Hacking The Great Quest for Wiiflow Plugins™ - A call for adventurers!

[niuus]

I have a Namco arcade stick for PSX. Really good quality stick and microswitches. I'm using it with an USB adapter like yours, with 2 psx ports. I'm using it on the PC and on the C64Maxi and I love it! I tried it on the Wii long ago and it never got recognized.
Do you say I can now use it on newer Retroarch Wii?
Sorry for this little off topic.

It stopped working on 1.6.9 or 1.7.0, i think. It was fixed mid 2019, which was 6 months before 1.8.5 stable. This is the one feature i miss the most in Wiimpathy's arcade cores.

In the newest VM builds, Newretro has HID (being based on 1.8.5), but Neo Geo games do not work. Oldretro works for Neo, but no HID (1.7.8 i believe).

Forgot to comment, Retroarch 1.8.5 stable makes the WUPC go bonkers with a stuck direction the moment you enter the menu, i had to use a GCN controller temporarily.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

ok

 

[RunningSnakes]

Update for RA cores:

I've tested 1.8.5 and this release is not good at all for any core(s). Do not waste your time!

1.8 4 has also been tested and not quite as bad as 1.8.5, but not worth a plugin.

With 1.8.3, I have had mixed results...
Sega Gens Plus seems to be the Best option from my minimal testing. No code dumps from many games tested, and Virtual Racing works! This is a benchmark game imo (code dump on most, if not all other RA).
Both PCE Fast & PCE SGFX are unstable, as they are in RA 1.8.2 for me as well. I'm testing multiple ways for both CD & HuCard games & from 1.8.5 down to 1.8.2 I get very similar results. BTW, as of RA 1.8.2 the PCE SGFX core was "upgraded" from previous RA versions. I can say the 1.8.1 cores are Clearly the best available.

That is it for now, I'll post more results tomorrow.

 

[davidkun]

How about a Genesis Plus GX plugin? (not RA core). The current plugin is based on a build from 2015 (the version has not changed, but there were several builds since then).

Last weekend I spent hours fixing the audio/video sync of the Mega CD game "Cyborg 009" (editing the time of the audio tracks in the cue), and after all that work, I realized that the latest builds (from 4th, 10th and 14th April) fix the delay of audio playbacks in some games.
I think the latest build is really solid, and I prefer the genplus UI over the retroarch one.

Maybe @Wiimpathy could explain me how to make a plugin (since genplus is compatible with plugin arguments, and the source is in GitHub).

By the way, @Tetsuo Shima, I'm working on a cover collection for the japanese version of Mega CD (regular jewel cases).
So, now I have two entries for Mega CD in consoles.ini (using the Magic number 53454751 for the japanese version and the number 53454752 for the american).
Sorry for the off-topic, but I'll post in the corresponding thread only when I have more than 10 covers (I don't like the teasers )

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Both PCE Fast & PCE SGFX are unstable, as they are in RA 1.8.2 for me as well

I'm on RA 1.8.2 and they are working great for me. But as I said, I'm using the 2020/01/04 nightly build. It wasn't working on other 1.8.2 nightlies

By the way, @Tetsuo Shima, I'm working on a cover collection for the japanese version of Mega CD (regular jewel cases).
So, now I have two entries for Mega CD in consoles.ini (using the Magic number 53454751 for the japanese version and the number 53454752 for the american).

That's great to hear davidkun! I can't wait to see them in one of the 2 cover threads

 

[Wiimpathy]

Maybe @Wiimpathy could explain me how to make a plugin (since genplus is compatible with plugin arguments, and the source is in GitHub).

Nothing special I guess. You'd only need to change the dolfile line in the genplus-gx_cd.ini from the masterpiece pack. The builds are there : https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/tree/master/builds
The arguments are the same, the game's path then the filename. You just have to try it...

