Homebrew RetroArch-Hexaeco Emulators

[DominoBright]

Hello Snakes, hope you're enjoying your break! If it's alright with you, once you get done with the Master System cover art project, could you update PCE-Fast? It got an update on 6/22 that allowed ZSTD compressed CHDs to work on it.

 

[FanNintendo]

RetroArch arcade bezel project is finished (at least for the foreseeable future) with Toaplan and Neo Geo / CD bezels completed. At some point I will probably go back and add more MAME/FBA art but I must take a break.

Around 25 Toaplan and 155 Neo bezels have been included to the complete set. This includes all Universal console and computer bezels along with Arcade games.

The MAME 2003+ standalone release has been updated with all current art as well as the Neo Geo and Neo Geo CD standalone releases.

After a short break I can continue my custom Sega Master System cover art set which has been on pause for nearly 3 months while working on different projects. If you are a WFL plugin user, be sure to keep an eye out for this upcoming release, it should be very nice. Hope you all enjoy the Arcade bezels, here are a few if you want to take a look...

https://www.mediafire.com/file/vgo73psclecfcij/Wii_RetroArch_Bezels_%28RunningSnakes%29.7z/file

what bezel size and the px ? 600x400?

 

[RunningSnakes]

what bezel size and the px ? 600x400?

600x420 pixels
Normal border = 56x214
Mid border = 74x214
Mid 2 vert border = 102x214
Vertical border = 148x214
Inside bezel = 304x214

Here i attach my templates for use in photoshop if you are interested...

 

[FanNintendo]

600x420 pixels
Normal border = 56x214
Mid border = 74x214
Mid 2 vert border = 102x214
Vertical border = 148x214
Inside bezel = 304x214

Here i attach my templates for use in photoshop if you are interested...

ok so 600 x 420 is horizontal and px is like the correct color for bezel to be visible or to work with from scale 8 to higher i think

 

[AlfredoDore]

I have two questions: 1 - is there no way to optimize the Blargg NTSC filters? I'm having great results with NES and PC Engine, but the latest version of SNES is very slow, I can only play the NEXT version with the RF filter, but for certain games it's impossible (I play Wii through GBS-C, which generates scanlines through the device, unfortunately it doesn't have composite output, otherwise I would use the Saturn's composite video output to play natively) and 2 - a question I have, why can I only correct the image aspect in Retroarch SS and Frankistein and not normal? With the others I get that Megaman error with the life bar and in Super Mario there are distortions on the screen, but in SS I can correct this problem, in the others I can't.

 

[RunningSnakes]

Hello Snakes, hope you're enjoying your break! If it's alright with you, once you get done with the Master System cover art project, could you update PCE-Fast? It got an update on 6/22 that allowed ZSTD compressed CHDs to work on it.

I recently tested a Wii RA nightly release and also tested the current nightly release for Wii. Unfortunately both releases are buggy/broken...scrolling with Wiimote is ok but button configurations are a mess. If you happen to have a nightly PCE Fast core from late June or July, i will definitely try to add it if it is stable.

Post automatically merged: Sep 1, 2025

I have two questions: 1 - is there no way to optimize the Blargg NTSC filters? I'm having great results with NES and PC Engine, but the latest version of SNES is very slow, I can only play the NEXT version with the RF filter, but for certain games it's impossible (I play Wii through GBS-C, which generates scanlines through the device, unfortunately it doesn't have composite output, otherwise I would use the Saturn's composite video output to play natively) and 2 - a question I have, why can I only correct the image aspect in Retroarch SS and Frankistein and not normal? With the others I get that Megaman error with the life bar and in Super Mario there are distortions on the screen, but in SS I can correct this problem, in the others I can't.

1. I honestly never tinker with filters so i cannot help here, sorry.

2. Yes, RA-SS gives so much freedom for aspect ratio, it is definitely a great feature vanilla RA lacks. Using Custom aspect ratio on older RA cores included in Frankenstein does allow it to be fixed also but requires a little extra edit. For newer RA cores, there is not as much freedom and Custom is no longer available. For these cores try this...

