Homebrew RetroArch - A new multi-system emulator

[Charco]

Apologies if this has been asked before but are there plans in a later version to recognise rom filenames and display them as the full title? I have created folders for my CPS1, CPS2 and Neo Geo games (overkill I know but it looks nice and makes it easier to find games), have to add Neo Geo bios to each folder though is a pain.

Also, will a future version support custom button config? At the moment I can't really enjoy fighting games with the default buttons.

Thanks for this great project and keep up the good work!

 

[LibretroRetroArc]

Whatever works best, but won't that push the release back further?

Not going to happen for this release no. Was just speculating.

Apologies if this has been asked before but are there plans in a later version to recognise rom filenames and display them as the full title? I have created folders for my CPS1, CPS2 and Neo Geo games (overkill I know but it looks nice and makes it easier to find games), have to add Neo Geo bios to each folder though is a pain.

Yes, I wanted to include that for this release (it's called RetroLaunch), but I couldn't add the integration in time for this release. It should be in the 'NEXT NEXT' release. There will also be an 'auto-core loading' option in that 'NEXT NEXT' release - ie. look at the extension and then suggest a core to load.

Also, will a future version support custom button config? At the moment I can't really enjoy fighting games with the default buttons.

You can customize controls already from the Settings menu - and controls are saved per core.

 

[Charco]

Excellent, thanks on all counts!

 

[the_randomizer]

Not going to happen for this release no. Was just speculating.

Ah, okay, that's fine. I'll await 0.98's release.

 

[Charco]

You can customize controls already from the Settings menu - and controls are saved per core.

This worked, thanks! Just so others are aware, you have to exit RetroArch for the settings to be saved.

In a future release, would it be possible to rename the buttons to correspond with the original machine, for example, for CPS1 they could be called Button 1, Button 2, for Neo Geo, A, B, C, D etc.? This would make it much easier to know which button I am assigning to what on my controller. Also, are there plans to have custom button configs on a per game basis?

Thanks again, really enjoying playing Champion Edition on the big screen

 

[Disorarara]

Do you guys have any plans regarding larger roms? how does VBA GX next even load Mother 3?

 

[Charco]

Do you guys have any plans regarding larger roms? how does VBA GX next even load Mother 3?

I think it will be looked at in the release after next. Larger roms, Last Blade etc. are available on the Virtual Console so it's definitely possible. Not sure if some proprietary compression technique is used for those.

 

[Hielkenator]

This worked, thanks! Just so others are aware, you have to exit RetroArch for the settings to be saved.

In a future release, would it be possible to rename the buttons to correspond with the original machine, for example, for CPS1 they could be called Button 1, Button 2, for Neo Geo, A, B, C, D etc.? This would make it much easier to know which button I am assigning to what on my controller. Also, are there plans to have custom button configs on a per game basis?

Thanks again, really enjoying playing Champion Edition on the big screen

This I would also love to see implemented.

 

[SoulSpawn]

A thing I'd like to see on new versions is the emu to start directly at the last directory you loaded roms instead of searching for them on every restart. This is something that mednafen already does and I wonder if it consumes so much memory.

 

[nintygaming]

I got bad news guys.

Nintendo's Wii-U emulation is pretty bad. I've just tested their new release of Balloon Fight, and here is the list of problems.

1. Poor Gamma - (not as bright as the original NES, but then again, the Wii's NES emulator had this issue too)

2. Poor Colors - (same as the NES emulator on Wii, just a dull color palette, poor compared to the original NES)

3. No filtering Options - (no scanlines available, just a standard (non-lanczos) interpolation bilinear filter)

4. No Double Strike-240p mode - (for those who wish to hook up to a CRT for a more true experience)

5. Sound Not Correct (Although I could be wrong here, but it does not seem to have accurate sound)

5. Horizontal Stretch AND Vertical Squeeze - (Quite possibly the biggest offender. Simply put, the aspect ratio is WRONG. The original console - when hooked up to a CRT - would send a signal to display the 256x240p and the CRT would alter the aspect ratio to "almost" 320x240, but not exactly. In other words, it was not exactly a 4:3 ratio on all games (not to worry though, because the developers designed each NES game with this in mind, thus what you would see on a CRT would be what you were suppose to see and the way it was intended to be viewed). Well, the original's Wii emulator did this correctly, regardless whether it was in 240p mode or 480p. It would show the aspect ratio correctly, just like the old CRT (with the only exception being a black border on the bottom apparently). But for some odd reason, Nintendo is stretching the image even wider, AND to add insult to injury, they are SQUEEZING it vertically too. In other words, its close to a 8:5 ratio or thereabouts! Doesn't matter if you hook it up via HDMI, or Component, or even to your old CRT via composite, nor does it matter which resolution you choose, be it 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p. Its just the WRONG aspect ratio. I've tested this on both a SD-CRT and HDTV for your convenience.)

I use to think that Nintendo cared about preserving nostalgia EVEN IF only a little - I mean afterall, their SNES emulators on the Wii are virtually perfect, even if the NES one's are not (only real issues were black border on the bottom, the gamma, color, and that annoying "tinny sound" that the original NES did not have).

Will they release an update to correct these issues? We can hope and wish, but don't hold your breath.


EDIT: Fixed some errors and updated my post.

 

[MassiveRican]

WOW ^ this makes me so SAD!!