It stopped working on 1.6.9 or 1.7.0, i think. It was fixed mid 2019, which was 6 months before 1.8.5 stable. This is the one feature i miss the most in Wiimpathy's arcade cores.

In the newest VM builds, Newretro has HID (being based on 1.8.5), but Neo Geo games do not work. Oldretro works for Neo, but no HID (1.7.8 i believe).

Forgot to comment, Retroarch 1.8.5 stable makes the WUPC go bonkers with a stuck direction the moment you enter the menu, i had to use a GCN controller temporarily.

It'd be possible to add the HID fix in those older versions. In 1.8.5, all cps cores are broken too. Sigh...

So the snes2010 is almost as fast. The choice is hard. It'd be for SuperFX only and for the extra options(scanline overlay is better in retroarch for example). However crashes in-game are very annoying. And yes, savegames are much longer now. I've read possible fixes somewhere at github, I don't remember.

 

[davidkun]

Nothing special I guess. You'd only need to change the dolfile line in the genplus-gx_cd.ini from the masterpiece pack. The builds are there : https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/tree/master/builds
The arguments are the same, the game's path then the filename. You just have to try it...

That's what I did. Renamed the latest build of genplus_wii.dol to genplusgx-mod9.dol (just cause the current plugin is named genplusgx-mod8.dol), and then changed the line in the ini.

But when I start a game... Black Screen Of Death (Exception DSI occurred).
Do I need to keep the name? It doesn't make sense because this .dol already has a different name in the respective app folder (genplus-gx\boot.dol), and it's working from there (but not from the plugins folder as a wiiflow plugin).

 

[niuus]

With 1.8.3, I have had mixed results...
Sega Gens Plus seems to be the Best option from my minimal testing. No code dumps from many games tested, and Virtual Racing works! This is a benchmark game imo (code dump on most, if not all other RA).
Both PCE Fast & PCE SGFX are unstable, as they are in RA 1.8.2 for me as well. I'm testing multiple ways for both CD & HuCard games & from 1.8.5 down to 1.8.2 I get very similar results. BTW, as of RA 1.8.2 the PCE SGFX core was "upgraded" from previous RA versions. I can say the 1.8.1 cores are Clearly the best available.

I'm on RA 1.8.2 and they are working great for me. But as I said, I'm using the 2020/01/04 nightly build. It wasn't working on other 1.8.2 nightlies

Do 1.8.1 builds still suffer from buzzing CD audio in PCE CD games? (Akumajou Dracula X or Kaze Kiri: Ninja Action, for example). I am almost positive your answer is gonna be yes, since that bug has plagued RA since 0.9.9 or 1.0.0.2, i seem to recall.

It'd be possible to add the HID fix in those older versions. In 1.8.5, all cps cores are broken too.

That would be cool. Is there really anything that would benefit Wii in Retroarch at this point? Cores just keep growing in size, which of course is not helpful for the arcade ones.

So the snes2010 is almost as fast. The choice is hard. It'd be for SuperFX only and for the extra options(scanline overlay is better in retroarch for example). However crashes in-game are very annoying. And yes, savegames are much longer now. I've read possible fixes somewhere at github, I don't remember.

The only two games i saw a real gameplay benefit was for Star Fox and Star Fox 2, but with the audio hiccups (and some random crashes), since it doesn't stay at 60 all the time. Do you think that scanline filter effect or overlay is somehow portable to regular Snes9x Wii versions? I have seen many people talking about it, i guess they were mostly CRT users that miss the scanlines.

 

[RunningSnakes]

Do 1.8.1 builds still suffer from buzzing CD audio in PCE CD games? (Akumajou Dracula X or Kaze Kiri: Ninja Action, for example). I am almost positive your answer is gonna be yes, since that bug has plagued RA since 0.9.9 or 1.0.0.2, i seem to recall.

