How to use SSF with Launchbox

[witherzombie222]

SSF is a Sega Saturn emulator. It is the best one out there, and way more compatible and faster than Mednafen. However it is hard to use since you cannot run cue/bin, iso and md5 files directly and need a virtual drive. Here is a very easy tutorial which does not require one.

To start download SSF from here: http://aaaaaaaa.g2.xrea.com/ssf/files/SSF_PreviewVer_R16.zip

Once you have downloaded it, extract it to some directory.
So we don't need a virtual drive and we can launch the games easier, this tool is needed:https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/e9cqrd/drag_drop_rom_loader_for_ssf_emulator_sega_saturn/

Extract it to your SSF folder. Make sure you add it as an exception in your antivirus. The tool has no viruses, they are false positives.

Now make a new directory in your SSF folder called Bios. Put your bios files in there.

Open SSF.exe. Click on Option(O) then click on Option(O) under it.

Select your Saturn Bios, then restart SSF. Click on Option(O) once again and click on Controller and set your controls. Finally, close SSF.

When in Launchbox, go to Manage Emulators. When selecting the executable, do not select SSF.exe. Instead, select SSF-RomSelector.exe. 
In command line parameters type -fullscreen.

Add your games. If there are any cue files in your set, select those instead of the bin, ccd or iso files. 

And thats it! To add japanese Sega Saturn games, do the same thing(copy the emulator to a different folder) but instead use a japanese bios.

I don't reccomend you use SSF with Sega Titan Video games, they will not work well with the SSF Rom Selector tool. Use the Kronos emulator instead.

 

 

[meecob]

Hello there,

I Just tried this. I get a "CUE file load error. -fullscreen"

 

Do I need turn on the virtual drive stuff in SSF and turn of the manual load stuff ?

Cheers

 

 

 

[bundangdon]

On 12/10/2020 at 5:34 AM, meecob said:

Hello there,

I Just tried this. I get a "CUE file load error. -fullscreen"

 

Do I need turn on the virtual drive stuff in SSF and turn of the manual load stuff ?

Cheers

 

 

 

A very important FYI, related to this post of course, the latest version of SSF now has the ability to load .iso and .chd files. From what I've tested so far, it's working great and there's no extra command lines needed in LaunchBox to load games directly. For anyone's reference, the latest version I tested is SSF .12 preview r27

Edited September 20, 2021 by bundangdon

[meecob]

On 9/20/2021 at 1:59 PM, bundangdon said:

A very important FYI, related to this post of course, the latest version of SSF now has the ability to load .iso and .chd files. From what I've tested so far, it's working great and there's no extra command lines needed in LaunchBox to load games directly. For anyone's reference, the latest version I tested is SSF .12 preview r27

Thats great news, thanks alot. I will try it soon

[Headrush69]

On 9/20/2021 at 1:59 AM, bundangdon said:

A very important FYI, related to this post of course, the latest version of SSF now has the ability to load .iso and .chd files. From what I've tested so far, it's working great and there's no extra command lines needed in LaunchBox to load games directly. For anyone's reference, the latest version I tested is SSF .12 preview r27

Do you have it starting full screen without using 3rd party tools?

I can't seem to get it trying all the "old" posts about how it should work.

[bundangdon]

3 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

Do you have it starting full screen without using 3rd party tools?

I can't seem to get it trying all the "old" posts about how it should work.

Yep! After a little bit of time and effort, I found a way. Put the following in "Running AutoHotKeyScript"

Sleep, 2500
 SetKeyDelay, -1, 110
 Send !{Enter}
 Return

Here's a screenshot I just made with 'Darius II' running full screen in SSF

[Headrush69]

7 hours ago, bundangdon said:

Yep! After a little bit of time and effort, I found a way. Put the following in "Running AutoHotKeyScript"

Sleep, 2500
 SetKeyDelay, -1, 110
 Send !{Enter}
 Return

Yes, thanks. I was hoping the app had a true native launch option.

Do you use SSF as your go to Saturn emulator? I generally use the mednafen core in Retroarch but I'm always open to other options that improve the end user experience as much as possible.

[meecob]

Running hotkey script not working for me.

I notice that the very latest version of SSF (SSF_PreviewVer_R27) uses F12 to enter fullscreen mode.

Can you tell how to add that into Running Hotkey Scripts please ?

I'm still using rom selector

 

Cheers

[Headrush69]

2 minutes ago, meecob said:

Running hotkey script not working for me.

I notice that the very latest version of SSF (SSF_PreviewVer_R27) uses F12 to enter fullscreen mode.

Can you tell how to add that into Running Hotkey Scripts please ?

Change to the following line:

Quote

Send {F12}

 

[bundangdon]

17 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

Yes, thanks. I was hoping the app had a true native launch option.

Do you use SSF as your go to Saturn emulator? I generally use the mednafen core in Retroarch but I'm always open to other options that improve the end user experience as much as possible.

Generally, I stick with the Mednafen core in Retroarch too, but I'll try SSF every now and then since I've been watching their progress over the past 10-15 years. SSF does have a more 'pure' feel while playing Saturn games with it, although it's also full of random but mostly minor issues

[meecob]

25 minutes ago, meecob said:

Running hotkey script not working for me.

I notice that the very latest version of SSF (SSF_PreviewVer_R27) uses F12 to enter fullscreen mode.

Can you tell how to add that into Running Hotkey Scripts please ?

I'm still using rom selector

 

Cheers

I got it to work. I skipped using Rom selector and changed the script to:

Sleep, 2500
 SetKeyDelay, -1, 110
 Send !{F12}
 Return

Thanks again.

 

[meecob]

19 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

Change to the following line:

 

cheers

[Headrush69]

Just now, meecob said:

I got it to work. I skipped using Rom selector and changed the script to:

Sleep, 2500
 SetKeyDelay, -1, 110
 Send !{F12}
 Return

Thanks again.

 

Even though it works, just be aware that when you include the ! character, you are sending ALT + F12

[meecob]

Thanks for the tip

[Jayinem]

Just discovered they made SSF easier where you can just load the ISO directly from the emulator. I dealt with all that image mounting with Daemon Tools for years with tons of frustration. Now it's easy to emulate Saturn with SSF. I never had much luck with the other Saturn emulators.

Edited September 22 by Jayinem