Hacking [Release] Vita-Launcher App to launch games and apps

[satel]

Instead of creating 2 categories for PSX, I'll just give a chose to start game with either Adrenaline or RetroArch.

even better. thanks

 

[cy33hc]

@cy33hc I love the idea of this, I have been trying to install this on my Vita Slim since version 1.4. I can never get it to run, always crashes at the beginning of the scan even on 1.6. I followed your video, installed and ran bubble manager, plus the launcher/vitalauncher vpks. Always error c2-12828-1, are there any plugins that do not play nice with your launcher? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! I include a screenshot of the dump file, sorry it's not the best photo.

@OneOfaKindDPC,
Can you try this build of the application. This will skip corrupted ISO/EBOOT instead of crashing.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/hfdclyuyx6z4ffo/launcher.vpk/file

 

[OneOfaKindDPC]

Was it in the scanning for ISO that when it crashed. I had a similar problem, and I found out that one of my PSP ISO was corrupted.

It's never the same game twice, and it never makes it to the PSP games... Granted I don't know the order for searching, but it crashes about 3 seconds in everytime. It never makes it past 1%. Seen it crash on vita games and a couple retro games, but it's always different

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@OneOfaKindDPC,
Can you try this build of the application. This will skip corrupted ISO/EBOOT instead of crashing.

I'd be happy to, will need a couple hours to get back to my vita. But i will keep you posted

 

[cy33hc]

I just read on RetroArch thread that RetroArch can't access the ux0: pspemu folder becuz it's signed with "safe homebrew".

I don't think we can start EBOOT with RetroArch unless moved to the ux0:data folder which then break Adrenaline that requires EBOOT in the pspemu/PSP/GAME folder. The other location where both works is the "uma0:"

No wonder why my PSX games are all crashing with retroarch

 

[satel]

@cy33hc


retaroarch plays psx from ux0: pspemu fine for me

 

[cy33hc]

@cy33hc


retaroarch plays psx from ux0: pspemu fine for me

Really. What version do you have? I got the nightly build. And the info about ux0: pspemu not access, I read in this thread.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/retroarch-libretro-thread-ps-vita-edition-nightlies-included.437034/

I did try copy the EBOOT out to ux0:data folder but it still crash. So maybe I'm wrong. I have official download EBOOT, maybe it's encrypted so RetroArch can't open.

 

[satel]

@cy33hc

1.9.0 stable

on playlist i have the eboots directory like this

PSP/GAME/CAT_PSOne Shmups/Asteroids 3D/EBOOT.PBP

 

[cy33hc]

@cy33hc

1.9.0 stable

on playlist i have the eboots directory like this

PSP/GAME/CAT_PSOne Shmups/Asteroids 3D/EBOOT.PBP

Thx. I let try the same version.

 

[OneOfaKindDPC]

@OneOfaKindDPC,
Can you try this build of the application. This will skip corrupted ISO/EBOOT instead of crashing.

Hey sorry for the delay, I tried the version you sent the link for. No changes, same issue happens

I uninstalled the old version first and then installed just in case you were wondering.

 

[cy33hc]

Hey sorry for the delay, I tried the version you sent the link for. No changes, same issue happens

I uninstalled the old version first and then installed just in case you were wondering.

@OneOfaKindDPC
Can you PM me with copies of the following files

ur0:shell/db/app.db
ux0:data/SMLA00001/config.ini
ux0:data/SMLA00001/cache.db

 

[kristianity77]

Been out of the loop on this homebrew and it seems to have come on loads in a couple of weeks! Does this now allow psp games without having to have a bubble on vita homescreen first? As in does it pull all of my psp games from adrenaline to the launcher?

 

[cy33hc]

Been out of the loop on this homebrew and it seems to have come on loads in a couple of weeks! Does this now allow psp games without having to have a bubble on vita homescreen first? As in does it pull all of my psp games from adrenaline to the launcher?

@kristianity77
Yes. You don't need to create bubbles. The app will allow you to boot every game you have in the pspemu folder (ISO/EBOOT).

Just note, that since I still support Adrenaline Bubbles create with ABM, they will show as duplicates in the launcher.

You can either remove the ABM bubbles or add the "PSPEMU" in the list of title_ids to be hidden under the ux0:/data/SMLA00001/config.ini file.

 

[kristianity77]

@kristianity77
Yes. You don't need to create bubbles. The app will allow you to boot every game you have in the pspemu folder (ISO/EBOOT).

Just note, that since I still support Adrenaline Bubbles create with ABM, they will show as duplicates in the launcher.

You can either remove the ABM bubbles or add the "PSPEMU" in the list of title_ids to be hidden under the ux0:/data/SMLA00001/config.ini file.

I am definitely going to have to update! One more question, does your app therefore remove the 128 game limit that is present on adrenaline?

 

[cy33hc]

I am definitely going to have to update! One more question, does your app therefore remove the 128 game limit that is present on adrenaline?

Yep

 

[cy33hc]

Release v1.6.1

• Add better RetroArch support for PSX games. Will now scan EBOOT in the pspemu/PSP/GAME folder for adrenaline. And also scan an alternative ROMS folder (roms_path in config.ini) for disc format games like "img, bin, ccd, chd" files. Disc format games will default use RetroArch to boot the games. For EBOOT, you will be given a choose to boot with "Adrenaline" or RetroArch. Please update ux0:data/SMLA00001/config.ini to add additional disc extensions if missing under the [PS1] section.
• Minor improvement to the focus in Grid View. When switching between pages or categories, the focus will not be lost.
• Will skip corrupted ISO/EBOOT during scanning instead of crashing.

https://github.com/cy33hc/vita-launcher/releases/tag/v1.6.1

 

[satel]

@cy33hc

this retroarch update is amazing. thank you very much

 

[nowhereman87]

OK. I though Adrenaline is superior to RetroArch for PSX, so I didn't include it.
Just a question about PSX for RetroArch. Does RetroArch support ISO files for pcsx_rearmed core? I my ISO always crash. Or does it only support bin/cue files?

