Raspberry Pi Gaming thread - Cheap emulation and gaming projects

Can I play with a Dualshcok4? Only with usb cable or with Bluetooth as well? How much should it cost for games up to the SNES, playable in a 1080p monitor - i can play in lower resolutions though?

You can. In recalbox works out of the box with USB. For bluetooth you need some setup to do
 
Snes games are 224p, and unlike polygonal games, you aren't going to get any real improvement rendering them that high.

Well, they are 240p unless you are cropping overscan. edit: actually that was NES. SNES is 224p.

The advantage to rendering at 1080p is the fact that your TV isn't going to be scaling the image and therefore degrading the picture, and increasing the input lag. Most TV's will scale 720p content pretty well, but there is small gains in image quality when feeding a full 1080p signal, and most certainly an improvement in input delay.

The disadvantage is it takes more cpu to do it, and it also doesn't scale at an integer value on the vertical axis meaning no scanlines. Then again I am going to bet the Pi won't handle any shaders at 1080p even if it can handle the game.
 
Got my RPi3B yesterday, and loaded Retropie onto a 32GB card. Got a DS3 synced over BT, works well. Tried some NES and SNES stuff, and that all runs great of course. But I have some issues:

1. RetroPie shows the lightning bolt when booting, meaning it's not getting enough power, even though I bought a 5V/2.4A USB power adapter just for this. This is without any USB devices connected or anything, so it shouldn't be drawing anywhere close to 2A. I didn't get any special cable though, I just use an old phone charging cable (from a Nexus 5). Could this be the issue? Can the cable simply not handle it? I've tried a few different ones with the same result. Maybe I just need to get a proper adapter with its own cable.

2. N64 games run like junk. All of them. Even SM64, which I'd guess would be a game that would run well if anything does, has significant issues. It's fine as long as I'm in the castle, but as soon as I enter a level I get slowdown, audio crackling, etc. All other games I've tried (except for MK64, which runs well but also has audio issues) run even worse, most unplayably so. This is with the default N64 emulator. I tried switching to Gles2N64 instead, and with that I get almost flawless performance at 1080p in SM64, while the default (GLideN64) couldn't even manage 320p. So why is GLideN64 the default, when it runs like ass? Does it just have the best compatibility and accuracy? Well, that's not much help when just about zero games run at a playable performance level. Or is something wrong on my end? Maybe the power issue plays in here? Anyway, switching emulator (or plugin, I guess) seems to have minimal effect on most other games.

3. The recommended scraper, Steven Selph's Scraper, doesn't work. I quit EmulationStation, run the scraper, and when I restart ES there's nothing. The default scraper works, but is very slow and much worse from my understanding.
 
I actually just bought my first official raspberry pi case + a pi 3 for my brother in-law. I've had a pi 2 in some random clear case before, but wow, the official case (i got raspberry/white) really makes this thing cute!

KW-1617-1000x667.jpg


Adorbz.
 
How can I change the N64 render resolution? RetroPie 4 forces it to 320x240, but I'd like to try 640x480 and see how things go. But it seems I can't? The "high res" emulator option does nothing, I still get 240p. The only game I've managed to get running at a higher res is SM64 (1080p, and it runs great), everything else seems stuck at 240p. Weird.
 
Im not sure what thread to post in, but if I was willing to spend ~$150 on a device, would the Pi 3 still be the way to go? or can I get something significantly better for that kind of money?...ive been eyeing a Pi3 for awhile but im hesitant because of N64 performance and limited filters and such

Im really just looking for something that will play up to N64 without performance hits...if its capable of more than N64 then even better...

I do have a Wii that has been collecting dust for years, but i would really like something that can output in HD...

I guess to break it down

- roughly $150 is what i would be willing to spend
- HDMI output
- powerful enough to play N64 at full performance including scanline filters and such
 
Im not sure what thread to post in, but if I was willing to spend ~$150 on a device, would the Pi 3 still be the way to go? or can I get something significantly better for that kind of money?...ive been eyeing a Pi3 for awhile but im hesitant because of N64 performance and limited filters and such

Im really just looking for something that will play up to N64 without performance hits...if its capable of more than N64 then even better...

I do have a Wii that has been collecting dust for years, but i would really like something that can output in HD...

