lr-scummvm: request for comments and testing

KodeCR

@hhromic Thanks for this, it's working really nicely.

I do have a small issue with the following:

Important: each game directory must contain .svm at the end of the name! This is not an "extension" but is just part of the directory's name. This is for EmulationStation to be able to launch the games directly when selecting the folder, without the need to "open" it first. Also it is useful for scraping. ES will put the images and metadata directly for each directory. In summary, ES will not consider the directory as directory but as a game.
Now, inside each game directory, you need to create a SHORT_NAME.svm file with SHORT_NAME as the content. No other .svm files should exist in the game directory!

This seems to break using the scummvm launcher to change game settings and then start the game again, i.e. start the game, scummvm menu, return to launcher, edit game, start game. This will error with "game data not found".

Looks like the reason is that scummvm uses the directory as the game data location, but strips off the .svm part!

As a solution I followed: https://github.com/libretro/scummvm/issues/94
This solution removes the .svm from the folder name and moves the .svm file out of the game data folder again, so my scummvm directory look like:

drwxrwxr-x 2 pi pi    4096 Jan 23 12:03 The Secret of Monkey Island
-rw-r--r-- 1 pi pi      64 Jan 23 11:55 The Secret of Monkey Island.svm
drwxr-xr-x 2 pi pi    4096 Jan 23 11:58 Monkey Island 2 - LeChuck's Revenge
-rw-r--r-- 1 pi pi      73 Jan 23 12:00 Monkey Island 2 - LeChuck's Revenge.svm

The contents of the .svm file are like this:

$ cat The\ Secret\ of\ Monkey\ Island.svm
-p "~/RetroPie/roms/scummvm/The Secret of Monkey Island" monkey

And I'm no longer using the rom-launcher script:

$ cat /opt/retropie/configs/scummvm/emulators.cfg
lr-scummvm = "/opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-scummvm/scummvm_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/scummvm/retroarch.cfg %ROM%"
default = "lr-scummvm"

So far this is working well for me. Might this be a better way going forward?

hhromic

@KodeCR said in lr-scummvm: request for comments and testing:

@hhromic Thanks for this, it's working really nicely.

Thanks for the support, I'm glad you are having fun with the core and enjoying some good ScummVM games with it.

I do have a small issue with the following:

I admit I initially haven't tested changing game settings very much, so I don't know 100% how to advise you on this one. I also recently stumbled on what you are pointing out of being able to provide the game path in the .svm files. However, I'm not very much of a fan to hardcode the game paths in these files. On the other hand, I also think it's not ideal to have the rom-launcher workaround script either.

Looks like the reason is that scummvm uses the directory as the game data location, but strips off the .svm part!

Can you describe better how you got to this conclusion?
Also can you tell me exactly what you are trying to do step by step so I can take a look when I have some time and advise better? Are these all the steps required to trigger the problem?

start any game
go to the scummvm internal menu, i.e. press START
select "return to launcher", then edit game settings
quit scummvm and re-start the game again
you receive "game data not found" error

Also, what kind of settings you are trying to change? I'm hoping in close future to actively participate in the development of the lr-scummvm core upstream so in future some things like this can be better integrated in the core itself.

Thanks for the feedback!

2Play

@hhromic Hi there!
I have tested latest lr-scummvm
joypad/controller works fine and exit also
BUT if you have mouse keybooard to navigate (no controller connected to ES), and KB configured as main controller in ES/Retroarch
Game starts fine but at first mouse click or START with keyboard assigned key Retroarch will freeze!
I kill the porcess and goes back to ES as previous mentioned reports on controller bug in the past

Hope this could also be resolved as it would be nice to use mouse keyboard with lr-scummvm

hhromic

@2Play I briefly tested the core using a mouse and a keyboard and I didn't experience any crash as you are reporting. Does your setup work on other cores that use both mouse and keyboard, for example NES/SNES with the Zapper ?
When I have a chance I will give it a try and see if I see the same.
Did you build the core recently? There is a new mouse speed option implemented some weeks ago, maybe it's causing issues. I haven't tested it yet myself.

Fabien

@hhromic said in lr-scummvm: request for comments and testing:

There is a new mouse speed option implemented some weeks ago ...

This is great news! :D However, I've updated the core but I can't find the option?

hhromic

@Fabien where are you looking for the option? This is a libretro core option, not a ScummVM option (GUI Menu), so you should look for it in the RetroArch Options menu (HOTKEY + X). Here is a list of all the options you should find there (you are looking for mouse_speed):

{ "scummvm_gamepad_cursor_speed", "Gamepad Cursor Speed; 1.0|1.5|2.0|2.5|3.0|0.25|0.5|0.75" },
{ "scummvm_analog_response", "Analog Cursor Response; linear|cubic" },
{ "scummvm_analog_deadzone", "Analog Deadzone (percent); 15|20|25|30|0|5|10" },
{ "scummvm_mouse_speed", "Mouse Speed; 1.0|1.25|1.5|1.75|2.0|2.5|3.0|0.05|0.1|0.15|0.2|0.25|0.3|0.35|0.4|0.45|0.5|0.6|0.7|0.8|0.9" },
{ "scummvm_speed_hack", "Speed Hack (Restart); disabled|enabled" },

Fabien

@hhromic Thanks for clarifying! I've found the option. :)

But it only works in Retropie. On my Windows PC the option is still missing - even after updating the core. Is this a Retropie exclusive function?

hhromic

@Fabien no, is not exclusive to RetroPie.
It is not yet on Windows (or Mac) because currently the core has a build error on the official libretro buildbot. I already submitted a fix here, but you will have to wait for them to merge this PR for the core to be updated again in their system.
Be patient and you should see the core updated for Windows hopefully soon.

