First installation: some questions

[legolas119]

Hi guys,

i have a lifetime subscription to LB/Big Box and i have to install it for the 1st time. I have some questions:

1) My pc has a SDD (403Gb free on 465 total) where I have my OS and an hybrid SDD/HDD (835GB free on 1.81TB total). I have all my already configured emulators and their roms (I don't have full romset, I keep only my favourite games for every emulator) in the hybrid SDD/HDD. Do you think that it is better to install Launchbox in the SDD or in the hybrid SDD/HDD disk? Can i have better performance installing launchbox in the SDD or it is the same more or less? I suppose that extra files (video, pictures, and so on) will be saved in the same LB installation folder, am I right?

2) i have a Platinum subscription to Hypoerspin-fe (for pictures and so on) and a Lifetime Subscription to Emumovies (for HQ video) so i can download every files in HQ. Well, Is Launchbox able to automatically download HQ video and HQ extrafiles. Or is it necessary to download manually every file from the Hyperspin and Emumovies website...? 

 

thanks

[CDBlue]

1) If you have space to spare, which you do from the sounds of it, you can install it on the SSD.  However, that being said, the speed of the drive is not really a big issue when it comes to performance of LB/BB.  The biggest factor is processor speed (per core), amount of ram in the system, etc. (I suppose graphics card to an extent as well, but I expect LB/BB isn't as graphically intensive more so the emulators).  That, and the fact that the media files (box art, screenshots, manuals, video previews etc.) will also be installed whereever you have LB installed, it can take up alot of space.  With both of those things stated, I would likely suggest going with the SSHD (hybrid drive) as you won't notice too much of a speed difference, and you have more space to accommodate all the media that will be downloaded when you import stuff into LB).

2) LB is 100% compatible with Emumovies (you need to enter your credentials for it in the LB options section for Emumovies). Once that's done when you import games you will be given the option to select which media you want LB to attempt to download from Emumovies (if they are available) ... such as front/back/3d boxart, screenshots, manuals, video screencaps, etc.  If it exists, and you have have it selected during the import process, it will find it, download it, and link it to the game in LB/BB seamlessly for you (assuming the game is named correctly and is found in the gamesdb).

Here's a link to many tutorials that have been posted on YT by the LB devs/moderators.  Have a look through and you'll see how easy it is to import games, artwork, etc. using this frontend

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSIht6UXIEXIgz4eXAEShxA/videos

 

 

[legolas119]

perfect, i try to install it in the hybrid hd.  I still have some question:

1) usually I have my roms in .zip format: if so, before to import them in LB, i have to check the option "extract roms before to run the game", I suppose.  Is it the same think to have roms in a zipped/unzipped format? And is LB able to load for the same emulator both zipped/unzipped roms? For example, in my SUpernes roms folder, i have both zipped or unzipped games: is this a problem?

2) What is the "Attempt to hide console windows at startup/shutdown" option? Is it better to check it?

3) I don't use Retorarch and its core because I don't like it. I have configured every emulator individually. That said, I have some emulators that i use in order to run for different system. For example:

 - Kega emulator: I have only one installation emulator folder. But i have different roms folder: "megadrive", "mega CD", "game Gear". When i will import them in LB, i suppose i have only to add the same emulator for 3 times, but every time with a different name, in order to differentiate it in LB. Example:

   A) emulator name = Sega Megadrive and source roms folder = Megadrive

   B) emulator name = Sega Mega CD and source roms folder = MegaCD

   C) emulator name = Sega Game Gear and source roms folder = Game Gear

Is it correct?

 

thanks!

[CDBlue]

1) I have alot of free space on my drives, so I tend to not leave anything zipped except Mame/Final Burn roms which require to be kept in a zip file.  For the others I tend to unzip them in their rom folders before importing them into LB.  However, that being said, if you do leave them in the zip files, then yes you likely will need to select to extract the roms before to run the game for most emulators. It should not be an issue if you mix and match roms, as it will unzip it if needed I assume.  But, to be safe I would suggest having them all zipped, or unzipped to make sure.  I would assume though if you have that checked off and the game is not in a zip file, LB will just ignore the unzipping part and just launch the game.