Start any game and press Home button to Main Menu/Settings/Video/Scaling
Aspect Ratio = Config
Config Aspect Ratio = 0.95
Set VI Screen Width = 720
Overscan Correction (Top) = 16
Overscan Correction (Bottom) = 16

Now back out and select Output
Now turn Threaded Video = On
Now turn Threaded Video = Off

Now back out and select Scaling
Now turn Aspect Ratio = 1:1 PAR
Now turn Aspect Ratio = Config

You can tinker with Overscan Correction and Config Aspect Ratio setting for you preference and tv alignment. It is not a perfect solution but works well for me, especially if using bezels which i do.

I hope this helps and was a solution to what you were asking.

 

[AlfredoDore]

I recently tested a Wii RA nightly release and also tested the current nightly release for Wii. Unfortunately both releases are buggy/broken...scrolling with Wiimote is ok but button configurations are a mess. If you happen to have a nightly PCE Fast core from late June or July, i will definitely try to add it if it is stable.

Post automatically merged: Sep 1, 2025

1. I honestly never tinker with filters so i cannot help here, sorry.

2. Yes, RA-SS gives so much freedom for aspect ratio, it is definitely a great feature vanilla RA lacks. Using Custom aspect ratio on older RA cores included in Frankenstein does allow it to be fixed also but requires a little extra edit. For newer RA cores, there is not as much freedom and Custom is no longer available. For these cores try this...

Start any game and press Home button to Main Menu/Settings/Video/Scaling
Aspect Ratio = Config
Config Aspect Ratio = 0.95
Set VI Screen Width = 720
Overscan Correction (Top) = 16
Overscan Correction (Bottom) = 16

Now back out and select Output
Now turn Threaded Video = On
Now turn Threaded Video = Off

Now back out and select Scaling
Now turn Aspect Ratio = 1:1 PAR
Now turn Aspect Ratio = Config

You can tinker with Overscan Correction and Config Aspect Ratio setting for you preference and tv alignment. It is not a perfect solution but works well for me, especially if using bezels which i do.

I hope this helps and was a solution to what you were asking.

Well, I'll test it, but as for the filters, I could port the ones from the Genesis Plus GX, since they are filters already specific to the Wii, but anyway, thanks for the screen ratio

 

[AlfredoDore]

I recently tested a Wii RA nightly release and also tested the current nightly release for Wii. Unfortunately both releases are buggy/broken...scrolling with Wiimote is ok but button configurations are a mess. If you happen to have a nightly PCE Fast core from late June or July, i will definitely try to add it if it is stable.

Post automatically merged: Sep 1, 2025

1. I honestly never tinker with filters so i cannot help here, sorry.

2. Yes, RA-SS gives so much freedom for aspect ratio, it is definitely a great feature vanilla RA lacks. Using Custom aspect ratio on older RA cores included in Frankenstein does allow it to be fixed also but requires a little extra edit. For newer RA cores, there is not as much freedom and Custom is no longer available. For these cores try this...

Start any game and press Home button to Main Menu/Settings/Video/Scaling
Aspect Ratio = Config
Config Aspect Ratio = 0.95
Set VI Screen Width = 720
Overscan Correction (Top) = 16
Overscan Correction (Bottom) = 16

Now back out and select Output
Now turn Threaded Video = On
Now turn Threaded Video = Off

Now back out and select Scaling
Now turn Aspect Ratio = 1:1 PAR
Now turn Aspect Ratio = Config

You can tinker with Overscan Correction and Config Aspect Ratio setting for you preference and tv alignment. It is not a perfect solution but works well for me, especially if using bezels which i do.

I hope this helps and was a solution to what you were asking.

look, your configuration is not good, it doesn't fix it, but here's mine that works perfectly, Do you have any plans to update the colors? Yours is the only one that could fix the image aspect

 

[water_kooler]

Thanks for the Mame 2003 plus spreadsheet. I will be tinkering with the Wii soon and include my own notes. This emulator has some issues not listed on the speadsheet.

