Hacking .PBP files, can you use them on beetle on the switch?

[freevil]

As the titles says, does beetle or any othe ps1 emu on switch work with .PBP files or will I have to use isos or cue, bin? Thanks.

 

[Masterwin]

I have only tried with bin and cue and they work correctly

 

[BvanBart]

I never used PBP files... bin and cue files are more mainstream

 

[nero99]

aren't .PBP used for the psp converted ps1 games?

 

[notimp]

First result googleing beetle psx:
https://github.com/libretro/beetle-psx-libretro

Containing:

Beetle PSX differs from other PS1 emulators in that it needs a cue sheet (.cue) which points to one or more image files (.iso/.bin) instead of loading the image files directly. If you have e.g. foo.iso, you should create a foo.cue, and fill this in:

- First response being from a youtuber telling you "what he tried" (abstraction potential -3, learning potential - limited).
- Second response being someone telling you "whats more mainstream". (By *feels* - feels, the new metric of an entire generation. Feels, you never can be wrong - because feels).
- Third response being a threadjacking with another, question - but actually the main reason I am actually doing some explaining in here -

.pbp is arguably the better format going forward. For archival purposes. Because it allows multi disc games to be packaged into one file, because it strips out filler data all CD based games had, that sometimes amounts to more than half of the images size. Because it is well documented, and reasonably open.

Of course the mainstream doesnt think so - so, don't use it...?

To end with - lets adress the elephant in the room as well - if the psx bettle core currently runs at 10-15 fps max onthe switch (no dynarec, no hardware acceleration) - none of this matters anyway - because the person asking the question, may try this once - and thats it. PSX emulation on the Switch currently is not viable. We hope that this will change in the future.

edit: Forgot one more thing. Yes - pbp initially was a PSP format, but eventually some emulators (PCSX, ..) added support for it (the format, not PSP games), which is why we are having this discussion.

 

[Kerbangman]

I cant get Beetle to work on the switch .It just goes into a white switch screen and locks up.

 

[Masterwin]

I cant get Beetle to work on the switch .It just goes into a white switch screen and locks up.

surely you have not put the bios and you have indicated where they are in the SD

 

[ShadowOne333]

First result googleing beetle psx:
https://github.com/libretro/beetle-psx-libretro

Containing:


- First response being from a youtuber telling you "what he tried" (abstraction potential -3, learning potential - limited).
- Second response being someone telling you "whats more mainstream". (By *feels* - feels, the new metric of an entire generation. Feels, you never can be wrong - because feels).
- Third response being a threadjacking with another, question - but actually the main reason I am actually doing some explaining in here -

.pbp is arguably the better format going forward. For archival purposes. Because it allows multi disc games to be packaged into one file, because it strips out filler data all CD based games had, that sometimes amounts to more than half of the images size. Because it is well documented, and reasonably open.

Of course the mainstream doesnt think so - so, don't use it...?

To end with - lets adress the elephant in the room as well - if the psx bettle core currently runs at 10-15 fps max onthe switch (no dynarec, no hardware acceleration) - none of this matters anyway - because the person asking the question, may try this once - and thats it. PSX emulation on the Switch currently is not viable. We hope that this will change in the future.

edit: Forgot one more thing. Yes - pbp initially was a PSP format, but eventually some emulators (PCSX, ..) added support for it (the format, not PSP games), which is why we are having this discussion.

Don't be so harsh on the rest.
This link pretty much sums it up:
https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Playstation-1

TL;DR
Yes, .pbp should be compatible with Beetle PSX, though if it loads on Switch or not, remains to be seen, since RetroArch Switch is still in a very alpha stage.

 

[notimp]

Don't be so harsh on the rest.
This link pretty much sums it up:
https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Playstation-1

TL;DR
Yes, .pbp should be compatible with Beetle PSX, though if it loads on Switch or not, remains to be seen, since RetroArch Switch is still in a very alpha stage.

Thats news to me. (I didn't try it, once I read, that beetly would require .cue files.) I'll try it out and report back.

As for the "dont be so harsh" part - yeeees, but apart from the motivations already described and a sincere lack of willingness to read, or test stuff on their own - all that this currently leads up to is to an unimpressed state of the person who will try to get it working, and then drop it 15 seconds later, because its not in a currently usable state.

Also - as for the not readng part - we also have someone in here that is very surprised by the white screen (discussed in the Retroarch thread), and nothing happening after (BIOS issue?).

Being hardpressed on which side I'd rather se myself falling on - being seen as a hardliner, with not much patience for people who show a real lack of involvement, or being seen as someone who can get exploited on a case by case basis by random people on the internet who use their smartphones as "magic answering boxes" - I've made my choice.

I'm actually a pretty plesent human being that would never have the urge to act like this in person (*hrm* yeah - becaue you wouldnt dare to!), but seeing quite recently what the term "community" has become since the me generation clashed against web platforms, have made me act like a grouchy old man, because I cant bare the alternative of shutting my mouth, and let it all unfold like the average "i want personal support" phone user imagines the interaction to play out.

