Hacking [RELEASE] PS4 RetroArch Port (Unofficial)

[S3phi40T]

I'm using DNS and loader by @Al-Azif but it's all the same unless he didn't have time to release it yet in his DNS.
I hope he can help us resolve the issue.
I am very grateful to you guys for all of your hard work!!
...I'm still so happy with my console. It was 5.53 IDU brick week ago

 

[S3phi40T]

@OsirisX I have an idea/workaround.
It looks like default retroarch.cfg is not included.
Either add retroarch.cfg to Retroarch (I believe it's inside eboot.bin) and make sure directories have /data/ replaced with /usb0/ (or please chose some other directory that application will actually have access to)
...or change default retroarch.cfg location to usb/some place app actually can save into and we should be all fine.

As Retroarch is able to save to /usb0/ we should be able to to use resources from USB and run it without issues on 6.72.

 

[S3phi40T]

@OsirisX
I did some research.
- Unpacked your fpkg
- added some folders and files to Image0
- newly added files were available in application in app0 folder
- tried to edit/save in app0 but failed to write data
- saving in usb0 works fine

Conclusions:
Your application doesn't have write permissions to anything that is in console's internal memory.
/data/ - even if I write something in there via FTP, application's /data/ is over-mounting it (couldn't thought of better phrasing)?

Proposed workaround/solution:
The same as with Switch - simply copy/move "whole" Retroarch folder to external disk.
Replace /data/ with /usb0/ as a default directory and we should be all good with online updater but yes, retroarch wouldn't be working without external drive.
@seanp2500 correct me if I'm wrong, but I think better this way or no way??
...unless someone like @Leeful, @KiiWii could direct us how to make write access for /data/ so Retroarch can save in there?

 

[Deleted User]

@OsirisX
I did some research.
- Unpacked your fpkg
- added some folders and files to Image0
- newly added files were available in application in app0 folder
- tried to edit/save in app0 but failed to write data
- saving in usb0 works fine

Conclusions:
Your application doesn't have write permissions to anything that is in console's internal memory.
/data/ - even if I write something in there via FTP, application's /data/ is over-mounting it (couldn't thought of better phrasing)?

Proposed workaround/solution:
The same as with Switch - simply copy/move "whole" Retroarch folder to external disk.
Replace /data/ with /usb0/ as a default directory and we should be all good with online updater but yes, retroarch wouldn't be working without external drive.
@seanp2500 correct me if I'm wrong, but I think better this way or no way??
...unless someone like @Leeful, @KiiWii could direct us how to make write access for /data/ so Retroarch can save in there?

great minds think alike. This is EXACTLY what i was trying to explain. You phrased it perfectly. This was also my own idea in order to fix our woes! Believe it or not. I am sorry but have you already completed this work or where are you at? I have failed miserably in my efforts to do the same thing.

 

[S3phi40T]

I did exactly what I wrote....so I ended up with extracted pkg file, tried to find Retroarch's files but only version with added cores has something useful. I have looked into param.sfo and compared with some other homebrews.
...if only @OsirisX could recompile retroarch with different configuration default path (/usb0/ instead of /data/) we could do everything via USB - cores, assets, thumbnails etc.
...if I only knew how to get into Retroarch's files ...or knew how to compile it from scratch using OrisisX's fork we would be all good but I'm not developer just good at google-fu

 

[Deleted User]

yeah so far i did an extract and placed the assets and system folder in same dir as cores but when launching i got error sadly. I am assuming there is some sort of list file which tells the app what should be installed and if it matches blah blah. Hopefully dev sees our findings all attempts at usb copy and ftp have failed for me

 

[S3phi40T]

@seanp2500 PkgEditor-0.2.243 didn't return me any errors when I have extracted PKG, added folders and files and built it back. Make sure you don't edit param.sfo ...but still, folders inside application were mounted with read only permissions.

 

[Deleted User]

well so much for those problems

 

[OsirisX]

...if only @OsirisX could recompile retroarch with different configuration default path (/usb0/ instead of /data/) we could do everything via USB - cores, assets, thumbnails etc.

Cores can't load off usb since PS4 only accepts loading self files from /app0 or /data/self. Anyway here's a pkg that will have the default RetroArch path set to /usb0/retroarch. I guess this can be a workaround for 6.72 until the /data path issue gets resolved.

