7800 emulators

[KEWROCK]

Hi guys.

It's been a while since I used a 7800 emulator. I used to use EMU7800, but because of screan tearing and lack of widescreen stretch feature some folks on the forums suggested Prosystem Emu. A lot of games roms that I'm pulling off the list here at Atariage aren't working. I either get a blank screen or missing spites when starting the games. Ace of Aces, Barnyard,BasetBrawl, Fatal Run, Ikari Wariors, Klax, Kung Fu, Mat Mania. That is as far as I got on the list. Some start but I have irratic controller issues, missing sprites or they just don't start. I'm using .A78 files. I kknow some compressed folders come with additional .Bins or a P in the file name. What are they for? Most games work though. My favorites like Asteroids, Dig Dug, Galaga all wor fine. But a lot don't.

 

Is there a setting I'm missing or something? thanks if someone can help.

Edited May 25, 2015 by KEWROCK

[Trebor]

Four simple steps :

1. Download MESS 0.159 (Direct link to most compatible Windows version - For other flavors see here).
-Double click the downloaded file and install to desired location.

2. Unzip the following file to the same desired location:
MESS0159_A7800_ADDFILES.zip*

3. Double click system you wish to play "PLAY_NTSC_ATARI_7800", "PLAY_PAL_ATARI_7800" or "PLAY_NTSC_ATARI_7800_XM", "PLAY_PAL_ATARI_7800_XM".

4. Press 'Tab' --> Arrow down to 'File Manager' and press 'Enter' --> After 'Atari 7800 Cartridge Slot (cart)' appears [Go down to (cartridge2/cart2) if launched with XM attached], press 'Enter' again --> Highlight game ROM (Use arrow keys down/up), press 'Enter' and play game. 'Esc' exits emulator.


*MESS0159_A7800_ADDFILES.zip - content notes:
-NTSC, PAL, BIOS and XM files already stored to their correct location and structure.
-The entire NTSC and PAL original library of games in their correct location and structure.
-Already created *.ini and *.cfg files which have been initiated for NTSC and PAL regions respectively with the following conditions:
A. Starts MESS Atari 7800 emulation in a maximized window
-Press Alt-Enter to toggle between Window and Full Screen mode.
-In Window mode, grab corner of window to modify size.
B. Default controls: Arrow Keys, Left Ctrl, Left Alt (Remap via "Tab" menu).
-First installed game controller under Windows automatically becomes mapped to Player 1 (Remap via "Tab" menu).

 

 

I'm using .A78 files. I kknow some compressed folders come with additional .Bins or a P in the file name. What are they for?

ROM files marked 'P' usually indicate PAL region. ROM files that have a 'bin' extension are without headers; it's just the raw data from the cartridge with nothing added. Headers tell emulators how the hardware/data is laid out on the cartridge (dump) and the files created receive the 'a78' extension.

...screan tearing and lack of widescreen stretch feature...

 

Depending on your video card/system (settings), you may have to make the following two very easy changes within "mess.ini", located where you installed the above files, if you experience any such issue or the specified desired look from MESS:

For screen tearing...

triplebuffer 0

change to

triplebuffer 1

To stretch the normal 4:3 image to fit and fill a widescreen display...

keepaspect                1

change to

keepaspect                0

You can use Notepad to edit the mess.ini file and find the above in the following places respectively:

[+DrVenkman]

If you're on a Mac, OS X versions of MAME and MESS can be found here:

 

http://sdlmame.lngn.net

[Trebor]

If you're on a Mac, OS X versions of MAME and MESS can be found here:

 

http://sdlmame.lngn.net

 

Thank you, DrVenkman.

 

As mentioned here, the current 'gold standard' in 7800 emulation is MESS 0.159. MESS (MAME) version 0.160 and newer contains a timing issue which affects a few 7800 games graphically.

 

In the link DrVenkman thoughtfully provided, 0.159 is available.

[+DrVenkman]

 

Thank you, DrVenkman.

 

As mentioned here, the current 'gold standard' in 7800 emulation is MESS 0.159. MESS (MAME) version 0.160 and newer contains a timing issue which affects a few 7800 games graphically.

 

In the link DrVenkman thoughtfully provided, 0.159 is available.

 

There are smaller links on that page for PPC builds for folks still running older Macs, and the file mirror link there has binaries a large number of prior versions if folks need them for whatever reason. Great resource to the Mac using community of retrogamers.

[Trebor]

There are smaller links on that page for PPC builds for folks still running older Macs, and the file mirror link there has binaries a large number of prior versions if folks need them for whatever reason. Great resource to the Mac using community of retrogamers.

 

Indeed.

 

Also, in the "For other flavors see here" highlight in 'Step 1', there's a slew of links for a variety of platforms, such as:

 

In addition to the OS X Intel link highlighted earlier, the OS X PowerPC link providing older and newer MESS version is a mirror of the smaller links.