MAME 0.128u5 INP file Changes

[kranser]

Quoted from whatsnew: "the new INP files are output and processed compressed"

Does this mean that MARP will no longer require the INP files to be zipped from MAME 0.129 onwards? presumably zipping will not reduce the file size any more.

Kranser.

[mahlemiut]

Don't know yet. INP playback doesn't seem to work. Anyone else can confirm this?

[mahlemiut]

Huh. I've tested INP playback in the current MESS SVN, and it works fine. So now I have no idea whatsoever as to what's going on here.

EDIT: the test INP file I created is 36,481 bytes in size, for a length of 4,282 frames. It compresses down to a zip file of 30,118 bytes (down about 18%), using Info-Zip's Zip 2.32. Now if I can get INP playback to work in MAME, I'd test more.

Code: Select all

-rw-r--r-- 1 bsr bsr 36481 2008-12-11 00:00 test.inp
-rw-r--r-- 1 bsr bsr 30118 2008-12-11 00:05 testinp.zip

[destructor]

Today I tested inp file for 1944.
wolf129 - 1,08 MB uncompressed, 1,08MB after zip.
wolf116 - 17,5MB uncompressed, 171kB after zip.

New inp files are big.

[LN2]

in 0.130....inps are compressed also. It depends on the game if zipping results in further compression...but maybe not worth zipping at that point anyway.

but then again...still would want the .zip so a snapshot(s) and perhaps info.txt file type of thing can be included with the inp.

for centiped, zipping compressed my inp an additional 20%.

[Chad]

it's still more worth zipping just to have a crc check in the file for verification of download.

[LN2]

personally I wish they would have added the inp compression as an option(is it?!?).

it takes more CPU now so games that maybe barely played at speed before now won't cuz the compression.

I know even games like centiped...running 3-4 times SLOWER in 130 than in 106. sorry...make your compression an option mamedev!
My 1.5 GHz laptop only is able to run centiped at 170% in 0.130. that's pathetic!

some hosts likely wouldn't even accept a file with inp extension....limit you to certain file types on uploading.

mame shouldn't require a 2.5+ Ghz PC to run most games at speed. 130 makes this almost a reality.

[destructor]

IMHO old inp format is better than new.

[Chad]

The old inp format is certainly more compressable. And the new inp compression doesn't cause the new mame to be slower. Its just that new mame incorporates more techniques to make emulation more accurate which makes things slower. I would certainly prefer a different inp system altogether, but beggars can't be choosers. You try to emulate all the arcade games ever made inside one program, it's a tough job. All we can hope for is that things playback, and the generally do.