[Retropie 2.x] feedback + enhancements

[nemo93]

Hi,

as my other post about the issues, it would be nice to keep a single thread to report feedback and enhancements for Retropie 2.x.

* Feedback + enhancements
1. To be able to know the exact version of Retropie and ES that are currently running. perhaps a simple file located under /etc (/etc/retropie?) with the release version inside would suffice?

2. screen resolution. Despite I have a 1080p TV I’m using a VGA resolution as recommended in the wiki. I’m wondering if with the new ES version it’s possible to have the pi running a 1080p resolution for the UI and make it switch to a VGA resolution whenever an emulator is launched.
=> works by playing with the runcommand.sh script included in the es_systems.cfg file. More details here: https://github.com/Aloshi/EmulationStation/issues/189

3. to have various config files already available within the image for different and popular controllers (xbox, ps3, etc). ie. to have a retroarch.cfg config file ready to use with xbox controller. (Already included! See petrock’s response below)

4. to backup important (config) files before the upgrade process of Retropie. For instance it would be great to have a way to automatically backup the “snes9x.cfg”, “fba2x.cfg” and various “retroarch.cfg” files. During the upgrade process those files are overwritten most of the time.

5. ES 2 related stuff.

• GUI to set up controller configs for emulators within Emulationstation – including ability to add a button combination to quit back to Emulationstation and perform save states. This could include simply choosing a pre-made controller profile from a list.
• Ability to quit GPSP with a button combination.
• Show a black screen rather than the command-line after quitting an emulator and waiting to reload Emulationstation.
• Show the current IP address within Emulationstation.
• Option to reload Emulationstation to refresh ROM lists.
• Scraper sometimes doesn’t work
• Under the various menus you can’t press up to reach quicker the bottom of this menu (you have to hold down the down button)
• ES 2 is slower compared to ES1: when you exit a game you have to wait up to 20s prior getting back to the main UI.

=> For EmulationStation, feel free to crack a ticket at the following location to raise an issue or to ask for new enhancements/features: https://github.com/Aloshi/EmulationStation/issues

hope this helps.
cheers,

[petrockblog]

[quote=12240]
3. to have various config files already available within the image for different and popular controllers (xbox, ps3, etc). ie. to have a retroarch.cfg config file ready to use with xbox controller.
[/quote]

Hi, the auto-config feature of RetroArch is already activated. The config files are located in a subdirectory of RetroArch:

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ ls /opt/retropie/emulators/RetroArch/configs/
HuiJiaSNEStoUSBConverter.cfg  PS3ControllerUSB.cfg
JessTechColourRumblePad.cfg   SNES-to-GamepadDevice.cfg
PS3ControllerBT.cfg           XboxGamepad(userspacedriver).cfg

The config files can be generated with the “Register Controller” function from within the “Setup” menu of the RetroPie-Setup Script. Every configuration file that is submitted will be added to the Script.

[RetroMarine]

Ok so I tried 2.2 today for the first time…I like a lot of the improvements, but a couple things bugged me.
1.) I had no menu sounds whatsoever…is this normal?
2.) When scrolling games, there’s no “jump to a letter” anymore, just page up/down. Wtf?
3.) I spent a lot of time making my own themes, but since the new themes folder is located in etc/, I have to go back thru all my xml’s to change the paths manually. Also the art folders changed from gb_art to just art (gameboy as an example), so now I have to change those paths as well. Why did these paths all have to be changed? It makes it a lot more complicated when transferring from 1.9.1!
So I have a question: where do I find the new emulator menu so I can copy that over to my old version? I love 2.2, but I’m not so sure it’s worth all the hassle.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[zsprawl]

1) yep

For the emulator menu, press F1 while in-game (or set a keymap button).

[RetroMarine]

No you misunderstood…where are the files actually located if I were to copy them from cyberduck?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Haris1977]

I see many people have problems (me too…) configuring their controllers with each emulator separately.

So.. is it possible to create a special menu (e.g inside emulationstation) with name like “Input Joypad config” (not the one in emulationstation by pressing the start key) so for us to be able to configure EVERY EMULATOR separately???