2)  For the most part you don't need to worry about attempt to hide console option.  Most emulators don't need that option selected.  But, as with most LB features, when you launch a game if there is a console window that pops up and prevents the game from launch properly, you can try selecting that option to see if it will launch better/more seamlessly.  For the most part if you add an emulator that LB is already setup to recognize (most popular emulators are for most popular consoles) it will populate fields as needed and select the options recommended for you.

3) With any emulator, you can have one entry if you want, and as long as you don't need to feed unique command lines to run each console, you just need to add each console you want that emulator to work with on the associated platforms tab.  Example below in the screenshot for BlastEM (Sega Genesis emulator) that I have setup to run Sega Genesis and Sega Master System.  Note that even though both are listed for me, I only use it as the primary emulator for Sega Gensis, but since it's listed here when I right-click any Sega Master System game I can select launch with and select BlastEm ... if I have a game that doesn't run well with my primary emulator for that console, maybe BlastEm will.  That's how those settings work in case you were not aware.

Edited April 9, 2020 by CDBlue

[legolas119]

many thanks!.

 

1) OK. I tired my fist emulator, Nintendo Nes with puNES emulator, perfect. I have 5 unzipped roms, 4 of them correctly detected and working. But there is one not detected rom... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I don't know why...in this case, i can simply download another version of the same rom and reimport it? And what I have to do, for example, if I want to zip some unzipped roms and then reload them again?

2) perfect

3) OK. So now i'm importing Megadrive with Kega Fusion emulator and i will check it as default emulator. After that, if I want to add Master System with its roms and Game Gear with its roms, I have to do again the Import rom process, I will associate again the same emulator and then  in Associated platforms tab I will add 2 rows: Master System (default checked again) and Game Gear (default checked). In this way, all the games of the 3 platforms will use Kega as default emulator.  But before to do this, as soon as i finished to associate Megadrive to Kega fusion, if i open "manage Emulators" option, i see that automatically this tab is totally fullfilled..it seems that LB fullfill it with every supported machine...

4) If i want to add a 2nd emulator, like your BLastEM (i don't know it, is it good?Does it support MegaCD and 32X games too?) for Megadrive and Master System, what I have to do? I suppose I don't need to do again the roms import process and so on. I only need to add a 2nd emulator for Megadrive and Master System.

 

thank you very much! This front end is absolutle fantastic, it has a lot of option and features!

Edited April 9, 2020 by legolas119

[CDBlue]

That's alot of questions lol.  You might be better off going to the youtube channel I linked above and watching some of the tuturials.  Most of your questions are likely answered through those.  As for BlastEM, I believe it's the most accurate Sega Genesis emulator out there now, but it's not the best for Sega Master System.  For the most part, retroarch and the GenesisPlusGX core is much easier to setup and use for almost all Sega platforms (except 32X, which you need to use the Picodrive core, or a stand-alone emulator).

As for having multiple emulators for platforms, I'll use your Nintendo platform as an example.  You have puNes setup as the default emulator for that platform now.  So, whenever you import and Nintendo games that you have linked to that emulator, it will be selected as the default emulator in the import wizard.  You can change it you any other emulator you have setup that you also have listed as working for Nintendo.  For example, you could add Mesen (which btw is the most accurate NES emulator right now) and you would enter Nintendo Entertainment System in the Associated Platforms tab, but you just don't select the default emulator option.  Now, when you right-click any NES games in LB you will see a launch with option is now shown.  When you click on that it will list all the emulators you have setup, where you have Nintendo Entertainment System listed as an associated platform... in this example it would list pUnes and Mesen.

For the screenshots, etc. to show, you need to make sure that in the launchbox options you have enabled the game details pane (which will appear on the right side of the screen).  Now, when you click on a game in the main windows, the game details pane will show any screenshots, notes, details, videos, etc. that you have for that game (usually downloaded during the import process)

Sorry, forgot to answer your question about teenage mutant ninja turtles.  Yeah, if the import wizard didn't import then it might not be a good rom (although usually LB will import it no matter what).  You can always try downloading another version and reattempt to import just that rom.  You don't have to do folders, etc. all the time, you can just do individual roms if you want like that.  As for the .zip or not.  If you have games imported in a non-zip format, and now you want to zip them up, then yes you will need to remove them from LB, zip them up, then reimport the zipped versions.  You could zip them, and edit the entries in LB and point the file to the newly created zip file, but that's a little more advanced, so removing them and re-importing them is the easiest way to go for a beginner.

