What tweaks do you make to your RetroPie setup?

meleu

OK. That's what I do after install RetroPie:

apt-get install vim tmux htop
upload classic consoles ROMs (I like to deal with arcade ROMs patiently later).
use sselph scraper
configure my wired controllers
configure my bluetooth controllers: 8Bitdo Zero (needs 8bitdo hack), NES30 (doesn't need the hack).
update RetroArch from source in order to get the latest fixes.
edit the ...all/retroarch-joypads/GAMEPAD.cfg files:
- disable the hotkeys select+start (quit retroarch) and select+B (reset), to avoid unpleasant surprises. (Uhmmm... this post made me think in a way to automate this step...)
- set input_hold_fast_forward_btn to the right on right analog directional (for the joysticks that have this directional).
edit retroarch.cfg:
- change video_font_size to 32 or more
- configure RetroAchievements (hardcore mode enabled, of course!).
- set auto_screenshot_filename and screenshot_directory to use the "Take and Scrape Your Own Screenshots" trick (I use the method 2).
- set all_users_control_menu to true.
install the RetroPie-joystick-selection tool.
remap buttons for NES using the core input remapping in RGUI, Y to make Mega Man shoot, B to make Mega Man jump. :)
get distracted for several hours/days earning achievements. :)
time to look to the arcade games (I'm very selective with them):
- update pifba from source (I'm raspi1 owner so I like to use pifba. Some new features aren't in the binary version yet).
- put Metal Slug and SNK fighting games in the neogeo roms folder.
- CPS1 and CPS2 games in fba roms folder
- real old arcade games (elevator action, pacman, new rally X, etc.) in arcade roms folder.
- create some custom fba2x.cfg files for neogeo and capcom fighting games to use like I detailed in this post.
time for cosmetics:
- install the ES Pixel theme (my top favorite).
- configure the splashscreen to randomize.
- get the amazing @Rookervik and @lilbud NES inspired splashscreens.
time for runcommand.sh tweaks
- ~~make it get the joy2key device from runcommand.cfg, just like I did with this non-merged PR.~~
- ~~currently I'm playing with what @Rookervik proposed here using the image that @lilbud put here.~~ (it's already implemented on the "official" runcommand)
- download the runcommand launching images from Rookervik's post here

Floob

Thanks very much for the feedback so far, some great ideas I may use.
Especially the force HDMI audio - I remember I was in a hotel room struggling to get audio out of the Pi and that was it - had to go and buy a keyboard! :)

cyperghost

@Floob Talked with meleu about annother thing but also read this thread today. You made my day - because I want RetroPie to be installed only with joypads. So I've started this thread.
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3938/feature-request-xecute-boot-sh-in-future-retropie-releases-via-retropiemenu/

ADS

I know not everyone is sensitive to input delay, but I find the default configuration to have unbearable input lag on my rpi3 when playing NES platformers, so most of my immediate tweaks are centered around lowering input delay:

video_driver = "dispmanx"

Lowers input delay noticeably, measured as 1 frame but feels like more. Unfortunately it also disables shaders/overlay, but I care about input lag more so I can live with that.

video_threaded = "false"

Also lowers input lag.

video_frame_delay = "5"

The final tweak, the actual value is core dependent and requires a bit of tuning, the above is for NES games (which is mostly what I play). After all this I generally only have 4 to 5 frames input delay, which isn't perfect but totally playable.

Other than remapping my iBuffalo SNES controller and setting up the proper overscan in config.txt, I don't really do much else.

Anyone have any other tips for reducing input lag? I'd love to get that real console feel. :)

UDb23

@Floob Here are some more:

Customize Advmame config to make vector based games look best
get a trackball; just bought an inexpensive kensington pc one and it works fine
use specific custom icons for Mame based emulators

meleu

I'm happy @Floob started this thread. It gave me the idea to make an post-install.sh script to automate many steps (those which doesn't require interaction). One more great use for inifuncs.sh... :-)

And the other fellows' tweaks were inspiring.

Thanks.

UDb23

@meleu Having a script implementing these "tweaks" is a great idea !!
Ideally having a menu to select what specific tweak/option should be activated would be fantastic.
Of course we all do backups but this script would help also in case some of these tweaks already implemented, for whatever reason, get overwritten or deleted.

meleu

@UDb23 I'll let you know when I do something useful. ;-)

cyperghost

@meleu Please don't forget the mass of Windows users :D :D :D

robertybob

I add a delay to the boot in order for my external HD to have enough time to power up - surprised this isn't an option in the RetroPie setup menu :(

BuZz

@robertybob why are you surprised by that ? did you submit a PR ? (not that I think it's needed anyway - there is an option to manually edit the autostart script, so just a matter of putting a sleep in there - which can be documented on the wiki if it isn't already)

robertybob

@BuZz I'd be surprised if I wasn't the only person using an external HD where this is an issue. Of course, if I had the expertise to do a PR for this then I would do so - I think I'll just add a wiki entry.

