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Emulation central - recommendations in 1st post

Jack Of Owls

Arcane
Joined
May 23, 2014
Messages
4,274
Location
Massachusettes
Not exactly emulation but I don't know where else to post this but I discovered recently that HAN/HEN for PS3 (which allows you to soft-mod your PS3 - any model - to store ripped ISOs to your console's hard drive and play them) has an updated toolbox program for allowing offline authentication. No more having to log into the HAN webpage/server to run a PS3 game. I installed a 2TB HDD into my PS3 and transferred all my discs to it last year using HAN so if my PS3's DVD drive goes, I'm golden. In the past, if you wanted to play a game with your modded PS3 off the HDD (assuming your later-model PS3 doesn't support CFW) you had to first log-into the HAN website. You'd have to do this after every reboot. Gargantuan. Pain. In. The. Ass. (especially if you didn't happen to have online access). But using HAN Toolbox, you no longer have to do that. Huzzah!
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
RetroArch is coming to Steam for some reason:



https://www.libretro.com/index.php/retroarch-coming-to-steam-this-month-july-30/

RetroArch coming to Steam this month – July 30

1024px-Steam_icon_logo.svg_.png


RetroArch will be releasing on Steam on July 30, 2019!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1118310/RetroArch/

Read our release announcement here

So RetroArch is finally coming to Steam two weeks from now!

RetroArch is the official reference frontend of the popular Libretro API. While there is nothing particularly about RetroArch or the Libretro API that has anything to do with emulators, most do it use it for this purpose.

We want to grow our base and as of this month we have been putting a heavy focus into making sure that RetroArch can run originally bought content on game discs. There are further announcements to follow in the coming weeks, and we are open to dialogue with game developers/publishers that have the rights to original IP who want to bring their games over to Steam through the use of RetroArch.

Do note that RetroArch is an agnostic frontend/backend application that can be used to run modular programs. As such, it can run real games, media engines, and emulators, as long as these programs are converted/ported into modular pieces of software known as ‘Libretro cores’.

So, without further ado, here’s the details on our initial release:
  • Free.
  • Windows version first, Linux and macOS versions will release later. We’re a bit wary of the support burden that will come with a much wider audience, so we want to do the Windows version first to make sure we can handle the demand.
  • At the beginning, there will not be any difference between the version you can get on Steam and the one available on our own website. As such, no Steamworks SDK functionality will be present at launch or any additional Steam features. However, after the initial launch, we will begin exploring options on how we can start leveraging Steam’s functionality as a platform.
  • Release date will be approximately 30th of July.
RetroArch as a program serves as the fundamental backbone of many retro gaming machines out there in the wild. Even when it is not deliberately namechecked, chances are it’s running in the backend of said retro program. Same goes for its sister project Libretro. For instance, several programs available on Steam already, such as Grid Cartographer, and New Retro Arcade, integrate Libretro support to allow you to run the software that has been ported to the Libretro API. As for Libretro, this API is being leveraged by several retro gaming companies right now to serve as the backbone of their retro emulation services. Given all this interest and burgeoning activity, we feel now is the time to finally bring the official Libretro frontend to Steam. RetroArch is truly in a class of its own on a technical level when it comes to latency, shader features, and now soon-to-be disc loading and disc dumping. We can’t wait to bring you complete control over your retro gaming library coming this summer on Steam!
 

taxalot

I'm a spicy fellow.
Patron
Joined
Oct 28, 2010
Messages
9,613
Location
Your wallet.
Codex 2013 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015
I actually dig that news. It might make things easier with my Steam Link, although that won't change much my life.
 

Goi~Yaas~Dinn

Savant
Joined
Nov 25, 2018
Messages
786
Location
A derelict.
RetroArch is coming to Steam for some reason:



https://www.libretro.com/index.php/retroarch-coming-to-steam-this-month-july-30/

RetroArch coming to Steam this month – July 30

1024px-Steam_icon_logo.svg_.png


RetroArch will be releasing on Steam on July 30, 2019!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1118310/RetroArch/

Read our release announcement here

So RetroArch is finally coming to Steam two weeks from now!

RetroArch is the official reference frontend of the popular Libretro API. While there is nothing particularly about RetroArch or the Libretro API that has anything to do with emulators, most do it use it for this purpose.

We want to grow our base and as of this month we have been putting a heavy focus into making sure that RetroArch can run originally bought content on game discs. There are further announcements to follow in the coming weeks, and we are open to dialogue with game developers/publishers that have the rights to original IP who want to bring their games over to Steam through the use of RetroArch.

Do note that RetroArch is an agnostic frontend/backend application that can be used to run modular programs. As such, it can run real games, media engines, and emulators, as long as these programs are converted/ported into modular pieces of software known as ‘Libretro cores’.

