Multi-question Introduction Thread

[Efriim]

Hi, my name is Evan. I would like to thank everyone for the many helpful contributions that I have found here. I am making this console for a friend.
Pi Model: 3 B+
RetroPie Version: 4.4.4 - 4.4.8
Image: 32gb Samsung Evo Plus, image write to sd
USB: 16gb memory card, disabled usb-romservice, added fstab and autosavestate.
Controller: Playstation 3
Case: Retroflag Megapi, thanks so much for the multiswitch shutdown script.

I've gathered a number of questions I am hoping that I will find solutions and do not mind if you would like to ask your own questions or introduce yourself in this thread.
I tried the three other emulation distributions for Raspberry Pi before coming here, it was good experience. I also made a reddit account and asked some of these of their community while trying to help others with their troubleshooting.

1. Trying to get N64 to render accurately using lr-mupen64, lr-parallel, and mupen64plus. With ParallelN64 parallel-n64-gfxplugin-accuracy = "high" or "highest" I've found that a few errors that were omnipresent have vanished. I've tried to find a similar setting in mupen64plus which uses some of the same graphics plugins, but I am assuming that even though Parallel N64 uses glide64 or Rice plugin, the graphics accuracy is specific to its core modifications.
   I found a cheatcode for the issue I was trying to resolve in ocarina of time, but I don't know how to activate it. I also found the folder with N64 plugins at /opt/retropie/emulators/mupen64plus/lib/mupen64plus/

2. Everytime I load pcsx-rearmed my system crashes with a graphical mess, it will not receive ssh connections.
   That is the non-libretro emulator.
   I have tried removing and updating the package. But it has been a while maybe it was broken, after installing I notice it isn't making the configuration files in configs/psx/pcsx-rearmed/
   I haven't tried this emulator since, lr-pcsx is almost always preferred anyway

3. Sony Dualshock3 controller when plugged in to usb has a different internal mapping than if connected wirelessly. It mostly only effects custom hotkeys, I can't figure out how to make them the same, or a solution. The mapping looks like it goes from "SonyPlaystation3controller" (USB) to "Playstation3controller" (Bluetooth), I don't know where to change them so they are the same. The hotkey (PS button) goes from being mapped as USB JOB10 to JOB16 via wireless.
   The new sixaxis helper driver package fixes the mapping issue, If you map a custom hotkey in retroarch using the controller whether plugged in or wireless will use the same buttons.

4. I updated Reicast yesterday, I noticed that it is now rendering more effects in game like shadows. Mostly I would like if someone uploaded their reicast binary from around 4.4.4 I would be thankful. Also a sort of explanation of reicast emu.cfg I haven't been able to find anything searching. Maybe there is configuration solution I am missing.
   The updated reicast emulator works quite well, and I did find the reicast binary I was looking for in the forums here, I didn't learn anything about emu.cfg.

5. The root directory /tmp/. are the files here written to the sdcard or the ram? How does Retropie handle clearing the temporary directory? Ideally I would like to make the entire sdcard Readonly, and have all saves and writes go to a memory card.
   If that was my goal there is a lot to do here, I tried a few symlinks and fstabs for temporary files with no success. Though, I did disable swap.

6. Has anyone done anything successful for multitasking on retropie. Aside from the pixel desktop. I understand some of the emulators run only one thread on a single core or no gpu. Is it at least possible to switch to a tty with an emulator paused or in the background? Do you think it would be possible to run a music player with hotkeys to play mp3's from a USB drive while emulating?
   I haven't accomplished anything here yet, I'm thinking it is very possible.

Lets make the best of this thread.
Thanks for the help mitu.

[mitu]

@Efriim Hello and welcome to the RetroPie forums.

1. I don't play N64 so I can't say what exactly is the best choice here, the recommendation is usually to use the standalone emulator for best performance and even so not all games are playable. In general, N64 emulation on a Pi is not ideal - other may provide better answers to this question.

2. The standalone pcsx_rearmed is no longer developed, use lr-pcsx_rearmed which is better supported.

3. It's not a bug, it's how the Sony drivers work and it's the OS/kernal that handles this. Register 'both' controllers (wired and wireless) and they should work depending on how you connect them.

4. There is a recent topic about Dreamcast games and their performance after the latest update - https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/21031. I don't use the emulator so much, so others may have a better response.

5. RetroPie uses whatever Raspbian's default is - so /tmp is mounted on the sdcard and not using the RAM (as most Linux PC distributions do). I assume it's because of the limited RAM memory available on such systems. RetroPie does not have any preferences here, so you can use whatever solution you like best.

6. Every emulator will use the GPU - directly or indirectly - otherwise they wouldn't be able to output anything on the screen :). I don't see why it shouldn't be possible to run a music player in the background, there's no limitation imposed by RetroPie - remember that the Pi image is just a Rasbpian Lite installation, almost unchanged from upstream.