 

[RunningSnakes]

look, your configuration is not good, it doesn't fix it, but here's mine that works perfectly, Do you have any plans to update the colors? Yours is the only one that could fix the image aspect

Thanks for your settings pic, this will come in handy for some users. My settings work well for me, I'm guessing it has to do with the type of TV being used and expected/desired results. These cores are not my work, I only modified them to work as a standalone release, so what is available is most likely final.

Post automatically merged: Nov 3, 2025

Thanks for the Mame 2003 plus spreadsheet. I will be tinkering with the Wii soon and include my own notes. This emulator has some issues not listed on the speadsheet.

Yes, many games have issues but the compatibility list is faithful to games that will boot with the correct marked core. Adding on with side notes is definitely welcome, please post any update here at anytime and I will gladly add to the download distribution my friend.

 

[AlfredoDore]

I took some photos and recorded some videos as a sample of the SNES with the Blargg NTSC filter. The scanlines are from my GBS-C. The GBS-C corrects transparencies, flickers, vertical sync, and more.
But I would love for them to implement it correctly and improve its performance (some don't work, they give a black screen) because, whether you like it or not, the games were made to be viewed in RF/Composite video. Both the lighting and shading are correct with it, while in component/HDMI it looks very washed out, and the worst part is the HDMI which blows out the pixels. You could use the Genesis Plus GX filters, since they are already specific to Wii and are really very good.

Post automatically merged: Nov 11, 2025

I forgot to upload the videos, but all the games were tested on RetroArch Wii. The problem is that the filters were very poorly implemented, and on the Super Nintendo it ends up being very resource-intensive due to the poor implementation. Although you can play NES, GB, GBC, GBA, and PCE games right away, you could either: optimize the filters or use the Genesis Plus GX filters, since those are already available for the Wii and are excellent, they don't even put a strain on the console's processing power.

 

[MeXen]

I took some photos and recorded some videos as a sample of the SNES with the Blargg NTSC filter. The scanlines are from my GBS-C. The GBS-C corrects transparencies, flickers, vertical sync, and more.
But I would love for them to implement it correctly and improve its performance (some don't work, they give a black screen) because, whether you like it or not, the games were made to be viewed in RF/Composite video. Both the lighting and shading are correct with it, while in component/HDMI it looks very washed out, and the worst part is the HDMI which blows out the pixels. You could use the Genesis Plus GX filters, since they are already specific to Wii and are really very good.

Post automatically merged: Nov 11, 2025

I forgot to upload the videos, but all the games were tested on RetroArch Wii. The problem is that the filters were very poorly implemented, and on the Super Nintendo it ends up being very resource-intensive due to the poor implementation. Although you can play NES, GB, GBC, GBA, and PCE games right away, you could either: optimize the filters or use the Genesis Plus GX filters, since those are already available for the Wii and are excellent, they don't even put a strain on the console's processing power.

On Retroarch older versions, everytime you try to use the Blargg filter, it ''flickers'' every few seconds, it NEVER run well like it did in the original NES and SNES consoles.

 

[AlfredoDore]

On Retroarch older versions, everytime you try to use the Blargg filter, it ''flickers'' every few seconds, it NEVER run well like it did in the original NES and SNES consoles.

I said it's poorly implemented, besides, it must be an LCD issue, since I use GBS-C and it fixes these things, plus I use scanlines.

 

[water_kooler]

I added a few remarks to the spreadsheet for any game with a low framerate. Most of the big Sega and Taito roms had a framerate issue.
The Konami System GX titles didn't load. The bios file was in the same folder as the roms, Salamander 2, Sexy Parodius, and Run n Gun 2. I marked those as unplayable.

 

[RunningSnakes]

I added a few remarks to the spreadsheet for any game with a low framerate. Most of the big Sega and Taito roms had a framerate issue.
The Konami System GX titles didn't load. The bios file was in the same folder as the roms, Salamander 2, Sexy Parodius, and Run n Gun 2. I marked those as unplayable.

Thank you.

Updated both Frankenstein and MAME distributions.