 

[the_randomizer]

I got bad news guys.

Nintendo's Wii-U emulation is pretty bad. I've just tested their new release of Balloon Fight, and here is the list of problems.

1. Poor Gamma - (not as bright as the original NES, but then again, the Wii's NES emulator had this issue too)

2. Poor Colors - (same as the NES emulator on Wii, just a dull color palette, poor compared to the original NES)

3. No filtering Options - (no scanlines available, just a standard (non-lanczos) interpolation bilinear filter)

4. No Double Strike-240p mode - (for those who wish to hook up to a CRT for a more true experience)

5. Sound Not Correct (Although I could be wrong here, but it does not seem to have accurate sound)

5. Horizontal Stretch AND Vertical Squeeze - (Quite possibly the biggest offender. Simply put, the aspect ratio is WRONG. The original console - when hooked up to a CRT - would send a signal to display the 256x240p in a slightly wider aspect ratio, not quite 320x240, and not quite 256x240, somewhere in between. In other words, it was slightly narrower than 4:3, and slightly wider than 16:15 once it arrived to the CRT from the console's output. Well, the original's Wii emulator did this correctly, regardless whether it was in 240p mode or 480p. It would show the aspect ratio correctly, just like the old CRT. But for some odd reason, Nintendo is stretching the image even wider, AND to add insult to injury, they are SQUEEZING it vertically too. In other words, its close to a 8:5 ratio or thereabouts! Doesn't matter if you hook it up via HDMI, or Component, or even to your old CRT via composite, nor does it matter which resolution you choose, be it 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p. Its just the WRONG aspect ratio. I've tested this on both a SD-CRT and HDTV for your convenience.)

I use to think that Nintendo cared about preserving nostalgia EVEN IF only a little - I mean afterall, their SNES emulators on the Wii are virtually perfect, even if the NES one's are not (only real issues were gamma, color, and that annoying "tinny sound" that the original NES did not have).

Will they release an update to correct these issues? We can hope and wish, but don't hold your breath.

You need to give them the benefit of the doubt, it's a new system and if you watched the video, the ROMs and emulators had to be coded from scratch, on a new system, new architecture, etc.

 

[nintygaming]

You need to give them the benefit of the doubt, it's a new system and if you watched the video, the ROMs and emulators had to be coded from scratch, on a new system, new architecture, etc.

I don't think they had to code the actual ROMs from scratch at all. But they did recode the emulators. It looks to me that they took the Wii NES emulator and just recoded it, without fixing its flaws (poor brightness, under-saturated colors, etc), while adding new flaws (messed up aspect ratio for example), and added new menu's and off-TV gameplay.

 

[the_randomizer]

I don't think they had to code the actual ROMs from scratch at all. But they did recode the emulators. It looks to me that they took the Wii NES emulator and just recoded it, without fixing its flaws (poor brightness, under-saturated colors, etc), while adding new flaws (messed up aspect ratio for example), and added new menu's and off-TV gameplay.

It's possible, but I can't say for sure. Give them a call. Hopefully the Snes Virtual Console emulator will fare better and not be the unfiltered, upscaled-on-HDTV-mess the Wii version was.

 

[ct_bolt]

Wow, this is so awesome! Thanks for posting! Gonna give it some tests now.

 

[nintygaming]

Hopefully the Snes Virtual Console emulator will fare better and not be the unfiltered, upscaled-on-HDTV-mess the Wii version was.

I was about to say the same thing. I mean, how hard can it be to just search the web for the best techniques currently used by coders who do this stuff for free on snes9x, bsnes, etc. Not exactly rocket science if you understand emulators. I'm afraid however that only the true retro lovers who do this stuff for free will be the only one's to get it done correctly.

I'd love to continue to support Nintendo's VC service, but if they cannot give these old games the emulated respect that they deserve, then what's the point?

 

[ct_bolt]

Just wanted to post some issues...

1. MvC (USA) didn't load but MvC (Euro) does so that's not too big of a deal.

2. When switching the core from CSP1 to CSP2 the screen went black and the wii stays on but nothing loads (this happens upon restart).

3. When switching the core from SNES to CSP1 the screen flashed green and black looking lines.

My Info:
Wii System Software 4.1U (modded of course)
Loaded it through homebrew channel
Gamecube Controller Plugged into port1

Any other info you need just ask. Thank you again so much for this amazing emulator.

 

[the_randomizer]

I was about to say the same thing. I mean, how hard can it be to just search the web for the best techniques currently used by coders who do this stuff for free on snes9x, bsnes, etc. Not exactly rocket science if you understand emulators. I'm afraid however that only the true retro lovers who do this stuff for free will be the only one's to get it done correctly.

I'd love to continue to support Nintendo's VC service, but if they cannot give these old games the emulated respect that they deserve, then what's the point?

The major perk is the eventuality of playing it on the game pad, which something the current HBC emulators can't do.

 

[Toad King]

Do you guys have any plans regarding larger roms? how does VBA GX next even load Mother 3?

Mother 3 should load correctly in the next release.

Also new release has some tweaks to core switching that might help a lot of you with issues.

 

[Charco]

Mother 3 should load correctly in the next release.

Also new release has some tweaks to core switching that might help a lot of you with issues.

That's great. Will switching cores force an automatic restart? This would be great for usability.