Today, I’m going to give you my feedback about the overlays in RetroArch.
But what is an overlay?
Overlays allow to add visual effects to an emulated game, it allows to simulate CRT screens or to add on the sides of the game an image that can be related to the console type, or in relation to the game itself.
The screens, at the time, were in a 4/3 format (rather square), now most screens are in 16/9 (rectangular), which leaves a blank space on the sides of the game.
Here’s what it can do with and without overlays :
The screens, at the time, were in a 4/3 format (rather square), now most screens are in 16/9 (rectangular), which leaves a blank space on the sides of the game.
Here’s what it can do with and without overlays :
Almost all emulators have a system of overlays, and when the emulator does not have it is possible to go through external program like RocketLauncher.
My opinion, which can be questionable, is to avoid going through this kind of program. Why ? because the configuration is already not very simple, if in addition you add an extra layer, you will quickly get lost and especially spend a lot of time. The simplest is to have a FrontEnd (LaunchBox, HyperSpin, EmulationStation …) that directly launch your emulator (Retrorarch, Mame, Fba, Fba-Neo …)
Moreover, if the emulator changes its display system or changes its system of options, RocketLauncher will not succeed, it also seems to me that RocketLauncher is dependent on “AutoIt”
Retroarch handles overlays, as much as using it.
Moreover, if the emulator changes its display system or changes its system of options, RocketLauncher will not succeed, it also seems to me that RocketLauncher is dependent on “AutoIt”
Retroarch handles overlays, as much as using it.
You'd need to be able to load the GS ROM, enable your cheats, then have GS prompt Retroarch to load the game you want to play, while still keeping the cheats active in Retroarch's RAM. So, in short, GameShark will not and probably will never work as intended in Retroarch. Hence Retroarch's cheat menu. I know this is an old thread but even today RetroArch does not have cheats support. However using Cheat Engine to cheat on RetroArch works great. RetroArch does not have a built-in cheat engine and I believe the MESS and bSNES cheat support is also broken. RetroArch features a built-in cheat engine to create cheats by editing numerical values in the game’s memory. There is also a large database of preset game-specific cheat codes that can be downloaded in the app. In the RetroArch menu, go to the first tab Main Menu and scroll down to Online Updater- Update Cheats.
Retroarch Not Scanning Roms. When you want to add ROMs or games to Retroarch, you should first make sure the databases are up to date by going to “Online Updater” from the Main Menu, then selecting “Update Databases.” This will ensure that Retroarch has the latest information when it comes to detecting your ROMs.
Overlays in RetroArch
I’ll quickly describe how RetroArch handles overlays,
The directory of Retroarch contains a tree of this form, look well the directory C:retroarchconfig et C:retroarchoverlays , it is these 2 directories which are used to manage our overlays :
The directory of Retroarch contains a tree of this form, look well the directory C:retroarchconfig et C:retroarchoverlays , it is these 2 directories which are used to manage our overlays :
When you start a game, Retroarch will test the presence of several files and load them if they exist. This is the closest configuration to the game that has priority :
- First reading the general configuration (retroarch.cfg)
- Reading the general configuration of the core for the loaded game, examples :
- C:retroarchconfigFB AlphaFB Alpha.cfg (for fbalpha_libretro.dll)
- C:RetroArchconfigMAMEMAME.cfg (fot mame_libretro.dll)
- Reading of the configuration of the platform type (CPS1, CPS2 …) OR reading of the configuration set with the option “–appendconfig PATH_AND_FILENAME.cfg“.
Warning: Retroarch does not load the 2 files, it is one or the other, in priority the file which bears the name of the platform emulated.- C:RetroArchconfigMAMECapcom Play System.cfg
- C:RetroArchconfigMAMECapcom Play System II.cfg
- C:RetroArchconfigMAMECapcom Play System III.cfg
- C:retroarchconfigFB AlphaCapcom Play System.cfg
- C:retroarchconfigFinalBurn NeoCapcom Play System.cfg
- …
- Last, read the configuration for the loaded game, examples:
- C:retroarchconfigFB Alphasfiii3.cfg (for Street Fighter III with FBAlpha)
- C:RetroArchconfigMAMEjojo.cfg (for JoJo’ with Mame)
It is therefore in these files, in text format, that the configuration tells Retroarch whether to load a overlay configuration or not: This file DOES NOT contain the overlay configuration, it just indicates the path and the name of the file that contains the overlay settings.
