Need some help getting started

RetroArch General
#1

My ultimate goal is to have HyperSpin set up on my computer with all the consoles from my childhood (NES, SNES, N64, Gameboy, Genesis, Game Gear). But before I can get there I want to make sure I have all my roms and emulators working perfectly first and then I will start messing around with RocketLauncher and HyperSpin. So where I want to start first is NES and once I get NES working perfectly through RetroArch, RocketLauncher and HyperSpin then I will move on to the other systems.

So I have messed around with RetroArch before but I was wondering if there was anyone who had a similar end goal like mine that already has everything set up perfectly could share what they did to me. The only things I think I may need to mention is that my computer is connected to a HD TV through HDMI and that I would like my games to be run in their original resolution and not stretched. I really don’t mind black bars on the side. Maybe even add scanlines too but that’s not a necessity and would be the only extra thing I would possibly want. I understand that this forum is about RetroArch so it’s fine if that’s all you want to talk about. Once I get RetroArch setup properly and I’m happy with it I can then move on to the RocketLauncher forums and continue my journey from there.

Thanks in advance for any advice you all can give to help me move forward with my ultimate goal. Thank you.

#2

Since Hyperspin et al work from the CLI interface, that’s probably where you’ll want to spend most of your time exploring, rather than through RetroArch’s GUI. Important CLI switches are: -L /path/to/core.dll and -c /path/to/config.cfg Because of the -c switch, you can avoid a lot of the per-core config / override headaches that a lot of people run into. OTOH, if you use an entirely separate config for each core instead of using the config overrides, you may find yourself having to edit a lot of config files just to make one change consistent across all of the cores.

The default aspect ratio in RA is ‘core provided,’ which typically means 4:3 for things that were played on a TV and 1:1 PAR for handhelds (with a few exceptions). You may or may not want to have integer scaling enabled (probably yes if you’re going to do scanlines or a CRT shader, probably not if not; there are exceptions in either case). These things are easier to mess with via the GUI rather than fiddling with cfg files, so you may want to play around with getting it looking how you like it first via GUI and then move on from there.

#3

Well I’m nowhere near done hahaha, but I’ve got RetroArch running the vast majority of my system via Hyperspin and RocketLauncher.

Having spent the last 2 years working on my setup (I insist on doing everything the hard way), and learning a lot by doing just about all of it manually here is what I would sugguest:

Boot up RetroArch with no cores loaded, and figure out your base settings FIRST.

This includes what your controls will be, your basic video settings, etc. Go through all the menus and set what you know you want. If you’re not sure there’s always info online or someone can help out.

After that I would boot up 1 or 2 games for the first system in your list (let’s say NES) and make sure it plays properly, that it looks the way you want etc. Once that’s done do the same for each system/core making sure it’s all how you’d like it setup.

After RetroArch is done, then I’d move onto RocketLauncher/Hyperspin and give it the same approach, all base settings first, then one system at a time.

It sounds like our end goals are somewhat similiar, though I took the heretic’s route and insisted all my games be 16:9 stretched. lol

You can check out my signature for a link to my Hyperspin forums thread, and a video I posted to youtube showing off my setup. Keep in mind it is a little outdated, as I’ve made some changes since then. Been meaning to re-record my walk-through but been busy with easter stuff and wedding planning.

#4

Thanks so much for the reply. Yeah, I’ve probably been messing around with Hyperspin for probably just as long as you if not longer. I felt like I was doing everything backwards. Like I was so focused on getting all my roms matched to the database and downloading all the art first. But once all that was done and then I tried booting up a game, nothing worked. So now I am taking a different approach and just doing one system at a time and starting with the emulator first. But anyway…

Do you use the Nestopia Core with your NES games? Do you notice and screen tearing or input lag? Do you use any shaders like scanlines? Thank you for suggesting to set up my base settings first. But are there any settings specific to your NES core that you found to be the best?

The other thing I wanted to ask is how do the per core settings work? Like I have a USB adapter for just about every systems controller so my controller buttons are going to be different for each system.

Anyway, thanks again for your help and I hope that we will be able to help each other out to obtain our ultimate goals.

#5

Hey, sorry for the late reply. I can’t seem to figure out how to get notifications on this site.