/tldr; I'm acting out the tough love playbook for a reason as well. This is not just me liking to ride a superiority complex into the ground.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Thats news to me. (I didn't try it, once I read, that beetly would require .cue files.) I'll try it out and report back.

As for the "dont be so harsh" part - yeeees, but apart from the motivations already described and a sincere lack of willingness to read, or test stuff on their own - all that this currently leads up to is to an unimpressed state of the person who will try to get it working, and then drop it 15 seconds later, because its not in a currently usable state.

Also - as for the not readng part - we also have someone in here that is very surprised by the white screen (discussed in the Retroarch thread), and nothing happening after (BIOS issue?).

Being hardpressed on which side I'd rather se myself falling on - being seen as a hardliner, with not much patience for people who show a real lack of involvement, or being seen as someone who can get exploited on a case by case basis by random people on the internet who use their smartphones as "magic answering boxes" - I've made my choice.

I'm actually a pretty plesent human being that would never have the urge to act like this in person (*hrm* yeah - becaue you wouldnt dare to!), but seeing quite recently what the term "community" has become since the me generation clashed against web platforms, have made me act like a grouchy old man, because I cant bare the alternative of shutting my mouth, and let it all unfold like the average "i want personal support" phone user imagines the interaction to play out.

/tldr; I'm acting out the touch love playbook for a reason as well. This is not just me liking to ride a superiority complex into the ground.

Well to start, I would give Beetle PSX a try with PBP files in RetroArch PC first before attempting it in the Switch.
If Beetle PSX boots up with the BIOS and the PBP file, then it should work in Switch.
If it still doesn't work on Switch, then it would require some more coding into it to accommodate for the Switch changes/port.

 

[notimp]

Ok, I tried to test pbp support on the Switch version for 15 minutes now - and while doing so felt like the gbatemp village idiot, out on a mission to please "random generation Y dude", because dude got a smartphone, and uses the internet as his personal magic Alexa replacement.

Here is the thing. The beetle PSX build crashes. A lot. It is not built with the most recent patches that actually eliminated every retroarch build crashing, so it crashes, on boot, on load, pre load, after launching an iso... randomly. If you can get it to work, the game will play at 10-15 fps (the elephant in the room thing mentioned above), so games will be literally unplayable. The switch menu overlay is always on screen - so thats another thing no normal person would accept - and this information is all in the retroarch thread by now, but apparently no one is reading anything anymore - thats what you have your personal forum assistant for - you tell "pretty please, most easy explaination" and "thanks" once in a while...

Now for the pbp part. The file shows up in the file browser, but I couldnt get my test game to boot. one time It loaded into a white(/black depending on the design you chose) 4:3 screen, and then refused to launch into the bios boot, another time it crashed directly and only to the menu overlay - 3 other times it crashed into a black screen, and that is not counting the 5 crashes prior, to get even the beetle psx nro to load.

And now - please tell me, why you think that this is someones prerogative to outsource to random guy on the internet, because they are too lazy to do on their own, and too "not so much into reading" to find out, that none of it matters, considering the current state of PSX emulation on the switch.

Theoretical support is in. Cant get my test pbp game to boot. There you have it. Can't wait for the empty thank you. Next time, surprise me - do stuff on your own.

(Now look at the fork in the road. I had a decision to make. I could have written up the experience and result for the boy (?) with a dream to run a PSX game on the switch currently - especially using the pbp format - and have others find out for him, if thats possible, and tell him, sadly - currently its seems not possible to load those files - in a most pleasant and calm voice. Or I could lead with "currently PSX emulation is not in a usable state on the Switch (no dynarec, no hardware acceleration, 15 fps at most -), read up on the current state of PSX emulation on the Switch (thread exists in this forum) and supported file formats yourself (this time it turns out, that the main wiki page and the Retroarch platform page offer up conflicting information) - and then don't ask for testing, test stuff on your own." Huh... the last one is more honest, closer to the heart, and a more effective means get people to actually participate, and not just call shots from the sidelines.

And by participating, I do mean stuff like, doing research on their own, linking sources, doing testing - not just expressing feels, hearsay and opinions, or wanting to share that they've just subscribed to a killer youtube channel (something that happened today - not involving anyone in here (=not a slant against Masterwin ) and made me cringe so hard (funny story actually - some guy celebrated a youtube video containing an oral summery of peoples feelings of the very thread, he then was posting the video to - stating, that this thing was the best thing evar - like, an subscribe...).)

 

[Kerbangman]

surely you have not put the bios and you have indicated where they are in the SD

Yep pointed to the bios directory with all the correct bios. I have retroarch on the vita.
It just stalls. I have to hold the power button down for ages to reset.

Maybe there is a newer nro ? I only saw the one posted in the retro thread.

 

[notimp]

Maybe there is not. Maybe there is a posting in the Retroarch thread explaining why there is not. Maybe there are several postings in the Retroarch thread describing who builds the .nros and how, and why they stopped.

If you ignore all that (/dont read it), you may be entitled to your opinion.

