RetroArch FMTOWNS Kyuukyoku Tiger halted on Bios Screen

[MSHectorCM]

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Description

Hello

I would like to report that MAME retroarch on windows and Linux is not loading properly Kyuukyoku Tiger in comparison to regular Mame that is loading it properly.

On retroarch one the game is halted in the bios screen

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Expected Behaviour

Work as it works in regular Mame that is loading and the game works.

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Steps to repro.

Requirements.

• kyuukyoku tiger (japan).chd located on C:\Users\XXXX\Desktop\fmtownsux\ktiger
  If you don't find the chd file on internet, you can create it from bin cue files using chdman.
• Generate a file ktiger.cmd located on C:\Users\XXXX\Desktop\fmtownsux\ktiger
  The content of the ktiger.cmd file must be =>
  fmtownsux -ramsize 2M -cdrom ktiger -rp C:\Users\XXXX\Desktop\fmtownsux
• Copy fmtowns_cd.xml file from Mame github repository to C:\RetroArch-Win64\system\mame\hash
• Mame 0.257 latest romset fmtowns.7z or zip file located on C:\Users\XXXX\Desktop\fmtownsux

1. Start retroarch
2. Load core Mame default (0.257)
3. Load content select ktiger.cmd
4. The game is stuck on Bios screen.

(you can repro in regular MAME and it works)

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System

Windows 11 Version 10.0.22621 Build 22621
System SKU Surface_Laptop_Studio_1964
Processor 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11370H @ 3.30GHz, 3302 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)

It also fails on linux
Linux EMUELEC 4.9.269 #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri Aug 18 03:11:12 CEST 2023 aarch64 GNU/Linux

I tested in RA 1.15 and 1.16 with latest Mame commit. On both it fails.

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Logs

Retroarch verbose Windows Logs
retroarch.log

If you need more info or the files pls let me know.

thx
Kind Regards

[qbertaddict]

i get the same issue.

[MSHectorCM]

thx @qbertaddict for letting know that I'm not the only one with this issue.

On original hardware people reports similar issues

https://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6874.0
http://fullmotionvideo.free.fr/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1295&view=previous

I used a different rip from the neokobe that I used, a user on those forums ripped his game. and the issue still happening.

I think the problem is on how mame retroarch parse the chd, cue+bin files... it should be different than the regular/mainstream mame.

I hope this can help on debugging the issue.

[MSHectorCM]

I found a workaround, reading the forums.

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Workaround

-Look for NeoKobe boot floppy disk [OS] Towns System Software v1.1 L30 (boot disk) [FD]
-The ktiger.cmd file must look like this (I tested in linux) (I renamed the [OS] Towns System Software v1.1 L30 (boot disk) [FD] to disk1.hdm)

fmtownsux -ramsize 2M -flop1 "/storage/roms/mame/fmtownsux/ktiger/disk1.hdm" -ui_active

• So we are only loading the TOWNOS 1.1 operating system.
• When booted, pop up mame menu (select+X)=>File manager=> cdrom =>Look for the chd image in your hard drive
• In TownOS 1.1 go to the cd-rom tab and doubleclick the lion.
• It will run.

I hope this info will help other people :) , I see complex this issue to be fixed by Retroarch team as it is related to some strange random fmtown hardware glitch that in retroarch is always happening.

thx