How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?

Duxa

Hello, I am running a pi3 with Dual Shock 3 (PS3) controller. Everything works fine for lr-pcsx-rearmed, but there are some games that are incompatible with that emulator like the Disney Learning series. These are obscure games, but I am trying to introduce a 3 year old to gaming and so I need to dive into these. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Learning:_Winnie_the_Pooh

I believe these games are structured similar to Sega CD games, where a lot of hand drawn FMV is used with a PCM soundtrack on the disc. They look kind of incredible for PS1 games.

The issue is that these games boot, but after the developer logo they kernel panic lr-pcsx-rearmed emulator. I tried launching them with pcsx-rearmed, and that emulator works fine. However the controller does not work, no button at all. I have to SSH in and reboot to get out of the game. How can I configure pcsx-rearmed controls? I read up a bit about it and some said to reinstall pcsx-rearmed and it will do it automatically, I have tried this but it doesnt work. I think I need to configure controls manually.

I do have the BIOS files present and in correct locations based on https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Playstation-1

Another game that may be incompatible with lr-pcsx-rearmed is Dragon Tales: Dragon seek

Any help?

mitu

@Duxa Some PS1 games require you to enable the analog controls in RetroArch - https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Playstation-1/#analog-controller-type, maybe check you have that enabled.
For pcsx_rearmed, have you tried to enter the menu via Esc from a connected keyboard and map the controls ?

EDIT: I just tried Disney's Winnie the Pooh - Preschool and Disney's Winnie the Pooh - Kindergarden they both seem to run fine with lr-pcsx_rearmed, passed the starting screen, introductory videos and used the controller to walk around the starting screen.

Do you, by any chance, have enabled the Bios boot logo (the Sony PS1 logo) in the options for lr-pcsx_rearmed ? It's known to cause compatibility issues with certain games.

I have the latest 4.4 updates, including the PS1 libretro core - what RetroPie version are you using ?

Efriim

For controls in lr-pcsx-rearmed
Enter the core options "quick menu" >> "options" >> "Controller type"? (Analog|Default|Standard|Dualshock)
Some games from the playstation era came out before Dualshock so use the setting "Standard"
In the same menu at the top there is an option to save the core-config for that game, which is recommended if you want to use dualshock on other games.

I cant explain the kernel panic.

pcsx-rearmed used to freeze my system with a graphical mess as soon as the binary started. I haven't tried it recently with updates. I built one from a different source and it worked.

Mapping the control is pcsx-rearmed, I don't remember, there is a button to enter the menu. The keyboard works, and you have to map the input one by one.
I do remember that the controller worked in the menu with the Left Analog as the Directions and the select button as Select, I think L3 was back.

There are a lot of kids games for DOS and SCUMMVM. Getting the controller to work for these isn't as easy. They are better with a mouse.
The Learning Company games for DOS, I used to love playing Treasure Cove.
Darby the Dragon is compatible with scummvm, that Dragon Tale's game reminded me of it.

and yes the keyboard is necessary to enter pcsx-rearmed menu. I just tried, once you are in the menu the analog, select and L3 work for navigating. It is possible to map a button for the menu too.

and and the setting for pcsx-rearmed need to be saved under options or else they are discarded including input.

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa Some PS1 games require you to enable the analog controls in RetroArch - https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Playstation-1/#analog-controller-type, maybe check you have that enabled.
For pcsx_rearmed, have you tried to enter the menu via Esc from a connected keyboard and map the controls ?

EDIT: I just tried Disney's Winnie the Pooh - Preschool and Disney's Winnie the Pooh - Kindergarden they both seem to run fine with lr-pcsx_rearmed, passed the starting screen, introductory videos and used the controller to walk around the starting screen.

Do you, by any chance, have enabled the Bios boot logo (the Sony PS1 logo) in the options for lr-pcsx_rearmed ? It's known to cause compatibility issues with certain games.

I have the latest 4.4 updates, including the PS1 libretro core - what RetroPie version are you using ?

Good tip on Retroarch menu, I have not tried that. Will try when I get home.

Also interesting that the game runs fine for you on lr-pcsx_rearmed. If you got main menu then you are already farther than I get. Mine crashes after "Hi Corporation" logo (39th second in this video

). I am using PBP format (but also tried .bin .cue), what format are you using? Also which BIOS? I tried 7001, perhaps I should try 1001? And I do not have PS1 intro enabled, all settings are pretty much stock as they came.

Ill have to check exact version when I get home, but I just did a fresh Retropie install from the official build 4.4 and have updated lr-pcsx_rearmed from sources to make sure I grab any fixes that were made since 4.4 release since its about a year old now.

mitu

@Duxa I tested with a .cue/.bin format image which I validated and I have the scph5502.bin bios file.

