Homebrew RetroArch - A new multi-system emulator

[Dogway]

-oh, and...perhaps keeping track of the directory where you loaded your last ROM?

Yeah, this was reported long ago!! Let's wait until they have the next revision.

-Another thing is if it's possible to remember the last loaded rom path, across launchs. So whenever I launch the emulator, I'm there at the rom path ready to select a game. Please? : D

 

[mightymuffy]

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but how about the option to select a core upon loading the emulator, before the current initial directory screen?

 

[vigi_lante]

Okay just ordered a Wii RGB Cable...
Now please make double strike available in retroarch GX, so I can can enjoy scanlines on my old crt monitor!

Yes. That's the only thing keeping me from using it: an option to support 240p, like Genesis Plus GX, Mednafen-Wii and most others emulators.

It will be glorious playing all those games at a proper low resolution on a CRT monitor,

Handhelds also looks great at 240p.

 

[MushGuy]

So, any response on my problem with save sizes?

I have a question for LibretroRetroArch: Is it possible to change the save format of the VBA core from .srm to raw .sav format? I find it really weird that it uses .srm for GBA. How am I supposed to use my emulation saves with this emulator?

.srm is just an extension that is currently being used as the 'save RAM' extension for every emulator core - however, it's still the same save format underneath - it's just named differently.

So just renaming your .sav file (SRAM) to .srm for now should do the trick.

OK, I renamed the extensions from .sav to .srm, and I can confirm that they work, except for one problem: It doesn't seem to work with EEPROM saves (up to 64kilobits/8kilobytes); the emulator always gives me a blank save (examples include Donkey Kong Country 1, 2, and 3, Bomberman Tournament, Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge, etc.). Is there a way to fix this?

 

[yaketyJack]

Hey guys! Awesome job, I still can't believe how well cps-2 games run.

Here are some improvement requests:

1. I have a sega genesis controller adapter ( so it plugs in the GC ports) and use the genesis six button controller for an authentic experience. Every button works on VC titles and other emulators. On retroarch, two of the buttons dont work. I found out that these two buttons are assigned to the analog triggers in GC controller. Is there a way for the emulator to register these two analogue buttons ( even thhough they are digital on the sega genesis controller)?

1. Pixel-perfect Aspect ratio. The other console emulators for Wii have correct pixel size ( essential for playing on CRT tv) , but on RetroArch, the pixels are not square and change sizes as they move. If I turn on bi-linear filtering, everything looks blurry, but at least pixel sizes are correct. Is it possible to display pixels correctly, without filtering? I know this is really tricky since you support so many cores, but starting with just the cps2 would be a great start ;-)

2. Scan lines. If the pixel sizes are correct and scanlines are added (just an overlay with horizontal lines, like the menu?), it would be an almost exact replica of the original systems on modern hdtv's. Being able to adjust scanline transparency would be ideal.

3. Easier controller setup. It is hard to tell what buttons are used by the emulator and setting up the controller is very tricky. Could we just press a button on the controller itself to set the input to that button? (for example, "CPS button A?" and we press whichever button we want on the controller to assign it to that)

4. There are a couple of bugs in the gba core. In metroid fusion, the pixel blur effect when you kill enemies is not displayed at all, for example. I am not sure if it is worth mentioning, since you said you might switch the GBA core with another emulator...

Once again, awesome work, thanks for the hard work it is appreciated!

 

[Hielkenator]

Okay just ordered a Wii RGB Cable...
Now please make double strike available in retroarch GX, so I can can enjoy scanlines on my old crt monitor!

Yes. That's the only thing keeping me from using it: an option to support 240p, like Genesis Plus GX, Mednafen-Wii and most others emulators.

It will be glorious playing all those games at a proper low resolution on a CRT monitor,

Handhelds also looks great at 240p.

Yes, a project like retroarch needs it, I think.
Especially for crt users ( Scanlines Hurray15K! )

For the lcd users something similar would be awesome in the lines of "fake scanlines".

 

[starwarsfan541]

If anyone else has arcade monitors with a jamma edge; this would probably be nice http://www.ultimarc.com/wii.html

 

[Chido]

Quick question: does gambatte support Super Gameboy colors and borders (the former more likely)? I tried Kirby Dreamland 2 and Pokemon Blue and theyre black and white. I think they are SGB titles.

 

[Hielkenator]

Quick question: does gambatte support Super Gameboy colors and borders (the former more likely)? I tried Kirby Dreamland 2 and Pokemon Blue and theyre black and white. I think they are SGB titles.

super gameboy was a snes addon pheripheral.
The game you mention were developed for de classic gameboy.
The supergameboy is probably not emulated.

---

 

[Rydian]

Pixel-perfect Aspect ratio. The other console emulators for Wii have correct pixel size ( essential for playing on CRT tv) , but on RetroArch, the pixels are not square and change sizes as they move. If I turn on bi-linear filtering, everything looks blurry, but at least pixel sizes are correct. Is it possible to display pixels correctly, without filtering? I know this is really tricky since you support so many cores, but starting with just the cps2 would be a great start ;-)

The problem with that is the pixels change size because they're being scaled at a ratio other than a solid number. You can't have only half an original pixel, which is why, when the games are resized to something that's not a whole number, the pixels are distorted.

There's two ways around this.