I am not hearing any noise on either of those two games using PCE SGFX 1.8.1. I have found however 1.8.1 PCE CD also suffers from quick video "freeze/jump" and random crashes like all other versions i have tested (It is really bad playing Kaze Kiri). I have this problem with Gate Of Thunder, so i use this game for testing every time to see if it persists. Just tried RA 1.7.8 PCE Fast & it is there as well. I thought the problem was fixed & im not ruling out my HDD at fault here, although using the PCE SGFX core there is no stuttering in any of the CD games i have tested. Im going to give @Tetsuo Shima 182 PCE Fast core another try to see if it exists there. The PCE CD Fast core has always been real spotty & different RA versions of the PCE SGFX core didn't work well with WiiFlow as a plugin, but the RA 1.8.1 seems to be as good as any i've come across recently & works with all HU-CD-SGFX. At one point some time ago, I was using the SGFX core for everything & looks like that will be the case again. I did read (on a few occasions) the difference between the two cores (perks and downfalls of each) and it escapes me. I know the Fast core cannot play SGFX games, but it also cannot play regular HU games on many RA versions & there was also a saving problem. Anyhow, i've rambled long enough...going to tackle the Gambatte core & see if there is any reason to change from RA 1.8.1.

 

[Wiimpathy]

That's what I did. Renamed the latest build of genplus_wii.dol to genplusgx-mod9.dol (just cause the current plugin is named genplusgx-mod8.dol), and then changed the line in the ini.

But when I start a game... Black Screen Of Death (Exception DSI occurred).
Do I need to keep the name? It doesn't make sense because this .dol already has a different name in the respective app folder (genplus-gx\boot.dol), and it's working from there (but not from the plugins folder as a wiiflow plugin).

Well, you don't give much details on your setup. Plugins on sd or usb. Same for the games? Full .ini content?
Have you tried only with CD games or also with megadrive for example?

The dol name could be whatever as long as you wrote the corresponding name in the .ini. You could point to the app folder:

Spoiler

[PLUGIN]
magic=53454751
coverColor=000000
coverFolder=genplusgx_mcd
fileTypes=.bin|.iso
romDir=genplus/roms/mcd
rompartition=1
dolFile=apps/genplus-gx/boot.dol
bannerSound=Sega_CD.ogg
displayname=Sega CD
consoleCoverID=sega
arguments={device}:/{path}/|{name}

Perhaps, genplus expects a specific folder structure. You could change the rompartition value too. 0=sd and 1=usb.

If all fails, there may be a bug. Tell eke about it : https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues

That would be cool. Is there really anything that would benefit Wii in Retroarch at this point? Cores just keep growing in size, which of course is not helpful for the arcade ones.

The only two games i saw a real gameplay benefit was for Star Fox and Star Fox 2, but with the audio hiccups (and some random crashes), since it doesn't stay at 60 all the time. Do you think that scanline filter effect or overlay is somehow portable to regular Snes9x Wii versions? I have seen many people talking about it, i guess they were mostly CRT users that miss the scanlines.

I didn't follow every changes but I don't think there's anything important for months. And the dol size is the big problem indeed. At least for neogeo. I still don't know if the retroarch version used(1.7.5) for the unofficial core is enough. It would be annoying to discover a nasty bug. Backporting the hid fix should be easy though.
However, I'm really fed up with the mame2003 cores. Someone else would have to do it...

The overlay should be portable with a bit of work since it's using the GX lib. It's also a light solution. Not cpu intensive(contrary to hq2x etc.) and just a few mega for loading the png.

Here's the retroarch code(look for 'overlay') :
https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/blob/master/gfx/drivers/gx_gfx.c

 

[niuus]

I am not hearing any noise on either of those two games using PCE SGFX 1.8.1.

Just to clarify, which PCE CD format are you using right now in which there is no noisy CD music?

• CUE+1 BIN?
• CUE+multiple BIN?
• CUE+BIN+OGG?
• CHD?

The noise situation occurs to me with CUE+BIN+OGG.

