[Dolphin] Use gamesettings folder (games specific .ini) for core?

Libretro Cores
#1

Sorry, another thread, but I couldn’t find a proper answer either.

Dolphin standalone allows to force settings for each games using the “gamesettings” folder in the “User” directory.

I know Retroarch does this very well with its own method by editing each game’s configuration, but the core is missing some useful options needed by some games to work properly.

Is there any way or method for the core to use the gamesettings folder the same way standalone dolphin does ?

Or is there any way to force the core’s missing options in the games .opt files (retroarch/config/dolphin-emu/game.opt) ?

I’m thinking about options like the ones needed here for example:

#2

In RetroArch directory go to saves system > dolphin-emu > User > GameSettings. It should work the same as in standalone core. Edit: Thanks md2mcb. It’s system directory, not saves indeed.

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#3

Thanks for your reply - but, can you confirm it does work on your end ?

My user folder in Retroarch is properly setup and actually is the same that I use for Dolphin since I launch this one with the CLI, pointing this directory to be used instead of the local User folder.

Works like a charm in Dolphin.

But the Retroarch core doesn’t seem to use the “Gamesettings” folder at all.

My “Load” folder (with textures), “GC”, “Wii” etc. are apparently all recognized since I do have my savefiles and textures replacements working, but the specific settings for each game located in “Gamesettings” are not applied.

Is there something I’m missing here ?

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#4

I think the gamesettings folder for libretro-dolphin is actually on the system directory, not on the saves one. Try that.

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#5

Oh, you are actually right, it is the system directory, not saves.

I can confirm it works, because in the past used this to use custom settings for Wave Race Blue Storm, as it would not start the race otherwise. And when I posted this in Reddit (back then when I was using Reddit) several people confirmed it works for them too, on Android, on Mac and so on.

#6

There’s one in the Sys directory indeed, but it’s the one that stores all “default” settings made by Dolphin devs for each game to work - ideally, this should not be modified (and should be updated frequently).

Standalone dolphin uses the .ini files in Dolphin/sys/gamesettings for every game.

.ini files in Dolphin/user/gamesettings are the ones created by users, and are loaded on top.

So, in standalone, both folders coexists and works together.

@thingsiplay : If I understand correctly, you modified the default .ini files in Dolphin/sys/gamesettings directory, right ?

This should work, but it misses the point of the folder dedicated for the users settings.

Anyway, I’ve tried messing around a bit more, but still can’t load the ones in Dolphin/user/gamesettings .

EDIT : Okay, I figured that out.

I knew that but forgot about it : Dolphin’s Core is not up to date with current Dolphin’s Standalone version.

Which means, various things have changed, including the syntax used for the games .ini. (See the reference guide)

If you created your games custom configurations with the current guide version, chances are that a lot of your settings will not work 'cause the syntax has changed over the various updates.

For example :

Current standalone syntax :

  • ForceTextureFiltering = 0 (required for Mario Party 4, or Resident Evil 2 & 3 to avoid artifacts on textures)

Dolphin’s core syntax :

  • ForceFiltering = False

This explains why I thought my configurations were not applied when I tried… The core doesn’t understand the new syntax.

Well, no workaround for this, except adding deprecated lines to the config files, or directly using what is available from the core’s options.

I’ll wait for some updates, I had very good results with the core so far.

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