retro arcade
Building these sets:
ROMs (non-merged) sets can be built using the recent “MAME ROMs (merged)” and “MAME Rollback ROMs” source sets with a ROM Manager, the (non-merged) datfile and the guide linked to the sets.
CHDs (merged) sets can be built using the recent “MAME CHDs (merged)” and “MAME Rollback CHDs” source sets with a ROM Manager, the (merged) dir2dat datfile and the dir2dat guide linked to the sets.
N.B. using the dir2dat datfile for CHDs ensures building the correct CHD (v3, v4, v5) version.
Sound samples can be built using the “Mame Reference Set Samples” set with a ROM Manager, the datfile and the guide linked to the sets.
The listinfo and listxml files included contain the original raw -listroms and -listxml output of the MAME binaries.
These files can (also) be used to build ROMs, CHDs and samples with a ROM Manager, for the more experienced builders.
MAME Reference Sets Samples:
Set: MAME Reference Sets Samples
Datfile: MAME Reference Sets Samples
MAME 0.37b5 Reference Set (2000):
Datfile: MAME 0.37b5 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile samples: MAME 0.37b5 Samples
Listinfo: MAME 0.37b5 Listinfo
MAME 0.78 Reference Set (2003):
Datfile: MAME 0.78 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.78 CHDs (merged)
Datfile: (dir2dat): MAME 0.78 CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
Datfile samples: MAME 0.78 Samples
Listxml: MAME 0.78 Listxml
MAME 0.94 Reference Set (2005):
Datfile: MAME 0.94 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.94 CHDs (merged)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.94 CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
Datfile samples: MAME 0.94 Samples
Listxml: MAME 0.94 Listxml
MAME 0.106 Reference Set (2006):
Datfile: MAME 0.106 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.106 CHDs (merged)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.106 CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
Datfile samples: MAME 0.106 Samples
Listxml: MAME 0.106 Listxml
MAME 0.139 Reference Set (2010):
Datfile: MAME 0.139 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.139 CHDs (merged)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.139 CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
Datfile samples: MAME 0.139 Samples
Listxml: MAME 0.139 Listxml
MAME 0.160 Reference Set (2015):
Datfile: MAME 0.160 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.160 CHDs (merged)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.160 CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
Datfile samples: MAME 0.160 Samples
Listxml: MAME 0.160 Listxml
MAME 0.174 Reference Set (2016):
Datfile: MAME 0.174 ROMs (non-merged)
Datfile: MAME 0.174 CHDs (merged)
Datfile (dir2dat): MAME 0.174 CHDs (merged) (dir2dat)
Datfile samples: MAME 0.174 Samples
Listxml: MAME 0.174 Listxml
Guide:
MAME ROMs Set Creation using a dir2dat
Merging explained:
split:
A split set is one where the parent set contains all of the normal data it should, and the clone sets contain only what has changed as compared to the parent set.
This saves some space, but isn’t quite as efficient as a merged set.
The clone sets can’t operate without their parent set.
Remark: The parent and clones in split sets DO NOT include BIOS or DEVICE files - they are separate files within the set (An example would be 100lions (No BIOS in the parent) and Galaga (No device file in the parent) - This is per MAME design
merged:
A merged set takes the parent set and one or more clone sets and puts them all inside the parent set’s storage.
To use the existing Pac-Man example, combining the Puckman, Midway Pac-Man (USA) sets, along with various bootleg versions– and combining it all into PUCKMAN.ZIP, would be making a merged set.
Remark: The parent games in a merged set DO NOT include BIOS or DEVICE files - they are separate files within the set (An example would be 100lions (No BIOS in the parent) and Galaga (No device file in the parent) - This is per MAME design
non-merged:
A non-merged set is one that contains absolutely everything necessary for a given game to run in one ZIP file.
Remark: Even though Non-Merged games -normally- DO NOT include BIOS or DEVICE files within the game, in the case of the PD non-merged set we DO include these within the game, which ensures that every single game can be copied and ran as individual game without the need of any extra files.
This makes a set like this ideal for splitting up on a per-game-basis.
The non-merged set is ideal for those people that work on Arcade PCBs as ALL roms/devices/bios files are contained within the game. This set is also great for those that for instance create their own arcade cabinets and want to copy only very specific games to their PC/Rapsberry/Other, the game.zip file contain all the files needed, no more searching for the dependent parent files, BIOS files, device files - just copy galaga.zip and you are set.
Pick individual games from this set if you are not intending to download a complete ROM set.