I have found however 1.8.1 PCE CD also suffers from quick video "freeze/jump" and random crashes like all other versions i have tested (It is really bad playing Kaze Kiri). I have this problem with Gate Of Thunder, so i use this game for testing every time to see if it persists. Just tried RA 1.7.8 PCE Fast & it is there as well.

Interesting. I'll be watching for this error.

At one point some time ago, I was using the SGFX core for everything & looks like that will be the case again. I did read (on a few occasions) the difference between the two cores (perks and downfalls of each) and it escapes me. I know the Fast core cannot play SGFX games, but it also cannot play regular HU games on many RA versions & there was also a saving problem. Anyhow, i've rambled long enough...going to tackle the Gambatte core & see if there is any reason to change from RA 1.8.1.

In fact, i always thought that the SGFX core was only for those 6 games, until only months ago, that i accidentally read in another forum that you could play PCE CD and normal PCE games, and indeed they worked, so i stopped using the plain PCE core.

Are there any downsides that you know of?

I didn't follow every changes but I don't think there's anything important for months. And the dol size is the big problem indeed. At least for neogeo. I still don't know if the retroarch version used(1.7.5) for the unofficial core is enough. It would be annoying to discover a nasty bug. Backporting the hid fix should be easy though.
However, I'm really fed up with the mame2003 cores. Someone else would have to do it...

I understand . Neo Geo and CPS cores with HID would be more than fine in the meantime. Thanks again

The overlay should be portable with a bit of work since it's using the GX lib. It's also a light solution. Not cpu intensive(contrary to hq2x etc.) and just a few mega for loading the png.

Here's the retroarch code(look for 'overlay') :
https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/blob/master/gfx/drivers/gx_gfx.c

Thanks for the tips, Wiimpathy!

And yeah, it would be a definitive solution being light on resources and already looking very nice, superior to the original filter, from what i've read about it.

 

[RunningSnakes]

Just to clarify, which PCE CD format are you using right now in which there is no noisy CD music?

• CUE+1 BIN?
• CUE+multiple BIN?
• CUE+BIN+OGG?
• CHD?

The noise situation occurs to me with CUE+BIN+OGG.

Interesting. I'll be watching for this error.


In fact, i always thought that the SGFX core was only for those 6 games, until only months ago, that i accidentally read in another forum that you could play PCE CD and normal PCE games, and indeed they worked, so i stopped using the plain PCE core.

Are there any downsides that you know of?

CUE + Multiple BIN, is what i am using.
I had a similar issue as yours with Chiki Chiki Boys, but it was definitely not humming/buzzing sound, it was very loud scratchy noise. I also ran into a few other games like this (forget which ones) and i believe they were all CUE+BIN.

I don't believe there are any downsides (at least i have not discovered any) other than i remember RA 1.7.0 --- RA 1.7.5, SGFX core did not work as WFL plugin on some of those versions. I use PCE Fast core for CD just because I believe it is supposed to be optimized for the CD games. After trying Tetsuos 1.8.2 PCE Fast again, it seems to me it is not as buggy as the 1.8.1 PCE Fast core, but there is definitely stutter/freeze issues for me here also. I think the solution for me is to completely forget the PCE Fast cores even exists & just use the RA 1.8.1 PCE SGFX core for all.

 

[niuus]

CUE + Multiple BIN, is what i am using.
I had a similar issue as yours with Chiki Chiki Boys, but it was definitely not humming/buzzing sound, it was very loud scratchy noise. I also ran into a few other games like this (forget which ones) and i believe they were all CUE+BIN.

That's the loud scratchy noise i am talking about! It's been there since years ago. All CD audio tracks in whatever game sound like that, it is pretty nasty.

