WiiFlow Lite with emulator's database

WHAT IS IT?
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It displays a game info window and synopsis for almost all emulated systems. It's also possible to show a snapshot and a cartridge image.
Here are some screenshots :





HOWTO
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- Download and extract this modified WiiFlow Lite : https://github.com/Wiimpathy/WiiFlow_Lite/releases/download/v5.1.0/wfl_v5.1.0_DB.zip
EDIT : Now you can use the Official version.

- Download the databases for each console/computer : https://www.mediafire.com/file/4blrpsqqn5g0bdu/Wiiflow_Database.7z/file

- Download the snapshots and cartridge/disks images : http://www.mediafire.com/file/6a563zva8c7weew/Wiiflow_Snapshots.7z/file
https://www.mediafire.com/file/xegmyb7uxid4nki/Wiiflow_CartDisk.7z/file

- Extract the images and databases to SD or USB. By default, Wiiflow searches on sd card. If you want to change the paths to USB, edit wiiflow_lite.ini :

* dir_cart=usb1:/wiiflow/cart_disk (It's the cartridges, CD, and disks images)
* dir_snap=usb1:/wiiflow/snapshots (In-game snapshots)
* dir_plugins_data=usb1:/wiiflow/plugins_data (databases)

- Now launch WiiFlow, select a plugin and press + button on a game.


Notes
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If you want to help filling data or adding images you'll find what's missing in the missing.zip.

Spoiler: Some technical and not essential remarks...

Identify the system

To know which database to use for the current plugin, Wiiflow reads a file called platform.ini in /wiiflow/plugins_data.
This file is a list where a plugin magic number corresponds to a platform name. For example, the current plugin is genplus-gx_cd :
53454751=MEGACD
From there it will try to load info in /wiiflow/plugins_data/MEGACD and images in /wiiflow/cart_disk/MEGACD and /wiiflow/snapshots/MEGACD

The magic numbers are from Abz masterpiece pack.
If you have modified any .ini plugins files (specifically their magic numbers), you must edit/add you magic # platform.ini.


Identify the game

Due to various naming conventions (tosec/goodset/no-intro...or just user renamed!), we can't rely on names only.
CRC is fast enough for almost all systems. Few years ago, it was hard to find good crc lists so that would have been a lot of
hit and miss. Now, it's a lot better even for less known platforms.
CD based system like PS1 and MegaCD are using serials(found in iso's header) instead. CRC would be much too long, about 30s to calculate!

The databases are formatted like wiitdb.xml. Like Wii games, each game has a unique GameID(from Screenscraper.fr). Here's how it works in Wiiflow:

For example, Pocky & Rocky (USA) for Super Nintendo.

1. Look for the GameID in SUPERNES.ini

a) Based on filename minus region flags. If found go to #2 else b).
b) Based on CRC in this case.

2. Search the GameID(2267AA here) in SUPERNES.xml to retrieve the game's detail.

3. Look for images first based on the game's name from the database else with the GameID.


Known issues/Todo

- There may have issues with combined plugins.
- ScummVM is not implemented...
- Dos : add new crc to DOS.ini(from libretro db).
- Dos : parse the .conf files to retrieve the exe path and get crc.
- The databases are very incomplete, sometimes malformed or contains invalid characters.
- There's no default cart/snapshot in Wifflow when not found.
- The rating /20 should be shifted in carbonik theme.
- The 'coop' value isn't used in Wiiflow.

I'm done with this stuff, finished or not. Do what you want with it. Here's the source code: https://github.com/Wiimpathy/WiiFlow_Lite/tree/Plugins_Database

CREDITS
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screenscraper.fr, thegamesdb.net ...

 

No problem if you want to add it. There are still adjustments to do but the essential should be there.

 

OK fledge68, I've sent you a Pull request.

I've added Dosbox in the Todo. Right now, there's no fallback if the name isn't found when using the plugin with .conf files. It would need a special case like what I've done for Atari st and .cfg files. It'd be a bit more complex because the .conf could contain any commands. But it should be possible to guess the exe path and compare crc...

 

1. Yes, it's a screenscraper.fr user's rating, you can remove it or maybe make it optional. There's very few PEGI or other rating data, so I've used that instead.

2. Just like for Wii/GC games it shows the number of players. Personally I found it useful. And the coop value too, but for that we should perhaps add a new icon and the corresponding code off course...
Regarding the control type, it's just the default and same controllers in all databases. I didn't bother to change them per system (keyboard for computers, required classic/GC for N64 etc.).

3. You're right, there's a lot less space with these texts particularly in languages other than English. It's still not enough sometimes specially with carbonik theme. I like to have this general view with info + both images. At first, I thought of another solution : truncate the text at a max length and add 3 dots. And a scrolling text when hovering with the Wiimote.
Your idea to toggle between snapshot or cart(if I understand well?) may be an alternative. I'm also curious about other's suggestions...


Re-creating the databases took more time than I thought. The MegaCD serial detection is homemade because I couldn't find any info about headers. Some of the atari st pasti crcs are a bit exclusive too.
But with about 50 systems, I'm sure you'll forgive all the mistakes!

 

You're right, you have to parse it yourself. There could be any Dos commands in [autoexec] though. The 'exit' command isn't mandatory for example.
It's not that simple to get the game's path. The .conf or 'romdir' doesn't give you the full path. That was my plan that is also far from perfect:

- retrieve 'mount c ...' line and just keep 'root' path. (mount c usb:/dosbox/games)
- retrieve 'cd ...' line to keep game's folder. (cd prehist2)
- concatenate both : usb:/dosbox/game + prehist2
- detect line containing .exe|.com|.bat to get game's executable.
- path + executable

In Tetsuo pack : https://gbatemp.net/threads/dosbox-conf-and-map-files-collection-for-wiiflow.348496/, there are cases where it wouldn't work like Pinball Dreams because D is used to mount the iso... Not much time right now... If you have better ideas...

Oh, and by the way, the Dos database isn't made yet!

 

Yes, the data is there. I meant the .ini with the crcs. They are from screenscraper.fr, and they don't seem to match any exe. The crc from libretro are far better.
I have to recreate a DOS.ini with their data instead. Or if anyone with scripting skills can help, you're welcome.

 

Thanks, glad you like it.

Regarging the bug, is there a crash when you open Wii or GC coverflow? Are you using source menu?
Normally, you should still be able to access sources other than plugins.

It also seems that Fledge68 has modified this gameinfo code and possibly fixed some bugs. No build yet but you can compile it if you want: https://github.com/Fledge68/WiiFlow_Lite

 

It may be a good idea. I'll let fledge68 do it if he wants to cause he knows the code better than me.

 

Little update:

- ScummVM titles works now. Search is only based on names.
- ScummVM ini updated(names).
- NeoGeo database bad dates fixed.
- Arcade.xml and Mame.xml merged.

See wfl_DB_Test2.zip and Wiiflow_Database_V2.zip in the first post.

 

Nice @RunningSnakes. It's so rare to have people helping and sharing. I salute you!