Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :)

j00b

Setup: Raspberry Pie 3, latest version of RetroPie
Controllers: https://www.amazon.com/Zonmack-Gaming-Bluetooth-Controllers-Playstation/dp/B01HAXN6FA

The issue I am running into: I downloaded and loaded an entire collection of SNES roms, some of them work and some of them do not and freeze the pie. I have to force restart it from the keyboard. The current emulator I am using is the default one that ships that.

Is there anyone that can help me with the following:

Change the SNES emulator to piSNES. How do I do this and where is it done?
Figure out how to edit the graphics or improve the look and feel of the roms that I play for SNES. For example: Donkey Kong Country looked really pixelated and the resolution was bad.
Try to walk me through to best setup for my house and what I am trying to do.

I am a real noob with this stuff but am extremely technical. Looking for someone to help spend some time with me over Skype, or chat even to get things figured out.

Thanks so much!!

meleu

@j00b said in Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :):

The issue I am running into: I downloaded and loaded an entire collection of SNES roms, some of them work and some of them do not and freeze the pie. I have to force restart it from the keyboard. The current emulator I am using is the default one that ships that.

For those which isn't working, you can check the /dev/shm/runcommand.log to get some clue about what's wrong.

Change the SNES emulator to piSNES. How do I do this and where is it done?

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/runcommand#runcommand-launch-menu

If the emulator you want isn't available at the runcommand menu you can check if you can install it via retropie_setup.

I wouldn't recommend PiSNES for a noob, because it isn't a libretro emulator and it can be a pain to configure your controllers. But if you are sure you want it, go ahead!

Figure out how to edit the graphics or improve the look and feel of the roms that I play for SNES. For example: Donkey Kong Country looked really pixelated and the resolution was bad.

Try to enable video_smooth. It can be done via retropie_setup -> Configuration / tools -> configedit -> Configure Libretro options -> Video Smoothing

Try to walk me through to best setup for my house and what I am trying to do.

I am a real noob with this stuff but am extremely technical. Looking for someone to help spend some time with me over Skype, or chat even to get things figured out.

I have a better idea: you can spend some time reading the wiki. ;-)

Initial configs: https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/First-Installation
SNES specific info: https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Super-Nintendo-Entertainment-System

Cheers!

dankcushions

@j00b anything freezing your pi indicates a hardware problem. are you using a 2.5A power supply ?

meleu

@dankcushions when he says " I have to force restart it from the keyboard." I think "It's not an actual freeze."
:-)

j00b

@meleu

For those which isn't working, you can check the /dev/shm/runcommand.log to get some clue about what's wrong.

This doesn't provide any information as it's blank and does not record anything it looks like. When I launch Aladdin on SNES it pauses and says "Press any key to continue..etc" and I have to ctrl+alt+delete on the keyword to restart the pie.

Here is the command output I get when I SSH in:

pi@retropie:/dev/shm $ pwd
/dev/shm
pi@retropie:/dev/shm $ ls
pi@retropie:/dev/shm $ ls -a
.  ..
pi@retropie:/dev/shm $ ls -h
pi@retropie:/dev/shm $ ls -ah
.  ..

There isn't any log file produced, I am not sure what to do at this point. Other games like Donkey Kong Country load just fine, but there are random games that it pauses when trying to load the game.

I have a better idea: you can spend some time reading the wiki. ;-)

I appreciate the links, however I have spent extensive time in the wiki and it's lacking lots of tutorials on how to setup and configure that Pi3 outside of the basics of getting it up and running. I am looking for someone who wants to take the time to help me out, thank you.

@dankcushions

anything freezing your pi indicates a hardware problem. are you using a 2.5A power supply ?

It's not any of the hardware, I purchased a 2.5A power supply with my kit I got off Amazon, https://amzn.com/B01C6Q2GSY.

dankcushions

ok, then you need to provide us with more information. please fill out the entirety of https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

j00b

Pi Model: Raspberry Pi 3 (RPi3) Model B Quad-Core 1.2 GHz 1 GB RAM, https://amzn.com/B01C6Q2GSY
RetroPie Version Used: retropie-4.0.2-rpi2_rpi3
Built From: retropie-4.0.2-rpi2_rpi3.img.gz
USB Devices connected: USB keyboard
Controller used: Zonmack Gaming (TM) (2 Pack) Wireless Bluetooth PS3 Controllers for Playstation 3 Double Shock, https://amzn.com/B01HAXN6FA
Error messages received: http://imgur.com/a/SU0CE
Log found in /dev/shm/runcommand.log (if relevant): no log file found
File: (File with issue - with FULL path)
Emulator: (Name of emulator - if applicable):
Attachment of config files: http://pastebin.com/GeKcLSMY
How to replicate the problem: Browse to SNES, go to Aladdin, press A and try to start the game

rbaker

@j00b said in Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :):

I appreciate the links, however I have spent extensive time in the wiki and it's lacking lots of tutorials on how to setup and configure that Pi3 outside of the basics of getting it up and running.