I guess to break it down

- roughly $150 is what i would be willing to spend
- HDMI output
- powerful enough to play N64 at full performance including scanline filters and such

Yeah, if N64 at full speed in HD is a requirement, the Pi3 is not gonna cut it. The vast majority of games don't even run well at 240p. SM64 does run mostly at full speed at 1080p though. It's pretty weird that there's such a difference between games, but that's how it is.
 
How can I change the N64 render resolution? RetroPie 4 forces it to 320x240, but I'd like to try 640x480 and see how things go. But it seems I can't? The "high res" emulator option does nothing, I still get 240p. The only game I've managed to get running at a higher res is SM64 (1080p, and it runs great), everything else seems stuck at 240p. Weird.

On the libretro n64 emulators press select and x to enter the menu, then options for the emulator let you choose a render resolution.
 
Yeah, if N64 at full speed in HD is a requirement, the Pi3 is not gonna cut it. The vast majority of games don't even run well at 240p. SM64 does run mostly at full speed at 1080p though. It's pretty weird that there's such a difference between games, but that's how it is.

Any suggestions?
 
On the libretro n64 emulators press select and x to enter the menu, then options for the emulator let you choose a render resolution.

You mean the launch menu? Yeah, that doesn't do anything. Like I said, RetroPie forces 240p for N64.
 
Question to anyone who upgraded from a Pi 2 to a 3:

Is it worth the upgrade if I don't use Retropie for anything but NES/Genesis/SNES/Neo-Geo?

I know that the performance gains are apparent with some N64 games, but what about on Super FX chip games like Yoshi's Island? On my overclocked Pi2 I need to use a less demanding emulator to play it without slowdowns, but will it run fine in lr-snes9x2010 on a Pi 3?
 
Question to anyone who upgraded from a Pi 2 to a 3:

Is it worth the upgrade if I don't use Retropie for anything but NES/Genesis/SNES/Neo-Geo?

I know that the performance gains are apparent with some N64 games, but what about on Super FX chip games like Yoshi's Island? On my overclocked Pi2 I need to use a less demanding emulator to play it without slowdowns, but will it run fine in lr-snes9x2010 on a Pi 3?

The upgrade is worth it for the onboard wifi and bluetooth alone imo.
 
Amazon ES has the Pi3 at around 30€, I think I will jump in. For games its good enough for me (id like to play snes and mega drive.. Dont care about n64 and newer consoles)...

Just one more question, can I use netflix/spotify somehow in it easily? I currently use my ps4 for that but I'd rather keep it off and use another device as I have a history of PlayStations dying early :(
 
What is the deal with the Pi Zero being non existent for its intended cheap price? I see it for the same price as the Pi 3, or there is $10 shipping.

I really want to do one of those Pi in an NES cartridge projects you see on YouTube a lot but you need a Zero to fit.
,
 
Just one more question, can I use netflix/spotify somehow in it easily? I currently use my ps4 for that but I'd rather keep it off and use another device as I have a history of PlayStations dying early :(

Nope. Lots of DRM issues prevent this.

What is the deal with the Pi Zero being non existent for its intended cheap price? I see it for the same price as the Pi 3, or there is $10 shipping.

Weak supply chain can't keep up with the demand, so the prices are higher than intended.
 
I've got a CPS2 issue with my 4.1 pi. Apparently the new FBA requires .key files for CPS2 games but I have absolutely no idea where to find them. Anyone willing to lead me in the right direction? It's a damn 20 kb file but it's no where to be found! I feel like I'm missing something obvious but I am getting at my wits end...
 
Any pi3 deals this holiday week? I've been planning to get a canakit but the price has not budged on Amazon. Anywhere else to look?

I contacted CanaKit about Black Friday sales. Here's their reply:

Hello,

Thank you very much for your interest in CanaKit. I am unable to confirm at this time if there would be any deals, but in the case that there happens to be any discount on Black Friday, we will be more than happy to match the price and will refund the difference back to your account if you may please send us a quick email to indicate the price match request.

Best Regards,

Medi
CanaKit

I'm not sure if this applies to Cyber Monday sales. :|
 
Has anyone created a Raspberry Pi that plays MS-DOS games? I was thinking it would be really cool to relive my DOS gaming days on a TV. Unsure whether I should use a controller or keyboard.
 
Posting here so I can keep it on my list.

