MacMAME 0.77u2 released!

LN2 · Post by **LN2** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 12:09 am

First, Barry, can macmame 0.77u2 be added to the version selection menu for the submit page? Thx.

This is a new major release of macmame.

It features a new integrated OpenGL renderer that actually accelerates performance for most games beyond the software renderer. It also includes optional smoothing and arcade mode effects at no loss of performance.

I have tested this with a handful of games and for some games the performance was 25+% higher using the OpenGL renderer even with smoothing on versus software rendering at only double size using scanlines even.

You can download the new macmame HERE. This version requires at least OS 10.1.

The "a" in the version was a quick patch to remove a library dependence that made this new version require Panther(OS 10.3).

Here are the release notes for 0.77u2 and 0.77u2a.

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0.77u2a - 11 December 2003

Minor bugfix to fix link error with libmx on systems less than 10.3.
Fixed issue where Cmd-Q was busted in the front-end dialog.

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0.77u2 - 11 December 2003

In sync with the Win32 0.77u2 build.
Completely rewritten and optimized OpenGL renderer. It now handily beats the performance of the software renderer on setups with Radeon/GeForce 2MX class cards or better. [Kent Miller]
Fixed issue with aliases to MacMAME support items not working properly in some cases.
Fixed problem where clones lacking the parent ROM would not show up in the list in some cases.
MacMAME would crash if you were running in a fullscreen mode and attempted to switch to a rendering mode that was much larger than the screen.
Added support for two new types of front-end artwork - title screenshots and control panel pictures.
Fixed issues with the Mac joystick configuration not saving all the values properly.
Fixed issue where vector games would draw slower than necessary in some cases.
Cmd-Opt-Left arrow now closes all folders in the front-end, Cmd-Opt-Right arrow opens all of them.

Post by **mahlemiut** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:59 am

Ok, added to versions list.

You know... X-MAME has had an OpenGL build for ages... And avoid using software stretching, it's dreadfully slow.

LN2 · Post by **LN2** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 6:21 am

mahlemiut wrote:You know... X-MAME has had an OpenGL build for ages... And avoid using software stretching, it's dreadfully slow.

Older macmames had an opengl renderer as a plugin. However, frame rate performance was SLOWER than using the software renderer.

For this new macmame, opengl is integrated within the application instead of being a plugin...plus finally done well and correctly so we are getting some acceleration. OpenGL has been changing for MacOS so much the past few years that it's difficult to have an implementation within macmame that would stay fully compatible with all systems.

The previous plugin for versions 0.60 and earlier just had some quick thing. The only benefit from it previously was no slow down from the full-screen scaling. However, given it ran 3+ times slower than the software renderer, it wasn't very useful for most games. I think part of that was cuz that opengl plugin was doing smoothing but using the CPU to do it as cards then didn't have FSAA type features which was a big part of the slowdown....plus all the palette conversions etc. were still handled by the CPU as well even though it was opengl rendered.

The Glide and Rave renderer plugins for those older macmames were much better. The glide renderer would actually run very close to the same speed as the software renderer(at actual size)...and thus give an advantage for full screen performance. A big part of this has to do with opengl on the mac not really developing until just the past few years.

It was something on many's to-do list for ages...to update that plugin...but with OS X now and the newer macmames for OS X only, it was decided to integrate it which would allow for even more optimization.

using the opengl renderer with full effects on has a 25+% higher performance versus the software renderer at double size with scanlines(not fullscreen scaled. Macmame doesn't have a fullscreen scaling for the software renderer).