Question About the ROG ALLY with BIG BOX

[Echostorm]

Hey guys, I love Launchbox but really don't use it much, however, my son is getting a ROG ALLY for his BDAY and I was thinking I would put Launchbox on it. Can anyone suggest a configuration? I am guessing that's what BIGBOX is for, and really would just like to know about themes, and if anyone owns one, what kind of capabilities they have seen out of it and any issues with retroarch / etc.

[AstroBob]

Hey @Echostorm, 

Thanks for the excellent question. I personally use LaunchBox and Big Box exclusively on handhelds (I use a Legion Go), but the experience is largely similar. Here are some tips I can offer from my experience:

 

Initial Setup

•  I definitely recommend hooking the ROG Ally up to an external monitor and keyboard for the initial setup process. Getting LaunchBox installed, importing ROMs, etc., is certainly doable on the handheld, but save yourself the hassle by connecting it to a screen and peripherals to make the process easier.

Big Box

• That said, once all the setup is done, Big Box is absolutely the best way to experience your LaunchBox library on the go. Simply map the Ally’s built-in controller to controls in Big Box, and you should be good to go (it may even do this automatically for you). You’ll then be able to navigate through your library, launch games, etc.
• To make things even easier, consider mapping the Big Box pause menu to your controller. This gives you a unified way across all emulators to exit, save/load states, view the manual, etc. On my Legion Go, I have it mapped to clicking in the right stick + down on the D-pad (yes, you can combine multiple button inputs like this).
• I use the above method to also map different views in Big Box. For example, one of the four directions on the D-pad loads a different Big Box view, which saves you from navigating back through menus.
• Other useful options to map to the built-in controller in Big Box are search and filter. These allow you to quickly narrow in on specific games (and with search, you can use the Ally’s touch keyboard to quickly type in the game you’re looking for).
• The Game Discovery center is a great view to use in Big Box and looks excellent on the Ally’s screen.
• For themes, this comes down to personal preference. I stick with the good old default, but it’s up to you. Just be mindful of the Ally’s TDP. It’s something you don’t have to worry about on a desktop, and while Big Box will perform just fine at lower TDPs, if you use a very complex theme, you may want to consider bumping up the TDP to ensure smooth performance.
• Finally, consider having Big Box boot automatically when the ROG Ally is turned on, or at least make it an app that can easily be launched from Armory Crate, ROG’s own launcher.
• With 13.16, Big Box has a trial mode that you can use to test out if you don't already own a premium license.

RetroArch

• Retroarch should largely work out of the box on the ally if you've installed it through LaunchBox. It will automatically pick up the build in controls. Only thing you might want to do is set certain hotkeys for things like quitting retroarch, screenshots, fast-forward etc

Phew, I hope that wasn’t too rambly! In short, LaunchBox & Big Box can absolutely work well on a handheld. Feel free to ask any follow-up questions if you have any!