Smth like this i mean:

Thanks:)

[Anonymous]

Just use the following commands to configure controllers for all emulators.

sudo chown pi /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg
cd /opt/retropie/emulators/RetroArch/installdir/bin
sudo ./retroarch-joyconfig -j 1 >> /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg

[Haris1966]

1)As a future enhancement i d love to see 2 wireless ps3 controllers work silmutaneously

2) Auto image scraper for game titles

[ArcadeBit]

Dont do something like this: “Reorganized folder structure (root dir is now /opt/retropie)”

At least not before you can configure all important stuff (Like Controller settings for emulator) directly in the EmulatorStation.

Sometimes you have to troubleshoot or configure, you look for guides and you cant find anything until you read the change notes.

[ArcadeBit]

sudo ./retroarch-joyconfig -j 1 >> /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg is for pad number 2

sudo ./retroarch-joyconfig -j 0 >> /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg is for pad number 1

[flipbug]

Really loving the improvements to Emulationstation and file structure. Much easier to navigate now.

Enhancements:

GUI to set up controller configs for emulators within Emulationstation – including ability to add a button combination to quit back to Emulationstation and perform save states. This could include simply choosing a pre-made controller profile from a list.

Ability to quit GPSP with a button combination

Show a black screen rather than the command-line after quitting an emulator and waiting to reload Emulationstation

Show the current IP address within Emulationstation.

Option to reload Emulationstation to refresh ROM lists

[Haris]

+1 for flipbug..

Also a new menu (under retropie’s setup install ps3 drivers, option 321 i think) wbere you can add 2 nd ps3 controller (with the help of bt dongle)

It could be for example

321. Install ps3 controller 1
322. Install ps3 controller 2 etc

Also scraper needs improovement it doesnt find all games metadata

Last a berryboot section inside forum where admins could upload latest bb images;)

[tandre]

After exit emulator I’ve got a black screen and i must press start and reboot RPi because nothing more happens.

How should I fix it?

[petrockblog]

[quote=17773]After exit emulator I’ve got a black screen and i must press start and reboot RPi because nothing more happens.

How should I fix it?
[/quote]
Which system did you leave? I observed this with the Gamegear emulator GPSP.

[petrockblog]

[quote=16265]
Also scraper needs improovement it doesnt find all games metadata
[/quote]

All issues or feature request regarding EmulationStation are better placed directly on Aloshis site at http://www.emulationstation.org

[Haris]

Thnks man

Quick question though:would it be difficult to add in retropie setup script an option for installing ps3 controller for player 2?? I mean smth like 321 option but for p2.

This would be great..

[K-Project]

The only feedback I’d like to add currently would be a massive thanks for this amazing project. I’ve had a massively enjoyable couple of days trying to get my head around things and get it working how I’d like. I have used Retropie in the past (last year), and I’m really surprised by just how far it’s come on. Essentially, I’m only really after solid working 8 bit and 16 bit systems, so things like PSX and N64 are not really what I expect of this unit and I haven’t indulged that side of Retropie. I’ll perhaps try that later on when the emulators have been developed further.

But I’ve pretty much managed to get it working just how I wanted. :) It’s become quite a little entertainment system, and much better than the cheapo retro consoles you can buy. I’ve just ordered a sexy new case for the Pi, along with 2 matching retro USB controllers and a Sonic the Hedgehog sticker for the Pi. Yes I’m old enough to know better, and I don’t care!

So thanks again. Donation to follow, when I get paid. :)

[Jörn]

I get a black screen too, if I try to leave ‘C64’ or ‘Game Gear’. It only happens if I start them from the ‘EmulationStation’. If I run them from commandline I can quit without any problems.

RetroPie-Image 2.3

[katanaswordfish]

It would be nice if the pre-installed emulators and tools in /opt/retropie subdirectories would be added to the $PATH in .bashrc by default. Just a little accessibility thing/time saver.