RetroPie compiles the core directly from the repository, not their buildbot, that's why it's available here first :)

KodeCR

However, I'm not very much of a fan to hardcode the game paths in these files.

Me neither, maybe we can use relative paths (i.e. -p "./The Secret of Monkey Island") if we add something like (untested):

#!/bin/bash
rompath="${3%/*}"
cd "$rompath"

in runcommand-onstart.sh

Also can you tell me exactly what you are trying to do step by step

I'm doing step 1,2,3 and then instead of quiting scummvm/retroarch I try to start the game from the launcher, after which I get the "game data not found".

Looks like the reason is that scummvm uses the directory as the game data location, but strips off the .svm part!
Can you describe better how you got to this conclusion?

In the scummvm launcher if you go to the tab that has the game data location, it's missing the .svm there. I admit that's not definite, but suspicious.

Also, what kind of settings you are trying to change?

Just per game midi settings, and playing around really.

Hope that helps.

hhromic

@KodeCR thanks for the feedback, will take a look when I have some time in coming weeks on how to best approach this. Will report back!

hhromic

Update

The "fix quit" patch finally made its way upstream! Thanks all for testing the patch, great feedabck from the RetroPie community.

@EctoOne this should be particularly good news for you because the patch is now integrated in the Android builds. The buildbot finished last night to update so you should be able to simply update the core from your Android RA. To confirm, check that there is a new "mouse speed" core option. Good luck!

@Fabien the build for windows is also live now in the buildbot, if you want to try the new mouse speed option.

caver01

I am using raspberry pi 3b, running RetroPie 4.4 (Stretch). Installed lr-scummvm from experimental. Tested Riven. Seems to run without error, but the audio crackles pretty much all the time. If you know the Myst series, then you know how ambient sounds and effects are constant and often part of the puzzles, not to mention the soundtrack always setting the mood. Is there a setting I should change to avoid audio crackles?

Also, where are the saves stored? I’d like to be able to transfer or backup saved games and I cannot find them.

hhromic

@caver01 thanks for testing!

but the audio crackles pretty much all the time.

Umm I will take a look, it might be simply because the RPI is not fast enough. Just curious, did you try it on standalone scummvm ? Also, make sure you have the "speed hack" option enabled, the scriptmodule sets it to enable by default on first installation, but maybe is off for you.

Also, where are the saves stored? I’d like to be able to transfer or backup saved games and I cannot find them.

They should be in the same folder as the game files in $romdir/roms/scummvm/<your game folder>. The files should be named with extensions .s00, .s01, and so on.

hhromic

@caver01 can you give me some hint on the specific/exact version of Riven you are playing?

caver01

@hhromic I did not get a chance to check the speed hack—where is that?

For Riven, I installed the game from my original optical media. I bought the Mac version many years ago when it was released. I have never known there were versions of it. How can I tell my version? Maybe I have version one?

Also, I do/did have it running on the standalone ScummVM and the audio is fine, however the updated version 2 has a controller config the eludes me and I cannot escape back to the emulator GUI once I launch the game (question I asked the forum a few days ago). So, I thought I would give the libretro version a whirl since the controls are so nice.

caver01

@hhromic I just checked my notes from when I setup Riven the first time and I remember now that I had trouble making the Mac files work in ScummVM (missing arcriven.z maybe—I don’t recall). Anyway, this forced me to mount one of the discs that are dual-format so I could get that file off of the windows partition. This is now reminding me that there were indeed different versions depending on the media, and I guess we also have the reissues. So, mine is the 5 CD version.

hhromic

@caver01 thanks for the info.
Yes I meant Win vs Mac versions. Thanks for letting me know, will try to find a copy and test.

Regarding the speed hack option. it should be in the "Core Options" of the RetroArch menu (HOTKEY + X), not the ScummVM internal menu. Again, this option should be set by default when you installed, but double-check.

Also, what device are you using? RPI2, 3, 3A+, 3B+? :)

caver01

@hhromic Pi 3b mentioned above.

caver01

@hhromic also, scummvm_speed_hack = "enabled" as expected.

caver01

@hhromic I decided to try the alternate audio files that are on the CD1. They are smaller, less quality, but I thought they might have less trouble decoding or something. Anywya, it did not matter.

I noticed that most of the time, the audio crackle happens during the video playback. If you know Riven, and Myst for that matter, it is mostly static renderings with sections of video overlay to animate valves turning. Or water bubbling etc. including dramatic animations that take ove the whole screen. Theses crackle a lot because they are always accompanied by the great sound effects.

I mention this thinking perhaps the issue is embedded video playback performance. Just a thought.