Use the 4DO core in RetroArch

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blabla
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Use the 4DO core in RetroArch

Post by blabla » Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:14 pm

Introduction
RetroArch is a cool little piece of software that comes with a bunch of emulators, game engines, software... that speaks through its own api, libretro.
It has lots cores too, all coming from different emulators :
Snes (bsnes on android !), PSX, 32X, Virtual Boy, PC-FX, N64, Jaguar, Saturn...

Unfortunely, it's not easy to use and it suffers from some issues on Android.
Unlike its desktop counterpart,
4DO on RetroArch suffers from some graphical issues in some games (Lucienne's Quest).
It's free and open-source on the other hand so if you don't want to spend some money on a 3DO emu on Android,
this is your only option.

A Tegra 4 device or superior should run this fullspeed.
If you want to enable the double resolution option however... it should probably require a device with Tegra K1.

Here's how to use it,
make sure to have an internet connection. (Also, Orbot does not seem to work with it)
Check your firewall if you have one. (AFWall+, DroidWall...)

Step 1. Install RetroArch
It can be done through the Google Play page or from an APK found here on their official buildbot.
Google Play is easy, press download and once it is done downloading, press on install.
Permissions blablabla, press install.

For APKs, make sure to allow "Unknown Sources".
If it is disabled, Android will let you know about it.
Use a file manager to find your APK and install it.

Step 2. Configuring RetroArch
The first time you open RetroArch, you have two options.
Load RetroArch, Quit RetroArch.
Simply choose "Load RetroArch" to get started.

Now, you should be in the Menu with a bunch of options. (Load Core, Load Content, Load Recent, Add content, Online Updater...)
Press on "Online Updater". (Double press if it doesn't work)
(Make sure you have a working internet connection !)
Then, choose "Core Updater".
It could take a while before it goes on to the next screen so wait a bit.
If it does nothing (or freezed) then you have no internet, sorry but retroarch requires it to download new cores.
After a while, it should show you with a list of emulators and game engines.
Pick 4DO and wait a bit. (It's all the way up, you can't miss it)
RetroArch will let you know (through their primitive gui) that your core was downloaded and ready to use.

Step 3. Configuring RetroArch (Again)
For 4DO's emulation, it requires a BIOS.
This is where RetroArch sucks : it won't let you know that you're missing a BIOS and you'll experience weird crashes.
Your 3DO Bios needs to be called "panafz10.bin", place it in a folder somewhere.

Go back to the menu. (Load Core, Load Content, Load Recent, Add Content, Online Updater...)
Next, go to Settings -> Directory (scroll all the way down) -> System/BIOS Dir (the very first option)
Tap on System/BIOS Dir if you didn't already and choose the directory where your BIOS is. (remember your "panafz10.bin" file?)
Tap on Back until you reach the menu with only Load RetroArch and Quit RetroArch.
Then tap on Quit RetroArch to save your settings.

RetroArch will not save your settings if you don't do this and you'll have to start all over again !

Step 4. Play the games...
Launch RetroArch again and choose "Load Core".
Choose "3DO (4DO)" this time.
Then go to "Load Content" and then "Select File".

For InternalNands, the directory should be /storage/sdcard0.
For external micro sdcards, you'll have to guess if you don't know.

Then look for your 3DO game and tap on it once you found it.
Your game should boot up, yay.

If it crashes then it probably did not found the bios, in that case,
start from Step 3 again and follow it closely.
If you checked your settings and they should work according to you then it could anything :
- Your BIOS is a bad dump.
- Your game is not supported
- Your device is not supported. (Most likely a GLES 1.1 device)
- It's a bug in your Android's OS or in Retroarch.

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