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MAME x Android - How hard is to port it?
#364316 - 03/16/17 02:08 PM
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NOTE: I'm not doing a request here, I just want to better understand the situation.
Since MAME aims to be a multi-platform emulator and having a Linux port, how hard would it be to make an Android port? Does it require way too much source code changes? What is the bottleneck here?
In the past, it was an obvious answer, since the most part of Android devices didn't have a fraction of the power needed to run MAME at a decent speed. Nowadays, things are starting to change and we now have portable devices and other kind of Android devices which are much more powerful, and these devices are being improved everyday, so as Android. And it's visible that Android won't die soon. So, what is needed to compile an Android port? 
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Re: MAME x Android - How hard is to port it?
[Re: R.Coltrane]
#364320 - 03/16/17 03:38 PM
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> NOTE: I'm not doing a request here, I just want to better understand the situation.
>
> Since MAME aims to be a multi-platform emulator and having a Linux port, how hard
> would it be to make an Android port? Does it require way too much source code
> changes? What is the bottleneck here?
>
> In the past, it was an obvious answer, since the most part of Android devices didn't
> have a fraction of the power needed to run MAME at a decent speed. Nowadays, things
> are starting to change and we now have portable devices and other kind of Android
> devices which are much more powerful, and these devices are being improved everyday,
> so as Android. And it's visible that Android won't die soon. So, what is needed to
> compile an Android port?
afaik you can compile the current source for Android but it's very bare bones so unless you have an android device that's basically a PC, not very usable.
haven't tried it myself tho.
even with advances most Android based systems aren't really great MAME platforms tho, haven't seen MAME on an Android platform without very noticeable input lag (to the point I wonder if it's a limitation of the platform) and even with advances in CPUs they're not that great for emulation compared to proper desktop CPUs, plus something like MAME really pushes them to the max so eats up the battery faster than the vast majority of apps that seem a lot more complex - most mobile devices are really made for things that need full CPU power in short bursts, not all the time.
so I'm sure you can understand why it's not exactly a priority, furthermore I can't see anybody doing MAME development on an Android platform, and it's a development focused emulator, the targets that do exist and are actively maintained are mostly because somebody is developing on that platform. Look at MAMEUI, even on Windows, because it's a target that isn't actually used for development it has simply rotted and not been properly maintained and that's less work than Android.
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Re: MAME x Android - How hard is to port it?
[Re: Haze]
#364342 - 03/17/17 01:29 PM
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Thanks for the explanation Haze, now it's very clear indeed! From now on, I'll start looking for portable Windows devices, such as the GPD Win and more advanced units instead of Android ones.
But for now, since the most part of my games are pre 1993, GPD XD suits my needs. And it's pretty neat too 
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Re: MAME x Android - How hard is to port it?
[Re: Haze]
#364368 - 03/18/17 12:50 PM
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Input lag isn't inherent to Android-- there are plenty of other emulators working fine on the oDroid C2 under Android with no issues. The biggest problems come down to two things last I knew---
1. Getting the compilation kit to actually *install and work correctly* is a bitch and three quarters.
2. MG was looking into input handling and several other areas related to Android, but hit some serious snags with our input code as it is that I seem to recall was going to require some substantial reworking.
In the end, it boils down to it being a somewhat hostile build process and no platform champion to push development on that front at the moment as much as we'd like it. If an Android dev stepped forward and said "Hey, I'd like to help out" I don't think anyone would complain about an official push.
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Try checking the MAME manual at http://docs.mamedev.org
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Re: MAME x Android - How hard is to port it?
[Re: Firehawke]
#364369 - 03/18/17 02:09 PM
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> 2. MG was looking into input handling and several other areas related to Android, but
> hit some serious snags with our input code as it is that I seem to recall was going
> to require some substantial reworking.
It's on Vas's backlog.
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Re: MAME x Android - How hard is to port it?
[Re: MooglyGuy]
#364391 - 03/19/17 05:38 AM
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Thanks for the update. I'll file that one in case future questions come up in that vein.
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Try checking the MAME manual at http://docs.mamedev.org
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