RetroArch_PS4_r4_Bundle_usb.pkg:
https://mega.nz/file/6VZEQQRb#GNdwNy4B5xdUN_p04y4K3P9t8LHMIq3AT6mFG7dY-Jo

 

[S3phi40T]

Cores can't load off usb since PS4 only accepts loading self files from /app0 or /data/self. Anyway here's a pkg that will have the default RetroArch path set to /usb0/retroarch. I guess this can be a workaround for 6.72 until the /data path issue gets resolved.

RetroArch_PS4_r4_Bundle_usb.pkg:
https://mega.nz/file/6VZEQQRb#GNdwNy4B5xdUN_p04y4K3P9t8LHMIq3AT6mFG7dY-Jo

Works like a charm!!
Finally downloaded packages are extracted!!
Thank you!!

 

[S3phi40T]

Even downloading thumbnails work!!!!
I'll check Atari+ keyboard when my wife awakes.
Only downsize is i can't update cores and it seems it has issues with ROMs in *.bin files ... But hell yeah!! It works good!!

 

[S3phi40T]

@seanp2500 Everything works fine out of the box. If you encounter E-34878-0 error, simply reinstall Retroarch (as there are still some issues with external drive). In this configuration when everything resides on external drive, reinstalling Retroarch doesn't resets any of user's settings

For Atari, remember to change input from "RetroPad" to "Atari Joystick" so you don't need external keyboard at all.
@OsirisX So far I see only one flaw. We can't update cores. ...but as long as it's workaround, not permanent fix, it's working just brilliant!!

One more thing I have observed but it's 100% hardware related - external wireless keyboard + Portable Disk = so much interference to the DualShock's BT connection ... console is unplayable form distance longer than 1 meter.
Compared to Xbox One, PS4's design (Wi-Fi + BT interference with USB devices) is sooooo bad.
...so if someone encounters similar issue - it's not Retroarch's fault.

 

[Deleted User]

@seanp2500 Everything works fine out of the box. If you encounter E-34878-0 error, simply reinstall Retroarch (as there are still some issues with external drive). In this configuration when everything resides on external drive, reinstalling Retroarch doesn't resets any of user's settings

For Atari, remember to change input from "RetroPad" to "Atari Joystick" so you don't need external keyboard at all.
@OsirisX So far I see only one flaw. We can't update cores. ...but as long as it's workaround, not permanent fix, it's working just brilliant!!

One more thing I have observed but it's 100% hardware related - external wireless keyboard + Portable Disk = so much interference to the DualShock's BT connection ... console is unplayable form distance longer than 1 meter.
Compared to Xbox One, PS4's design (Wi-Fi + BT interference with USB devices) is sooooo bad.
...so if someone encounters similar issue - it's not Retroarch's fault.

cool. Yeah if you watch my vid i basically leave core on app0 then i switch bios and assets to usb. Poof it worked!

 

[S3phi40T]

Works perfectly!!
In current state, even if there is additional core or core update, We can always re-pack OsirisX's release with new cores and put it on Mega or something else XD

 

[Deleted User]

Works perfectly!!
In current state, even if there is additional core or core update, We can always re-pack OsirisX's release with new cores and put it on Mega or something else XD

i don't think it's that simple it would be cool if it was you would have to compile them i believe for ps4 all in all good times retroarch has arrived on 6.72!

 

[S3phi40T]

i don't think it's that simple it would be cool if it was you would have to compile them i believe for ps4 all in all good times retroarch has arrived on 6.72!

Yes, it is this simple. Unpack, replace core files, repack. Core files are not compressed or encrypted. This makes the job very quick and simple

 

[Deleted User]

Yes, it is this simple. Unpack, replace core files, repack. Core files are not compressed or encrypted. This makes the job very quick and simple

damn i hate covid people get all snooty...well once the core is compiled for ps4 sure...if you are taking requests can i get a dolphin core please hahaha

 

[OsirisX]

Works perfectly!!
In current state, even if there is additional core or core update, We can always re-pack OsirisX's release with new cores and put it on Mega or something else XD

If I do add more cores and 6.72 is not fixed by that time, then I'll have a separate pkg made for it.

 

[KiiWii]

If I do add more cores and 6.72 is not fixed by that time, then I'll have a separate pkg made for it.

Keep up the great work bud, it’s really awesome what you’re doing here for PS4 users

 

[S3phi40T]

Aaaaand by the way, changing menu driver to XMB seems both accurate and trolling at the same time.
I've tested PPSSPP and movies are stuttering but gameplay is all fine even with graphics scaled 2x or 3x