What is rocket launcher? Should I be using it?

[mothergoose729]

I am just curious to know what people's thoughts are regarding rocket launcher. I know you can hook it into launchbox, so you can use the two tools together. Does rocket launcher have features that a power user might want to use? Should I be using it, or is the tools built into LB just as good for doing all that stuff already? 

[Lordmonkus]

Whether or not you want to use RocketLauncher will come down to what you personally want out of a front end. It does offer some extra advanced functionality such as bezel support for all emulators, unified controller mappings for all emulators, fade screens when loading games, pause screens that can show extra game info and other things that more experienced and expert users of RL can tell you about.

Personally though I do not use RL and I will never use it because it really adds an extra layer of complexity that I just do not need in my setup. For me the stuff that it adds that Launchbox does not offer on its own are purely cosmetic but that is just for me and my setup.

One fault I have with RocketLauncher is that it relies on "modules" to function with the emulators you use and if you are using an emulator that has no module it won't function properly. Though this is generally not too much of an issue unless there is a new emulator that comes out, then you will have to wait for a module to get made for it.

[bundangdon]

Lordmonkus explained the features of rocketlauncher rather well and for those reasons/features which were mentioned, I continue to use it because rocketlauncher adds the "icing on the cake" to launchbox/bigbox. However, it does take a little extra time to set up and get accustomed to, yet it's simple enough for someone like me to figure out after a few attempts My suggestion would be that once you feel comfortable with your launchbox setup and are ready for more "icing" then give rocketlauncher a try

[SentaiBrad]

I don't think RL adds anything substantial for the time it takes to set up, but that's personal preference. It really does add an extra layer where things can, and do, break more often.

[Massatomic]

I love RL, it just adds that polish to the setup!

There is some great packs on the emumovies ftp for premium users!

Bezel setup for retroarch and mame couldn't be easier!

The other big advantage I found that using the mess based systems for mame that I couldn't get working with LB(no matter what I tried - countless hours trying) I then sent threw RL and they worked straight away. The modules do all the heavy lifting in regards to sending the right commands to Mame

Don't write it off, as Bungangdon suggested once you feel comfortable with LB, give it a try on a system and see if you like it. There is no one real great tutorial for setting it up that I have found, it takes a little biut to understand but once it all clicks its easy.

[Lordmonkus]

RocketLauncher does add that "icing on the cake" but it comes with a very steep learning curve.

Also RocketLauncher is something none of the moderators such as myself, Brad or Zombeaver use so don't expect any tech support from us with it though there are several people around here that do use it and they would most likely be willing to help you out with it.

[bundangdon]

Additionally, for almost all of the hyperspin users out there, having rocketlauncher available makes the transition to launchbox/bigbox a whole lot easier and smoother  

[SentaiBrad]

I wont deny that last point, it sure as hell does, but it's still very much optional. At the same time, many HS users are much more happy to switch over because they don't have to deal with it anymore either.

[Massatomic]

Have you actually given it a go @SentaiBrad, a serious go? Not just installing and playing for half an hour.

 i have seen the technical stuff you can do on your videos. You have more know how then most! Yet every time the subject comes up you are so quick and adament against using it or even trying it.

 

[SentaiBrad]

Because I seriously do not want to mess around with it. It adds nothing for me and my time is valuable.

[Massatomic]

Each their own! No problem with that!

my question was have you actually tried it to spead so much fear of it

[Lordmonkus]

I've actually used it, I had a working HyperSpin setup but I abandoned it instantly as soon as I found Launchbox and I didn't have to ever look at RocketLauncher again.

The learning curve for it alone is a pain in the ass and not worth the hassle just for cosmetic shit like fade screens which take as much time to load as my games do in the first place. Pause screens do nothing for me because if im pausing the game it's because I am gone away from the game to take a dump.

Like I said before, it's a big learning curve for cosmetics and an extra layer of possible failure in the chain. I have seen many people in Simpy Austins Discord channel have issues because RL broke something. Most people would rather play games over wasting time troubleshooting RL.

[SentaiBrad]

I tried to use HS and RL forever ago before LaunchBox (so, something like 3 or so years ago?), but no, not since. It's not "fear", it's the truth for me. Whats added is not worth the hassle. The only thing I want would be Overlays, and I use RA most of the time, so I'd take care of it in there if I wanted to. I also use MAME / MESS which is also very easy to set up Overlays.

[mothergoose729]

To summarize, RL lets you:

• Easily transition from one presentation software to another (a la hyperspin to LB ect)
• Add in borders and overlays to emulators that don't support it
• Add in transition effects to hide windows popping up and the like ("silent" launch)
• Remap buttons on a controller for different emulators? 
• Provide scripting support for hotkeys? 

Am I missing any features? What happens if an emulator you are using doesn't have a module for RL? 

The cons being that

• It can break
• It takes a long time to get setup
• It has a steep learning curve 

 

[Massatomic]

Thanks @lordmonkus and @SentaiBrad

both soild replies, i totaly understand its not for everyone!

i just always wondered why you guys were so quick to shunt people away from it. 

There is alot of features that get requested over and over again that are available in RL, that i have seen jason on stream personaly say that they will be incorpared some time in the future.

RL gives him the opportunity to work on other features which i persnaly think is a great system. Shunting people away from it makes them humbug him to move onto those features sooner the he would of liked i suppose

[Lordmonkus]

1 minute ago, mothergoose729 said:

What happens if an emulator you are using doesn't have a module for RL? 

That emulator will not work with RL. You also need to have a module that is compatible with the version of an emulator you are using.

2 minutes ago, mothergoose729 said:

Remap buttons on a controller for different emulators? 

This is done through its built in AHK component so it's not a simple "emulator binding screen".

Everything else said is about right.

1 minute ago, massatomic said:

i just always wondered why you guys were so quick to shunt people away from it. 

I don't tell people not to use it. I only tell people what to expect with it if they have never seen or used it before and remind them that getting tech support for it here is going to be tricky since most of us avoid it.

[kmoney]

I personally use rocketlauncher and love it. Maybe its because I have been using rocketlauncher for a long time but I feel it is extremly easy to setup and I would never use LaunchBox/BigBox without it as it adds the extra features that truly makes BigBox shine even more. I would advise people to learn and use Rocketlauncher just for the material alone that @RetroHumanoid  here on the forums puts out for RocketLauncher as no one has taken RL to the next level like his work has.

[Massatomic]

True that, @RetroHumanoid is a god of creating RL media.

 

[mothergoose729]

As there any place I can see some RL glam footage? A video with someones l33t setup or whatever? 

[bundangdon]

Right! Another reason I use rocketlauncher is for the reason you just mentioned. There's so much media (bezels, fades, pause, etc.) available, that it makes the whole 'experience' feel even more complete But as it's also been mentioned here before, it's all a matter of preference. Also, the modules that rocketlauncher uses make for both an advantage and disadvantage. They make setting up an emulator relatively easier but if a module for a particular emulator doesn't exist (and there are a few) then you're unable to use that emulator unless you want to create your own module. Nevertheless, I still use rocketlauncher for nearly all of my systems within launchbox