BuZz

Well, true, but that doesn't mean it should be expected that there is a GUI for it. We can't do GUIs to cover every admin task for every use case - Something like this also differs depending on drive etc. Its best just added by the user if they need it imho, but if I ever do a GUI for using USB drives/sticks for storage I may consider it.

Dwarfboysim

Hi all,
Would you have step by step instructions Floob?

Dwarfboysim

strangeruk

I've just made a tweak to my setup which has evolved with my use of Retropie. I now create a directory for saves and add a subdirectory for each console, rather than have the save files created in the rom directory. I then point the retroarch.cfg for each emulator to the relevant save directory, and finally create a Samba Share to the saves directory so I can easily back them up - or move them to another RetroPie device (ie my handheld build). I find it gives me a cleaner roms directory for each console and makes it much easier to back up any saves, should I need to rebuild. I now also do the same with screenshots.

Other tweaks include forcing the analogue stick on for most of my consoles (I use a PS3 controller), enabling rewind and associated hotkey, use @Floob's tool to enable shaders/overlays for handheld consoles and add a crt shader for 'normal' consoles.

There's probably tonnes of other tweaks I make when going down the RetroPie rabbit hole!

Capeman

Here's my list:

Install the img:

Open first time and wait for file system to expand
join wifi and enable ssh and disable overscan in raspi-config - post install options
Install my custom theme
set theme by going into the start menu UI Options
Set other UI options (no fast switching, turn off on screen menu prompts)
get IP address for ssh
retroarch.cfg under ALL

turn off save on exit
turn off video smoothing
turn off on-screen type display (search for “font”)
go into controller setup and disable all special keys other than exit

upload roms (romlist contains gamelist and image folder)
adjust special emulator settings

master system and GG use Genesis GX emulator
SNES overclock the super fx chip in retroarch menu options
turn off FCEUM overscan setting in retroarch menu

Install powerblock drivers (and adjust the script to retropie safe shutdown script)
Add bluetooth controllers
Set splash screen to "WINNERS DONT USE DRUGS"
Disable runcommand launch prompt

There's probably more things, but this is what i had written down.

@obsidianspider i read on yours stretch to 16:9.... ARE YOU MAD?!

BobHarris

I use a python script for background music in emulation station. I am at 183 tracks of 8 - 32 bit console video game music (can't think of any more). Such great music that I often spend a little more time lingering over the game list before I start one. :-)
I use a custom crt shader (one without the vertical lines artifact)
I'm a big Street Fighter fan, so I made a custom collection filled with all my Street Fighter games (snes, megadrive, psp, ps1, fba) and in Street Fighter 3 second impact I made two save states (Ken vs Ryu and Ryu vs Ken: both their final battles in arcade mode) so I can right away jump into my favorite two battles.
Enabling enhanced resolution for Crash Bandicoot 1,2,3, Wipeout 3 and Wipeout 2097. (I prefer the crt shader and lower resolution for my other ps1 games.)
I also added joystick control in almost all of my emulators, so I can use whatever i feel like for each game.
Most of the stuff already mentioned here. A lot of time went into setting up proper controls and visuals for each system.

Dwarfboysim

@capeman Hi what steps do you use to disable the overscan. When I disable it Emulation Station no longer fits on the screen properly and the bootup screen of the Pi doesn't either. I have used the overscan scale option in config.txt to overcome the onboot up options but how do you overcome ES not fitting properly?

Thanks,
Dwarfboysim

Capeman

@dwarfboysim I had the same issue when i disable overscan on mine, it stretched outside the bounds of my TV... then i remembered i had a stupid Samsung TV and it had it's own setting for overscan compensation. After i set my HDMI input on the tv to recognize as a PC input (which disables tv specific "features"), everything fit just fine. It's likely your TV, the pi puts out perfect 1080p resolution over HDMI with overscan disabled.

caver01

@capeman I had the same exact problem with my Samsung. It was cropping the image some, so I had to set it to a custom picture size (which worked automatically) that was't the built-in 16:9 even though it was that AR. Silly, but whatever.