Some questions from a new user

[legolas119]

Ah ok! For neo geo the best emulator still is neo rage x? I currently use it. Ok i will try to config one emulator for retroarch (nes or super nes) and i will use it with launch box, so i can see if it is not so hard to config it. Thanks

[Lordmonkus]

No not at all. Use either Retroarch FBA core or Mame for Neo Geo. Personally I use Mame but FBA works just as well. Once you get the basics of Launchbox figured it's pretty straight forward for almost all systems outside of some oddball situations like Saturn emulation using SSF and cd mounting.

[legolas119]

Ok i have Mame 0.175full set and FBA 0.2.97.29 (i don't know if it is the latest release..). I have some quick questions: 1) FBA is included in retroarch or i have to use it as a separate emulator for neo geo? 2) in FBA there are a lot of video options.do you have a preferred set that you can suggest (via PM if you prefer). For example which is your SoftFX algortim? I use for example 2xSal with scanlines =125. But i don't know which is the best effect in order to emulate neo geo crt grapghic on a lcd monitor Thanks!

[Lordmonkus]

You can use the FBA core in Retroarch and it's the way I would suggest to do it. FBA stand alone is good for what it is but it can be very cumbersome (or at least in my experience) to set up the controls because you have to do it for every game (at least in my experience, there could be some trick I missed). With the Retroarch core you get all the benefits of Retroarch including shaders and controls already set up for you.

[legolas119]

Ah really? Good to know,so i will set up retroarch direcly so i will use it for neo geo too! I still have 2 questions: 1) after dowloading Launchbox/bigBox and afrer the set up, when i need to update them with the new version,can i simply replace the old .exe file with the new one? In this way i can save all my settings? 2) same question for retroarch:after the set up of retroarch and the emulators, when it is necessary to update retroarch and the core of every emulator, i hope that there is a simply way to update it automatically avoiding to update every core manually..am i right? Thank you

[Lordmonkus]

1) That will depend on the emulator and the extent of the update. 2) Generally you can just make a new install of Retroarch and copy over your system and configs folders but like answer #1 that will depend on the extent of the update to Retroarch and the cores. Sometimes they change how certain things are done. Generally when I get a new emulator version I will make a new folder for it and play with it to make sure it is all working properly before telling Launchbox to use it for the platform. After setting up Retroarch or any other emulator a couple of times it doesn't take much time to get a new version up to speed and the settings you like.

[legolas119]

Ah ok.. 1) but do you mean that in some cases when launchbox is updated, i have to configure it again from the beginning and i have to configure again all my fovourite sittings?!?! 2) ok, retroarch has inside the core of every emulator. Is it able to automatically detect when a new version is available or i have to check every time,for every emulator, if there is a new version of the core? If it i have to check for every emulator, do you know the website where i can find the new version of the cores? Does it exist? Thanks

[Lordmonkus]

1) Not when Launchbox is updated. I think I just misunderstood your question. I thought you meant for new downloads of emulators. 2) Retroarch cores are not automatically updated, You use the "Online Updater" within Retroarch to download cores and it will download whatever the latest one is, even if it is the same version as the one you already have. I wish Retroarch had an easier way to tell if there was a new version of a core available but sadly there isn't an easy way. The only way I know of is to just go to the Retroarch homepage and click at the top where it says "Nightlies" and browse through to the platform you are on and operating system version and then "latest". There you will see all the cores and the date they were last updated. Not the best way of doing it I know but is the only way I know of.

[legolas119]

ah ok! thank you. The 1.3.7 version is coming, so I will wait this stable version to start with Retroarch :) Speaking about Launch Box/Big Box, I still have a platinum subscription for both HyperBase/Emumovies websites in order to download automatically (with Hypersync) snapshot, flyers, titles, movies and so on for HyperSping/ROchetLauncher. I read that with LaunchBox it is possibile to download automatically files form Emumovies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZaLgqtm4Mk&list=PL6pTDaHeAz-WMcNURVPU-1xLN_TVpT3FB Is it possible to download automatically snapshot, titles, cartridge and so on too from HyperBase? Of I have to download them manually and then copy/paste them in the folders for LaunchBox? thank you!

[DOS76]

It only works with EmuMovies there is no built in support for HyperBase

[legolas119]

ok, thanks!

[suspendedhatch]

No need to wait for the next version of RA. The last one was released only recently and everything within RA has settled down for the most part and is working perfectly. The updates this year have been mostly unnoticeable to the end user. When it comes to updating the exe, you just download the new version and drop it on your old version. I highly recommend backing up your current version as suggested but even if you don't, there's not much to worry about. Maybe just save your configs or choose not to overwrite them. It's honestly not hard to configure at all. All of the comments from Jason appear to me to be based on 2-3 year old experiences (in terms of what emulators he recommends and how difficult they are to set up). All that's needed to make RA work is to get all the required BIOS's (PS1, turbo graphics 16 and a couple others). Then download the cores you want from within RA. I'm not sure how LB chooses which cores to use but I use RLauncher where you can set the core if you don't like the default or because you don't know what the default is.

[Lordmonkus]

Launchbox lets you choose your cores. You just go into Manage Emulators, then go to Retroarch and edit. This will bring up window and go to the middle tab which is Associated Platforms and there you can set the exact core you wish to use. For example the Super Nintendo platform for me has: -L "cores\bsnes_mercury_accuracy_libretro.dll" If you want to use a different core, just make sure you have the core you want downloaded in your Retroarch/cores folder and change the line accordingly. I wouldn't wait til 1.3.7 either, now is a good a time as any to jump in and get it all set up.

[legolas119]

ah ok guyes. starting from next friday i will be on holiday so I have time to play/set up Launch Box/Retroarch!! :) Probably i will buy the premium edition (permanent) with Big Box, it seems really cool! thanks, i will keep you updated!

[Lordmonkus]

When you start in Retroarch first make sure games are working just through that. When you know it's working right then worry about getting it setup in Launchbox. The trickiest part to getting Retroarch going is the systems that require bios like Sega CD, TG16 CD and Playstation. Check out my tutorial video I did on those 3 systems in my forum signature if you need some help.

[legolas119]

ah ok! thanks! probably bios is needed for Neo Geo too? is there a webpage where I can find the right bios version for Retroarch emulator?

[Lordmonkus]

Yeah NeoGeo will require bios but they are a little different since they don't go into the Retroarch/system folder like other systems. The NeoGeo bios go in the folder where your roms are for that system. We can't tell you on here where to get the bios files directly but do take a look at my CD tutorial ;)

[legolas119]

ah ok ok, i still have neogeobios.zip file for MAME or neo rage x, I think that it is the same file :)

[Lordmonkus]

That will work.

[legolas119]

hi, i'm starting to configure Retroarch and then i will continue with Launchbox/Big box

 

Well, a simple question about rom's name: is it necessary that the rom name remains the same that the roms have when i download them? Or can I change it for example from Actraiser(USA).zip to Actraiser.zip?

If i change the name to the roms, then i'm able to download automatically from launchbox database and form Emumovies (i have premium account for HQ videos) or can I have problems?

 

thanks