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa I tested with a .cue/.bin format image which I validated and I have the scph5502.bin bios file.

Tried it with scph5502.bin still the same thing. Seg fault. Here is the log - https://pastebin.com/Vb2HWjYj

Also checksum of the bin file is 2140716832 270703440 Winnie the Pooh - Kindergarden.bin
Can you confirm if we are using the same dump?

EDIT: Was able to do ESC on keyboard and configure the controller and save it as a global, so now if I launch games with pcsx-rearmed the controller works. There is one problem though.... Select + Start doesnt exit the game back to the menu.... I have to use the keyboard to do ESC --> Exit... and I looked through the options and there doesnt seem to be a way to bind anything to exit.... hmm.. this is a problem :/

edmaul69

@Duxa also in retroarch core settings do you have enhanced mode or any other settings you turned on? Enhanced graphics can make some games not work as well

Efriim

@Duxa I recommend updating core-retroarch and main-lr-pcsx both. Updating will enable the dualshock controller option that I mentioned earlier, it is easiest to configure that way. And this could resolve the crash as well.

It looks like scph5502 wasn't selected; that is PAL / EU bios. schp5501 is NTSC / NA. scph101 is the PSX(the compact PS1) bios; I hear has the greatest compatibility. Either scph5501 or scph101 are good to go.

There are numerous good things to say about the updates, this should be primary.
That is the retroarch updates and core updates.
I think there is something wrong with my installation or configuration directory for why the standalone pcsxr was non-functional, yet compiled from a different source would work.

mitu

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

Also checksum of the bin file is 2140716832 270703440 Winnie the Pooh - Kindergarden.bin
Can you confirm if we are using the same dump?

I don't know how you checksummed that file - doesn't look like a MD5/CRC. I don't have the PI handy right now, but I think I checked against http://redump.org/disc/7038/.
From the error log, looks like a bad ROM/image.

EDIT: I also use the latest RetroArch available in RetroPie (1.7.6), that may another difference.

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

Also checksum of the bin file is 2140716832 270703440 Winnie the Pooh - Kindergarden.bin
Can you confirm if we are using the same dump?

I don't know how you checksummed that file - doesn't look like a MD5/CRC. I don't have the PI handy right now, but I think I checked against http://redump.org/disc/7038/.
From the error log, looks like a bad ROM/image.

EDIT: I also use the latest RetroArch available in RetroPie (1.7.6), that may another difference.

I just did a cksum on it.

@Efriim I updated both. Same behavior. And I guess I have a US version of the game and this is why its selecting US BIOS? Dont think I can force an EU one?

Updated log with updated retroarch and emulator: https://pastebin.com/Vb2HWjYj

mitu

@Duxa Can you change your PAD1 type to standard from the core options and re-try ?

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa Can you change your PAD1 type to standard from the core options and re-try ?

Looks like they are already set to standard? Unless Im looking in wrong place? Quick Menu -> Options -> Pad 1 Type

also forgot to mention to your earlier post about being bad rom... possible... but the other emulator runs it?

Efriim

@Duxa
I don't know how to force bios, other than by suggesting to the lr-core by removing the other bios options, and I haven't tested this, or known any priorities other than it prefers scph101.bin

As per the controller, I'm surprised that it didn't work. This also possibly BIOS related. Next course of action aquire the PSone.

mitu

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

Looks like they are already set to standard? Unless Im looking in wrong place? Quick Menu -> Options -> Pad 1 Type

Yes, you're right - I was looking at the previous log (where it was set to default).

also forgot to mention to your earlier post about being bad rom... possible... but the other emulator runs it?

Yes, that's puzzling.

I don't have the PI system at hand now - so I could compare the output. The only differences that I can think of:

I have lr-pcsx_rearmed installed from binary, so maybe a source update broke something due to a recent commit ? Unlikely, since it didn't work also before the update.
I run the game from the internal SD card (and not from the USB). I don't think that makes a difference, but you could try just for kicks to run it from the sd card.
the BIOS - also highly unlikely since SCPH1001.bin should be widely compatible.

Efriim

Oh it could be the secure data layer for example you have these files
winnie.cue
winnie01.bin
winnie02.bin

The cue file needs to contain the correct and case sensitive name of each track.

I haven't ever resolved one of these. Most conversions for example pbp, will lose track02..trackXX and lose audio with it. Other conversions .bin to .iso result in broken audio.

Sometimes it is a security layer or a buffer and non important.

Duxa

@mitu

Ok I think I found the issue..... "enhanced resolution" seems to have been the culprit, probably has to do with trying to do weird stuff with FMV. turning off the following two settings the game now plays!

Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution (slow) - disabled
Quick Menu -> Options -> Enhanced Resolution speed hack - disabled

Both of these were enabled by default.

Thanks for helping me figure this out....

now I have one more issue.. two actually, not sure if I should start new threads for them...

one:

Trying to save current config under Configuration File config gives Failed saving config to "/opt/retropie/configs/psx/retroarch.cfg"

I checked the permissions and user pi/pi has them and its RWX

issue two:

The USB I have the roms on... once in a while (maybe one out of 5 reboots) the USB is not mounted before ES tries to start. so it boots without showing/loading the stuff on USB. Restarting ES fixes it right up (because things are now mounted). I tried adding sleep to start of /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh but didnt seem to help. Any ideas?

Efriim

@Duxa
I didn't think of that.

You could try raspi-config >> boot options >> disable network wait on boot.
This could speed up boot time and get the mountservice to run earlier.

interoperability with combining usb3.0 and 2.0 devices
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/usb/README.md#knownissue
it is hard to read, I'm not sure I understand it.

mitu

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

one:
Trying to save current config under Configuration File config gives Failed saving config to "/opt/retropie/configs/psx/retroarch.cfg"

Don't use that, it will produce a large and unnecessary config file. Instead use the 'Save Game Options' from the Options menu to have these options saved per game.

I checked the permissions and user pi/pi has them and its RWX

issue two:
The USB I have the roms on... once in a while (maybe one out of 5 reboots) the USB is not mounted before ES tries to start. so it boots without showing/loading the stuff on USB. Restarting ES fixes it right up (because things are now mounted). I tried adding sleep to start of /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh but didnt seem to help. Any ideas?

How are you mounting the USB stick ? Are you using the default RetroPie method (auto-mount) or you added the USB stick to /etc/fstab ?
Either way, I think your can modify the system boot order and have the usbmount or the fstab mounts be dependencies for the multiuser target. I remember I answered someone in the forums which had a similar problem (splashscreen was on usb-stick, but it wasn't mounted on time to be read), but for the life of me I can't find the post right now.
I'll get back on this.

Duxa

@Efriim said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa
I didn't think of that.

You could try raspi-config >> boot options >> disable network wait on boot.
This could speed up boot time and get the mountservice to run earlier.

Some devices show inoperability when combining usb3.0 and low speed 2.0 devices
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/usb/README.md#knownissues

I believe that setting is off by default? Ill have to double check. Maybe I can edit something to add a wait loop somewhere to wait until usb is mounted and then like 5 seconds before even attempting to launch ES?

Duxa

@mitu said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

@Duxa said in How to configure controller for pcsx-rearmed (pi3) ?:

one:
Trying to save current config under Configuration File config gives Failed saving config to "/opt/retropie/configs/psx/retroarch.cfg"

Don't use that, it will produce a large and unnecessary config file. Instead use the 'Save Game Options' from the Options menu to have these options saved per game.

I checked the permissions and user pi/pi has them and its RWX

issue two:
The USB I have the roms on... once in a while (maybe one out of 5 reboots) the USB is not mounted before ES tries to start. so it boots without showing/loading the stuff on USB. Restarting ES fixes it right up (because things are now mounted). I tried adding sleep to start of /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh but didnt seem to help. Any ideas?

How are you mounting the USB stick ? Are you using the default RetroPie method (auto-mount) or you added the USB stick to /etc/fstab ?
Either way, I think your can modify the system boot order and have the usbmount or the fstab mounts be dependencies for the multiuser target. I remember I answered someone in the forums which had a similar problem (splashscreen was on usb-stick, but it wasn't mounted on time to be read), but for the life of me I can't find the post right now.
I'll get back on this.

Yeah I ended up doing individual settings for those two games, but I noticed that after updating retroarch it added an annoying frame count in bottom left, and only way to get rid of it is to turn it off and save the overall config, otherwise ill have to turn it off and create config for every single game. I ended up manually editing the config file to turn it off via SSH. But doesnt seem right that I cant save the file from within retroarch? This may cause other issues? So I should probably get that fixed?

For mounting I am actually using both. I have two 64GB sticks, PSX and Sega CD games dont fit on one of them, so Im using both. And auto-mount method only supports one. So I am using that on one of them, and then using fstab for second one.

I dont mind if boot time is longer, even if its like an extra 15 to 30 seconds, as long as it can reliably mount both of them, so yeah some sort of dependency config would be great for my use. I wish auto mount method supported multiple USBs, like having folder "retropie-mount0" on one then "retropie-mount1" on another... up to at least 4 total (0-3) for the 4 USB ports on a pi. I could get a 128GB single stick, but I already have these laying around so kind of a workaround not a solution.