Edited April 9, 2020 by CDBlue

[legolas119]

thanks! Yes I'm watching some video in the youtube channel   But I dnd't find yet some informations that I need...i don't know if they are explained..

I have done everything and I'm adding games, media and emulators   But I have a couple of issues and I can't solve them...please can you help me?

I add multiple systems to Kega Fusion emulator. In particular I added Megadrive, Master System, Sega CD and Game Gear roms. LB automatically configured the Associated platforms tab in this way: 

The emulator work, but now every time I start a game (of each one of the 4 console) I have this error message with this issue:

 

Same thing happens when i exit from the game.  Yesterday, when i added only Megadrive to the Kega emulator, everything works without any issue. I suppose that it is related to the fact that i have multiple systems associated to the same emulator... Do you know how can I fix it?

In addition, I added Blastem as secundary emualtor for Megadrive and Master system, in this way:

So now if i right click on every Master system game, Launch With --> it appears both Blastem and Kega Fusion.  But if I right click on all megadrive games, if I right click, Launch With --> it appears ONLY Blastem...  It's strange...I suppose I have to see both emulator... Do you know how can I solve it?

 

many thanks!

 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by legolas119

[neil9000]

10 minutes ago, legolas119 said:

So now if i right click on every Master system game, Launch With --> it appears both Blastem and Kega Fusion.  But if I right click on all megadrive games, if I right click, Launch With --> it appears ONLY Blastem...  It's strange...I suppose I have to see both emulator... Do you know how can I solve it?

In your first image you dont have megadrive, you have genesis, thats why it doesnt show in the launch with. As for your other questions, i cant help there im afraid as i have never used those emulators.

[legolas119]

Yesss, thank you!!!! 

I hope that anyone can help me for the other issue

 

And another little question: I would like to change the default front Box of some games (i want every cover with same format/size and sometimes the default Front box from Emumovies has different format). Which is the right way to do this? I tried different way, but every time LB shows me the next image available following its priorities. I also tried to move away the image that I don't like and I replaced it with a new image downloaded in google, with the right format and right apsct ratio and right name (I named it like the previous one: Batman Returns-01.png): but I don't solve the issue, LB doesn't show me this image, it shows me the next image in its priority list   I also refreshed the image (right click on the game), but i don't have any result

Edited April 10, 2020 by legolas119

[CDBlue]

@legolas119 For the error about launching games, I don't think it's a command line/emulator setup issue. I found this information on Kega Fusion and Windows 10 fullscreen possible errors.... so your error is likely to be fixed by doing this:

Q: 'Unable to set display mode' error!
When using Windows 10, upon attempting to enter fullscreen you may receive the following error message after an awkwardly long wait:

Unable to set display mode

Fortunately, there is a fix for this. Simply run Kega Fusion under Windows 7 emulation. Here's how:

1 - Right-click Fusion.exe and left-click Properties.
2 - Click on the Compatibility tab.
3 - Put a check in “Run this program in compatibility mode for”. Select Windows 7. Click OK.

Edited April 11, 2020 by CDBlue

[legolas119]

thanks, i tried your fix and the issue is disappeared....but today the issue is disappeared even if i don't follow your fix!

But now I have another problem, always with Kega Fusion: when i start every system (megadrive, master system, segaCD ad game gear) it starts in fullscreen widescreen mode...but i don't want it, i want the format that I choosed in the emulator (4:3 windowed). I solved deleting the full screen commands here, 

and here:

Now it correctly starts, but if i push the 2 button of my joypad that I associated in order to exit from the game, now this not happens...and the game switch in fullscreen/widescreen mode... it is really strange... do you know which could be the problem?

I have another strange issue, this time with BIG BOX (it's fantastic!), ONLY with NES system: when i enter in the game list, I don't see any games video/screenshot, like this: 

All the games of all the others emulators run correctly, with screenshots, video, and so on. I don't understand why the NES has this issue..

 

thank you very much for all your help. I'm wathing additional video in order to add all the emulators

[CDBlue]

Not sure why NES would not show your box art/screenshots/videos etc. for that view.  Try selecting a different theme maybe and see if that works, or a different view.

