RetroArch Port

[Martin Iturbide]

Hello

Mentore ported RetroArch (1.19.1) and I just noticed today, which is awesome.

I installed "yum install SDL2 SDL2_net" it runs but I don't know if the cores (emulators) need also to be ported, or it will be download the cores from a site.

I tried to download the Core list from the app, but it is not downloading. Remains in 0%.

Anyone here with more experience with RetroArch?

Regards

[Mentore]

Hello

Mentore ported RetroArch (1.19.1) and I just noticed today, which is awesome.

I installed "yum install SDL2 SDL2_net" it runs but I don't know if the cores (emulators) need also to be ported, or it will be download the cores from a site.

I tried to download the Core list from the app, but it is not downloading. Remains in 0%.

Anyone here with more experience with RetroArch?

Regards

Hi Martin,
this I have to investigate deeper. I also tried to download some core and, looking at the RetroArch homepage, it almost seems like cores have to be ported too. I'll have a look at what retroarch cores are - but many things point me in that direction (last of them, there are github repositories for cores).

Mentore

[Dave Yeo]

From https://docs.libretro.com/start/understanding/

What RetroArch is¶

It runs programs converted into dynamic libraries called libretro cores, using several user interfaces such as command-line interface, a few graphical user interfaces optimized for gamepads, several input, audio and video drivers, plus other sophisticated features like dynamic rate control, audio filters, multi-pass shaders, netplay, gameplay rewinding, cheats, etc. Settings are also unified so configuration is done once and for all.

In addition to this, you are able to run original game discs (CDs) from RetroArch.
What RetroArch is not¶

RetroArch is not a computer program that includes all consoles and games. It is not a service that allows you to download copyrighted games or content. It is not an application that will cause you to modify the application to the platform on which you will install it, but in order to run unsigned applications on some platforms, the default firmware needs to be modified.

So yes, it looks like the cores have to be compiled for our platform and perhaps some porting. Our 8.3 DLL naming makes these things more then trivial.

[Martin Iturbide]

Hello Mentore

I don't know if you can port some of the basic cores for NES and SNES that are very common and don't require a console BIOS to be downloaded by the user.

Regards

[Mentore]

Hello Mentore

I don't know if you can port some of the basic cores for NES and SNES that are very common and don't require a console BIOS to be downloaded by the user.

Regards

Hi Martin,
the next few weeks will be truly a handful both at work (where I have an ArcaOS VM) and in theatre, but I'll see what I can do. RetroArch would be really cute to have. It was tricky to port it due to its SSL libraries which rely a lot on IPv6 but I managed somehow - and I feel OS/2 would profit a lot of a new TCP/IP stack (which, I'm afraid, we will not see).

Mentore

[Jochen Schäfer]

Hi Martin,
the next few weeks will be truly a handful both at work (where I have an ArcaOS VM) and in theatre, but I'll see what I can do. RetroArch would be really cute to have. It was tricky to port it due to its SSL libraries which rely a lot on IPv6 but I managed somehow - and I feel OS/2 would profit a lot of a new TCP/IP stack (which, I'm afraid, we will not see).

Mentore

Which feature needs networking? Is it for downloading core etc.?

[Mentore]

Hi Martin,
the next few weeks will be truly a handful both at work (where I have an ArcaOS VM) and in theatre, but I'll see what I can do. RetroArch would be really cute to have. It was tricky to port it due to its SSL libraries which rely a lot on IPv6 but I managed somehow - and I feel OS/2 would profit a lot of a new TCP/IP stack (which, I'm afraid, we will not see).

Mentore

Which feature needs networking? Is it for downloading core etc.?

As far as I know it's not only for downloading cores but also for networked game and (not in this version) Discord chat. I couldn't implement Discord due to some libraries missing (don't remember the details right now).

Mentore

[Jochen Schäfer]

Well I understand, that on an RaspberryPi, you would want that functionality, but I would just #ifdef Discord out.
Downloading of cores would also mean, you or someone would have to host the OS/2 specific core files. I don't know that it would be worth the hassle.
Rather I would have some RPMs or WPIs, which install some cores.

[Mentore]

Well I understand, that on an RaspberryPi, you would want that functionality, but I would just #ifdef Discord out.
Downloading of cores would also mean, you or someone would have to host the OS/2 specific core files. I don't know that it would be worth the hassle.
Rather I would have some RPMs or WPIs, which install some cores.

Hi Jochen,
As written before I ruled out Discord and some other options because I hadn't the needed libraries/time to port them - can't remember well what were my choices (Yes I'm a little chaotic, I should document my steps when I make them).
So Discord and maybe some other options are missing.
As for cores, I'd like to understand better if they have to be ported - I guess the answer is "yes", so downloading them via our RetroArch port might be cumbersome if we would rely on the "official" repository.
Guess I'll have to investigate a little further - for now I am content of being able to port on OS/2 such a beast, but indeed at the moment is just useless - so better try to take a step further.

Mentore

[Jochen Schäfer]

Hi.

I did understand, that you disabled this stuff. My point was that you should not concern yourself too much with getting this to work. Cores will be enough work by themselves ;-)

[Mentore]

Hi.

I did understand, that you disabled this stuff. My point was that you should not concern yourself to much, with getting this to work. Cores will be enough work by themselves ;-)

Right you are 

Mentore

[Martin Iturbide]

Hello Mentore

Just one extra thing. can you put your ported version of RetroArch in some repository (like Github - https://github.com/MentoreSiesto?tab=repositories)
If possible I want to learn from your makefile, and I think it will be nice for everyone to check it out.

Regards

[Mentore]

Hello Mentore

Just one extra thing. can you put your ported version of RetroArch in some repository (like Github - https://github.com/MentoreSiesto?tab=repositories)
If possible I want to learn from your makefile, and I think it will be nice for everyone to check it out.

Regards

I'll check my sources and do that asap. One thing I need to put in my TODO list is to get those sources in my repositories, indeed.

Mentore