What is the status of old computer emulation like C64, Amiga, MSX, PC98 for Libretro?

RetroArch General
#1

With all the advancements recently with Sega Saturn emulation, Dreamcast, and N64 all being improved or made available through Libretro, what is their stance on bringing over older computer based game systems? It seems like a rather stark omission from their supported systems, but perhaps its hard to make these systems compatible?

I am aware of MSX being available, but last I checked (which is a while ago…) the libretro port did not have support for proper MSX2 software as most of the library were disks rather than cartridges.

#2

There are a number of classic computer cores, many of which were ported by r-type. Not all of them have been brought over to the libretro organization in github and/or incorporated into the buildbot, but you can always compile them yourself.

Personally, I think classic computers are generally awkward in RetroArch because they generally need the full keyboard to function and that can conflict with RetroArch’s default hotkeys (unless you turn on the ‘hotkey enable’ button)… Anyway, I would like to see a separate libretro frontend that focuses on classic computers specifically.

#3

Agreed, I think a fork of Retroarch is a better place to organize all the computers. That said it’s probably a fair amount of work and someone has to have the will and time to organize all that.

[QUOTE=hunterk;45511]There are a number of classic computer cores, many of which were ported by r-type. Not all of them have been brought over to the libretro organization in github and/or incorporated into the buildbot, but you can always compile them yourself.

Personally, I think classic computers are generally awkward in RetroArch because they generally need the full keyboard to function and that can conflict with RetroArch’s default hotkeys (unless you turn on the ‘hotkey enable’ button)… Anyway, I would like to see a separate libretro frontend that focuses on classic computers specifically.[/QUOTE]

#4

Play x68000 and PC98 games on android with RA is my dream.:slight_smile:

#5

A fork of Retroarch just for old computer emulation would be awesome.

#7

A lot of the games I’d want to run would be PC-98 two button shmups or sidescrollers, which I think would be fine in regular old RetroArch. I can see how the hotkey conflicts would be annoying if you want to do anything that requires actual typing though. You’d need a full keyboard emulation mode like MAME has for computers that disables hotkeys that you can toggle on and off with scroll lock.

#8

Most of C64 and Amiga’s output was designed with Joystick support in mind, those would just need a run/stop hotkey for the most part

#10

Many computer emulators (C64, Amiga, …) can be started from the command line with games as parameters. If RetroArch allowed custom playlists where each game is linked to a command line command then advanced users could start computer emulator games from within RetroArch. Once support for custom playlists is added and the playlist format described it would be simple to make scripts that generates the playlists. Not as easy as a built in core, but usable. Such custom playlists could also be used to launch Wii games through Dolphin, make playlists of video files (tv series) and more.

For example instead of the playlist format

<rom>
<game name>
<core>
<core name>
<crc>

the format could be something like

<gamefile>
<game name>
C:\folder\computeremulator.exe parameter parameter %gamefile variable%
commandline
<blank>

If RetroArch finds a playlist where the fourth line is the string “commandline” then execute the third line and insert the first line as parameter.

#11

Yeah, we’ve been discussing doing something similar to this to allow people to use external programs that don’t have libretro cores from within RetroArch as a launcher. This is another good use for it.

#13

That is true. I need more unrelated bug reports like a need a kick in the ass.

#16

But many users probable see retroarch simply as a the greatest tool to play the games they love from many different game systems. If retroarch added a minimal feature that let advanced users through some manual step get even more game systems running through retroarch then even better.

#17

I just noticed there is a dosbox core as well as a WIP Amiga core. How do these cores solve the keyboard problems?

#18

For most, you just use the ‘hotkey enable’ to make RetroArch stop listening for keyboard events and then use the keyboard for the core. Dosbox definitely works this way and I assume Amiga core, as well.

#19

I’ve requested a way to launch external programs instead of cores before as well. It would be a huge help for anyone who uses RetroArch as a frontend for arcade cabinets.

Here’s the emulators I depend on being able to launch:

  • Dolphin
  • Dosbox (the libretro core does not have SDL_sound support and can not mount ISO’s, also there’s a bug with repeating key presses that’s existed forever)
  • FS-UAE
  • ResidualVM
  • VICE C64

The way it is now I have to use Emulationstation as a frontend and then launch RA with command line options to launch the game. So I miss out on the nice XMB and ROM scanner features of RA.

I don’t understand the sentiment that it would lead to support issues, as anyone who understands how to use an external program to launch a game should be able to understand that RA is not responsible for bugs and what not in the external program.

#20

We commonly get bothered about incompatibilities with ES, launchbox, rocketlauncher, hyperspin, etc., which I don’t think is our responsibility. If we were the launcher, it would be.

#21

@hunterk It’s crazy isn’t it ? You get people asking to troubleshoot Launchbox and over on the Launchbox forums we get asked to troubleshoot Retroarch all the time :slight_smile: I agree with you though, it’s not your responsibility to trouble shoot third party programs. By the way Retroarch plays extremely well with Launchbox.

#22

heh, it’s the circle of life :slight_smile: