Guide: AM2R (Another Metroid 2 Remake) on RPi 4

[G30FF]

@sleve_mcdichael Thanks for the feedback. I might just raise an issue on the github regarding the quit functionality. That's fair that the project is in early alpha. It's pretty exciting however, and opens up a whole bunch of new options!

I had just been using the pad in D-input mode normally, and when I booted up AM2R, it didn't recognize the controller as being connected. It seemed unusual to me. I can easily run in X-input mode. It wouldn't be the only port that has issues with some controllers; VVVVVV doesn't work with anything that isn't X-input, for example.

The mapping is unusual to me. I might try with a different controller and see if it helps. Something else odd is that despite Start being mapped as the menu button, pressing Start does nothing, and in fact Right Trigger brings up the map. I guess I was wondering if anyone else is having issues with controller remapping, or whether it's the fault of my specific controller. I did do a full upgrade, and reinstalled the xpad driver just to be sure.

[sleve_mcdichael]

@g30ff yeah, I just tried my Amazon generic SNES pad and it didn't work in either of my games (AM2R or Maldita Castilla.) No response at all when mashing all 12 inputs.

I'm gonna look into creating a custom SDL2 map (I think that's what I'm looking for?) for the gamepad and see if that does anything.

[sleve_mcdichael]

@sleve_mcdichael said in Guide: AM2R (Another Metroid 2 Remake) on Pi 4:

I'm gonna look into creating a custom SDL2 map (I think that's what I'm looking for?) for the gamepad and see if that does anything.

@G30FF this worked for me:

git clone https://github.com/retropie/sdl --branch retropie-2.0.10 --recursive
# I'm not sure if "--recursive" is needed but it doesn't break anything so I left it in
cd sdl/test
./configure
make controllermap
./controllermap 0
# I ran this command from SSH so I could copy/paste the output string.
# replace "0" with the controller you want to configure if you have more than one connected.
# run "./controllermap" with no arguments to list attached controllers.

Press the buttons on your controller when indicated on-screen. Use Spacebar (on a connected keyboard, unfortunately this doesn't appear to work over SSH) to skip a button that your controller doesn't have. Use backspace to correct a mistake.

When you are done it will output a string like 030000001f08000001e4000010010000,USB gamepad,platform:Linux,a:b1,b:b0,x:b3,y:b2,back:b8,start:b9,leftshoulder:b4,rightshoulder:b5,dpup:-a1,dpdown:+a1,dpleft:-a0,dpright:+a0,. Copy this string.

Edit $HOME/.profile and add the line:

export SDL_GAMECONTROLLERCONFIG="<string>"

...where <string> is the string output by the controllermap tool.

Relog or reboot.

After this, I was able to use the generic SNES pad in both my GMLoader games. Also works in Hurrican (non-GMLoader) which was not reading "Start" correctly on the generic pad.

EDIT: this only worked when launching the games from terminal. To make it work when launching them from ES I had to add the same line to autostart.sh (before "emulationstation #auto".) To have it work by both methods, I need it in both places. Currently looking into that.

[pi2user]

I got this almost working on Pi4 2gb thanks to the script in the first post, but with no sound effects, music or audio of any kind. Any ideas as to what I should check?
Everything else I have on the Pi (ports, retroarch etc.) the sound works fine with.

[sleve_mcdichael]

@pi2user hmm, sound is working for me on the same hardware (I'm through HDMI into a TV set, you?)

Maybe a missing dependency? SDL2-mixer for example, wasn't shown as needed so I didn't make it a dependency but I do already have it from other installs.

I don't "know" how any of this works but here are some thoughts. If you're up to do some testing, please try them out and report back.

First, check if you have the package, or the dev tools installed:

apt list libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0 libsdl2-mixer-dev

If you already have them then it won't be that. If not, it may be worth a shot.

It doesn't mention it when building the makefiles, and you got through the build process without errors so if it's only needed at run-time, maybe the dev-tools package aren't needed. Try installing just the regular one first:

sudo apt -y install libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0

See if the sound works. If it doesn't, try reinstalling the module and see if the sound works. If it doesn't, try adding the dev tools:

sudo apt -y install libsdl2-mixer-dev

Again, try the game, then if necessary, recompile and try again. Please let me know how it works out for you.

If it doesn't work and you didn't have the SDL-mixer packages before and you don't want them now and want to remove them completely from your system, do:

sudo apt remove --purge libsdl2-mixer-dev libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0
sudo apt autoremove --purge

The first one removes the listed packages and any associated configuration files, and the second one cleans up any leftover packages that were initially automatically installed as dependencies of another package but are no longer a dependency of any currently-installed package.