Started a project building an emulator running off the raspberry pi into a coffee table.

Thinking it'll be for a bit of a laugh when I've people around.

Starting cutting work on the weekend (if I manage to get time) so hopefully have it up and running well in advance of Christmas so the nieces/nephews can mess around on it.

Biggest issue I'm having is where to run the power cables. Don't want a lead running across the floor ha
 
Is there a way to turn these things on and off properly? I just set one up for emulation, got everything working, and when I'm done I just unplug the power adapter, but I dont know if it's really necessary to turn this off all the time or what?
 
Is there a way to turn these things on and off properly? I just set one up for emulation, got everything working, and when I'm done I just unplug the power adapter, but I dont know if it's really necessary to turn this off all the time or what?

You can press Start and then properly shutdown the Pi from the menu there.

But you can pretty much leave it running all the time since it uses a negligible amount of power while idling. Mine just sits behind the TV always on and ready to play. I think most people just leave it on all the time.
 
Is there a way to turn these things on and off properly? I just set one up for emulation, got everything working, and when I'm done I just unplug the power adapter, but I dont know if it's really necessary to turn this off all the time or what?

Correct, you need a power switch to turn off the unit without unplugging it. You can get them for around $5 on Amazon.
 
So I upgraded from a Pi2 to a Pi3 and moved my Retropie build over, and damn this things runs much hotter at stock speeds than my Pi2 ever did overclocked.

I'm even using higher quality heatsinks on this one, but it's not making much difference. Temps climb up into the high 70's while playing pretty much anything on the Pi3.

I'd like to find a passive cooling case like this FLIRC one that is made specifically for the Pi3. That case is great, but it was made with the Pi2 in mind and has some annoyances when fitted with a Pi3 (SD card is hard to remove, heatsink doesn't sit fully flush with the CPU... etc.)
 
So I upgraded from a Pi2 to a Pi3 and moved my Retropie build over, and damn this things runs much hotter at stock speeds than my Pi2 ever did overclocked.

I'm even using higher quality heatsinks on this one, but it's not making much difference. Temps climb up into the high 70's while playing pretty much anything on the Pi3.

I'd like to find a passive cooling case like this FLIRC one that is made specifically for the Pi3. That case is great, but it was made with the Pi2 in mind and has some annoyances when fitted with a Pi3 (SD card is hard to remove, heatsink doesn't sit fully flush with the CPU... etc.)

Wow, mine is overclocked and never goes anywhere near 70, without a fan or heatsinks on it. (But I run Recalbox because I can't stand the half-assed nature of Retropie anymore)
 
Wow, mine is overclocked and never goes anywhere near 70, without a fan or heatsinks on it. (But I run Recalbox because I can't stand the half-assed nature of Retropie anymore)
Is yours in a case? Mine is in a case and in a small space behind my living room tv, so that probably contributes a bit to the temps that I'm seeing.
 
figured I'd post this here as it's kinda niche, but if it's not cool I'll remove it:

Looking to sell or trade my rPi Kit....see below

Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit with Clear Case and 32GB SD Card
- 58$ ( not really sure what to price it tbh)

It's "used" - bought this on amazon, but dont have the box. i could try to look for the little manual that came with it, but don't know if I have it... though it's A. not very complicated & B. can be found online. comes with everything else though

US only

multiple Positive gaf B/S/T feedback

PM me
 
Has anyone created a Raspberry Pi that plays MS-DOS games? I was thinking it would be really cool to relive my DOS gaming days on a TV. Unsure whether I should use a controller or keyboard.

Retropie has worked very well for me and I've been able to set up most of my games to launch directly from the Retropie interface. With a wireless mouse+keyboard, it's a fantastic set up:

32Dogdol.jpg
 
Retropie has worked very well for me and I've been able to set up most of my games to launch directly from the Retropie interface. With a wireless mouse+keyboard, it's a fantastic set up:

32Dogdol.jpg
Oh god, I need to get DOS games going under Retropie (or Recalbox, I'm finding Retropie a little too fiddly). Hopefully AdLib/OPL emulation is acceptable enough.
 
Decided to pick one up and set it up with recalbox. Should be here this weekend. Bought one of those buffalo usb SNES pads to go with. I'm gonna mainly use it for non-Sega stuff (that I collect and I've got the real hardware).