So I do use the Nestopia core for the NES games, but I haven’t noticed any tearing or input lag. I do use an assortment of shaders. For a long time I used the advanced_aa shader, which smoothed things out. Now I have presets that I’ve named HDMI, Composite, S-Video, RGB, etc. Most of them are based off of the Analogue TV pack here in the shaders forum. the “HDMI” one is a scalenx-3x preset with the xsoft shader on top of it.

No particular settings regarding the nestopia core are sticking out in my mind. Was there a particular setting you were looking at, or a problem that was happening? It sounds like you have some screen tearing. Vsync might fix that in the standard video settings. I also don’t use RetroArch’s controller functions. I set those all up using keyboard commands that run through xpadder. My signature thread has some more info on that if you need an example. Personally I went this route because I had so many different usb controllers.

Some people don’t like per-core settings, but I love them. If you go that route though, make sure that you set everything in RetroArch’s default no core first. ‘retroarch.cfg’. That way you won’t have to go through each config file to match any new settings that you need applied across all your cores. Regarding controllers, I setup a base profile of keyboard inputs on the program before moving onto other cores. For the most part that took care of everything, but for some like NES I just switched which key it read the A/B buttons from, things like that.

One of these days I’ll have some time to sit down and do a video tutorial on setting up a system in RetroArch/Hyperspin… one of these days lol. I still need to re-record my system walkthrough since it’s become outdated.

#6

Hi, I’m in a similar situation as you guys but I have only been focused since Christmas. As I found it hard to get things setup I have taken on a separate project of building a website aimed at beginners (record for myself really!) Setting up my Nvidia Shield TV box is the end goal. I have a small Hyperspin/RocketLauncher setup but I realised I won’t end up using the. PC much as its to noisy for the living room.

Currently I’m really trying hard to figure out the overrides/per core config/input remaps and per game configs file structure.

I have checked this blog post mentioned in many posts but still unsure http://blog.andressm.org/new-retroarch-features-2/

Any more help welcome!!

I get how the options work I just don’t get the file name structure and folder structure.

For ref my site is emulationguide.com It’s a work in progress so not put it about yet.

#7

SkyHighGam3r Just watch your vid and read the hyperspin thread. Good job.

#8

[QUOTE=Thatman84;36722]Hi, I’m in a similar situation as you guys but I have only been focused since Christmas. As I found it hard to get things setup I have taken on a separate project of building a website aimed at beginners (record for myself really!) Setting up my Nvidia Shield TV box is the end goal. I have a small Hyperspin/RocketLauncher setup but I realised I won’t end up using the. PC much as its to noisy for the living room.

Currently I’m really trying hard to figure out the overrides/per core config/input remaps and per game configs file structure.

I have checked this blog post mentioned in many posts but still unsure http://blog.andressm.org/new-retroarch-features-2/

Any more help welcome!!

I get how the options work I just don’t get the file name structure and folder structure.

For ref my site is emulationguide.com It’s a work in progress so not put it about yet.[/QUOTE]

I’m not familiar with the input remaps because I just use Xpadder for everything.

I haven’t figured out Per-Game configs myself either. I need to though as I can’t get Astal to boot on Sega Saturn unless I turn off the BIOS, but I love the BIOS, so I want it on every other game lol.

What’s your question about per-core? I use that for everything.

#9

[QUOTE=Thatman84;36723]SkyHighGam3r Just watch your vid and read the hyperspin thread. Good job.[/QUOTE]

Thank you! :slight_smile:

That video is grossly outdated now though haha. Just in this weekend I made tons of progress. I keep meaning to sit down and record a new one, but then I start fixing a game, which turns into a system, which turns into 48 hours of tinkering. You know how it goes hahaha.

#10

With per core configs what is the process steps for total clarity!

I see them as this please correct me or add easier ways. (This is just for retroarch with no links to RocketLauncher, as I’m also setting up for android aswell which doesn’t support RL)

  1. Load no core and set default settings (turn on per core configs option, turn off load overrides)
  2. Save current config
  3. Load a core/content (go into retroarch menus) This is where I get confused
  4. Change my settings for that core (do I need to redo my default settings again for the core, can’t remember off hand it they kept working (can’t check for a couple of days the wife needs some attention!)
  5. Save new config
  6. (Do I then need to rename it or place in another folder)

Updated video would be awesome to watch but I know how it goes

#11

[QUOTE=Thatman84;36802]With per core configs what is the process steps for total clarity!