[pi2user]

@sleve_mcdichael
Thanks for taking a look at this. I'm running the pi4 over HDMI.
libsdl2-mixer-dev and libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0 were both already installed.
Do you know if there be any log files anywhere I could have a look at, or can I alter any of the startup process to generate log files?

[sleve_mcdichael]

@pi2user it doesn't log much as is but if you build it with -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug then it will be a bit more verbose.

Edit your gmloader.sh file, line 30:

    cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DPLATFORM=linux -DPORT=gmloader ..

Change the "build type" from "Release" to "Debug":

    cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -DPLATFORM=linux -DPORT=gmloader ..

Save the file and reinstall the module through RetroPie-Setup. Verbose output should be captured by /dev/shm/runcommand.log.

To restore the Release version, just change the line back and reinstall the module one more time.

[pi2user]

@sleve_mcdichael
Here it is:

Parameters: 
Executing: SDL_VIDEO_KMSDRM_CRTCID=87 SDL_VIDEO_KMSDRM_MODEID=16 /opt/retropie/ports/gmloader/gmloader "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/ports/droidports/am2r-another-metroid-2-remake-1-5-2.apk"
code cave: 3280 bytes (@0x41622330).
Missing: pthread_attr_init
Missing: pthread_attr_setstacksize
Missing: pthread_attr_destroy
Missing: __isfinitef
Missing: rename
Missing: mktime64
Missing: sched_yield
Missing: sysconf
Missing: __android_log_write
Missing: tmpfile
Missing: perror
Missing: select
Missing: getpeername
Missing: shutdown
Missing: close
Missing: getsockopt
Missing: setsockopt
Missing: socket
Missing: ioctl
Missing: bind
Missing: listen
Missing: accept
Missing: recvfrom
Missing: inet_ntoa
Missing: recv
Missing: send
Missing: inet_addr
Missing: getaddrinfo
Missing: fcntl
Missing: connect
Missing: sendto
Missing: mkstemp
Missing: fdopen
Missing: localtime
Missing: zError
Missing: fstat
Missing: munmap
Missing: mmap
Missing: memalign
Missing: __assert2
Unable to find method `ExpandCompressedFile` (aka: 'Java_com_yoyogames_runner_RunnerJNILib_ExpandCompressedFile') for 'RunnerJNILib'.
Saving to folder /home/pi/.config/gmloader/am2r_another_metroid_2_remake_1_5_2/.
LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.1LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.2LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.3LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.4LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.6LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.7Class RunnerJNILib does not have method OpenURL.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method SendHighScore.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method SendAchievement.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method IncrementAchievement.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method OpenAchievements.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method OpenLeaderboards.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoadFriends.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoadLeaderboard.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method CallExtensionFunction.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoadPic.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementShow.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementEvent.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementGetInfo.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLogin.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoginStatus.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLogout.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method EnableAds.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method MoveAds.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsSetup.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsRewardCallback.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEngagementLaunch.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PocketChangeDisplayShop.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PocketChangeDisplayReward.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenUpdateNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenHideNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenAddNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenPositionNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEngagementActive.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEngagementAvailable.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsInterstitialDisplay.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsInterstitialAvailable.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method DisableAds.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEvent.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEventPreload.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsDisplayWidth.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsDisplayHeight.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method LeaveRating.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method EnableInAppBilling.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method RestoreInAppPurchases.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AcquireInAppPurchase.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ConsumeInAppPurchase.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method GetInAppPurchaseDetail.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookInit.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookLogin.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookAccessToken.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookUserId.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookGraphRequest.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookDialog.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookInviteDialog.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookLogout.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookLoginStatus.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookCheckPermission.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookRequestPermissions.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method HttpGet.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method HttpPost.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method HttpRequest.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayMP3.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowMessage.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method setSystemUIVisibilityFlags.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method InputString.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowQuestion.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowMessageAsync.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method InputStringAsync.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowQuestionAsync.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowLogin.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method RestrictOrientation.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method isNetworkConnected.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method powersaveEnable.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method analyticsEvent.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method analyticsEventExt.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method cloudStringSave.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method cloudSynchronise.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method DumpUsedMemory.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PushLocalNotification.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PushGetLocalNotification.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PushCancelLocalNotification.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method GetUDID.
Warning, stubbed function "RunnerJNILib_GetDefaultFrameBuffer".
Could not look up method getPackageManager, NULL class.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have field ms_context.
Could not look up method hasSystemFeature, NULL class.
Warning, stubbed function "iface_DeleteLocalRef".
LOG[yoyo]: android.software.leanback = 0
LOG[yoyo]: MANUFACTURER = JohnnyonFlame
AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_mixerProc: Wait timeout... buffer size too low?
AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_mixerProc: Wait timeout... buffer size too low?
AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_mixerProc: Wait timeout... buffer size too low?
AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_mixerProc: Wait timeout... buffer size too low?
AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_mixerProc: Wait timeout... buffer size too low?
AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_mixerProc: Wait timeout... buffer size too low?

