Nibbler rom sets

Discussion about MARP's regulation play

Moderator: BBH

Post Reply
LN2
MARPaholic
MARPaholic
Posts: 1669
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 4:46 pm

Nibbler rom sets

Post by LN2 »

I just happened to look at the Nibbler scores recently...to notice it seems at some point in recent versions of MAME the rom set names have changed...and labeling has changed evidently incorrectly even within 145.

I still use wolfmame106 mostly and would be using 106 for any future nibbler play.

MARP database now shows:

nibbler=== set 9
nibbler6==set 6
nibbler8==set 8
nibblero = olympia

I see in doing a search in 145 these are the sets according to 145.
I have discovered this actually is not correct. I have the 145 rom sets for these that still show the old naming

nibbler = set 6
nibblera = set 9
nibblerb = set 8
nibblero = olympia

I can directly run the "nibbler" and "nibblero" rom sets.
I can run "nibblera" by renaming the rom set to "nibbler6".
I can run "nibblerb" by renaming the rom set to "nibbler8".

There is a moment in the attract mode when running the game you can get the game to id itself as which rom set...

hold "down" on the controller after seeing the yellow square grid screen...and keep holding through main nibbler splash screen...look at bottom left by the JHU initials. After several seconds a number will pop up. That is the rom set # for nibbler running.

I tried this with the renamed rom sets above and found:

nibbler==nibbler set 6(not set 9 as 145 shows it should be)
nibblera==nibbler6==set 9(not set 6 as 145 shows it should be)
nibblerb==nibbler8===set 8(THIS IS CORRECT!)
nibblero==nibblero==Olympia (also a set 8, but plays harder/faster/longer snake)(THIS IS CORRECT!)

set 6 is the original parent set for nibbler and first arcade release so not surprising even 145 the "nibbler" runs as 6.
This also is what it was in previous versions of mame from 142u6 and earlier...not sure if the rom set naming changed was with 145 or between 142u6 and 145.

so seems to be mamedev group needs to fix this where "nibbler" still is set 6. nibbler6 is renamed to nibbler9 since that is set 9.

either way...we need special rules setup for nibbler to show if using certain versions then this is the rom set you play...etc.

all the scores showing in the MARP database for "nibbler" are for set 6 scores.

can you please look into this with the mamedev team and check it out? I know some of you have direct contacts and more clout with the dev team than I do.

thx

I ask because my next vacation when home I may decide to marathon the set 6 nibbler for as long as I can go...with goal of 1+ billion on it. no one has done that in mame yet and I want to be the first..and don't want any rom set controversies etc.
User avatar
Phil Lamat
Regulation Coordinator
Posts: 2076
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 9:19 am

Re: Nibbler rom sets

Post by Phil Lamat »

WIP: (the bold part is for Pat, maybe he missed that, that could explain)

- 0.145u6: hap added clone Nibbler (Pioneer Balloon conversion). Note: There are way too many references now, proving that the game shouldn't have music. I've split nibbler6 into two, one of them is a pballoon conversion now. I hope this finally solves this thing. Removed optional music rom sk7_ic51.bin from nibbler, nibbler8, nibbler6 and nibblero. This fixed broken music in wave 2 of nibbler and nibbler8.

- 0.143u6: Various Nibbler clean-ups [Tafoid]: Set up Nibbler and clones to allow the Pioneer Balloon sound rom as OPTIONAL as some board configurations has this rom on board. If it is missing from your romset, the game will be allowed to play without the music is desired. Nibbler and clones have been reordered and renamed based on version information. Added notes to the driver. Changed 'Nibbler (set 1)' to clone '(rev 6)', '(set 2)' to parent 'Nibbler (rev 9)', '(set 3)' to '(rev 8)' and '(Olympia)' to '(Olympia - rev 8)'. Renamed (nibbler) to (nibbler6), (nibblera) to (nibbler) and (nibblerb) to (nibbler8). Note: Version Number => Hold DOWN on controller after crosshatch appears. A number will show up to the right of the primary game creator's initials "JU". The music that has been in MAME for this game since it was first added is not from Nibbler! IC51 is a leftover from the game board to which the conversion kit for Nibbler was applied, a Pioneer Balloon, and is where MAME's original rom dump came from. Both the dedicated cabinet boards and the conversion kit boards for Nibbler never came with nor do the manuals for them list a "iC51" in the parts list breakdown. In fact, sound roms between different games using the snk6502 custom sound can largely be interchanged with another using the same. Currently in MAME, this IC51 from Pioneer Balloon is set as as OPTIONAL rom, allowing you to still play Nibbler (with/without music if you wish) without needing to adjust the source and recompile.
LN2
MARPaholic
MARPaholic
Posts: 1669
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 4:46 pm

Re: Nibbler rom sets

Post by LN2 »

Phil Lamat wrote:WIP: (the bold part is for Pat, maybe he missed that, that could explain)
Changed 'Nibbler (set 1)' to clone '(rev 6)', '(set 2)' to parent 'Nibbler (rev 9)', '(set 3)' to '(rev 8)' and '(Olympia)' to '(Olympia - rev 8)'. Renamed (nibbler) to (nibbler6), (nibblera) to (nibbler) and (nibblerb) to (nibbler8). Note: Version Number => Hold DOWN on controller after crosshatch appears. A number will show up to the right of the primary game creator's initials "JU".
note he even shows how to get the set #...yet the actual rom sets now do not match up with the above renaming/renumbering.

my post isn't about how they are shown in the MARP database initially. it's how in MAME itself they are not correct now.

here is how they actually are in mame....which is not how mame itself describes them.
the "nibbler6" rom set actually is playing as rev 9...not rev 6 as the new naming implies.
the "nibbler" rom set actually still is playing as rev 6...not 9 as shown it should be above.
the other 2 sets are fine.

hope that clarifies it some. Once MAME all fixed then you maybe need special rules to tell gamers which rom set name to use depending on version of mame in use. I don't know why they are changing the naming around really...the music addition fix thing is cool in terms of dev and representation of the game...but no need to rearrange the rom set names. The parent rom set should be the initial, stable, main arcade release which was rev 6.

music stops at start of wave 14 anyway. yes, arcade boards have option for that. I actually played one BITD that had the music. it stops at start of wave 14 also...the earlier mame sets didn't so to some degree newer ones are better for having that.
User avatar
mahlemiut
Editor
Posts: 4183
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2002 10:05 pm
Location: New Zealand
Contact:

Re: Nibbler rom sets

Post by mahlemiut »

Don't know what you're on about there - the revision numbers match up fine for me.

Image
- Barry Rodewald
MARP Assistant Web Maintainer
Image
LN2
MARPaholic
MARPaholic
Posts: 1669
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 4:46 pm

Re: Nibbler rom sets

Post by LN2 »

then we have a problem...but here is my screenshot running the "nibbler" rom set in 145.

so it seems there are different sets for nibbler in 145 that are not consistent.

my older nibbler rom sets from 142u6 and earlier do not work with 145...so pretty sure this nibbler I got is a 145 version...since the rom check is good and game runs fine...yet it is "6".
Attachments
nibbler.png
nibbler.png (92.76 KiB) Viewed 6636 times
User avatar
***PL***
Editor
Posts: 720
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2002 9:37 pm

Re: Nibbler rom sets

Post by ***PL*** »

OK, I looked into the nibbler ROMsets. I botched the update back with m144.

Backed out the changes and should be updated correctly now. Sorry about that. :?
Post Reply