RetroArch Emulator Frontend

[JamishS]

I'll have to look into this. Thanks for the heads up.

I ran the rpi-update tool from https://github.com/Hexxeh/rpi-update and it has fixed my video problem.

Thanks a ton, that worked perfectly for me! Now to figure out why there's such a long input lag. Nothing too huge, though.

[Epyon]

Hey ToadKing, thanks for all the work on this project. It looks really impressive.

Can I ask you a question about it. My dream would be to have a low profile set-top box that I can use to play all my retro games. It sounds like Raspberry Pi + RetroArch could fit the bill.

Do you think it'd ever get to a point where I can have the Pi boot directly into the emulator front end and control everything with a controller?

Thanks!

[Toad King]

The way RetroArch is set up, it is very easy to link it to a frontend. Not sure if any actually work with it, but adding support would be trivial.

[Aloshi]

My dream would be to have a low profile set-top box that I can use to play all my retro games. It sounds like Raspberry Pi + RetroArch could fit the bill.

Do you think it'd ever get to a point where I can have the Pi boot directly into the emulator front end and control everything with a controller?

I actually want to do exactly the same thing - I've been busy with other stuff, but I've looked in to making my own simple front-end (with SDL and probably boost.filesytem, written in C++) designed for controller use. Perhaps I should get started with that.

I also assume that something else exists that already does this very well, so I'm not sure if I should take the time to "re-invent the wheel," so to speak. I didn't look very hard, though.

[ratherDashing]

https://github.com/Themaister/RetroArch-Phoenix

Uses Phoenix:

http://byuu.org/phoenix/

I have yet to try to compile it or anything but it might be a good place to start.

[Epyon]

My dream would be to have a low profile set-top box that I can use to play all my retro games. It sounds like Raspberry Pi + RetroArch could fit the bill.

Do you think it'd ever get to a point where I can have the Pi boot directly into the emulator front end and control everything with a controller?

I actually want to do exactly the same thing - I've been busy with other stuff, but I've looked in to making my own simple front-end (with SDL and probably boost.filesytem, written in C++) designed for controller use. Perhaps I should get started with that.

I also assume that something else exists that already does this very well, so I'm not sure if I should take the time to "re-invent the wheel," so to speak. I didn't look very hard, though.

Awesome. I basically want to have a console that would have all the retro games I want to play all loaded on them. I figure I'll do all the setup with a kb & mouse and then once it's dialed in, just use a controller for everyday operation.

I wish I could help, but I don't know any programming, barely any Linux/Unix (just simple navigation).

[Aloshi]

https://github.com/Themaister/RetroArch-Phoenix

Uses Phoenix:

http://byuu.org/phoenix/

I have yet to try to compile it or anything but it might be a good place to start.

Just compiled and tested this, it seems it's just designed as an easier way to enter the command line options for RetroArch (you enter a ROM name, path to your libretro.so file, config file, etc. then it'll launch RetroArch). Unfortunately I didn't see any way to simply browse a library, nor gamepad support.

[draconis]

Just compiled and tested this, it seems it's just designed as an easier way to enter the command line options for RetroArch (you enter a ROM name, path to your libretro.so file, config file, etc. then it'll launch RetroArch). Unfortunately I didn't see any way to simply browse a library, nor gamepad support.

I just compiled this as well. I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed too. I had hoped to get it to run without needing to load xwindows, but I haven't figured that one out yet (thinking GTK direftfb support of some kind).

One issue I am having is the sound. It stutters to the point of being totally unrecognizable. Granted I've only tested a single rom (Super Mario Kart) on one core (SNES) so it may be an issue with one or both of those. Has anyone else experienced extreme stuttering in their sound?

[edak]

One issue I am having is the sound. It stutters to the point of being totally unrecognizable. Granted I've only tested a single rom (Super Mario Kart) on one core (SNES) so it may be an issue with one or both of those. Has anyone else experienced extreme stuttering in their sound?

ummm... Everyone is having this issue...

I will try to put together a basic shell script or something that will act as a frontend...