So, without further ado, here’s the details on our initial release:
  • Free.
  • Windows version first, Linux and macOS versions will release later. We’re a bit wary of the support burden that will come with a much wider audience, so we want to do the Windows version first to make sure we can handle the demand.
  • At the beginning, there will not be any difference between the version you can get on Steam and the one available on our own website. As such, no Steamworks SDK functionality will be present at launch or any additional Steam features. However, after the initial launch, we will begin exploring options on how we can start leveraging Steam’s functionality as a platform.
  • Release date will be approximately 30th of July.
RetroArch as a program serves as the fundamental backbone of many retro gaming machines out there in the wild. Even when it is not deliberately namechecked, chances are it’s running in the backend of said retro program. Same goes for its sister project Libretro. For instance, several programs available on Steam already, such as Grid Cartographer, and New Retro Arcade, integrate Libretro support to allow you to run the software that has been ported to the Libretro API. As for Libretro, this API is being leveraged by several retro gaming companies right now to serve as the backbone of their retro emulation services. Given all this interest and burgeoning activity, we feel now is the time to finally bring the official Libretro frontend to Steam. RetroArch is truly in a class of its own on a technical level when it comes to latency, shader features, and now soon-to-be disc loading and disc dumping. We can’t wait to bring you complete control over your retro gaming library coming this summer on Steam!

i dunno, something doesn't smell right about this. Just a feeling I'm getting...
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
556
Seems dumb. Then again RetroArch has been getting bloated with feature creep for a quite a while now. This seems like a logical step for them in their path downhill.
 

Goi~Yaas~Dinn

Savant
Joined
Nov 25, 2018
Messages
786
Location
A derelict.
Seems dumb. Then again RetroArch has been getting bloated with feature creep for a quite a while now. This seems like a logical step for them in their path downhill.
The main man behind RA (goes by the names "SquarePusher" and "twinaphex" online) has always struck me as far too ambitious for the community's own good, if you get me. The kind of person who could easily develop a Messiah Complex and all the destructive ugliness that entails.
 

Perkel

Arcane
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
15,810
Wow after decades Retroarch gets ability to autoupdate.


What next ? Actual game list that doesn't require you to have pirated dumps of games to exact bite ?
UI that doesn't suck as and has bilion options no one needs or ever uses like fucking music ?

Crazy times we live in.
 

pakoito

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
3,086

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
I actually wonder how do they get around this: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/sdk/uploading/distributing_opensource

Distributing Open Source Applications on Steam

The Steamworks SDK is incompatible with some open source licenses, which may affect your ability to distribute open source software via Steam.

Keep in mind that according to the Steam Distribution Agreement you warrant and represent that you have all necessary rights to distribute the game via Steam. If your application contains third party open source code that is incompatible with the Steamworks SDK, then YOU MUST NOT DISTRIBUTE YOUR APPLICATION VIA STEAM.

Which Open Source licenses are compatible with the Steamworks SDK?
In general, permissive licenses that do not put any requirements on you to redistribute your modifications under an open source license work fine. Common permissive and acceptable licenses includes MIT License, BSD 3-clause and 4-clause, Apache 2.0 and WTFPL.

Which Open Source Licenses are problematic for shipping on Steam?
Generally, any license that has a so-called “copyleft” element will be problematic when combining code with the Steamworks SDK. The best-known example is GPL.

But I saw a GPL-licensed application on Steam!
This can happen if the author of the code that is GPL-licensed has given the permission to do so. The author can of course always (a) decide to grant Valve a different license than the author grants everyone else or (b) decide that what the Steamworks SDK does is just a communication with a service that does not invoke the copyleft requirement of the GPL.

I am using code that is (Insert Acronym Here) licensed. Can I use it?
We don’t know and don’t have the resources to do a due diligence review of your code base. Ultimately, you have to make the decision whether you can warrant to us that you have all necessary rights to your code base. It depends on the license and code in question.

If in doubt, consult a lawyer, or ask the author whose open source code you plan to use.

This may be one of the reasons The Dark Mod could not receive a greenlight from Valve.
 

glass blackbird

Learned
Patron
Joined
Apr 9, 2015
Messages
664
PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015
The PSP is simply not strong enough to really handle full-speed PS1 emulation, as far as I know. And of course there's not been so much effort to do so since it can run the games natively...
 

Twizman

Scholar
Joined
Oct 24, 2016
Messages
136
PS1 games are playable on Vita with Retroarch. There is a list online for compatible titles. I finished Wizardry V (New Age of Llylgamyn) on my Vita, ran perfect.
 