[retchron]

@Haris I was able to get both controllers configured at the same time, I just had them both plugged in when I used the option in retropie_setup.sh. They both work over bluetooth now as well!

[Haris]

Thnks retchron i will try it. What can i do though if i want to use 4 wireless ps3 controllers (and 2 bt dongles as well)? Is there any working trick?

[Igor Lihachev]

Hello!
I have strange video issue in playstation 1 emulator.
When I tried to play Powerslave(Exhumed) I saw this:


And this is how it sould be :

I tried to redownload the game, download another copy of the game, but all the same…
I tried to change options (like video driver or resolution) and configs (hdmi_group=1 hdmi_mode=1 overscan_scale=1) but it doesn’t helps.

Can you help me?

Sorry for my poor English.

[hbg1968]

Favourites in Mame would be great.
Also maybe a way of skipping to the next letter in the list of games would also be cool.

[wrichards]

been trying to get 2.3 to work right on B+ and just probelms problems problems… most are listed above. I do like the interface, but like some one stated I had a ton of custome images for the emulators and such… anyway not complaining as im VERY VERY greatful for all the effort people are putting into this project… just wanted my B+ to purr like I got my B to do… time will fix it but :)

[Jason Whiteman]

I have suggested some items in the comments section. In addition:

1) Revision the primary script(s) (comments) or perhaps some version text for the major releases. I looked through my directory looking for the version and did not readily see anything in order to be sure I communicated version release when citing script issues/improvements.

2) Perhaps provide a template for the install scripts with comments on what all the fields mean and how they affect the outcome. I realize the scripts are flexible – but there are some standard conventions that could be self-documented in a template. It would even be great to post-process the scripts contributed by members to ensure the comments are in every released script so that “cut/paste” from another project would carry the self-documenting comments. However, at a minimum (unless I missed it) a “fully” documented template would work as well.

Regards,
Jason

[weddi.eddy]

I have an idea for the script. I’ve been looking for a way to backup the SD card easily. The problem with most tools now is that if you’ve already expanded the partition to the full size of the card, you create really large backups. There doesn’t appear to be a simple way (such as the expand_rootfs option in the raspi-config) to do this.

Initially thought of requesting a command in the script to shrink the partition so that I could use a third party tool to backup, but perhaps we should take it a step further.

TL;DR
It would be nice to have an option in the script that would create a compressed *.img backup of the SD card and dump it in a directory where you can SCP the image off of it. The option could be called Backup the SD card. There would obviously need to be a check that checks to see if there is enough space available first.

[haris1977]

Here is a thought about future update (in script)

Many people complain about the difficulty of connecting 2nd, 3rd or 4th controller.

So to keep things clear and in order i would recommend the programmer/ers to use 4 different joyconfig files (eg joyconfig_p1 for player 1, joyconfig_p2 for player 2 etc) and not only one file.
So in order 4 someone to connect a 2nd controller he will just run joyconfig_p2 file :) (same thing could be also done for wireless xbox and ps3 controllers too)

Of course joyconfig_p2 wont overwrite joyconfig_p1 data in config file

Unfortunatelly I am a linux noob to do it,but can this thought be taken into account??

Thanks;)

[weddi.eddy]

[quote=84144]I have an idea for the script. I’ve been looking for a way to backup the SD card easily. The problem with most tools now is that if you’ve already expanded the partition to the full size of the card, you create really large backups. There doesn’t appear to be a simple way (such as the expand_rootfs option in the raspi-config) to do this.

Initially thought of requesting a command in the script to shrink the partition so that I could use a third party tool to backup, but perhaps we should take it a step further.

TL;DR
It would be nice to have an option in the script that would create a compressed *.img backup of the SD card and dump it in a directory where you can SCP the image off of it. The option could be called Backup the SD card. There would obviously need to be a check that checks to see if there is enough space available first.
[/quote]

What may also be beneficial is an easy backup solution where only the main directories are backed up into a tar.gz or zip file. This file could be transferred to another ‘stock image’ and using the script, a restore option could be run which would populate all of the folders (roms, bios and configs) to the new installation based on the old.

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