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libretro / RetroArch

Cross-platform, sophisticated frontend for the libretro API. Licensed GPLv3.
http://www.libretro.com
GNU General Public License v3.0
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RetroArch + Popstarter = Cool PS1 emulator? #12879

Closed Ever17lab closed 1 year ago

Ever17lab commented 2 years ago

Heyhey. Do you know, that PS2 can launch PS2 games from USB O.o?!

RetroArch on PS2 can emulate NES, SEGA, even Neo Geo Pocket, but can't open PS1 games.

Sooo... Maybe somebody add this feature...

Instead of OPL from Jay Jay.

AKuHAK commented 2 years ago

@Ever17lab POPS is closed source emulator, so it cannot be used with any open source projects like ipl, or retroarch

Ever17lab commented 2 years ago

@AKuHAK there is uLaunchElf for launching PS1 games https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5128 . All it needs, just popstarter.elf in POPS folder. Some source are available.

So it's possible to send command with some light 'core' to popstarter.elf like 'open this vcd file, please'

Advantages - RA has 'better' interface, than ULE - font is bigger, it has history. You don't need to rename VCD file in special format, like JayJay's OPL needs (as I know, it has sources too and works with POPSTARTER)

More platform support - now PS2's RetroArch allows to play NES, SEGA or GBA without problem. PS1 support will be great.

AKuHAK commented 2 years ago

Sorry. This will never happen.

  1. Retroarch only includes open-source cores. There is no source code for Popstarter. For example, epsxe emulator also isn't part of RA for the same reason.
  2. Retroarch only includes cores, which owners allow the RA team to include. Most of the cores are developed under licenses, which allows using their source codes as they wish. Unfortunately, Popstarter owner is sony and it will never allow using their closed emulator.
  3. While it is technically possible to hack Retroarch and popstarter to work together, no one will do it cause it can make RA less stable, and also the one who will make such a hack will be banned from the developer field. Too risky with no gain.

Sorry, such a step will cause many legal problems for all who are involved in that process. While in Russia old game piracy can be something that is not dangerous, but things differ in the whole world.

Ever17lab commented 2 years ago

@AKuHAK okay. Maybe somebody from community will be interested in 3rd case.

Maybe it's possible to create 'core' that could be used as postarter launcher. It's not about 'piracy', Not big problem to buy games officially, it shows respect what developers does. If developers start to create good commercial PS1 games, why don't buy it, it means that platform continues to live.

AKuHAK commented 2 years ago

@Ever17lab yes, but you will lose a significant part of RA. You will not be able to pause the game and call the RA menu. Most of the settings that are set inside RA will be skipped or ignored, this will make RA mostly useless. It will be almost the same as launching POPS from wLaunchELF. The only possible way, port some other ps1 emulator into ps2, but this will be an extremely hard task.

Ever17lab commented 2 years ago

@AKuHAK, PS1 on PS2 does not need a lot of settings, maybe some compatibility fixes. There is PS2 gamepad, it absolutely like PS1.

this will make RA mostly useless. It will be almost the same as launching POPS from wLaunchELF

LaunchELF is not game interface, just file browser with tiny font. RA browser is much more better, it has History section. OPL is not absolutely comfortable too, cause it needs some trick with special file names.