Both Adrenaline and Retroarch have pro and cons, Adrenaline is much more compatible, most games will run well but some do not work at all (I think one was MK Trilogy) Retroarch on the other hand suffers from poor performance in some games, but also runs others that Adrenaline does not, and allows more customization, both for controls and in screen matters like scaling, filters, shaders and a high resolution mode with much less aliasing, but which is almost unplayable in most titles. It seems that Retroarch/pcsx_rearmed does not supports ISO format, but it does support .IMG and also the PS1 .pbp eboots used by Adrenaline.
more info here: https://docs.libretro.com/library/pcsx_rearmed/#extensions

I just read on RetroArch thread that RetroArch can't access the ux0: pspemu folder becuz it's signed with "safe homebrew".

I don't think we can start EBOOT with RetroArch unless moved to the ux0:data folder which then break Adrenaline that requires EBOOT in the pspemu/PSP/GAME folder. The other location where both works is the "uma0:"

That problem is real. My setup has all the roms inside pspemu so as not to have duplicate ROMS when using both Retroarch and the native PSP emulators (like tempGBA, Nester, Picodrive etc.) which must be in the pspemu folder. Officially the RA file manager cannot "see" the pspemu folder and therefore it was necessary to put roms out of it as well, wasting space, but there is a workaround to achieve it: simply rename pspemu to say pspemuold, make a new one in the root called pspemu and move ALL the content from the original to the new one, just as it is. If I remember correctly I did it from windows but possibly it is enough to do it from Vitashell. "pspemuold" can be safely deleted later. That modifies its security properties or something like that, and now both Adrenaline, its emulators and Retroarch can make use of the same folders and roms within pspemu.

I know you are just going to start to improve the integration of the configurations from the UI, I think that some of the most useful options to use from a menu would be:

• Be able to hide/show the bubbles created by ABM (those PSPEMUXXX ones)
  
• To be able to assign the path folder for roms and thumbnails for each emulators from a menu.
• Being able to individually hide an item since several are hack utilities that don't make much sense here.
• to be able to move each item to another category freely since according to their name many such as PSP minis and homebrew PSP emulators appear in the same category

On the other hand, maybe it would be good if the categories tabs row return to the beginning after reaching the end. Better yet, if there was a second row just below, possibly only for the emulator categories, which would allow jumping categories much faster with the Dpad.
Another possible improvement would be that when navigating through the tabs with the Dpad, the categories open themselves, without having to press X if the cursor stay for something like 2 seconds.

Thank you very much for all the improvements you are already adding, take care!

 

[cy33hc]

It seems that Retroarch/pcsx_rearmed does not supports ISO format, but it does support .IMG and also the PS1 .pbp eboots used by Adrenaline.
more info here: https://docs.libretro.com/library/pcsx_rearmed/#extensions

I converted some eboot to bin/cue but some would just crash on startup and some is ok. So it's hit or miss .

there is a workaround to achieve it: simply rename pspemu to say pspemuold, make a new one in the root called pspemu and move ALL the content from the original to the new one, just as it is. If I remember correctly I did it from windows but possibly it is enough to do it from Vitashell. "pspemuold" can be safely deleted later. That modifies its security properties or something like that, and now both Adrenaline, its emulators and Retroarch can make use of the same folders and roms within pspemu.

Thx for the workaround on pspemu that really saves a lot of space having both Adrenaline and Retroarch being able to access the same files.

• Be able to hide/show the bubbles created by ABM (those PSPEMUXXX ones)
  
• Being able to individually hide an item since several are hack utilities that don't make much sense here

This can actually be done already. There is a "hidden_title_ids" setting in config.ini. You can add all Vita title_ids that you want to hide under this settings. Example to hide all the ABM Bubble add this to config.ini. Note just add the prefix "PSPEMU" will hide all the titles starting with "PSPEMU". If you need hide a single title, then specify the full title_id. Example to hide "vita-launcher" itself just add "SMLA00001" separated by a comma.

[Global]
hidden_title_ids=PSPEMU,SMLA00001

• to be able to move each item to another category freely since according to their name many such as PSP minis and homebrew PSP emulators appear in the same category

Yeah. I think this would be handle also.

Also working on modifying settings in config.ini directly in the app.

 

[nowhereman87]

Thank you very much for the explanations, when these options are available from the menu it will be very convenient. I have told about Vita Launcher in the Vita Piracy subreddit and it seems that many do not know it yet, but they liked it. Maybe it will be good if you make an "release announcement" post there and on Vitahacks when you consider it, so a lot more users learn about Vita Launcher.

 

[cy33hc]

Release v1.7

• Add ability to change settings directly in the app now. Don't need to edit the config.ini from VitaShell or PC. Although you still can.
• Add ability to hide games or apps. For bubbles, you can restore the game by removing the title id from the hidden titles section of settings.
• Add ability to move Bubble/Adrenaline games/apps between categories. RetroArch roms cannot be moved since they depend on the retro core that's in the category of where the game reside.
• Known issue: After modifying the category title. The LT/RT can't change categories. Just restart the app to fix it.

https://github.com/cy33hc/vita-launcher/releases/tag/v1.7