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Quick Fixes For Those Pining For A 6-foot Cabinet

Posted by timothy on from the not-the-ones-with-velvet-and-brass dept.

Joe Barr writes "Over at Newsforge [part of OSDN, like Slashdot], there's a look at the arcade/system emulator movement and two Linux-based Live CDs designed to put you in touch with your inner Donkey Kong: KnoppixMAME and AdvanceCD. I'm happy with gameplay under both. I only wish I knew more about the legality of using them." S!: We previously covered release details on KnoppixMAME and AdvanceCD last year, and also mentioned the categorically legal, if limited StarROMs site on Slashdot Games a few weeks back.

11 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Xbox MameoX by SpudGunMan · · Score: 5, Interesting

    i use a hacked xbox in my cabinet boots faster then the Knoppix solution and you dont need a keyboard at all.

    1. Re:Xbox MameoX by UncleRage · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The only problem I've had with that solution is the limited amount of memory (as it pertains to NeoGeo and newer ROMs).

      While the PC solution is a few extra steps (not so if you've yet to mod yer xbox), it does provide an overall memory footprint to get the ball rolling with.

      Not to mention cheaper (if you've got a spare PC around). Think Xbox ($150), modchip ($35-$80), hard drive ($40-$80) and then the time necessary to get it all running.

      Personally, for the most part, I'm with you, though. I'm not a huge NeoGeo fan and most of my personal fave's play fine on my xbox (late 70's to late 80's arcade gmaes -- defender, joust, pacman, golden axe, etc...) and with four players on the couch, some beer and a 46" tv, Gauntlet is still mucho fun.

      --
      #SickNotWeak
  2. What is everyone's fav game by bevisthegod · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I assume everyone has a favorite arcade game from their childhood. I was wondering which games people have picked up recently and still, enjoyed playing (pong just isn't as fun as I remembered years ago).

    Recently, I have been playing Cleopatra Fortune and Guwange... legally of course...

  3. Wow by Vaevictis666 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    not even the article writer can RTFA before it makes it to slashdot...

    I only wish I knew more about the legality of using them.

    ...

    The software for most of these arcade games is not free. If you do not have a legal license for a game you are playing under MAME, you are infringing on someone's copyright.

    I think that about sums it up right there. Yes, most MAME use is illegal. No, they probably won't call you on it for the older games. They might call you on it for some of the newer ones that are still making money in the arcades, but they'd need to catch you first, which is pretty hard if you just do it at home.

  4. A thought by Nicholas+Evans · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If one downloads old arcade games which aren't really distributed by the manufacturer anymore, who are you hurting by using them? Sure, it's a copyright violation, but is it really hurting the distributor, since they aren't even trying to make money off of it? Copyrights are to protect innovation, but is there a point when the innovation should be freed for everyone to be...innovated by?

    --
    The Yasashii Syndicate ||
    1. Re:A thought by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      > Certainly your hurting the sales of these type of devices

      I would argue that the distributors of such things are riding the coat tails of the free MAME players, who have created a market for old games where one didn't previously exist (unless you had the old hardware still sitting around and still working).

  5. Who needs a stand-up cabinet? by ranger714 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I'd be looking around for an old-style sit-down cabinet, and then get a copy of the old "Hard Drivin" or "Race Drivin" game...

    Vector graphics, decent force-feedback and an operable clutch, which can really show you who knows how to drive. The physics were pretty realistic, even allowing for throttle steering.

    Of course, it only came with a four-speed transmission, but it's better than the contemporaries, which had no clutch and paddle shifters, with laughable physics.

    --

    "Snoochie-Boochies? Who talks like that? That is babytalk!"-Jay, Chasing Amy

  6. iGame Arcade Store by cowscows · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Really, what would be perfect for this whole MAME rom issue would be for someone to create the equivlent of the iTunes music store, just geared towards old, obsolete arcade games. Gather all the roms together, make them accessible through a clean, easy, and reliable interface, and charge a reasonable price. Just like in the music world, it wouldn't end all of the illegal copying going on, but it would create a decent alternative.

    There are, of course, a lot of practical issues that would make this very difficult to do. There are a whole lot of little game developers, it'd probably be hard to track down who owns many games, and offering newer games along side older ones would complicate a lot of things, least of all the pricing issues.

    But yeah, it'd be cool.

    --

    One time I threw a brick at a duck.

  7. But does Linux MAME make sense? by AtariDatacenter · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I now run my native desktop as Linux. But I've done a speed comparison with some games between MAME under Linux and MAME under DOS. It isn't necessarily Linux's fault, but MAME under DOS just runs faster than Linux, and that means that more games can run at faster framerates with lesser hardware.

    I'm trying to see a compelling reason to run a Linux based MAME cabinet, as opposed to an MSDOS dedicated MAME cabinet? The speed issue really hurts.

  8. StarROMs is a good start by siredgar · · Score: 4, Interesting

    StarROMs is a good start. 51 games at an average cost of $2.15 each if you buy them all is more than reasonable. If StarROMs proves commercially successful, you can reasonably hope that other ROMs from other vendors will become commercially available as well. Trashing StarROMs because of their limited selection is like slamming a baby learning to crawl because they aren't walking and running yet. Give it some time and see what happens. I know they are looking to expand their offerings but they have an uphill battle convincing copyright owners to let them. Note that StarROMs isn't out to combat piracy. They're out to make money. That they convinced Atari that they could do so while combating piracy is what I hope other vendors take note of. If it takes off then it's likely that competitive forces will come into play similarly to what's happening in the MP3/digital-format-of-your-choice music industry today. Perhaps a competitor will open up shop with the pricing scheme you envision and the selection you want. So I wouldn't call StarROMs a joke by any means -- I'd call it a good first step. I personally hope they make a killing so they can grow like crazy and offer more consumer choices... --- saint Build Your Own Arcade Controls FAQ http://www.arcadecontrols.com/ Project Arcade http://www.projectarcade.com/

    --
    --- saint

    Build Your Own Arcade Controls

  9. Re:Not to troll.. by Afrosheen · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I've tried both and AdvanceCD rocks. I jammed 4.5 gigs of roms onto a DVD...took forever to build the image but after I burned it, I get sweet gaming anywhere I can find a PC with a DVD-Rom. The exception is my laptop, which doesn't appreciate the modes for the display (framebuffer I guess).

    Otherwise, AdvanceCD rocks. You should try it if you're considering trying something like this.