As for the fullscreen issue with Kega Fusion, you should not remove those entries in the LB emulator settings, and I would suggest putting them back in, as they are the recommended command line settings to pass on to Kega for it to work properly with each console.  Rather, I would check your setting within Kega Fusion.  For example, under the Video section/Full Screen Resolution, make sure the correct resolution of your monitor is selected (in my example below, I used 1920x1080 as that's what my monitor/desktop is using).  Also check the settings to make sure Fixed Aspect (Fit) is selected.  It might be set to Zoom, or you might not have the correct resolution to match your desktop in the Full Screen Resolution section.

 

[legolas119]

Hi, thanks! I'm adding additional emulators and i'm wathing the tutorials

LAUNCHBOX:

1) Issue on NES on BigBox: solved. It was related to the fact that i manually front Associated Platform = Nintendo NES instead of the default value "Nintendo Entertainment System". 

2) Megadrive and Kega Fusion: i put back the settings as you suggested. And I simply changed the Full screen resolution as you sugested. well, now the emulator by default start correctly, not in full screenmode. But if I push the 2 button I mapped to exit from every emulator, it swithc in fullscreenmode instead of exit from the emulator... I don't know why...

3) Higan emulator: it seems that it is not possible to exit from a game while I'm playing it. I followed this video and if i copy/past the 

AutoHotkey Script=
$Esc::
{
    Process, Close, {{{StartupEXE}}}
}

i can exit with ESC on the keyboard. Not so comfortable...do you know if it is possible to use a joypad button in order to exit from the emualator?

 BIG BOX:

I have configured the EXIT mapping button like in Launchbox. IN LB works correctly: if I'm playing a game, if i push 7+8 on my joypad, i exit from the game and i retunr in LB. But in BB with same command, I exit from the frontend, but while i'm playing i can't exit from every games of every emulator...I hav to push CTRL+ALT+DEL and disconnect the emulator .exe file...  Probably I have to map differently the command in order to exit from a game?  

Thank you very much an Happy Easter!

Edited April 12, 2020 by legolas119

[CDBlue]

Hmm, not sure why it would not be going into fullscreen, as long as you re-added all the command line parameters you removed, it should automatically go into fullscreen.

If I recall correctly, the latest version of Higan doesn't play well with command line driven frontends (if at all).  If you're looking for a good Super Nintendo Entertainment System stand alone emulator, I would suggest using either BSNES or Byuu (both by the same author who created Higan).  Personally, I'd go with Byuu because it has nearly all the accuracy that Higan has, but it's a much more simplified version, that is still 100% command line compatible, which means it works very well with frontends like LB/BB.

https://byuu.org/byuu#download

With Byuu, and Higan if you want to keep using that, you can edit hotkeys within the emulator.  You simply map a hotkey for exit to whatever you want to use (for example I use the q key on the keyboard).  Then, in your exit script you then tell LB to use the q key to exit the emulator, for example:

$Esc::
Send {q down}
Sleep 50
Send {q up}

Now when you use your controller automated button to trigger an exit, it will pass on the q key to the emulator as per the script, and then the emulator will quit correctly.

[CDBlue]

Forgot to mention, but you need to setup the controller automation etc. in both launchbox and bigbox.  They both have their own controller automation, and setting it up in one will not make it work in the other... it needs to be setup in both.

Note, that in BB you don't map to the exit command section, rather to the Close The Active Window command instead.

[legolas119]

Many thanks, I have solved almost all the issues.

I dind't know Byuu new emulator!  Currently I'm using Bsnes for Super Nes and Higan for Gameboy, GameBoy Color, Game Boy Advance. I tried Byuu, it' really good and simple!!! It can manage multiple consoles like Higan and is simple like Bsnes!!! I want to use it fo all the 4 consoles! But currently I have 2 different Byuu installations: one for Super Nintendo and another one for the 3 handled console. This is because for Super Nintendo I use a specific shader, that is not working for the hanldled consoles. And for the others system I use Shader = Scanlines.

So, in order to enter 2 times the same emulator, I choose a different name, like this. (Note: Is it correct to type "--fullscreen" for every emulator that I want to directly star in fullscreen mode?)