 

[WonderingMud]

@RunningSnakes Hello, I downloaded the latest Hexaco 2025 Mod but when I'm on the main menu and clicked load core and clicked any of the core it just goes to a blank screen. Originally I had the private file on the root of the SD card but I decided to move it inside of the Hexaco folder and deleted the private from the root and when I loaded it in that worked and I was able to play CPS2 but when I put the SD card on my computer I saw that it made a new private folder on its own with CPS2 just it by itself so it made me wonder if I even needed the private folder if it was always going to make one on the root so I deleted the private folder inside of the hexaco folder and kept this new private folder in the root but now it went to a blank screen again when I tried to load the core. I had a copy of the private folder and put it back to the hexaco folder but now its still not working so I decided to erase the private folder from root and see if it that would work like before when I just had the private in the hexaco folder but that didn't work. From here I was lost because that originally worked before so I checked my SD card on the folder and it did create a new private folder in the root but it didnt say cps2 like before it said "other". So I deleted that and messed around like just having the private folder in the root, having it in the Hexaco, having both in the root and Hexaco, grabbing a new copy of the Hexaco folder and having it in the root, and everything I did before but still nothing I always get a blank screen trying to load a core. So I was only to get this working one time and I was messing with the private folder so what do you think I should do to get this to work?

 

[RunningSnakes]

@RunningSnakes Hello, I downloaded the latest Hexaco 2025 Mod but when I'm on the main menu and clicked load core and clicked any of the core it just goes to a blank screen. Originally I had the private file on the root of the SD card but I decided to move it inside of the Hexaco folder and deleted the private from the root and when I loaded it in that worked and I was able to play CPS2 but when I put the SD card on my computer I saw that it made a new private folder on its own with CPS2 just it by itself so it made me wonder if I even needed the private folder if it was always going to make one on the root so I deleted the private folder inside of the hexaco folder and kept this new private folder in the root but now it went to a blank screen again when I tried to load the core. I had a copy of the private folder and put it back to the hexaco folder but now its still not working so I decided to erase the private folder from root and see if it that would work like before when I just had the private in the hexaco folder but that didn't work. From here I was lost because that originally worked before so I checked my SD card on the folder and it did create a new private folder in the root but it didnt say cps2 like before it said "other". So I deleted that and messed around like just having the private folder in the root, having it in the Hexaco, having both in the root and Hexaco, grabbing a new copy of the Hexaco folder and having it in the root, and everything I did before but still nothing I always get a blank screen trying to load a core. So I was only to get this working one time and I was messing with the private folder so what do you think I should do to get this to work?

After extracting the Hexaeco Mod package to your PC, you must drag and drop the contents of the of the extracted folder onto the root of either your SD or USB device.

So the file structure should look like this...

SD:/apps/RA-HEXAECO
SD:/private/C2MOD (many other folders)
SD:/ROMS
SD/wad

Insert SD into Wii and open HBC and launch the HEXAECO application, then simply load the CPS2 core. Now you will have to set up file path to where you have your CPS2 roms... (SD:/ROMS/FBA/CPS2) is my path. After setting up your rom files path, select load file and launch any game.

Hope this helps you out, let me know if you were successful.

 

[WonderingMud]

After extracting the Hexaeco Mod package to your PC, you must drag and drop the contents of the of the extracted folder onto the root of either your SD or USB device.

So the file structure should look like this...

SD:/apps/RA-HEXAECO
SD:/private/C2MOD (many other folders)
SD:/ROMS
SD/wad

Insert SD into Wii and open HBC and launch the HEXAECO application, then simply load the CPS2 core. Now you will have to set up file path to where you have your CPS2 roms... (SD:/ROMS/FBA/CPS2) is my path. After setting up your rom files path, select load file and launch any game.

Hope this helps you out, let me know if you were successful.

I have the file structure correctly but I'm still getting a black screen when I load the CPS2 core

Its strange because I did get it working one time when there was no private in the root but now it wont.. Do you think there is something in my root file that is causing issues?

 

[RunningSnakes]

Hmm

I have the file structure correctly but I'm still getting a black screen when I load the CPS2 core

Its strange because I did get it working one time when there was no private in the root but now it wont.. Do you think there is something in my root file that is causing issues?

Hmm...are the other cores working correctly?

 

[WonderingMud]

Hmm
Hmm...are the other cores working correctly?

No none of them. When I download RA version 1.9 everything works just fine