The last line regarging the mixer buffer size repeats in the log file for as long as the process is running.

[sleve_mcdichael]

@pi2user

Executing: SDL_VIDEO_KMSDRM_CRTCID=87 SDL_VIDEO_KMSDRM_MODEID=16 /opt/retropie/ports/gmloader/gmloader "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/ports/droidports/am2r-another-metroid-2-remake-1-5-2.apk"

What's this SDL_VIDEO stuff before the command? Mine doesn't have that. Is that the runcommand display settings? I don't know why that would affect the audio output but try clearing that and running whatever it thinks your default res is? (Or do you have to do this because 4k? Is setting 1080 in /boot/config.txt not enough? Lol I have no idea how it works, my TV is only 720p and it "just works" for everything except one port that I had to force 640x480 mode.)

Mine also doesn't have the repeating "ALCplaybackAlsa_mixer" error at the end but otherwise looks pretty similar (I ran this from the build dir to not step on my installed Release configuration, but I did checked it through runcommand too and it does not put those SDL vars before the command like yours shows). I don't know what "code cave" is but yours is bigger. Also all of my "missing..." warnings are in a different order but that's probably immaterial, I imagine.

pi@retropie:~ $ ~/RetroPie-Setup/tmp/build/gmloader/build/gmloader ~/RetroPie/roms/ports/droidports/am2r_155.apk 
code cave: 1860 bytes (@0x403AA8BC).
Missing: mktime64
Missing: rename
Missing: perror
Missing: alcGetString
Missing: alcResumeCurrentDevice
Missing: alcPauseCurrentDevice
Missing: shutdown
Missing: close
Missing: select
Missing: getsockopt
Missing: setsockopt
Missing: socket
Missing: ioctl
Missing: bind
Missing: listen
Missing: accept
Missing: recvfrom
Missing: inet_ntoa
Missing: recv
Missing: send
Missing: inet_addr
Missing: getaddrinfo
Missing: fcntl
Missing: connect
Missing: sendto
Missing: getpeername
Missing: mkstemp
Missing: fdopen
Missing: localtime
Missing: zError
Missing: tmpfile
Missing: munmap
Missing: mmap
Missing: __assert2
Missing: opendir
Missing: closedir
Missing: readdir
Missing: pthread_detach
Missing: getpid
Missing: open
Missing: write
Missing: vfork
Missing: getppid
Missing: execl
Missing: _exit
Missing: umask
Missing: mknod
Missing: read
Missing: sleep
Missing: flock
Missing: poll
Missing: access
Missing: siglongjmp
Missing: alarm
Missing: sigsetjmp
Missing: inet_ntop
Missing: strerror_r
Missing: getsockname
Missing: inet_pton
Missing: strtok_r
Missing: memrchr
Missing: freeaddrinfo
Missing: fstat
Missing: lseek
Missing: geteuid
Missing: getpwuid
Missing: gmtime_r
Missing: strlcat
Missing: basename
Missing: getuid
Unable to find method `ExpandCompressedFile` (aka: 'Java_com_yoyogames_runner_RunnerJNILib_ExpandCompressedFile') for 'RunnerJNILib'.
Saving to folder /home/pi/.config/gmloader/am2r_155/.
LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.1LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.2LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.3LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.4LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.6LOG[yoyo]: RenderSplashCheck1.7Class RunnerJNILib does not have method OpenURL.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method SendHighScore.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method SendAchievement.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method IncrementAchievement.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method OpenAchievements.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method OpenLeaderboards.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoadFriends.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoadLeaderboard.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method CallExtensionFunction.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoadPic.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementShow.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementEvent.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementGetInfo.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLogin.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLoginStatus.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AchievementLogout.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method EnableAds.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method MoveAds.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsSetup.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsRewardCallback.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEngagementLaunch.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PocketChangeDisplayShop.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PocketChangeDisplayReward.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenUpdateNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenHideNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenAddNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayHavenPositionNotificationBadge.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEngagementActive.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEngagementAvailable.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsInterstitialDisplay.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsInterstitialAvailable.Class RunnerJNILib does not have method DisableAds.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEvent.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsEventPreload.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsDisplayWidth.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AdsDisplayHeight.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method LeaveRating.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method EnableInAppBilling.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method RestoreInAppPurchases.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method AcquireInAppPurchase.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ConsumeInAppPurchase.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method GetInAppPurchaseDetail.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookInit.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookLogin.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookAccessToken.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookUserId.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookGraphRequest.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookDialog.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookInviteDialog.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookLogout.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookLoginStatus.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookCheckPermission.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method FacebookRequestPermissions.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method HttpGet.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method HttpPost.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method HttpRequest.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PlayMP3.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowMessage.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method setSystemUIVisibilityFlags.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method InputString.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowQuestion.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowMessageAsync.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method InputStringAsync.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowQuestionAsync.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method ShowLogin.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method RestrictOrientation.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method isNetworkConnected.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method powersaveEnable.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method analyticsEvent.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method analyticsEventExt.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method cloudStringSave.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method cloudSynchronise.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method DumpUsedMemory.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PushLocalNotification.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PushGetLocalNotification.Class RunnerJNILib does not have method PushCancelLocalNotification.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method GetUDID.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have method GetApplicationContext.
Warning, stubbed function "RunnerJNILib_GetDefaultFrameBuffer".
Could not look up method getPackageManager, NULL class.
Class RunnerJNILib does not have field ms_context.
Could not look up method hasSystemFeature, NULL class.
Warning, stubbed function "iface_DeleteLocalRef".
LOG[yoyo]: android.software.leanback = 0
LOG[yoyo]: MANUFACTURER = JohnnyonFlame
yoyo died.
AL lib: (EE) alc_cleanup: 1 device not closed
pi@retropie:~ $ 

