the fully-merged format.  MAME Classic requires your ROMs to be in either merged-split or full-split format.  This means one zip file per game.

Problem: I get an error when MAME Classic is loading.  It won't even get to the main screen.
Solution: Each version of MAME Classic is written for a certain version of MAME  The MAME Classic web page will tell you what version of MAME you need to run the current version of MAME Classic.

Problem: I cannot seem to get certain MAME options to work.
Solution: Once again, each version of MAME Classic is written for a certain version of MAME  The MAME Classic web page will tell you what version of MAME you need to run the current version of MAME Classic.

Problem: I cannot get the cheats to work.
Solution: First, you must have the cheat.7z archive and a folder named "cheat" in your MAME directory. Second, be sure you have the CHEATS checkbox ticked in Raster Settings, Vector Settings, or any Custom Settings you want to use the cheats with.

Problem: I make a change in the mame.ini file and then MAME Classic recreates the file and my change is gone.
Solution: Do NOT make changes to the mame.ini file.  MAME Classic does this based on the options you select in the proper Settings screen.  You can make any changes in these screens.

 

Downloads

For user submitted Splash Screens, click here.