Take the example of C:RetroArchconfigMAMEMAME.cfg, this file contains the configuration of the core mame_libretro.dll :
Take the example of C:RetroArchconfigMAMEMAME.cfg, this file contains the configuration of the core mame_libretro.dll :
This configuration file contains the path and name of the configuration file for the overlay, so in our example the real configuration file is “.overlaysmamemame.cfg“.
Here is the contents of the file C:RetroArchoverlaysmamemame.cfg :
It is in this file that you will find the configuration of the overlay of our core. Warning for FBA: if you put a relative path in a configuration file (not in the overlay file), example input_overlay = “.overlaysmamemame.cfg” in C:retroarchconfigFB AlphaFB Alpha.cfg , it will absolutely be necessary that the directory of launching (or directory of work) corresponds to the directory containing “retroarch.exe”.
Let’s take an example, if we want to launch the game sfiii3 “Street Fighter III: New Generation (Euro 970204)”, this is what it will give:
- to run program retroarch.exe -f –verbose -L coresfbneo_libretro.dll –appendconfig “.configMAMEMAME-CPS3.cfg” “D:GamesCapcom Play System IIIsfiii.zip”
- Reading the general configuration file (retroarch.cfg)
- Loading core : FinalBurn Neo ( “.coresfbneo_libretro.dll” )
- Loading game : sfiii.zip
- Retroarch searches for and loads the configuration of the core if its file exists : “.configFinalBurn NeoFinalBurn Neo.cfg“
- Retroarch is looking for an additional configuration file (appending config):
- Find the file that has the name of the emulated platform : “.configFinalBurn NeoCapcom Play System III.cfg“
- IF the file above ( .configFinalBurn NeoCapcom Play System III.cfg ) does not exist AND the option “– appendconfig ” is present, Retroarch will load the file put with this option : “.configMAMEMAME-CPS3.cfg”
- Warning: Retroarch does not load the 2 files, it is one or the other, in priority the file which bears the name of the platform emulated.
- Retroarch searches and loads the game’s configuration if its file exists : “.configFinalBurn Neosfiii.cfg“
- When Retroarch is closed, configuration changes are saved in the “retroarch.cfg” file unless the config_save_on_exit = “false” option is present.
Warning: if the additional configuration file is loaded (and used) with the “– appendconfig” option, the “input_overlay” option in the “retroarch.cfg” file will be changed with the last overlay loaded! So I recommend you to pass this option config_save_on_exit = “false” in your file “retroarch.cfg”
Overlays according to the Emulated Platform
Some cores like MAME, FBA … emulate different types of platforms (CPS1, CPS2 CPS3, NeoGeo …) and in some cases you will not be able to put the configuration of the superimposition in the configuration file of the core (“MAME.cfg” or “FB Alpha.cfg “).
Two solutions:
Two solutions:
- Use the emulated platform configuration file (“Capcom Play System III.cfg” …) (recommended but not always available)
- Use the “–appendconfig” option to specify the configuration file for the launched platform.
For example, for the game “sfiii3” with MAME, RetroArch will look for the following configuration files: “configMAMEMAME.cfg“, “configMAMECapcom Play System III.cfg“, then “configMAMEsfiii3 .cfg“.
If the file “configMAMEsfiii3.cfg” exists, it is that the visual will be adapted to the game so no problem.
If the file does not exist, this will be the file “configMAMEMAME.cfg” that will give the configuration, and since MAME is cross-platform, this may be a problem if your overlay displays the image on the screen as the name of the file. the platform (example “CPS3”.)
The solution is to use the “configMAMECapcom Play System III.cfg” file that corresponds to the emulated platform.
Here is a list of platform files for MAME:
If the file “configMAMEsfiii3.cfg” exists, it is that the visual will be adapted to the game so no problem.
If the file does not exist, this will be the file “configMAMEMAME.cfg” that will give the configuration, and since MAME is cross-platform, this may be a problem if your overlay displays the image on the screen as the name of the file. the platform (example “CPS3”.)
The solution is to use the “configMAMECapcom Play System III.cfg” file that corresponds to the emulated platform.
Here is a list of platform files for MAME:
- Arcade.cfg
- Capcom Play System.cfg
- Capcom Play System II.cfg
- Capcom Play System III.cfg
- Cave.cfg
- SNK Neo Geo.cfg
For example :
Your Frontend launches CPS3 games using the “mame_libretro.dll” core with a command that looks like this:
Your Frontend launches CPS3 games using the “mame_libretro.dll” core with a command that looks like this:
RetroArch will therefore look for the following configuration files : “configMAMEMAME.cfg” puis “configMAMEsfiii3.cfg“.
