(solved)lr-mgba and Super GameBoy emulation
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Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
From what I have seen lr-mgba can now emulate Super GameBoy if the correct BIOS is available.
I have been waiting for this foe a while, and recently re-installed RetroPie to get a clean version of 4.4. I then updated all the packages, and restored my roms and some configuration files.*
I went ahead and got the bios for the Super GameBoy, verified the checksum, placed it in the BIOS folder, and found pre-made SGB.1 and SGB.2 folders to place in the BIOS folder as well.
Problem is that when loading a Super GameBoy enhanced game, it only sees the original ROM. I checked the RGUI and haven't found anything to tell it to load or check for Super GameBoy code.Any advice?
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This is great news. I just wish I had time to set it up sometime soon. It looks like it'll display Super GameBoy borders just by setting a core option, but it doesn't specifically mention the enhanced color palettes. Perhaps that one setting controls both. Previously, with other cores an altered runcommand was necessary to start SGB subsystem support, but there doesn't appear to be any subsystem functionality in the core.
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@Nathan1031982 Update from source. That's how I got the functionality. Palettes and borders work great, though don't expect SGB's SNES Sound (Animaniacs comes to mind due to its entire soundtrack using that function) or Space Invaders' SNES ROM (I checked it). Know there is also a special mode that was only ever used for Mario Picross' title screen as well that I haven't checked.
, and found pre-made SGB.1 and SGB.2 folders to place in the BIOS folder as well.
No idea what that's all about. What are these supposed to do exactly? Something used in the non-libretro version of mGBA?
@mediamogul It's pretty simple to setup, but here are the entries for "emulator.cfg", though they'll only work if your Game Boy ROMs have been updated to No-Intro's current names.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HxFv5lOVob0RhU8z5TVwfhINjD1xsn7j/view?usp=sharing
And here is the same thing for the Game Boy Color, though I haven't a clue why you'd want to give up Game Boy Color Mode for Super Game Boy Mode.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VV2z9_GnnO4EZS7_M5YUscSiVAaWFdAB/view?usp=sharing
I'd also advise adding
core_options_path = "/opt/retropie/configs/gb/retroarch-core-options.cfg"
and
core_options_path = "/opt/retropie/configs/gbc/retroarch-core-options.cfg"
to the appropriate retroarch.cfg system files as well to keep Super Game Boy Mode core option separate from lr-mgba GBA emulation use.
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@eckaji
Well, it's certainly easy to set up. No subsystem to deal with or anything. One thing I've noticed with the games I've tested so far is that when launched, a the graphics are glitched or just plain white. Resetting the system solves the issues, so it's not really a big deal. Does this happen for you? In any event, it's a great first step and it's really nice to finally see 'Donkey Kong '94' in color on RetroPie.
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@eckaji said in lr-mgba and Super GameBoy emulation:
@Nathan1031982 Update from source. That's how I got the functionality. Palettes and borders work great, though don't expect SGB's SNES Sound (Animaniacs comes to mind due to its entire soundtrack using that function) or Space Invaders' SNES ROM (I haven't checked it). Know there is also a special mode that was only ever used for Mario Picross' title screen as well that I haven't checked.
Thank you! Updating from source added the option as you said!
I plan on eventually adding a system to the list specifically for the Super GameBoy, so all options will be available.
For now, I will just make a new folder so there isn't any conflict. -
Set "Skip BIOS intro (requires restart)" to "OFF". I believe the Super Game Boy's BIOS Intro is another thing that would require that mGBA's developer add full fledged SNES emulation.
It's too bad Donkey Kong 94 was the only game to really take advantage of the hardware due to it needing to be the showpiece for buyers of the SGB; I still remember getting that SGB book in the mail from Nintendo Power. Nintendo learned their lesson with the SGB at least and had a strict requirement for developers to follow for their GB games to be allowed the GBC Compatible mark.
You're welcome.
I'm hoping one of the developers of themes I like add a SGB theme at some point.
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So for Carbon, I added a theme.