That said, if you are using pbp - regardless of using the correct bios, beetle seems to just not load the game you try to launch - if you load a cue/iso or cue/bin, games will start - but with said limitations that make them unplayable in the first place. Also - there will be crashes. Also - all of that was mentioned in here before.

I hope, we are now at a state, where you can stop ignoring all this - and start acting like someone who was presented with this information- several times. Instead of lets say "Indiana Jones" out on his quest to find his "magic nro" one support request repeat at a time.

"But what if, all I needed would just be a better nro?"

*gulp - runs out of the room screaming*

You sure are entitled to your personal support, and ignoring the world around you for as long as possible, arent you? Also, there is irony in the fact, that you just asked a youtuber for a more detailed, personal explaination. I'm sure he is about to make you a video - anytime now. Is it up yet? How many views has it gotten so far? Did you ask it in the comments below?

edit: Also - this happens, when you let the general public in on pre alpha software builds, that dont get released by an official source. It's not like I didn't call it earlier... All the postings of how insane it is, that people were literally nicebombing others to release early builds - where there to prevent, basically - this.

"But maybe someone has a more current nro, that..."

*runs out of the next room, still screaming*

 

[freevil]

Maybe there is not. Maybe there is a posting in the Retroarch thread explaining why there is not. Maybe there are several postings in the Retroarch thread describing who builds the .nros and how, and why they stopped.

If you ignore all that (/dont read it), you may be entitled to your opinion.

That said, if you are using pbp - regardless of using the correct bios, beetle seems to just not load the game you try to launch - if you load a cue/iso or cue/bin, games will start - but with said limitations that make them unplayable in the first place. Also - there will be crashes. Also - all of that was mentioned in here before.

I hope, we are now at a state, where you can stop ignoring all this - and start acting like someone who was presented with this information- several times. Instead of lets say "Indiana Jones" out on his quest to find his "magic nro" one support request repeat at a time.

"But what if, all I needed would just be a better nro?"

*gulp - runs out of the room screaming*

You sure are entitled to your personal support, and ignoring the world around you for as long as possible, arent you? Also, there is irony in the fact, that you just asked a youtuber for a more detailed, personal explaination. I'm sure he is about to make you a video - anytime now. Is it up yet? How many views has it gotten so far? Did you ask it in the comments below?

edit: Also - this happens, when you let the general public in on pre alpha software builds, that dont get released by an official source. It's not like I didn't call it earlier... All the postings of how insane it is, that people were literally nicebombing others to release early builds - where there to prevent, basically - this.

"But maybe someone has a more current nro, that..."

*runs out of the next room, still screaming*

That last comment make me laugh out loud hard, lol.

Believe me, I tried every possible way to get beetle to work like I have with the other nros, which are working great by the way, if you know what bugs etc to look for, they actually work. Beetle on the other hand need more work, I was just wondering if pbps would work as they show up but crash upon loading. Anyway, again, thanks for all the hard work and dedication.

"...runs out of the room, screaming..." lol, lol.

 

[Kerbangman]

Maybe there is not. Maybe there is a posting in the Retroarch thread explaining why there is not. Maybe there are several postings in the Retroarch thread describing who builds the .nros and how, and why they stopped.

If you ignore all that (/dont read it), you may be entitled to your opinion.

That said, if you are using pbp - regardless of using the correct bios, beetle seems to just not load the game you try to launch - if you load a cue/iso or cue/bin, games will start - but with said limitations that make them unplayable in the first place. Also - there will be crashes. Also - all of that was mentioned in here before.

I hope, we are now at a state, where you can stop ignoring all this - and start acting like someone who was presented with this information- several times. Instead of lets say "Indiana Jones" out on his quest to find his "magic nro" one support request repeat at a time.

"But what if, all I needed would just be a better nro?"

*gulp - runs out of the room screaming*

You sure are entitled to your personal support, and ignoring the world around you for as long as possible, arent you? Also, there is irony in the fact, that you just asked a youtuber for a more detailed, personal explaination. I'm sure he is about to make you a video - anytime now. Is it up yet? How many views has it gotten so far? Did you ask it in the comments below?

edit: Also - this happens, when you let the general public in on pre alpha software builds, that dont get released by an official source. It's not like I didn't call it earlier... All the postings of how insane it is, that people were literally nicebombing others to release early builds - where there to prevent, basically - this.

"But maybe someone has a more current nro, that..."

*runs out of the next room, still screaming*

Screaming like a girly

 

[solrac21]

OK guys sorry i'm late to the party but I've been traveling for work. I was able to create a pbp of one of my games and it booted and got to the main start screen. the game was compressed from 715mb down to 115mb.

@notimp - not sure if you tried it but i unchecked the "use data.psp" box in the options in the converter. I don't have access to any multi-disc games but I will test when i get home.

 

[notimp]

I tested it with a single CD game as well. Not sure about data.psp (but the file works in pcx rearmed), I converted it a while ago.

Thank you for the confirmation, that the format works in beetle on the Switch. I gave up after 12 (or so) crashes.