Homebrew Emulation How to Import Emulators to Homebrew Launcher?

Thee_Stranger · Sep 30, 2022

Hello everybody,

So, I ran out of room for cias on my N3DS Home Menu. I like to play GB ROM hacks and such, and have been using TWiLight Menu to do so. But, being that it essentially transforms your 3DS into an NDS, I'm noticing now the screen resolution is a little more subpar than I'd like. I have many emulators or "cores" through RetroArch, but I try to avoid using the actual RetroArch software on 3DS at all costs due to how slow and clunky it is.

I notice I have the ability to launch the RetroArch PicoDrive Emulator from Homebrew Launcher, and would like the ability to do the same for different emulators. So, I tried to use FBI to import some of these respective emulators/cores to the appropriate directory in Homebrew Launcher by simply copy/pasting, but have been unsuccessful.

When I look into the appropriate folder/directory for the Homebrew Launcher in FBI, I notice the PicoDrive emulation software is a "_3ds" file, in red text, with a "Directory" attribute. FBI is also accessable through here, and is listed as a ".3dsx" file, in black text, with an "Archive" attribute. The emulators I attempted to import are ".cias" with an "Archive" attribute, and they won't even show up in the Homebrew Launcher menu. I attempted to simply change the file name of one of the emulators to either a .3dsx or _3ds, which successfully got the emulator to display in the menu, but promptly crashed my 3DS upon a launch attempt.

Does anyone have any advice or knowledge about how to Import programs such as RetroArch cores or Emulators to the 3DS Homebrew Launcher via FBI or another method?

Thanks.

Sypherone · Sep 30, 2022

Install the Unistore (3DS Homebrew store), it gives you the ability to install them as cia to home menu or 3dsx directly to correct path.

Shadow#1 · Sep 30, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
Hello everybody,

So, I ran out of room for cias on my N3DS Home Menu. I like to play GB ROM hacks and such, and have been using TWiLight Menu to do so. But, being that it essentially transforms your 3DS into an NDS, I'm noticing now the screen resolution is a little more subpar than I'd like. I have many emulators or "cores" through RetroArch, but I try to avoid using the actual RetroArch software on 3DS at all costs due to how slow and clunky it is.

I notice I have the ability to launch the RetroArch PicoDrive Emulator from Homebrew Launcher, and would like the ability to do the same for different emulators. So, I tried to use FBI to import some of these respective emulators/cores to the appropriate directory in Homebrew Launcher by simply copy/pasting, but have been unsuccessful.

When I look into the appropriate folder/directory for the Homebrew Launcher in FBI, I notice the PicoDrive emulation software is a "_3ds" file, in red text, with a "Directory" attribute. FBI is also accessable through here, and is listed as a ".3dsx" file, in black text, with an "Archive" attribute. The emulators I attempted to import are ".cias" with an "Archive" attribute, and they won't even show up in the Homebrew Launcher menu. I attempted to simply change the file name of one of the emulators to either a .3dsx or _3ds, which successfully got the emulator to display in the menu, but promptly crashed my 3DS upon a launch attempt.

Does anyone have any advice or knowledge about how to Import programs such as RetroArch cores or Emulators to the 3DS Homebrew Launcher via FBI or another method?

Thanks.

U can only launch standalone emus via hb if they r cores u have to use retroarch

Thee_Stranger · Sep 30, 2022

Sypherone said:
Install the Unistore (3DS Homebrew store), it gives you the ability to install them as cia to home menu or 3dsx directly to correct path.

I'll definitely do that. Thanks!

Kwyjor · Sep 30, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
I attempted to simply change the file name of one of the emulators to either a .3dsx

Randomly changing the names of files tends to be a bad idea.

There is no way to magically convert a .cia file into a .3dsx file. If an emulator is available as a .3dsx file, then you should look for that version on the emulator's website.

Thee_Stranger · Sep 30, 2022

Shadow#1 said:
U can only launch standalone emus via hb if they r cores u have to use retroarch

Ah, gotcha. Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that the PicoDrive Emulator was a RetroArch core, but you're right, the one in my Homebrew Launcher seems to be a standalone thing. In that case, you have any recommendations for a good stand-alone Gameboy emulator for 3DS that's compatible with the Homebrew Launcher? The more robust the options, the better: GBC, Super Gameboy, etc

Thee_Stranger · Oct 1, 2022

Kwyjor said:
Randomly changing the names of files tends to be a bad idea.

There is no way to magically convert a .cia file into a .3dsx file. If an emulator is available as a .3dsx file, then you should look for that version on the emulator's website.

Yeah, yeah... I know, I know. I hoped against hope it would work, but had a good inclination it probably wouldn't. When dinking around with .CIA forwarder programs, I've had to manually change .GB files to .GBC files, and it's worked. So, I did have a precedent for such a thing working in the past. I know it's probably apples and oranges compared to .3dsx and .cia files, but yeah. I was just trying to see if I could possibly pull this off without having to unscrew the backcover on my 3DS.

Kwyjor · Oct 1, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
In that case, you have any recommendations for a good stand-alone Gameboy emulator for 3DS that's compatible with the Homebrew Launcher?

mGBA still has a .3dsx version, if I'm not mistaken.

Thee_Stranger said:
I was just trying to see if I could possibly pull this off without having to unscrew the backcover on my 3DS.

If you're talking about copying files to your SD card, then you can easily do that wirelessly using ftpd . (microSD Management on the New 3DS is another option, but ftpd is much preferable.)

