MAME Controls
These are the default key controls for MAME.
| Main Keys | |
| 5,6,7,8 | Insert coin |
| 1,2,3,4 | Players 1 - 4 start buttons |
| 9,0,-,= | Insert service coin (Only Works In Service Mode) |
| F1 | Enables crosshairs. Repeat to add more crosshairs. |
| F2 | Test/Service Switch |
| F3 | Game Reset |
| Left Shift + F3 | Game Hard Reset |
| F4 | Show the game graphics. Use cursor keys to change the set or colour. |
| F6 | Enable / Disable Cheat if cheats are enabled. |
| F7 | Load a saved game state from a slot number. |
| Left Shift + F7 | Save game state to 1 of 10 slots. |
| F8 | Decrease frame skip during a game. |
| F9 | Increase frame skip during a game. |
| F10 | Speed Throttle (Makes game overspeed) |
| F11 | Frames Per Second and Frameskip information |
| Left Shift + F11 | Enables the profiler in debug versions. |
| F12 | Saves image of game screen to snaps directory. |
| Left Shift + F12 | Save movie |
| P | Pause the game |
| Shift + P | Skip one frame forward if paused. |
| Esc | Exit from game |
| "~" or "¬" (Above Tab) | Volume Control |
| Insert | Runs game at full throttle and full frameskip. |
| Tab | Access Mame's in-game menu |
| Control Keys (Default) | |
| Arrow Keys | Controller (Player 1) |
| Left Ctrl | Fire 1 (Player 1) |
| Left Alt | Fire 2 (Player 1) |
| Space | Fire 3 (Player 1) |
| Left Shift | Fire 4 (Player 1) |
| Z | Fire 5 (Player 1) |
| X | Fire 6(Player 1) |
| R,F,G,D | Controller (Player 2) |
| A | Fire 1 (Player 2) |
| S | Fire 2 (Player 2) |
| Q | Fire 3 (Player 2) |
| W | Fire 4 (Player 2) |
| Not Set By Default | Fire 5 (Player 2) |
| Not Set By Default | Fire 6 (Player 2) |
| Backspace | Bill 1 |
| T | Tilt |
| - | Volume Down |
| = | Volume Up |
| Mega Tech Additional Keys | |
| Left Shift | Player 1 Start |
| W | Player 2 Start |
| 9 | Reset |
| 0 | Select |
| - | Enter |
| Playchoice 10 Additional Keys | |
| 5 | Adds Time |
| 0 | Select Game |
| 1 | Toggles 1 or 2 Player Mode |
| 2 | Start Game |
You will find that certain games will use additional keys in order to make them run. You can find out these keys by pressing the "Tab" key during a game and selecting "Input (this game)". A good example of this is Hard Drivin' which uses the "Right Shift" for its clutch and "a" as its gear shift.
Changing The Default Keys
To change the game control keys simply run the game you want to play. Once the game has loaded press the "Tab" key to open the in-game menu and highlight "Input (this game)". Press enter and you will see this screen...
All you need to do now is to select the function you want to change, press enter and then press the key you want to use. It is possible to assign more than one key to a function by pressing enter again and pressing a different key.
You must be careful when selecting the keys you want to use as they may be in use by other functions.
If you want to assign joystick movements to a function then once you have selected the function you want to change move the joystick/pad or press the fire button you want to use. (N.B. You must have the -joystick option used for the command line version of MAME or Use Joystick selected in the MameUI configuration)
If Things Go Wrong!
If you muck up your game keys and want to reset them to default then open the C:\Mame\Cfg folder and delete the relevant .cfg file for the game. If for some insane reason you change the default MAME keys and can't get back into the in-game menu then you will need to delete the default.cfg file from the same folder as before.
Configuring Joysticks
MAME uses DirectX for input therefore if your controller has been set up properly in the Windows control panel, there shouldn't be an issue with MAME supporting it.
If you haven't configured your controller then open the Start->Control Panel window. You'll see one of two things in Windows 95 there'll be a joystick icon. Windows 98, 2000, XP and Vista will have a Game Controllers icon. You'll have to refer to the Windows help file to configure your controller (as I can't remember how to do it on 9x) but make sure that the main controller is Joystick 1.
Using Joysticks & Mice
MAME needs the -joystick option in it's command line and MameUI will need the "Use Joystick" option selected in its configuration window.
Mame also supports mouse input. This is normally used to simulate a trackball controller (such as Tempest and Marble Madness). MAME will need the -mouse option and MameUI will need the "Use Mouse" option selected in it's config window.
Lightguns
MAME supports lightguns. There are several around such as the ACTLabs Lightgun, EMS Topgun or GunCon2 which work fine in MAME. Use the -lightgun option in MAME or enable the "Use Lightgun" option in MameUI's config screen.
