New to MAME questions.

[TommyE]

Hello

My name is Tommy and I´m a collector of all sorts of old game/computersystems.
Lately I have been reading up on MAME and tried RetroPie on a RaspberryPie2.

Now I want to use a PC instead a load it with whatever I can come across.

I have lately come across this site and have just become an unlimited member and I have a question on how to download the latest MAME files.

Do I need to download all the different game files in each versions directory and then somehow merge it all together, or is there a singe big file I can download to have
version 183 of MAME downloaded in one big bang?

Regards
Tommy

[Menneset]

Similar, getting started is daunting questions... I have downloaded the latest RetroPie, 4.1 I think. I also downloaded the MAME-0.37b5 super ROM pack (in three pieces.) My initial focus will be in getting Emulation Station > MAME > Classic ROMS running then adding Daphne and after that I am not sure. I never played the NES type games so they are low on the list for me.

My new Pi3B should be here Monday with a 128GB Class 10 sd card. For now I am poking around on an older Pi with a 5" display and a rollup keyboard.

Any tips for Noobs are welcome. What files am I missing? I should have plenty of room for optional options. Is there something I should be working on first?