If the file configMAMEsfiii3.cfg exist, is that the visual will be adapted to the game so no problem. If the file does not exist, it will be the config file “configMAMEMAME.cfg” which will give the configuration, and as MAME is multi-platform this poses a problem.
If the file configMAMEsfiii3.cfg exist, is that the visual will be adapted to the game so no problem. If the file does not exist, it will be the config file “configMAMEMAME.cfg” which will give the configuration, and as MAME is multi-platform this poses a problem.
The solution is to delete the config file ” configMAMEMAME.cfg ” and then create a file per platform like this for example:
configMAMEMAME-CPS3.cfg :
configMAMEMAME-CPS3.cfg :
configMAMEMAME-CPS2.cfg :
Then in your Frontend you will add this option “–appendconfigconfigMAMEMAME-CPS3.cfg ” for launched CPS3 games, it gives something like this:
Do the same thing for each platform, on Launch-box it gives this:
Obviously, I let you adapt your configuration files as you want (“configMAMEMAME-CPS3.cfg’ … ), do not forget to create the directory “overlaysmame-cps3mame-cps3.cfg” and put the files in with the proper configuration.
Do not change the configuration anymore
To no longer save the configuration when you leave RetroArch, and be sure that your configuration will not change anymore, you can add / modify this option in the file “retroarch.cfg”
Various
Conclusion
As you can see, the configuration is not so simple. But you can, at first, only create the overlays for the core(s) you use. I advise you to download the configuration files already prepared. I will soon post a link to download the ones I own.
(Aucun vote pour le moment)If you're like me, there are some games I could just never win as a kid. This guide will finally allow you to win! (albeit with a much lesser sense of satisfaction)
Download Cheats
As a preface cheats only work through libretro/retroarch so take note of the emulators you are using.
You first need to open the RGUI. There are two ways of accessing the RGUI:
- In the RetroPie menu of EmulationStation select Retroarchor
- Hotkey combinationHotkey+X to open the RGUI from within a game
If you haven't done so already, you'll need to enable the advanced settings by navigating to Settings >> User Interface >> Show Advanced Settings, then enabling the Online Updater in View >> Show Online Updater
Next, navigate to Online Updater >> Update Cheats
this will download a set of preconfigured cheat files for many games into
/opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch/cheats
Enable Cheats
Now you can launch the game you want to finally win:
Open the RGUI with Hotkey combinationHotkey+X
Choose Quick Menu >> Cheats >> Load Cheat File
Navigate to your game title and select it
Then navigate to the cheat you want to enable and press left or right to toggle it on/off
Select Apply Cheat Changes
Then press B to go out of the cheat menu and resume your game.
Your cheats should now be enabled
Create Cheat Files
You can create .cht files in
/opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch/cheats/<system>/<rom_name>.cht
The following is a reference chart for the types of cheat codes for each system:
Console | Cheat type | Example code |
---|---|---|
Famicom / NES | Action Replay | 02A2:01 |
Famicom / NES | Game Genie | APEETPEY |
Game Boy | Game Genie | FA1-B9C-4C1 |
Game Boy (Color) | GameShark | 0101CEC1 |
Game Boy Advance | GameShark v3 | CD93194F 089CE0B4 |
Game Boy Advance | GameShark v1/v2 | A62B1D67 EB2D |
Game Gear | Action Replay | 00D3-C280 |
Mega Drive / Genesis | Action Replay | FFFE21:0032 |
Mega Drive / Genesis | Game Genie | NN8A-AADN |
N64 | GameShark | 8033B177 0015 |
NDS | Action Replay | 22085A50 00000001 |
Sega Master System | Action Replay | 00C0-2502 |
Super Famicom / SNES | Action Replay | 7E1490:FF |
Super Famicom / SNES | Game Genie | 14B4-6F07 |
Cheat Code Example
Filename:
Addams Family, The - Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt (USA, Europe) (Game Genie).cht
Multiline Cheat Codes
The following is an example for a PSX game
Retroarch Games Not Showing
Filename:
Resident Evil 2.cht
Mame Cheats
Adding Cheat Codes To Retroarch
Mame has its own configurations for cheats. You can see a guide HERE