Question about Multi-Disc Consoles

[TPR]

For consoles that do not support the .m3u format, like Commodore 64, Sega CD, Atari 800, etc...

What is the best file structure to add multiple disks so that not every disk shows up on your list? There are some C64 games that have as many as 8 to 10 disks and I would like to only have Disk 1 show up, but then where can I put the other disks so I can get to them using the Disk Control option in RetroArch yet not have them show up on my main roms listing?

Thank you.

[mitu]

The C64 core (lr-vice) supports m3u playlists, but the .m3u extension is not enabled for EmulationStation. For the SegaCD, upstream genesis-plus-gx has added support for it this year, but it's not yet merged into the libretro core.
I don't know about the atari800 core - it might not even support the RetroArch disk interface.

If the core supports absolute paths in the m3u file (I think lr-vice does), you can copy your disk images to an additional folder (roms/c64-floppies) and create the m3u file in the main C64 folder (roms/c64/), so the disk images don't show up in the gamelist.

[TPR]

@mitu Perfect! That's great to know about C-64. I'll try that out today.

Also, what about MAME games that require additional support files? For example, games that require decocass.zip? Where can I put those parent ROMs or support ROMs so they don't show up in my main list?

[mitu]

@tpr said in Question about Multi-Disc Consoles:

Also, what about MAME games that require additional support files? For example, games that require decocass.zip? Where can I put those parent ROMs or support ROMs so they don't show up in my main list?

Depends on the emulator used, but MAME bios files should be ignored by EmulationStation if they're in an arcade game folder (arcade, mame-libretro, advmame, etc.)

[TPR]

@mitu Not necessarily BIOS files but parent ROMs. For example, you need tmnt.zip in order for tmnt2po.zip to work. But I don't want both of those files showing up in my game list.

[mitu]

@tpr Again, it depends on the emulator - which one are you using ?

[TPR]

@mitu MAME 2003 or MAME 2003-plus

[mitu]

MAME2003 doesn't have any other folders that looks for ROM files, so you can't copy the parent somewhere else to have it 'hidden' from view.

EmulationStation has a Kiosk mode, where it doesn't display the files/games marked as 'hidden', that might be useful if you want to 'hide' them in the gamelist. It also disables the ES menu, so that's not a solution if you want to keep the full ES interface.

[dankcushions]

@tpr said in Question about Multi-Disc Consoles:

@mitu Perfect! That's great to know about C-64. I'll try that out today.

Also, what about MAME games that require additional support files? For example, games that require decocass.zip? Where can I put those parent ROMs or support ROMs so they don't show up in my main list?

if you acquire/build a non-merged set you don't need any of the parent files - every rom is standalone. see https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Validating%2C-Rebuilding%2C-and-Filtering-ROM-Collections/#validating-and-rebuilding-roms

[TPR]

@mitu said in Question about Multi-Disc Consoles:
For the SegaCD, upstream genesis-plus-gx has added support for it this year, but it's not yet merged into the libretro core.

Going back to the Sega CD question, what are my current options? Do I just have to have all the discs listed in the rom directory?

Or is there a way to hide Disc 2, Disc 3, etc...

[AdamBeGood]

@tpr said in Question about Multi-Disc Consoles:

@mitu said in Question about Multi-Disc Consoles:
For the SegaCD, upstream genesis-plus-gx has added support for it this year, but it's not yet merged into the libretro core.

Going back to the Sega CD question, what are my current options? Do I just have to have all the discs listed in the rom directory?

Or is there a way to hide Disc 2, Disc 3, etc...

Do you mean in Emulation Station terms? I mark them as Hidden on ES, and then use Kiosk mode, but there are definitely ways that are neater and more involved. That is how I hide multiple discs though.

[mitu]

@tpr said in Question about Multi-Disc Consoles:

Going back to the Sega CD question, what are my current options? Do I just have to have all the discs listed in the rom directory?

Yes, since no SegaCD emulator supports .m3u files at the moment, so you'll have to load the game directly from a disc.