Mustawd

Guest
After checking the OP (and just Noping on reading 100+ pages of
this thread) I thought I’d ask a couple of specific questions on emulation:

1. I have hacked my 3DS, which is great. One would think it’d make a great device for emulating stuff like SNES/Genesis/GBA. However, most of the stuff I see online seems to not be ideal and has serious slowdowns when installed onto a hacked 3DS (retroarch is suuuper slow for example).

Does anyone have advice on emulatong a on a hacked 3DS specifically?

2. Is there any good PS Vita emulation? I didn’t see any in the OP.

3. On the subject of the ViTA, my understanding is that it’s been hacked as well. Any reason to use the original hardware other than emulation? (other than the obvious of being able to carry it around)

For example are there a lack of good quality ROMS? Or is there no unique functionality? (for example a 3DS.DS has a dual screen and stylus that seems hard to replicate accurately.
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
5,869
The PSP is simply not strong enough to really handle full-speed PS1 emulation, as far as I know. And of course there's not been so much effort to do so since it can run the games natively...
The PSP doesn't run PSX games natively, it runs them through Sony's proprietary, built-in custom emulator called POPS (Playstation One Portable Station). You can package regular PS1 ISOS with POPS and run them on custom firmware via POPSLoader.

It runs pretty much every game perfectly. The PSP screen's resolution is a great match for PS1 games, incidentally.
 

H-K

Learned
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
81
Location
Sweden
1. I have hacked my 3DS, which is great. One would think it’d make a great device for emulating stuff like SNES/Genesis/GBA. However, most of the stuff I see online seems to not be ideal and has serious slowdowns when installed onto a hacked 3DS (retroarch is suuuper slow for example).
Not sure about SNES and Genesis but the 3DS has native GBA support if you can be bothered to make your own VC-injections: https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-ultimate-gba-vc-injector-for-3ds.438057/
 

newtmonkey

Arcane
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
1,725
Location
Goblin Lair
The PSP doesn't run PSX games natively, it runs them through Sony's proprietary, built-in custom emulator called POPS (Playstation One Portable Station). You can package regular PS1 ISOS with POPS and run them on custom firmware via POPSLoader.

It runs pretty much every game perfectly. The PSP screen's resolution is a great match for PS1 games, incidentally.

Incidentally, the best "mini PSX console" you can get is a hacked PSP GO with the cradle. It will run any PSX ISO converted to the proper format, you can sync a Dual Shock 3 with it (requires a PS2 retardedly; it's the main reason I even still have a PS3), and if you get the docking station/video cables, you can plug it into your TV. However, you need an upscaler (framemeister or OSSC) if you want to play fullscreen; in that case, the PSP GO actually outputs a very nice 240p image if you configure it to "interlaced" (weirdly enough).
 

Duraframe300

Arcane
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
6,395
The PSP is simply not strong enough to really handle full-speed PS1 emulation, as far as I know. And of course there's not been so much effort to do so since it can run the games natively...
The PSP doesn't run PSX games natively, it runs them through Sony's proprietary, built-in custom emulator called POPS (Playstation One Portable Station). You can package regular PS1 ISOS with POPS and run them on custom firmware via POPSLoader.

It runs pretty much every game perfectly. The PSP screen's resolution is a great match for PS1 games, incidentally.

He's not completly wrong in that the cpu is very similiar so some instructions can be run nativly. But, yeah theres still a lot of emulation as well involved.
 

glass blackbird

Learned
Patron
Joined
Apr 9, 2015
Messages
664
PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015
After checking the OP (and just Noping on reading 100+ pages of
this thread) I thought I’d ask a couple of specific questions on emulation:

1. I have hacked my 3DS, which is great. One would think it’d make a great device for emulating stuff like SNES/Genesis/GBA. However, most of the stuff I see online seems to not be ideal and has serious slowdowns when installed onto a hacked 3DS (retroarch is suuuper slow for example).

Does anyone have advice on emulatong a on a hacked 3DS specifically?

2. Is there any good PS Vita emulation? I didn’t see any in the OP.

3. On the subject of the ViTA, my understanding is that it’s been hacked as well. Any reason to use the original hardware other than emulation? (other than the obvious of being able to carry it around)

For example are there a lack of good quality ROMS? Or is there no unique functionality? (for example a 3DS.DS has a dual screen and stylus that seems hard to replicate accurately.
For easily running roms on your 3ds, if you're having trouble with homebrew emulation you can try virtual console injection. Not an option for Genesis games, which you will indeed have to run in retroarch, but for nintendo stuff (NES, SNES, and handheld stuff) it's the easiest way to get things running full-speed. Basically, it swaps out the rom in virtual console programs with a custom one, meaning you get the benefit of Nintendo's emulators and generally stuff works perfectly without the need to do any setup. You can find programs that will help automate this process for you and generate cia files to install.
 

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