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Video Game Music Player
Video game music player is a utility from MAME used to natively playback video game music from their sources. Notably, it is not playing from a recording of the audio but actually emulating the chips used to play the music itself. Certain sound systems can be very CPU intensive, such as the Q-sound audio board.
This system scrapes metadata for the “vgmplay” group(s) and loads the vgmplay set from the currently selected theme, if available.
Quick reference
- Accepted ROM formats:
.vgm,.vgz,.zip,.7z - Folder:
/userdata/roms/vgmplay
| Emulators |
|---|
| libretro: mamevirtual |
| MAME |
BIOS
| MD5 checksum | Share file path | Description |
|---|---|---|
108b113a596e800a02fece73f784eeb0 | bios/qsound.zip | |
96c11a92992bdff7f7e9d98a52621e1f | bios/ym2413.zip | |
8740932cda05e518a9955f1d08d6786f | bios/ym2608.zip |
ROMs
Place your Video Game Music Player ROMs in /userdata/roms/vgmplay. With that said, MAME's file manager can be used to play ROMs from anywhere in the drive.
Emulators
RetroArch
RetroArch (formerly SSNES), is a ubiquitous frontend that can run multiple “cores”, which are essentially the emulators themselves. The most common cores use the libretro API, so that's why cores run in RetroArch in Batocera are referred to as “libretro: (core name)”. RetroArch aims to unify the feature set of all libretro cores and offer a universal, familiar interface independent of platform.
RetroArch configuration
RetroArch offers a Quick Menu accessed by pressing [HOTKEY] + 
which can be used to alter various things like RetroArch and core options, and controller mapping. Most RetroArch related settings can be altered from Batocera's EmulationStation.
Standardized features available to all libretro cores: vgmplay.videomode, vgmplay.videomode, vgmplay.ratio, vgmplay.shaderset, vgmplay.smooth, vgmplay.integerscale, vgmplay.bezel, vgmplay.bezel_stretch, vgmplay.hud, vgmplay.bezel.tattoo, vgmplay.bezel.tattoo_corner, vgmplay.bezel.tattoo_file, vgmplay.bezel.resize_tattoo, vgmplay.ai_service_enabled, vgmplay.ai_target_lang, vgmplay.ai_service_url, vgmplay.ai_service_pause, vgmplay.runahead, vgmplay.secondinstance, vgmplay.video_frame_delay_auto, vgmplay.vrr_runloop_enable, vgmplay.video_threaded
ES setting name batocera.conf_key | Description ⇒ ES option key_value |
|---|---|
| Settings that apply to all cores of this emulator | |
GRAPHICS API vgmplay.gfxbackend | Choose which graphics API library to use. Vulkan may not work for every core. ⇒ OpenGL gl, GLCore glcore, Vulkan vulkan. |
AUDIO LATENCY vgmplay.audio_latency | In milliseconds. Can reduce crackling/cutting out. ⇒ 256 256, 192 192, 128 128, 64 64, 32 32, 16 16, 8 8. |
ALLOW ROTATION vgmplay.video_allow_rotate | Allow cores to set rotation. ⇒ On true, Off false. |
CONTROLLER TO LIGHTGUN vgmplay.lightgun_map | Map controller inputs to lightgun inputs ⇒ On true, Off false. |
libretro: mamevirtual
libretro: mamevirtual configuration
Standardized features for this core: vgmplay.autosave, vgmplay.netplay
ES setting name batocera.conf_key | Description ⇒ ES option key_value |
|---|---|
| Settings that apply to all systems this core supports | |
OVERCLOCK (UNSTABLE) global.mame_cpu_overclock | Enhancement. Reduces system slowdown. Causes issues in some games. ⇒ default default, 30 30, 35 35, 40 40, 45 45, 50 50, 55 55, 60 60, 65 65, 70 70, 75 75, 80 80, 85 85, 90 90, 95 95, 100 100, 105 105, 110 110, 115 115, 120 120, 125 125, 130 130, 135 135, 140 140, 145 145, 150 150. |
RENDERING RESOLUTION global.mame_altres | Enhancement. Increase the rendering resolution. Makes 3D objects clearer. ⇒ 640×480 640×480, 800×600 800×600, 960×720 960×720, 1024×768 1024×768, 1280×720 1280×720, 1600×800 1600×800, 1920×1080 1920×1080, 2560×1440 2560×1440, 3840×2160 3840×2160. |
SHARE MAME ARTWORK global.sharemameart | Use the same art paths as standalone MAME - not recommended if using decorations or shaders. ⇒ On (Default) 1, Off 0. |
CROP ARTWORK global.artworkcrop | Crop MAME artwork to maximize the game screen and only fill unused space. ⇒ On 1, Off (Default) 0. |
CUSTOM MAME CONFIG global.customcfg | Set system-wide controls via MAME menu ⇒ On 1, Off 0. |
ALT DPAD MODE global.altdpad | If the D-Pad is oriented incorrectly for your controller. ⇒ Off (Default) 0, DS3 Orientation 1, X360 Orientation 2. |
| Settings specific to vgmplay | |
SOFTWARE LIST vgmplay.softList | Use MAME software lists to identify ROM ⇒ Don't Use (Default) none, Video Game Music Files vgmplay. |
CUSTOM GAME CONFIG vgmplay.pergamecfg | Enable per-game custom configuration via MAME menu. ⇒ On 1, Off 0. |
MAME
MAME, the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, is a multi-purpose emulation framework which facilitates the emulation of vintage hardware and software. Originally targeting vintage arcade machines, MAME has since absorbed the sister-project MESS (Multi Emulator Super System) to support a wide variety of vintage computers, video game consoles and calculators as well. MAME doesn't use an individual “core” for each system like RetroArch does, instead the ROM itself usually contains the necessary information to accurately emulate it, thus making it specific to the version of MAME it was made for. Overall it's a very complicated subject, we have a guide specific to arcade just for it.