1 - Only use whole-multiple scaling to avoid the issue in the first place. 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, whatever. The issue is the Wii's output (like most screens) has a limited resolution, and scaling to an exact number doesn't usually fit the screen properly. For example 2x might be a bit too small and need black borders, while 3x would be too large and get cut off. This is usually why non-exact scaling is offered as an option.

2 - Use filtering that's fancier than bilinear, so it's not so blurry.

Idunno' which would be better here.

 

[FullMetalEnginee]

OMFG!! I been waiting half a decade to play Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mysteria on the Wii! This makes having 4 controllers even more worth it!
It runs FLAWLESSLY at full speed!! A HUGE Thank you to everyone involved in this project!! This is hands down the best Wii news I have heard all year!

 

[vigi_lante]

Pixel-perfect Aspect ratio. The other console emulators for Wii have correct pixel size ( essential for playing on CRT tv) , but on RetroArch, the pixels are not square and change sizes as they move. If I turn on bi-linear filtering, everything looks blurry, but at least pixel sizes are correct. Is it possible to display pixels correctly, without filtering? I know this is really tricky since you support so many cores, but starting with just the cps2 would be a great start ;-)

The problem with that is the pixels change size because they're being scaled at a ratio other than a solid number. You can't have only half an original pixel, which is why, when the games are resized to something that's not a whole number, the pixels are distorted.

There's two ways around this.

1 - Only use whole-multiple scaling to avoid the issue in the first place. 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, whatever. The issue is the Wii's output (like most screens) has a limited resolution, and scaling to an exact number doesn't usually fit the screen properly. For example 2x might be a bit too small and need black borders, while 3x would be too large and get cut off. This is usually why non-exact scaling is offered as an option.

2 - Use filtering that's fancier than bilinear, so it's not so blurry.

Idunno' which would be better here.

It's possible to upscale the picture with the video hardware (instead of the GPU) using non-integer values with much less filtering and without scaling artefacts. This is something that Genesis Plus GX and Mednafen-Wii does.

 

[Bladexdsl]

OMFG!! I been waiting half a decade to play Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mysteria on the Wii! This makes having 4 controllers even more worth it!
It runs FLAWLESSLY at full speed!! A HUGE Thank you to everyone involved in this project!! This is hands down the best Wii news I have heard all year!

it plays mame games too?

 

[Rydian]

It's possible to upscale the picture with the video hardware (instead of the GPU) using non-integer values with much less filtering and without scaling artefacts. This is something that Genesis Plus GX and Mednafen-Wii does.

That's number 2, better filtering. Not all filtering makes things blurry, what those emulators are doing sounds like heavier filters instead of lighter/quicker ones.

 

[Dogway]

Is there a way to save roms service menu changes?

On another note, I found out that for CPS2 using AR Core Provided, and an Overscan of 0.66 is almost square pixel on an HDReady TV, actually the RetroArch interface is very great to test this.

 

[lovewiibrew]

So what is the advantage of using this over other emulators on the wii? It supports more consoles/games? Like FBA?

 

[seam]

OMFG!! I been waiting half a decade to play Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mysteria on the Wii! This makes having 4 controllers even more worth it!
It runs FLAWLESSLY at full speed!! A HUGE Thank you to everyone involved in this project!! This is hands down the best Wii news I have heard all year!

it plays mame games too?

its a CPS2 game i believe.

 

[Hielkenator]

OMFG!! I been waiting half a decade to play Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mysteria on the Wii! This makes having 4 controllers even more worth it!
It runs FLAWLESSLY at full speed!! A HUGE Thank you to everyone involved in this project!! This is hands down the best Wii news I have heard all year!

it plays mame games too?

Yes, install the full FBA core.

 

[quepaso]

Ok, thanks to getting proper romsets for CPS1/CPS2/Neogeo and everything working just fine including SF2, i decided to go through what FBA offers, pick out the stuff thats popular/i'd like to play, and then tried them in the FBA core. Here are my results:

Perfect-

Xmen
Vigelante
Tmnt 1&2
Tengai
Superman
Sunset riders
Simpson's
Space Harrier
Street fighter
Sailor moon
Strikers 1945
Rastan
Metmqstr
Kung Fu master
Gun bird
Golden axe
Esperade
Donpache
Double dragon 1-3
Dodonpachi
Combatribes
Black tiger


Graphic bugs (exactly as described, colors/boxes all out of wack, unplayable) -

Wwf games (wrestlefest etc)
Violence fight
Roller games


Bad audio/slow (For the most part, these run but slow unless otherwise noted)-
Sol divide
Shinobi (runs fine and gets choppy randomly all the time)
Shadow dancer (same as shinobi)
Space bomber (fine for the most part, but slows down when things get even slightly going)
Strikers 1945-2
Mutant fighter
Final blow
Dragon blaze
Bad dudes
Altered beast (when you kill normal enemies, they just sit there and the screen doesnt want to advance to the next scene)
Aliens (the sound from your bullets only happen when you kill something)


Wont load (most of these are either too big or black screen) -
Strikers 1945-3
Rtype 1/2/Leo
Power instinct 2
Moon walker
Martmaster
Ket
In the hunt
Guwamge
Gun force 1/2
Gun bird 2
Fever SOS
Espgal
Ddpdoj
Ddp2
Daraku
Alien storm

Thanks and amazing work on the emu!!!!

 

[nakata6790]

Adding to the above list:
snowbros :messed up colors
xsleeva : not working