FAQ:Running
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How do I launch MAME?
I click on the program and a window flashes for a second
How do I "press OK"?
When you run a game, MAME displays important messages (copyright notice, problems with game), then asks you to press OK to proceed. Press the O key, then the K key.
If you are only using a joystick, you can also "type" OK by wiggling the joystick left and then right. Actually, you can use whatever input you have configured for left and right, such as the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.
I get through the copyright and info screens, but the game won't start or work at all.
Why does it take so long for the game to start?
Most arcade games have a POST (Power-On Self Test) process where they go through and check to make sure all of the hardware components are working on. This is similar to what happens when you first turn on your computer. For some games, this passes quickly, while for others it takes quite a long time. Usually you will see a bunch of garbage and colors flash by on the screen while all of the video RAM is tested. Just be patient and the game will eventually start running.
When I start the game, I see a bunch of scrambled colors, or odd references to coins, ROMs, RAM, etc
Can I skip past the startup tests?
No. MAME aims to accurately reproduce the arcade hardware. This includes allowing the startup tests to proceed as normal. If you are impatient, you are welcome to "fast forward" through this part of the process. By default, the "fast forward" key is mapped to the Insert key on the keyboard.
How do I start the game?
Remember, these are not re-creations of arcade games, but the original arcade games themselves. In order to play an arcade game, you must first insert a coin or two. By default in MAME, the "insert coin" switches are mapped to the keyboard keys 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Once you've inserted enough coins to have a credit in the game, you need to start the game. Many games had separate buttons for 1 player start, 2 player start, etc. By default, MAME maps these switches to the 1, 2, 3 and 4 keys on the keyboard.
Some games didn't have separate start buttons; instead you just pressed any of the game's action buttons to start a game. For these games you need to press one of the action buttons. By default, the first three buttons for all games are mapped to the Left Control key, the Left Alt key, and the Spacebar.