[petrockblog]

I stumbled upon a thread about ALSA and Raspbian: http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 13#p125513
It is a discussion about the creaky ALSA sound with a temporary solution for that.

I have not found time to test it myself, but maybe this might help a bit. They are also discussing possible fixes for the ALSA implementation, which does not seem to be that easy. So let's keep our fingers crossed ...

Besides that I am also looking for an emulator frontend that does not need X, but I have not found a solution for that until now.

[frostware]

Hi everyone, just to let you know I have created a automated script for the installation process, also a python console application (works, but need further dev) to help you find and run your roms. Check it out at
http://www.frost-software.com/blog/2012 ... ry-pi.html

[BenWiley4000]

ok so looks like I'm bringing out my inner noob

I downloaded the libretro scripts and commeneted out the ones I didn't want... but basically the gist of what I want here is a way to try snes games. I haven't had any success with building those libraries but it appears as though some of you are successfully getting snes games to work out for you, so could you let me know what you did to make that happen? Do I even use the regular libretro-super scripts at all?

[Aloshi]

ok so looks like I'm bringing out my inner noob

I downloaded the libretro scripts and commeneted out the ones I didn't want... but basically the gist of what I want here is a way to try snes games. I haven't had any success with building those libraries but it appears as though some of you are successfully getting snes games to work out for you, so could you let me know what you did to make that happen? Do I even use the regular libretro-super scripts at all?

Assuming you've managed to build RetroArch fine, this post lists some tested cores and their repositories. Generally, just follow the Readmes (or just run make). For the PocketSNES core, if I remember right, I just used:

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git clone https://github.com/ToadKing/pocketsnes-libretro.git
cd pocketsnes-libretro
make

and then ran RetroArch with

Code: Select all

retroarch -L pocketsnes-libretro/libretro.so path_to_rom.smc

I didn't use the libretro-super script at all. Sound also doesn't seem to work by default (running Raspbian). Also if you get errors running RetroArch, make sure you're in the proper group(s) - I think you need 'video', 'audio', and 'input', but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[outsider]

I managed to compile it, but it runs sooooo slowly (less then 1fps I guess). Any tips?
I disabled audio and tried different video drives, but nothing helped.

[frostware]

Hi everyone, just to let you know I have created a automated script for the installation process, also a python console application (works, but need further dev) to help you find and run your roms. Check it out at
http://www.frost-software.com/blog/2012 ... ry-pi.html

Just added NES support check it http://www.frost-software.com/blog/2012 ... h-nes.html

[fraz0815]

Hi everyone, just to let you know I have created a automated script for the installation process, also a python console application (works, but need further dev) to help you find and run your roms. Check it out at
http://www.frost-software.com/blog/2012 ... ry-pi.html

Just added NES support check it http://www.frost-software.com/blog/2012 ... h-nes.html

Works great and very easy setup, thanks! (only tested snes so far)

There is a little typo on your blog

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Run the installation script (sudo sh installation.sh)

should be Installer.sh I think.

Now I have to get that usb gamepad to work, I am excited how this will work out

[fraz0815]

hmm retroarch-joyconfig works and configures the gamepad, but the gamepad won't do anything in games, what did i miss? thanks

[Aloshi]

hmm retroarch-joyconfig works and configures the gamepad, but the gamepad won't do anything in games, what did i miss? thanks

I believe you need to specify the file for joyconfig to write to, something like

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retroarch-joyconfig -o ~/.retroarch.cfg

[protonic]

Next we tried getting a couple Gravis gamepad USBs working. retroarch-joyconfig kept failing, first with "Failed to init joystick subsystem" but after adding SDL_GetError() to the joyconfig check we found SDL was failing with something like "Unable to init SDL: Unable to open mouse".

From there I found a reference from a search result that mentioned:

If SDL is complaining because it can't find any mouse (Unable to init SDL: Unable to open mouse) then, before launching the program, do:
# export SDL_NOMOUSE=1

This let the joyconfig program run successfully.