I see them as this please correct me or add easier ways. (This is just for retroarch with no links to RocketLauncher, as I’m also setting up for android aswell which doesn’t support RL)

  1. Load no core and set default settings (turn on per core configs option, turn off load overrides)
  2. Save current config
  3. Load a core/content (go into retroarch menus) This is where I get confused
  4. Change my settings for that core (do I need to redo my default settings again for the core, can’t remember off hand it they kept working (can’t check for a couple of days the wife needs some attention!)
  5. Save new config
  6. (Do I then need to rename it or place in another folder)

Updated video would be awesome to watch but I know how it goes[/QUOTE]

So you’re pretty close.

1.) Load RA, no Core 2.) Set default settings and then turn per core config on and save. (This saves to retroarch.cfg in the same dir as the exe) (What are overrides???) 3.) Load RA, and load a core. This will now be using your default settings. 4.) Make any changes you need for this core and save. (this saves to your \config folder under the core’s name) 5.) In your \config folder, rename the .cfg instead of the core name, to whatever your system is named. (Nestopia_libretro.cfg to Nintendo Entertainment System.cfg)

Now they should automatically load the settings whenever that core launches.

You will also notice a retroarch_core_options.cfg (or similarly named file) in the config and exe directories. Just leave those be, they save some of the actual core specific functions like internal resolution for DS, or core overclock for PSX etc)

Also, I updated the video in my sig. Audio quality is horrible though. lol my mic is garbage.

#12

Hi SkyHighGam3r,

I can’t use forum quotes from my phone so just plain text.

Thanks for the reply was help full.

Overrides are explained here http://blog.andressm.org/new-retroarch-features-2/ Similar to per core config but instead of a full config file they only have the settings that are different to the retroarch.cfg file. These changes get loaded when a game is loaded.

I think your step 5. Is related to RocketLauncher or hyperspin. They send command line triggers to retroarch to load a config by system name (sega Genesis). I don’t think retroarch loads configs by system name only by core name.

#13

Oh, yes it completely is RL related. lol sorry, I always seem to assume everyone is using RetroArch with RocketLauncher/Hyperspin. I keep forgetting they are not part of the same system.

#14

Lol, no worries

#15

SkyHighGam3r

Do you remember the original shader names that you changed to the easy ones like “composite” etc

#16

Yeah it’s this pack on display in the shader forums, guy did some fantastic work.

http://libretro.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3998

#17

Thanks when I get to shaders that will be a massive help.

I’m just stuck on the android file structure ATM may start a new thread for this but if anyone knows what the file structure should be for systems/saves.

What goes in the retroarch systems folder? I thought it was just bios files

I just watched this video and he has other folders like artwork and cfg.

I will ask him as well

#18

I’m not familiar with the android version at all to be honest.

I just have bios in the system folder. I think at some point one of the systems was saving there… not sure if I ever fixed it or not lol

#19

[QUOTE=Thatman84;37120]Thanks when I get to shaders that will be a massive help.

I’m just stuck on the android file structure ATM may start a new thread for this but if anyone knows what the file structure should be for systems/saves.

What goes in the retroarch systems folder? I thought it was just bios files

I just watched this video and he has other folders like artwork and cfg.

I will ask him as well[/QUOTE] You can configure directory settings in retroarch to whatever you want them to be (go to Settings>Directory). The default for saves is to use the directory where the rom is located. You can change that if you like. I’m not sure on the bios default, but there is also a setting for that.

#20

[QUOTE=hunterk;36500]Since Hyperspin et al work from the CLI interface, that’s probably where you’ll want to spend most of your time exploring, rather than through RetroArch’s GUI. Important CLI switches are: -L /path/to/core.dll and -c /path/to/config.cfg Because of the -c switch, you can avoid a lot of the per-core config / override headaches that a lot of people run into. OTOH, if you use an entirely separate config for each core instead of using the config overrides, you may find yourself having to edit a lot of config files just to make one change consistent across all of the cores.

The default aspect ratio in RA is ‘core provided,’ which typically means 4:3 for things that were played on a TV and 1:1 PAR for handhelds (with a few exceptions). You may or may not want to have integer scaling enabled (probably yes if you’re going to do scanlines or a CRT shader, probably not if not; there are exceptions in either case). These things are easier to mess with via the GUI rather than fiddling with cfg files, so you may want to play around with getting it looking how you like it first via GUI and then move on from there.[/QUOTE]

Hunterk If I was to load a config file called gameboy.cfg would this be correct? -c /FULLPATH/gameboy.cfg