Shadow#1 · Oct 1, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
Ah, gotcha. Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that the PicoDrive Emulator was a RetroArch core, but you're right, the one in my Homebrew Launcher seems to be a standalone thing. In that case, you have any recommendations for a good stand-alone Gameboy emulator for 3DS that's compatible with the Homebrew Launcher? The more robust the options, the better: GBC, Super Gameboy, etc

Why not a home menu cia?

Thee_Stranger · Oct 1, 2022

Kwyjor said:
mGBA still has a .3dsx version, if I'm not mistaken.

If you're talking about copying files to your SD card, then you can easily do that wirelessly using ftpd . (microSD Management on the New 3DS is another option, but ftpd is much preferable.)

- Nice. That's the core I tried to use, and I believe it has Super Gameboy options. So, I'll definitely explore that. Thanks for the tip.

- Never heard of ftpd. I definitely have some researching to do soon.

Thee_Stranger · Oct 1, 2022

Shadow#1 said:
Why not a home menu cia?

That'd be great, yeah. But as I've said, I've run out of room for those. Relegating some things to the Homebrew Launcher would certainly help with that.

Shadow#1 · Oct 1, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
That'd be great, yeah. But as I've said, I've run out of room for those. Relegating some things to the Homebrew Launcher would certainly help with that.

3dsbank

Thee_Stranger · Oct 10, 2022

Well, so... I downloaded the Unistore as well mGBA (.3dsx), and ftpd.

mGBA doesn't appear to be as good of a GBA Emulator as whatever Nintendo uses for their Virtual Console emulator on 3DS. I'm experiencing a lot of sound glitches and framerate stuttering with certain titles. The Super Gameboy features are really nice, and it appears to emulate (most) GB & GBC games flawlessly, but it leaves a bit to be desired. I also tried downloading "Open AGB Launcher" from the Unistore, but that just crashed my 3DS everytime. It appears I'd be better off playing some of these GBA games as .cia's. But... I'm out of room.

If I could just relegate a few more apps to the Homebrew Launcher -- namely TWiLight Menu, RetroArch, and Checkpoint -- I'd be golden. Problem is, none of these seem to be available in .3dsx form.

I did look into the 3dsbank, but that seems like it might be a tad risky, and having to go through TWiLight Menu to access two different 3DS Home Menus is more of a convoluted hassle than I'd particularly prefer to deal with.

Does anyone know if those files are available at all in .3dsx format, or if there's a way to convert .cia into .3dsx?

Shadow#1 · Oct 10, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
Well, so... I downloaded the Unistore as well mGBA (.3dsx), and ftpd.

mGBA doesn't appear to be as good of a GBA Emulator as whatever Nintendo uses for their Virtual Console emulator on 3DS. I'm experiencing a lot of sound glitches and framerate stuttering with certain titles. The Super Gameboy features are really nice, and it appears to emulate (most) GB & GBC games flawlessly, but it leaves a bit to be desired. I also tried downloading "Open AGB Launcher" from the Unistore, but that just crashed my 3DS everytime. It appears I'd be better off playing some of these GBA games as .cia's. But... I'm out of room.

If I could just relegate a few more apps to the Homebrew Launcher -- namely TWiLight Menu, RetroArch, and Checkpoint -- I'd be golden. Problem is, none of these seem to be available in .3dsx form.

I did look into the 3dsbank, but that seems like it might be a tad risky, and having to go through TWiLight Menu to access two different 3DS Home Menus is more of a convoluted hassle than I'd particularly prefer to deal with.

Does anyone know if those files are available at all in .3dsx format, or if there's a way to convert .cia into .3dsx?

Open agb firm uses the native hardware for gba on 3ds so other then installing cias of gba games its the same effect

Thee_Stranger · Oct 10, 2022

Shadow#1 said:
Open agb firm uses the native hardware for gba on 3ds so other then installing cias of gba games its the same effect

Awesome. Well, that'd be great. Except for the fact that it doesn't work, and just crashes my 3DS. Maybe I'll try to download it directly from the site instead of the Unistore.

Shadow#1 · Oct 10, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
Awesome. Well, that'd be great. Except for the fact that it doesn't work, and just crashes my 3DS. Maybe I'll try to download it directly from the site instead of the Unistore.

It's always best to get it direct from the github

https://github.com/profi200/open_agb_firm/releases/tag/alpha_2022-4-25

Thee_Stranger · Oct 11, 2022

Shadow#1 said:
It's always best to get it direct from the github

https://github.com/profi200/open_agb_firm/releases/tag/alpha_2022-4-25

This garbage doesn't work, either. Stupid download doesn't even load. -_-

Shadow#1 · Oct 11, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
This garbage doesn't work, either. Stupid download doesn't even load. -_-

Why did u download the wrong thing?

Thee_Stranger · Oct 11, 2022

Shadow#1 said:
Why did u download the wrong thing?

No, I can't even download it. The "Assets" simply don't load on that homepage you've linked. Can't seem to find a working download anywhere else, either. Something is apparently just fundamentally broken with this thing.

Shadow#1 · Oct 11, 2022

Thee_Stranger said:
No, I can't even download it. The "Assets" simply don't load on that homepage you've linked. Can't seem to find a working download anywhere else, either. Something is apparently just fundamentally broken with this thing.

They another browser/device

Homebrew Emulation How to Import Emulators to Homebrew Launcher?

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