Change which core to load in Retroarch for PS1

[RetroJesus]

Hi

 

I watched the video tutorial on how to setup Retroarch for PS1 in Launchbox but it wasn't very clear on this issue I'm having;

I have 2 BIOS files (the US and EU) with the correct md5 checksum and RA info file tells they are present and it's pointing in the right direction.

I don't have the Japan BIOS file, I don't intend to play Japanese titles. Do I need it?

The RA PS core PSX Beetle (Mednafen) says firmware is missing while PSX ReARMed loads the games.
I have 10 PS1 games at the moment, 9 of them work with PSX ReARMed except Metal Gear Solid that only works with PSX Beetle.
This 9 games don't work with PSX Beetle, says "One or more Firmware files are missing"
 

I have both RA cores associated in LB.

What I ask is:
Is it possible to load some games through LB using one RA PS1 core (PSX ReARMed for those 9 games) and load other PS1 RA core for other games (use PSX Beetle for MGS and other games that might not work with ReARMed)?
I'm open to suggestions on the best way to emulate PS1 games

I can't seem to get ALL games working in ONE way...there is always a lot of trial and error which is very time consuming.

 

Thank you

[neil9000]

Beetle/mednafen is the best core to use for ps1, I believe PSX rearmed uses a emulated bios and that is why they work there. If beetle/mednafen  says your bios are wrong then that is surely the issue, the checksome may be correct, but are they named exactly the same?

 

[RetroJesus]

Yes, they're named exactly the same (in lower case letter). I now have the Japanese BIOS too with the correct md5 checksum. RA says all the BIOS are present now.

However I have several games that don't work with Beetle/Mednafen because they don't have .cue file.

Most are in .mdf and .img with no .cue file with them.

When I try to open in RA it's all black or runtime error occurs that shuts RA down in Win10 64btis.

 

What about opening games in LB with different RA cores for the PS1?

Can that be done?

I would like to open PS1 games with LB using different RA cores (ex, Beetle or ReARMed)...

[Lordmonkus]

You can either edit the games you want to use a specific core and have a custom command line loading that game with that core or you can add new new emulator entry for a 2nd Retroarch (different name but using the same install) and setting up different command line parameters using the other core. Then you can change the emulator for the games you want to use that 2nd Retroarch emulator in LB.

[neil9000]

36 minutes ago, RetroJesus said:

Yes, they're named exactly the same (in lower case letter). I now have the Japanese BIOS too with the correct md5 checksum. RA says all the BIOS are present now.

However I have several games that don't work with Beetle/Mednafen because they don't have .cue file.

Most are in .mdf and .img with no .cue file with them.

When I try to open in RA it's all black or runtime error occurs that shuts RA down in Win10 64btis.

 

What about opening games in LB with different RA cores for the PS1?

Can that be done?

I would like to open PS1 games with LB using different RA cores (ex, Beetle or ReARMed)...

Yes it can be done of course Launchbox is a launcher it will launch what you tell it to. However, it seems like you have a mish mash of different formats for a single system, which will confuse things somewhat.

[RetroJesus]

21 minutes ago, Lordmonkus said:

You can either edit the games you want to use a specific core and have a custom command line loading that game with that core or you can add new new emulator entry for a 2nd Retroarch (different name but using the same install) and setting up different command line parameters using the other core. Then you can change the emulator for the games you want to use that 2nd Retroarch emulator in LB.

Does that mean I would have to make a copy of the current retroarch.exe and name it retroarch2.exe  and associate a core a want for a specific game?
What would a "custom command line" look like?

I don't know much about command lines  

[RetroJesus]

50 minutes ago, neil9000 said:

Yes it can be done of course Launchbox is a launcher it will launch what you tell it to. However, it seems like you have a mish mash of different formats for a single system, which will confuse things somewhat.

True

The download sources for ps1 roms come in different formats.
There is not much I can do...

[Lordmonkus]

39 minutes ago, RetroJesus said:

I don't know much about command lines

The command lines are what you see in the associated platforms window, those command line parameters are what tells RA what core to load with the game.

[RetroJesus]

5 minutes ago, Lordmonkus said:

The command lines are what you see in the associated platforms window, those command line parameters are what tells RA what core to load with the game.

I have both PS1 cores listed Beetle and ReARMed with the correct RA default command-line.
How do I tell LaunchBox to open a game with beetle core instead of rearmed?
I already checked/unchecked the default/emu boxes but all games load with the same core.

[Lordmonkus]

You have to edit the command line for the platform, the default emulator checkbox is only for importing games, it has no effect after that.

Here's my Playstation Associated Platforms window entry

Sony Playstation

-L "cores\mednafen_psx_libretro.dll"

True

[RetroJesus]

I put that command in:

 Select game I want>Game>Edit>Emulator

Check the box of the custom command and paste it there...nothing happens...

 

 

[Lordmonkus]

Can you post a screenshot of it ?

And do you have that core downloaded and in the \cores folder of your RA install ?

[RetroJesus]

2 hours ago, Lordmonkus said:

Can you post a screenshot of it ?

And do you have that core downloaded and in the \cores folder of your RA install ?

Yes I have.
Screenshot with the custom command for the game I want to load with beetle core (I have tried several options, only the command line with no "Sony Playstation", or spaces in between etc.):

[Lordmonkus]

Change it to

-L "cores\mednafen_psx_libretro.dll"

That's the actual command line parameter.

[RetroJesus]

10 minutes ago, Lordmonkus said:

Change it to

-L "cores\mednafen_psx_libretro.dll"

That's the actual command line parameter.

THAT'S IT!

It loads in beetle now:

 

 

From these 10 games MGS was the only only one that didn't load with ReARMed:

I will test them to see how they roll.
They all load now so I assume they will play.

Thank you very much for your help Lordmonkus, I really appreciate it

[Lordmonkus]

No problem, glad you got it sorted, hopefully it's all set to your liking now, if not feel free to ask more questions.