I have only a little issue with only a Satellaview game, named Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman Zero (J).zip with Super Nes Byuu installation. This game, in zip format, perfectly starts with Bsnes (in the same roms folder I have the needed BS-X BIOS (English) [No DRM] [2016 v1.3].sfc file).  

If I run the zip file with Byuu, it doesn't start. So I tried to unzip it and then run the Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman Zero (J).bs file and now if i run Byuu, it works. So in LB i deleted the .zip version and imported the .bs file.  Finally i tried it with LB and i doesn't start with Byuu... black screen.... it only works with Bsnes.  In any case It's not a big issue, i can play this game wth Bsnes instead of Byuu

many thanks!

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by legolas119

[CDBlue]

Glad you're making progress.  As for the satellaview questions, unfortunately that is one console I never played with, so I have no experience with it in order to give any recommendations. But, if I do recall correctly when Byuu (the developper) unveiled his plans for Byuu (the emulator) he did mention that not all consoles would be supported right away.  It's possible that Byuu (the emulator) does not yet support satellaview properly.

Also, not sure if you noticed this or not, but in Byuu (the emulator) you need to actually tell it where your bios are stored for some of the consoles it does support, to work properly.  Here's a screenshsot of mine (I didn't bother with the Neo Geo bios files as those are consoles I don't currently emulate... but if you do you'll have to point that to the correct location of your bios files as well)

As for the --fullscreen command line, many emulators do support that.  But, not all.  The best place to look is when setting up a new emulator in LB, if it doesn't prefill the settings (ie. it's not a well known emulator) then it's a good idea to check the thread on the forums here for recommended command line's for different emulators. It's a little outdated, but for the most part it's still very relevant, and worth looking at (again only if LB doesn't recognize the emulator and prefill all the options/command lines, etc.)

 

[legolas119]

thanks!

1) Yes I know the lonk to the page with all the emulators default command line, but it is not updated so for this reason I asked here. But it's clear, thanks. Speaking about Satellaview, well Byuu emulator is able to run the game, ONLY if i launch the .bs file (if i launch the zip version of the game, Byuu can't play the game). But even if I have loaded in Launchbox the .bs file (correctly detected), if I run the game with Byuu, it can't start it (black screen):  if i play it with Bsnes on LB, the game starts correctly. It's quite strange. But no problem at all.

2)Which Nintendo64 emulator do you suggest? I have configured Project64 2.4.0 but not yet imported in LB: in the page linked above it says "To get Project64 1.6 to work with LaunchBox, you must create a .bat file with the following contents: cd /d "C:\Program Files (x86)\Project64 1.6" SET STRING=%1 SET STRING=%STRING:"=% start Project64.exe %STRING% NOTE: Change the path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Project64 1.6" to wherever your Project64 Install is located. Then when adding an emulator to your N64 import, point LaunchBox to the .bat file rather than the Project64 .exe".  Is this still valid or is it an old note?   

Is M64Py a good emulator? I think that it is a UI for Mupen64plus, is it correct? I also downloaded Mupen64Plus with its own UI, it seems good but it is not possible to change the controller mapping configuration...  What do you sugget?

 

thanks!

[CDBlue]

Project64 is an ok N64 emulator.  It's actually been getting decent updates lately that is making it much better (IMO).  However, I still suggest going with M64P (https://m64p.github.io/) as the best N64 emulator out of the box.  There's very little setting up needed, and it runs really, really well out of the box.  M64P that I mentioned here is not M64py that you mentioned.  That is just a UI for Mupen64.  M64P is Mupen64 + GlideN64 + GUI all in one package, already pre-configured for the most part, and working out of the box.

[CDBlue]

Also, if you do decide to go with Project64, which as I mentioned is a decent emulator, don't worry about setting it up. That info you mentioned is for 1.6, which is a really old version.  The more recent versions can be found at emucr.com (https://www.emucr.com/2020/04/project64-git-20200413.html) or on project64's website.  I usually go with the versions on emucr.com since it tends to include the 64-bit builds, which the project64 website doesn't yet.  But, as I mentioned in my previous post, I would still recommend M64P over project64 at this time.

Also, FYI, if you do decide to run project64, at some point it's going to start nagging you to contribute to their emulator.  Just click on enter code and type in "thank you from project64" (without the quotes) and that nag screen will no longer pop up