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What are the best console emulators out there?

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Reply 60 of 64, by Mr_Blastman

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kolano wrote:

For folks with a working DOSBox core in RetroArch, I'm interested in it's more capable shader support. Does that work out with the DOSBox core?

Kind of late reply but whatever, maybe you're still around and I can help. 😀

The latest version of Retroarch finally works half decently with dosbox. The past ones crashed a lot for me. However... the current libretro core is Dosbox 0.74 (per the config files), and despite that, have some problems that need to be refined, such as cycles, Tandy video emulation and certain EGA modes. When I try playing Thexder when I've edited the cfg to Tandy mode, I get a black screen but hear the music playing and even play the game (Just not see it!).

There's tricks to getting it to work and the documentation is scant, but when coupled with amazing CRT shaders such a CRT-Royale (it is amazing), words can't describe how awesome it looks when something works--if you're looking for more of a arcade monitor/television look. The halation alone is unspeakably good...

With that said, some tips as these were a pain in the butt to figure out:

1. Edit your retroarch.cfg file in the root retroarch directory so as to remove all the keyboard shortcuts! (other than menu navigation). If you don't, when you type stuff into Dosbox you'll find yourself in a world of pain and suffering when you keep toggling retroarch functions!

2. Dosbox.conf--where is it?! This is what perplexed me for the longest time. By default, Retroarch doesn't allow one to exist. But it can! What you _must_ do is create a DOSBox subdirectory in the retroarch system directory, so the path ends up looking like: retroarch\system\DOSBox (case sensitive I think). Then, inside Retroarch, to get the config file to create, run a new program and have it pick the core, browse to one of your dos game directories, pick the exe and have it run. It will create the .conf and now you can edit it.

3. Playing games is different than in regular dosbox in that you probably don't want to fire it up in dos mode (that's what I do at least) and navigate using dos commands to whatever. As mentioned in tip number two, you browse to the game's .exe and have retroarch run it. You don't have to do this, but I recommend it. If you absolutely need to get to the prompt, some games will allow you to do this. Otherwise, I recommend using real dosbox to run the installers and setup programs to change options.

Midi does not work yet. 🙁 At least, I can't get it to work, not even through MUNT, and I've got real external devices, also. So you're stuck using soundblaster or pc speaker (Tandy 3-voice audio works, just not the video in games?!?!??!?!). Oh, and I think I had issues with joystick. But try it anyways, and use CRT-Royale with it or any of the other countless shaders.

I really wish Tandy graphics would work, I'm so close to getting perfect RGB CM-5 emulation in SweetFX but I'm betting royale will still be superior due to some frustrating quirks for SweetFX.

Reply 61 of 64, by mr_bigmouth_502

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Honestly, I don't exactly "get" how DosBox fits with Retroarch. Retroarch is a console-style frontend suited for running console emulators. DosBox emulates old PC games that require access to a keyboard and mouse. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Reply 62 of 64, by Mr_Blastman

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mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

Honestly, I don't exactly "get" how DosBox fits with Retroarch. Retroarch is a console-style frontend suited for running console emulators. DosBox emulates old PC games that require access to a keyboard and mouse. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Retroarch allows access to multipass shaders such as the amazing CRT-Royale shaders.

Reply 63 of 64, by tyrell

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I'm running DosBox under Retropie, and yes, many games require a mouse and/or a keyboard, but I don't see any problems with that.
The same goes for the Amiga emulator. It also requires a mouse and keyboard, but I like the fact that everything is included in the same
distribution.