Mame/RetroArch games problems

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Bluepoint
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Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby Bluepoint » Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:35 am

I have RetroX installed on my Nvidia Shield TV and I'm having a few problems.

I can't get any Mame/RetroArch games to display in the correct aspect ratio. Games like PacMan display as 4:3 (instead of 3:4) on my 16:9 screen. And regular 4:3 games like Street Fighter II display as almost-but-not-quite 16:9... With small black vertical bars on the left and right of the game screen.

I have the RetroX aspect ratio set to "original", but that doesn't seem to be helping.

Additionally, I can't get the analog inputs on any of my controllers working (Xbox 360, Nvidia Shield controller) on games that use analog (like the original Atari Star Wars). They just act as digital on/off, up-down-left-right controllers instead.

I have RetroArch installed separately and both of these things are working correctly there.

I really like everything else on this front end. Would love any suggestions for help. Thanks!
Ratbag
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby Ratbag » Tue Dec 18, 2018 10:09 am

I noticed that left analogue trigger on shield brings up a menu and I can tweak the analogue settings from there for some games.
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fcatrin
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby fcatrin » Tue Dec 18, 2018 9:21 pm

The problem with the aspect ratio that you are having is using the same MAME versions?
I remember there was a problem with aspect ratio on MAME 2001 in the past, but that was fixed a long time ago.
Franco Catrin
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Bluepoint
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby Bluepoint » Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:57 am

Ratbag wrote:I noticed that left analogue trigger on shield brings up a menu and I can tweak the analogue settings from there for some games.


Thanks. I will try that tonight.


fcatrin wrote:The problem with the aspect ratio that you are having is using the same MAME versions?
I remember there was a problem with aspect ratio on MAME 2001 in the past, but that was fixed a long time ago.


Yes. Same. MAME .139 (2010). I'll try a different version.
Ratbag
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby Ratbag » Wed Dec 19, 2018 5:51 am

I think that analogue trigger business I mentioned only works in mame 2014.
Bluepoint
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby Bluepoint » Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:02 am

Using MAME 2014 fixed both problems.

Thanks!
Bluepoint
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby Bluepoint » Fri Dec 21, 2018 11:54 pm

Bluepoint wrote:Using MAME 2014 fixed both problems.

Thanks!


I guess I spoke too soon. Seems like most of the Capcom games (Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, ect.), plus other games (randomly) are not displaying in their correct aspect ratio. They more or less just stretch to almost the entire 16:9 width of my TV... Even though I have them set for "original" in global settings.

Tried hitting the left trigger and pulling up the Mame options menu. Changing aspect ratio to 4:3 there didn't seem to do anything.

Are there any other tweaks I could do to try and fix this? Is there a way I could alter the mame.ini file? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.
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fcatrin
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby fcatrin » Mon Dec 24, 2018 1:58 am

It's not an error, those games are NOT in the 4:3 aspect ratio, they are more like 15:9 aspect ratio which is very close to 16:9. That's why you won't see a major difference between setting "original aspect ratio" and fullscreen in a 16:9 device.

Those games are in 384x224 resolution
Franco Catrin
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Bluepoint
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby Bluepoint » Mon Dec 24, 2018 9:49 am

fcatrin wrote:It's not an error, those games are NOT in the 4:3 aspect ratio, they are more like 15:9 aspect ratio which is very close to 16:9. That's why you won't see a major difference between setting "original aspect ratio" and fullscreen in a 16:9 device.

Those games are in 384x224 resolution


While 384x224 might be the correct resolution, these games were played on monitors that had a 4:3 aspect ratio and the graphics were designed accordingly. (The older CRT monitors were analog and did not have a 1 to 1 relationship with the resolution). RetroArch (Mame 2014 or FinalBurn core) seems to handle it correctly (ie. It looks how it looks when you go play it on a full-sized original arcade machine).

Here is a link explaining: http://www.firebrandx.com/consoleaspectcorrection.html

Whatever the case, trying the same game (say the original Street Fighter II) on the same core, yields different
aspect ratio results in RetroX and the current RetroArch (for me, on my Shield TV, anyway). I guess this must have something to do with the version of RetroArch used in RetroX... Just checking to see if there is anything I might try to fix this? I'm assuming probably not, but I just want to be sure.

Anyway, otherwise RetroX is great. By far the best front end I've tried on the Shield TV.

Thanks!
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Re: Mame/RetroArch games problems

Postby fcatrin » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:09 pm

I see!!
Yes, you are right, it's because of the square pixels assumption. RetroX uses an older version of RetroArch but I think there is a setting for that. Once I recover (from surgery) I'll check this out.
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