MAME configuration
MAME offers a Menu in-game ([HOTKEY] + or [Tab] on the keyboard). This can be used to manually adjust inputs or game settings. If you're having issues with a specific game, check the MAMEdev FAQ for that game here. For MESS systems specifically, you might find more information on MESS's wiki. All options can also be edited by opening the mame.ini file.
Standardized features available to all versions of this emulator: vgmplay.videomode, vgmplay.padtokeyboard, vgmplay.videomode, vgmplay.bezel, vgmplay.bezel_stretch, vgmplay.hud, vgmplay.bezel.tattoo, vgmplay.bezel.tattoo_corner, vgmplay.bezel.tattoo_file, vgmplay.bezel.resize_tattoo
ES setting name batocera.conf_key | Description ⇒ ES option key_value |
|---|---|
| Settings that apply to all versions of this emulator | |
VIDEO MODE vgmplay.video | BGFX for post-processing, accel/opengl for raw image. ⇒ BGFX bgfx, Accel accel, OpenGL opengl. |
BGFX GRAPHICS API vgmplay.bgfxbackend | Depends on video mode being set to BGFX. Vulkan is better, when supported. ⇒ MAME Detect automatic, OpenGL opengl, OpenGL ES gles, Vulkan vulkan. |
BGFX VIDEO FILTER vgmplay.bgfxshaders | Apply a post-processing effect. ⇒ Off None, Bilinear default, CRT Geom crt-geom, CRT Geom Deluxe crt-geom-deluxe, CRT Geom Deluxe (RGB) crt-geom-deluxe-rgb, CRT Geom Deluxe (Composite) crt-geom-deluxe-composite, Super Eagle eagle, HLSL hlsl, HQ2X hq2x, HQ3X hq3x, HQ4X hq4x. |
CRT SWITCHRES vgmplay.switchres | Allows the use of switchres profiles if present. ⇒ Off 0, On 1. |
VERTICAL ROTATION (TATE) vgmplay.rotation | Rotates screen by 90 degrees. Intended for rotating displays. ⇒ Off None, Rotate 90 autoror, Rotate 270 autorol. |
ARTWORK CROP vgmplay.artworkcrop | Crop artwork to only unused space, keeping the game as large as possible. ⇒ Off (Default) 0, On 1. |
ALT DPAD MODE vgmplay.altdpad | If the D-Pad is oriented incorrectly for your controller. ⇒ Off (Default) 0, DS3 Orientation 1, X360 Orientation 2. |
CUSTOM MAME CONFIG vgmplay.customcfg | Set system-wide controls via MAME menu ⇒ On 1, Off 0. |
DATA PLUGIN vgmplay.dataplugin | Make game history, setup instructions, and special moves viewable in the menu ⇒ Enabled 1, Disabled (Default) 0. |
Settings specific to vgmplay |
|
SOFTWARE LIST vgmplay.softList | Use MAME software lists to identify ROM ⇒ Don't Use (Default) none, Video Game Music Files vgmplay. |
CUSTOM GAME CONFIG vgmplay.pergamecfg | Enable per-game custom configuration via MAME menu. ⇒ On 1, Off 0. |
Controls
Use the File Manager in the MAME menu to change tracks.
Here are the default Video Game Music Player's controls shown on a Batocera RetroPad:
Troubleshooting
Further troubleshooting
For further troubleshooting, refer to the generic support pages.
- systems/vgmplay.txt
- Last modified: 23 months ago
- by atari