I don't believe there are any downsides (at least i have not discovered any) other than i remember RA 1.7.0 --- RA 1.7.5, SGFX core did not work as WFL plugin on some of those versions. I use PCE Fast core for CD just because I believe it is supposed to be optimized for the CD games. After trying Tetsuos 1.8.2 PCE Fast again, it seems to me it is not as buggy as the 1.8.1 PCE Fast core, but there is definitely stutter/freeze issues for me here also. I think the solution for me is to completely forget the PCE Fast cores even exists & just use the RA 1.8.1 PCE SGFX core for all.

I'll be honest with you, don't use nothing NEC console related/PC Engine variants on RA Wii unless your game does not start for some reason: WiiMednafen is 1000% superior and stable. The only thing that is missing to be perfect is CHD support.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

@RunningSnakes @niuus
About PCE CD. It is really strange! I only tested Castlevania, and it runs perfect. Now I see that other games like Spriggan Mark II and others have skippy video and audio... grrr
All my games are CUE+1 BIN

I'm starting to think on completely abandon smashing my head on Retroarch, when there is a valid and working alternative available.
At this point I think that performance-wise, all Retroarch is good for it's just for Arcade games, Cannonball, Game and watch, GB/GBC and I don't know what else (old computers?).
Scanlines and Scanlines_grid were the only reasons I used retroarch, over standalones.
But if I have to go insane just for that, well I think it's not worth it.
What do you guys think?

Retroarch Wii

 

[RunningSnakes]

Yes I think you should maybe title WFL Recommended Plugins and then list the RA cores that are solid alternatives. Wiimpathys Arcade cores of course, SNES RX as main core, GX as an alternative etc. I did use WiiMednafen for PCE(CD) WFL plugin way back when but kinda wanted to seperate everything individually. Sometimes i catch myself nitpicking such little things, but i think the RA SGFX core should be at least a recommended alternative for NEC. I would say the RA Gambatte core for GB/GBC is best option & maybe the RA Neo Geo Pocket core as a best option. Other than that, the RA cores should maybe be used as WFL plugin alternatives.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

Yes, I agree with you. Well... I tried.
Now, apart from the main consoles (Nes, genesis etc.) I don't know if there are better alternatives for the more "obscure" systems.
There are so many emulators I never tried, so if someone has already tried them we could create a list in a reasonable time.

kinda wanted to seperate everything individually. Sometimes i catch myself nitpicking such little things

Well this is not nitpicking for me. This is an absolute must for me too!

 

[niuus]

Yes, I agree with you. Well... I tried.
Now, apart from the main consoles (Nes, genesis etc.) I don't know if there are better alternatives for the more "obscure" systems.
There are so many emulators I never tried, so if someone has already tried them we could create a list in a reasonable time.

Well this is not nitpicking for me. This is an absolute must for me too!

I have been using emulators for the Gamecube since the first exploit was released for the BBA circa 2003. I have a loooong history of play hours/testing/bug reporting with homebrew, even doing some personal compatibility lists for some emulators out there. There may be a few other crazy homebrew fans out there, but i can definitely help you.

 

[RunningSnakes]

I'd be willing to help also, maybe list what you use as main plugin & also list 1 or 2 alternatives you also know work in order of preference. I'll make up my own personal list & post it. If we could get a few others to help out the results would be pretty concrete i think.

 

[Tetsuo Shima]

I'm trying wiimednafen-mod3.dol for the PC Engine CD. The emu is launching but the game does not start automatically. It says that language folder is not found "Error opening Language directory". Then I can launch the game navigating the menu, but that defeats the whole purpose of using it in wiiflow.
Is this happening to you too?

 

[RunningSnakes]

I'm trying wiimednafen-mod3.dol for the PC Engine CD. The emu is launching but the game does not start automatically. It says that language folder is not found "Error opening Language directory". Then I can launch the game navigating the menu, but that defeats the whole purpose of using it in wiiflow.
Is this happening to you too?

I had the same issue @Tetsuo Shima ...If you download the WiiMednafen on the 1st page i posted & use this you should be set...

Edit:
Sorry, those .ini files were not correct.
The correction is up.