Anything I should look out for or keep in mind?
 
Decided to pick one up and set it up with recalbox. Should be here this weekend. Bought one of those buffalo usb SNES pads to go with. I'm gonna mainly use it for non-Sega stuff (that I collect and I've got the real hardware).

Anything I should look out for or keep in mind?

Why not RetroPie? Seems to have better development going on. If it's because people say it's difficult and fiddly to set up - it's not. The base install and setup is super easy, just follow the instructions. Then just ask if there's anything specific you don't understand how to do.
 
Why not RetroPie? Seems to have better development going on. If it's because people say it's difficult and fiddly to set up - it's not. The base install and setup is super easy, just follow the instructions. Then just ask if there's anything specific you don't understand how to do.

Sorry, but it kind is hard and fiddly to set up. Recalbox is meant to just work and it does.

I've lost three days setting up Retropie because the way it ~doesn't~ recognizes my TV. I've had to discover by trial and error that I had to uncomment some configuration in a obscure txt file in order to make it deliver sound through my pretty standard TV. In Recalbox, I just copied the files to the microSD card, switched the Pi on and done, it was working fine. I didn't need to do anything fancy.

Other issue that I had with it was losing controller configurations. I had to setup my officialy supported DS3s (yeah...) every. single. time. that I've got out from a game. In Recalbox, it was an one time job: never needed to reconfigurate anything regarding controllers.

Plus Retropie seems so... amature? With that weird prompt messages when you launch a game, Terminal this and that. I can see why is so popular with people who like to work a lot with Linux, or even have a very personal project going on with arcades and whatnot, but I just want it to play games reliably, so Recalbox is my thing.

About development, Recalbox is pretty much alive: the final 4.0 came out this weekend and the next release will bring Dreamcast and PSP with the new Kodi. I believe the latest version of Retropie even got the browser monitoring feature implemented on Recalbox ages ago, so I don't get the impression that you had about the development being so much more alive on Retropie. For sure, it's community seems to be bigger and more active, but it's older than Recalbox and, for what is worth, I've got every question that I posted on Recalbox forums propperly answered.

Is yours in a case? Mine is in a case and in a small space behind my living room tv, so that probably contributes a bit to the temps that I'm seeing.

Yep.
 
I've been thinking of giving Recallbox a try. Are the underlying emulators the same?

As far as I know, yes. From what I can gather, what changes is the implementation. Retropie gets emulators and new systems faster because Retropie is built on top of a complete OS (Raspbian), which means it has the structures to compile new things from the get-go, besides drivers for everything.

Recalbox is made from scratch in the sense that it doesn't have those structures, nor drivers, so everything needs to be adapted to it with developers actually writing packages to port things from other places to every new release. This leads to slower cycles in the sense that it can took a while to a new emulator get in the supported list. But I think the trade-off is positive: everything works fine and you can rest assured that everything is well optimised for it.

This also explains why Recalbox still lacks drivers for the Bluetooth module onboard of the Pi3, which is scheduled to be released along the new Dreamcast and PSP emulators on the 4.1 edition.

I don't know if this level of optimization affects performance between the two systems, but I don't think so because when I finally got Retropie working properly, everything runned as good as it did with Recalbox.
 
As far as I know, yes. From what I can gather, what changes is the implementation. Retropie gets emulators and new systems faster because Retropie is built on top of a complete OS (Raspbian), which means it has the structures to compile new things from the get-go, besides drivers for everything.

Recalbox is made from scratch in the sense that it doesn't have those structures, nor drivers, so everything needs to be adapted to it with developers actually writing packages to port things from other places to every new release. This leads to slower cycles in the sense that it can took a while to a new emulator get in the supported list. But I think the trade-off is positive: everything works fine and you can rest assured that everything is well optimised for it.

This also explains why Recalbox still lacks drivers for the Bluetooth module onboard of the Pi3, which is scheduled to be released along the new Dreamcast and PSP emulators on the 4.1 edition.

I don't know if this level of optimization affects performance between the two systems, but I don't think so because when I finally got Retropie working properly, everything runned as good as it did with Recalbox.

holy shit mate, I have an sd micro with my retropie image already on it and I am just waiting for my Pi3 to arrive, now you are making doubt myself and might re-format the sd card and install recalbox on it instead, damn you.
 
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