]
As you can see, nothing special, but it gets the job done.
The XML is just a pull from another system from Carbon, but I figured a vector of the Super Game Boy cartridge would be appropriate.
Don't know where to upload it, but if someone lets me know where I should upload it to, let me know. -
@nathan1031982 Well, you could put it as an attachment in an issue on the theme's GitHub.
https://github.com/RetroPie/es-theme-carbon/issues
Development seems a little dead at the moment, but someone will get around to adding it eventually.
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@eckaji Done!
Thanks again!
Here is the link for anyone interestedSuper Game Boy carbon theme. -
@eckaji said in (solved)lr-mgba and Super GameBoy emulation:
I believe the Super Game Boy's BIOS Intro is another thing that would require that mGBA's developer add full fledged SNES emulation.
Hey, emulating the color palettes is all I ever wanted. While I think they're an interesting addition, I don't even use the borders. After setting the BIOS to load, everything's working very well for me. 'Donkey Kong '94' looks great and I even hatched, named and overfed a Tamagotchi named Poodu... all in full color! We really are living in great times.
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@mediamogul Yeah, I disable the borders as well. I have all my handhelds at the highest multiple of their original size that I can fit in 1920x1080 and they look great with the new zfast lcd shader.
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Hey all! @mediamogul @Eckaji I updated from source and also have Super Gameboy games working through lr-mgba :)
However, I can't seem to access the Super Gameboy menu on games that have no special bored with the L + R buttons. Im sure that's required to change palettes?
I have a super gameboy bios, and it's working for games like Donkey Kong.
Thanks!
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@mrjordaaany said in (solved)lr-mgba and Super GameBoy emulation:
However, I can't seem to access the Super Gameboy menu on games that have no special bored with the L + R buttons. Im sure that's required to change palettes?
I may be wrong, but I don't believe that feature is currently being emulated.
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@mediamogul It doesn't appear to be, no.
However you guys mention emulating the color palettes. For example Alleyway on GB has it's own special color pallet, no other enhancements. I have this option enabled, but the game remains in black and white.
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What appears to be the case is that this particular implementation of Super GameBoy support only displays color for the 60 or so titles that bare the 'Enhanced for Super GameBoy' banner. I noticed this myself earlier, but I wasn't particularly bothered, as the 'special color palettes' aren't really anything that couldn't be done already with existing GameBoy Color support. Still, if these features are ever added, I'd definitely take advantage of them.
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@mediamogul Yeah this is what I just figured out myself not long after posting. Yeah they are passable for now. Will be ultra cool in the future to see if the in-game Super Gameboy menu can be accessed. That has alot of cool and worthy while features. Most notably picking a border for any Gameboy game that has no further SGB support.
Thanks medlamongul!
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Sorry for bump but how do I add that Super Gameboy (part of Carbon theme) to Carbon?
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The SGB art files are here:
https://github.com/RetroPie/es-theme-carbon/issues/38
Then you need to make a custome system on your pi to utilize those files:
https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Add-a-New-System-in-EmulationStation/
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@quicksilver said in (solved)lr-mgba and Super GameBoy emulation:
The SGB art files are here:
https://github.com/RetroPie/es-theme-carbon/issues/38
Then you need to make a custome system on your pi to utilize those files:
https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Add-a-New-System-in-EmulationStation/
Thank you!
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I got the Super Gameboy logo to show up with rom paths and everything but lr-mgba wont save configurations... I give up.
EDIT: I got this form dev>shm>runcommand.log after changing an option in lr-mgba and resuming gameplay, what does it mean?:
Parameters:
Executing: /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-mgba/mgba_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/gbc/retroarch.cfg "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/gbc/1942 (USA, Europe).zip" --appendconfig /dev/shm/retroarch.cfg
/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh: line 1012: 1132 Segmentation fault /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-mgba/mgba_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/gbc/retroarch.cfg "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/gbc/1942 (USA, Europe).zip" --appendconfig /dev/shm/retroarch.cfg
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