If someone here can't help you out, the author has also helped me out in the past. You could start an issue on the GitHub or he's also on discord. I won't post his actual address but he's posted it himself, here: https://github.com/JohnnyonFlame/droidports/pull/2#issuecomment-989148953

[sleve_mcdichael]

@pi2user (a thought: did you build your APK with the HQ music pack, or the regular version? I just have the regular in mine.)

[pi2user]

@sleve_mcdichael
Well this is embarrassing. After doing an 'apt upgrade', the sound on this is working just fine. I read in another thread where there was a similar issue the advice was to upgrade and well, I wasnt expecting that to work. But it has!

[sleve_mcdichael]

@pi2user haha, cheers! I wonder which one was giving you problems. Did you happen to catch which packages were upgraded?

[pi2user]

@sleve_mcdichael
Sorry it's not much help but it was these ones:

  base-files bind9-host bluetooth bluez debconf debconf-i18n debconf-utils distro-info-data firmware-atheros firmware-brcm80211 firmware-libertas
  firmware-misc-nonfree firmware-realtek libasound2 libasound2-data libasound2-dev libavcodec-dev libavcodec58 libavdevice-dev libavdevice58 libavfilter-dev
  libavfilter7 libavformat-dev libavformat58 libavutil-dev libavutil56 libbind9-161 libbluetooth3 libc-bin libc-dev-bin libc-l10n libc6 libc6-dbg libc6-dev
  libdns-export1104 libdns1104 libgssapi-krb5-2 libicu63 libisc-export1100 libisc1100 libisccc161 libisccfg163 libk5crypto3 libkrb5-3 libkrb5support0
  liblwres161 libnftnl11 libnss3 libntfs-3g883 libpam-systemd libpolkit-agent-1-0 libpolkit-backend-1-0 libpolkit-gobject-1-0 libpostproc-dev libpostproc55
  libraspberrypi-bin libraspberrypi-dev libraspberrypi-doc libraspberrypi0 libsndfile1 libssl1.1 libswresample-dev libswresample3 libswscale-dev libswscale5
  libsystemd0 libtiff5 libudev-dev libudev1 libvlc-bin libvlc-dev libvlc5 libvlccore-dev libvlccore9 linux-libc-dev locales multiarch-support ntfs-3g
  openssl pi-bluetooth policykit-1 psmisc python3-debconf raspberrypi-bootloader raspberrypi-kernel raspberrypi-net-mods raspberrypi-sys-mods rpi-eeprom
  systemd systemd-sysv tzdata udev vlc vlc-bin vlc-data vlc-plugin-base vlc-plugin-qt vlc-plugin-video-output

I also increased the gpu mem from 64mb to 96mb but I suspect it was the updates that fixed it.