Complete and utter beginner. What next?
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After having a Raspberry Pi for Christmas from my partner, only now getting around to using it and have been using it for just under 2 weeks. I know absolutely nothing about the Pi itself, but watched a YouTube video on flashing an SD card with RetroPie (which took every ounce of concentration!) which I managed and was able to play a few games.
Initially, I had difficulty setting up the buttons for my controller as one button didnt want to play ball but thats all sorted now (Cant remember how I solved it!). Ive had a nose about the documentation and find a lot of things mentioned heavy going.
I really want to get into this and wondering what advice people could give me? Do I need to start with some knowledge of Linux? Im trying to work through the DOCS section and already out of my depth! Run commands, binary packages (what on earth?!?)....
Any advice greatly appreciated!
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https://retropie.org.uk/docs/First-Installation/ is a where you should start. do each step in turn. glad to help if you have problems - it could help us flesh out the docs!
Do I need to start with some knowledge of Linux?
not at all. i think for many people here, retropie/raspberry pi was their first experience of linux.
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@vasquez109 said in Complete and utter beginner. What next?:
I really want to get into this and wondering what advice people could give me?
Start with the easy part - read about EmulationStation, install some themes, change the options, learn how to get around the RetroPie setup script then read about how RetroArch works and how the configuration works with the RGUI.
Do I need to start with some knowledge of Linux?
It's not required, though useful for some advanced or non-standard tweaks.
Im trying to work through the DOCS section and already out of my depth! Run commands, binary packages (what on earth?!?)....
If the term is not explained in the documentation, then ask here in the forums.
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Thanks both. What my ultimate aim is with RetroPie is to be able to play ZX Spectrum games, both ZX Spectrum + and the +2A model. Ive still got all my cassettes upstairs and will want to recreate my library in RetroPie.
RetroPie, Emulation Station, Retroarch? Are these all names for the same thing? I seem to be getting confused between all these.
Will read a little later after the Mrs has gone to bed and might sneak a game of Phoenix or two.
Thanks both.
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@vasquez109 said in Complete and utter beginner. What next?:
RetroPie, Emulation Station, Retroarch? Are these all names for the same thing?
RetroPie: this project that lets you play retro games on a Pi
Emulationstation: the front end that lets you choose a game from a list and launch it
Retroarch: the underlying framework that runs the appropriate emulator
(if I am mistaken, please correct me)
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@WeirdH Thanks for clearing that up. Hoping that with a total lockdown imminent, my retro gaming will benefit quite nicely! Thank you!
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Everything right so far, I just want to add my own description.
@vasquez109 RetroPie uses a Linux operating system called Raspian. It modifies configuration and adds other projects and emulators to setup a complete new experience optimized for Retro Gaming. EmulationStation is as said, the graphical frontend to select systems, launch games and changing settings. Knowledge of Linux is not required, but could be helpful in one or other ways later. RetroArch is something like a frontend for all the emulators itself, providing a common framework and interface to the settings and some features. I think some additional emulators are not based on RetroArch and will not have those features, but that is not important for the beginner.
My personal advice is to make backups of your micro SD card. Often simple changes can break something and you might not notice it or can't figure out what it was. Or your micro SD card gets corrupt. The best is, when you do an image of your micro SD card. That is an exact full copy, including everything to go.
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@vasquez109 said in Complete and utter beginner. What next?:
RetroPie
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation
Emulation Station
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/EmulationStation
Retroarch?
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/RetroArch-Configuration
i think the opening paragraphs of those pages describe these well enough. but the simple explanation is: retropie: the curation and automatic configuration of a bunch of emulation software for raspberry pi (and other) computers, emulationstation: the interface that shows your library of games, retroarch: the framework that handles most of the emulators we use.
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Thanks both. Some great reading there. This lockdown is going to be a bit more bearable with my Pi!
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