Is this real? What exactly are you trying to do that is not here on this site or the wiki already?

Your questions:

Change the SNES emulator to piSNES. How do I do this and where is it done?
https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/runcommand
....amazingly, the example given is for the snes!!
How to edit the graphics or improve the look and feel of the roms that I play for SNES.
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/2701/installing-shaders
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/268/shaders-don-t-seem-to-have-effect-snes
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/897/updated-crt-pi-shader/3
I could go on, just search for "shaders" or use video smoothing as described above. Or watch this and the millions of other videos on the subject:
I have spent extensive time in the wiki and it's lacking lots of tutorials on how to setup and configure that Pi3.
The raspberry Pi freezes.
Sorry, never seen that issue even when roms fail to load. The closest I have come is this:
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/FAQ#why-does-shut-down-and-reboot-take-ages becasue you did say "I downloaded and loaded an entire collection of SNES roms".
Try to walk me through to best setup for my house and what I am trying to do.
You don't say what you are trying to do.

dankcushions

@j00b said in Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :):

Error messages received: http://imgur.com/a/SU0CE

that's not a rom. looks like you're trying to run a temporary file probably from an incomplete transfer.

if you'd filled out this question we'd be sure:

File: (File with issue - with FULL path)

j00b

@rbaker

The raspberry Pi freezes.
Sorry, never seen that issue even when roms fail to load. The closest I have come is this:

When I get to this screen in my screenshot I posted, pressing any buttons on my PS3 controller do nothing, and typing on the keyword just types out text in the bottom left of the screen.

@dankcushions

if you'd filled out this question we'd be sure:

Sure, no problem

This is me browsing the Super Nintendo roms list and selecting to play Aladdin, http://imgur.com/a/5YWeE

Screenshot of roms list for SNES: http://take.ms/Qh1Ae

pi@retropie:~/RetroPie/roms/snes $ pwd
/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/snes/Aladdin.smc

dankcushions

@j00b said in Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :):

@rbaker

The raspberry Pi freezes.
Sorry, never seen that issue even when roms fail to load. The closest I have come is this:

When I get to this screen in my screenshot I posted, pressing any buttons on my PS3 controller do nothing, and typing on the keyword just types out text in the bottom left of the screen.

@dankcushions

if you'd filled out this question we'd be sure:

Sure, no problem

This is me browsing the Super Nintendo roms list and selecting to play Aladdin, http://imgur.com/a/5YWeE

Screenshot of roms list for SNES: http://take.ms/Qh1Ae
pi@retropie:~/RetroPie/roms/snes $ pwd
/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/snes/Aladdin.smc

that command wouldn't show the hidden file you attempted to load. this would:

ls -a

j00b

@dankcushions

Look like I found it, http://take.ms/MgGoX

So from my earlier screenshot, it's not picking up any of the actual rom files but a hidden one? Any thoughts?

dankcushions

@j00b i would actually expect the 'real' roms to be there also, but probably after all the dot-prefixed ones in your list, as it sorts by alphabetical order and i guess symbols like ._ are shown first.

emulationstation should probably not display hidden (dot-prefixed) files to avoid this scenario, however now you know about them you can at least delete to save whatever space they are taking up.

j00b

@dankcushions said in Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :):

@j00b i would actually expect the 'real' roms to be there also, but probably after all the dot-prefixed ones in your list, as it sorts by alphabetical order and i guess symbols like ._ are shown first.

emulationstation should probably not display hidden (dot-prefixed) files to avoid this scenario, however now you know about them you can at least delete to save whatever space they are taking up.

Well that worked!

Any tips on how to decrease the lag time for a bluetooth ps3 controller?

rbaker

@j00b said in Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :):

Any tips on how to decrease the lag time for a bluetooth ps3 controller?

Try changing CPU Governor to Performance in Retropie Setup.
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/711/cpu-governor-and-overclock-threshold

meleu

@j00b about the runcommand.log:
The /dev/shm directory is RAM based. It means that its content is deleted after a reboot.

If you raspi3 "freezes" but accept the ctrl+alt+del input from keyboard, then it is NOT actually frozen. If it is connected to your LAN you can log into it via SSH and check the /dev/shm/runcommand.log and/or check other things...

PetroRie

@j00b said in Noob looking for help: Change emulators, graphics, and get things working :):

I appreciate the links, however I have spent extensive time in the wiki and it's lacking lots of tutorials on how to setup and configure that Pi3 outside of the basics of getting it up and running. I am looking for someone who wants to take the time to help me out, thank you.

The Wiki is one giant tutorial on how to config every single configurable variable in RetroPie. To get rid of the pixelated graphics simple go to:

/opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg

and enable:

video_smooth = true

That did the trick for me.

SOSretro

@j00b were you able to get the PS3 zomack controllers to work? I've been able to get the brand name ones to work, following the wiki, but the zomack ones just vibrate away when I plug them in.

They are a great deal if it's possible to set them up. If you did, I would love to know the steps you took.

amundell

@SOSretro same here. Zonmack controllers just vibrate. Following to see if you find a solution.