[MacPorts] howto/Mame modified

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Page "howto/Mame" was changed by rubendibattista
Diff URL: <https://trac.macports.org/wiki/howto/Mame?action=diff&version=3>
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Index: howto/Mame
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--- howto/Mame (version: 2)
+++ howto/Mame (version: 3)
@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@
 == Macports
 On macports the availabe port to install MAME is `mame`. Generally we try to stay in track with the last release upstream.
 
-=== Compiling MAME
+== Compiling MAME
 The installation of the port requires you to compile it. That takes '''VERY''' long time, so when you install it take a hot tea, a bag of cookies and wait for it to finish.
 {{{
 sudo port install mame 
 }}}
 
-=== Configuring MAME
+== Configuring MAME
 Once the port successfully installed, what you're going to have is an executable called `mame64`. Now, to be able to run the ROMs, we need to build the right filesystem tree in a directory. What I generally do is to create a directory in the root of my home, called, very originally, `mame`.
 
 {{{ 
@@ -25,4 +25,24 @@
 
 and you run the `mame64` executable inside of it. MAME will run full screen and it will create a folder inside of `~/mame`  called `cfg`. That is the folder where MAME stores the configuration files. In the MAME initial dashboard you won't see much for the moment...
 
-[[Image?]]
+[[Image(mame-dash.png)]]
+
+Let's try to put something to play with :). Generally, to play the most famous titles, you'll need a specific BIOS, i.e. a proprietary set of instructions that are specific of a certain hardware. For example, to run NeoGeo games, you'll need the last release of the NeoGeo BIOS whose file is called `neogeo.zip`. The problem with this kind of BIOSes is that in general they're under copyright and you're not allowed to run them. So to start, we'll try to use one of the ROMs offered on the [https://www.mamedev.org/roms/ official dev website of MAME]. As you can see they're free for non-commercial use.
+
+So... let's try [https://www.mamedev.org/roms/alienar Alien Arena], looks promising:  
+
+ Alien Arena was developed by Duncan Brown in 1984 to run on the classic Williams hardware. It is a "capture the flag" style game with a number of interesting twists. It was even put on location, but, well, Duncan explains all this in his readme. Here's an excerpt of the history:
+ By 1984, I had reverse-engineered the hardware used in Williams' games to the point where I had essentially created a "programmer's guide" for it. Destiny called, I had to write a new game from scratch for this great hardware! My original intent was to end up with a conversion kit that was more user-friendly than most (remember this was back when conversions were just starting to come into existence, long before JAMMA, and most of them were a complete mess to install). A new marquee, new side stickers, new control panel, and 12 EPROMs, and away you go! No messy wiring, board modifications, etc. My production costs would be low, my sale price could be high.
+
+ Well, that was the plan anyway...
+
+ Over the course of a year, I wrote "Alien Arena". It was written in 6809 assembly language using a cross-compiler on an Apple II+. Using custom-designed and handbuilt emulator hardware (*24* 2Kx8 static RAMs on a board connected to the Apple with a custom bus interface!) I could test out my code without the slowdown of programming and erasing a bunch of EPROMs all the time.
+
+ When I was done, I assembled it into an ex-Stargate cabinet, and put it out in the arcade I owned at the time. I made a few modifications (mostly to the computer-player AI) based on feedback from customers. I cannot say it was an immense hit. Most people thought it sucked, frankly. You decide for yourself. I know my wife and I had a blast playing it while I was designing it (probably added 6 months to the time to finish it, heh heh heh...).
+
+=== Running a ROM
+
+* First thing is to download the ROM of the game `alienar.zip`.
+* Then let's create the folder that will store our roms `mkdir ~/mame/roms`.
+* Let's move the Alien Arean roms inside this directory: `mv ~/Downloads/alienar.zip ~/mame/roms`
+* Let's run `mame64` within the `~/mame` directory.
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