Can you please explain abit more how you fixed this by "SDL_GetError() to the joyconfig check"?

I'm trying to setup my 360 controller (already setup using xboxdrv) in RetroArch with this 'retroarch-joyconfig' but I'm getting "Failed to init joystick subsystem" all the time.

[fraz0815]

hmm retroarch-joyconfig works and configures the gamepad, but the gamepad won't do anything in games, what did i miss? thanks

I believe you need to specify the file for joyconfig to write to, something like

Code: Select all

retroarch-joyconfig -o ~/.retroarch.cfg

Thanks, I think I have to find/create the retroarch.cfg which is really used.
During start of a game i get a message that XDG_CONFIG_HOME is not set and its looking for it in $HOME/.retroarch.cfg.
So far after fresh install I had about three of the files, none of them had any impact (just changed keyboard start button to check), now I have them nearly everywhere, also in the above mentioned place.
Will hopefully just be a matter of time till i figure out the right place

Just a sidenote question:
retroarch-joyconfig returns something like

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input_player1_a_btn = "1"

but syntax in cfg is always

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value = number

without the "".
Does it matter?

---
@protonic
Maybe it helps, don't try to run it through putty/ssh as I did, returned the same error.

[tba]

Hej,

Can you please explain abit more how you fixed this by "SDL_GetError() to the joyconfig check"?

I'm trying to setup my 360 controller (already setup using xboxdrv) in RetroArch with this 'retroarch-joyconfig' but I'm getting "Failed to init joystick subsystem" all the time.

I'm also using the 360 controller and I just had to add sudo:

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sudo retroarch-joyconfig -o ~/.retroarch.cfg

If it still doesn't work you can get a more specific error message:
-open the retroarch-joyconfig.c file from the tools folder
- search for the error message you get while executing the retroarch-joyconfig (in my case it was line 125 and "Failed to init joystick subsystem")
- add below

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printf("SDL_Init failed: %s\n", SDL_GetError());

this gave me some error text about permission stuff, therefore sudo in my case fixed it for me.

If everything works out you still have to give retroarch the location of the config file you've written to. In the upper case it will be (like Aloshi mentioned):

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retroarch -c ~/.retroarch.cfg

cheers

EDIT: I forgot, after changing the .c file you have to run "make" again from the retroarch top level folder

[fraz0815]

Yeah
retroarch-joyconfig -o $HOME/.retroarch.cfg
did it, not sure why, because i had that file already copied/paste before.
Time for some NBA Jam

[Aloshi]

To anyone looking for a simple front-end for RetroArch that doesn't use X, I present: EmulationStation!

I've been working on it for the past week or so. It's written in C++ and uses SDL, SDL TTF, and Boost.Filesystem. It can be easily configured with a list of "systems" - each with a name, search path, extension, and launch command - to easily browse a list of ROMs with either a controller or keyboard. More instructions in the README.

It's still got some work to do (allow holding down non-keyboard input to scroll, sorting the games list, truncating games with long names, beautification), but it's in a usable state. I'm also an entirely self-taught programmer, so please excuse me if the code is ugly.

[Pendor]

To anyone looking for a simple front-end for RetroArch that doesn't use X, I present: EmulationStation!

I've been working on it for the past week or so. It's written in C++ and uses SDL, SDL TTF, and Boost.Filesystem. It can be easily configured with a list of "systems" - each with a name, search path, extension, and launch command - to easily browse a list of ROMs with either a controller or keyboard. More instructions in the README.

It's still got some work to do (allow holding down non-keyboard input to scroll, sorting the games list, truncating games with long names, beautification), but it's in a usable state. I'm also an entirely self-taught programmer, so please excuse me if the code is ugly.

Great work.

I just quickly compiled it to try it and so far it works like a charm.

[AskDuds]

Huge thanks for the work so far on this all. Not good with linux here but my plan with the pi was to try and eventually construct something like the iCade but without the iPad and all its restrictions.

After a few hours of being an idiot I've now got Super Mario World running.

Onwards and upwards