<title>Help : !MamePlay (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator)</title>

<h1> Mame Play v1.10 </h1>

<h2> Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator - Front End. </h2>

<i>
<br>Mame Play: by Robert R. Chasmer -  1997 KAOS productions
<br>Mame Engine: Ported to RISC OS by Gareth S. Long
<br>Text viewer: by Ian Jeffray -  1994-96 Oregan Software Developments
</i>

<p> 'Mame Play' is FREEWARE and is being distributed via the internet through
various ftp & web sites, though copyright remains mine.
Please SEE CONDITIONS BELOW.

<h6> (page last updated: 20/06/98). </h6>

<hr>

<h2> Version Control </h2>
<pre>Aplication:  !MamePlay
Programs job:Provide a simple way of starting MAME games
Version:1.10
Last_updated:20/06/98
Created:     12/09/97
Written by:R.R.Chasmer (KAOS)
WWW Support:http://www.kaosuk.demon.co.uk/Acorn/
Credits:Gareth S.Long for the MAME Player executable
              Richard X-Man for !Player1 (another MAME front-end)</pre>



<hr>



<h2> Description </h2>

<br> This is a front-end for users of the excelent MAME (Multiple Arcade
Machine Emulator).  You will need to get hold of this emulator seperatly
inorder to use this application.  At the time of writing the latest version
tested was MAME v0.33.6 and can be found at:-  

http://www.elecslns.demon.co.uk/MAME/

<p> To use, double click on !MamePlay to load the application onto the
iconbar, and then drag 'MAME Rom Images (GAMES)' to the MAME icon on the
iconbar to start them.  If a rom image is held in *ZIP* file format and
filetyped 'MameGame' (&185), then the file can be simply double-clicked on
to be started by !MamePlay.

<p> A number of options are available within !MamePlay
which allow MAMEs behavior to be changed for all ROMS which are dragged to
the iconbar.

<p> Readers might be interested in another MAME front-end, which gave me the
inspiration to have a go myself.  This can be found at:
<br>http://www.fwservices.com/graphite/fun/



<hr>



<h2> Setting up </h2>

<p> Setting up is very easy.  Copy the !Boot dir structure in the MamePlay
archive over your main !Boot file.  Then after downloading the MAME
executable archive from Gatch's site, copy the archives contents into
'!MamePlay.MameEXE'.

Specifically:-

<pre>
mam102/zip.!Boot.Choices.mame/cfg -> !Boot.Choices.mame/cfg

roma33b6/zip.MAME.mame          -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Mame
roma33b6/zip.MAME.EmUtils       -> !MamePlay.MameExe.EmUtils
roma33b6/zip.MAME.MameVox2      -> !MamePlay.MameExe.MameVox2
roma33b6/zip.MAME.cheat/dat     -> !MamePlay.MameExe.cheat/dat

roma33b6/zip.beta/txt           -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Docs.beta/txt
roma33b6/zip.cheat/doc          -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Docs.cheat/doc
roma33b6/zip.mamelist/txt       -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Docs.mamelist/txt
roma33b6/zip.readme/txt         -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Docs.readme/txt
roma33b6/zip.riscos/txt         -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Docs.riscos/txt
roma33b6/zip.whatsnew/txt       -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Docs.whatsnew/txt

roma33b6/zip.modelists.*        -> !MamePlay.MameExe.Docs.*
</pre>

PLEASE NOTE: It is important that the directory section in the mame/cfg file
is not altered if !MamePlay is to operate correctly.  This file should
reside in '!Boot.Choices' or to where ever Choices$Write points to.

<br>

<h2> Recomendations </h2>

<br> If you own a copy of !SparkFS, !TBAFS/rw, or any other image file system
that allows long filenames, and greater than 77 files per directory, then
you should replace all the directories in the MameEXE directory with
archives of the same names.  I personaly use Spark Zip Archives for CFG, HI,
SAMPLES, and SPR.


<hr>



<h2> Things to be added </h2>

<ol>
<li> Add more of MAMEs switches to the options screen.
<li> Allow the MAME command line to be specified directly, ignoring the
switches on the options screen.
<li> Add facility for custom options, for specific games.  Eg. hi-res modes
for vector games.
<li> Allow the Mame/cfg file to be maintained by the front end.
<li> Register the MAME game filetype, rather than using the madeup one
(&185).
</ol>



<hr>



<h2> New things in version 1.01 </h2>
<ul>

<li> Minor changes have been made to allow !MamePlay to work with the new cfg
system introduced into MAME since version 0.30.1.  Once I get some time,
I'll add some more code to make proper use of the extra options that are
available in the lastest versions of MAME.

</ul>


<h2> New things in version 1.02 </h2>
<ul>

<li>Quick hack to get things going again in MAME 0.33.1.  PLEASE NOTE: Gatch
seems to have completely disabled zip support, even when using SparkFS.  I
can only seem to get roms to work if they are in normal directorys.

</ul>


<h2> New things in version 1.10 </h2>
<ul>

<li>A special MAME Zip filetype (&185 - MameGame) is now supported.  Please
Note: This filetype is unregistered and for this reason may change if any
interest is shown.

<li>Better messages now displayed while starting MAME.

<li>The front end can now be started from the cmdline (used for filetype
support).

</ul>


<br><hr>


<h2> Conditions of use (04/09/97) </h2>

<br> 'Mame Play' is FREEWARE and is being distributed via the internet through
various ftp & web sites, though copyright remains mine.

<p> A lot of time and effort has gone into the production of this
application so I would be grateful if you would follow the conditions below
for the distribution and use of this package.

<p> The entire application, which includes

"!Boot, !Run, !RunGame, !RunHelp, Templates, !Sprites, !RunImage
!Help.Help, !Help.!Run, !Help.!RunImage, Source.!RunImage Source.[Wimp]"

may be distributed freely by any bulletin board and by anyone else with a
copy of it, providing that ALL the files are included and remain unaltered.

<p> PD libaries and alike, may only distribute this program, after
explicit permission by me the author using one of the contact methods listed
below.  The maximum any libary may charge for a disk containing any part of
Boot-suite is two uk pounds.



<br><hr>



<h2> Contact methods (04/09/97) </h2>

<br> Any comments, extentions, PD, or money would be grately appreciated.
<br> Contact me:-
<br>
<br> Robert R. Chasmer (KAOS productions)
<br> 13 Ferndale Crescent
<br> Canvey Island
<br> Essex
<br> SS8 0AR
<br>
<br> Phone: 0378 958871
<br> E-mail: chas@kaosuk.demon.co.uk
<br> WWW: http://www.kaosuk.demon.co.uk/Acorn/
