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RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Printable Version

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RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Clutz450 - 2024-01-18

Thank you for the fix.  I just tried out your latest version for Windows (KodiSetup-20240116-23800d41-retroplayer-20.3-x64.exe) and can confirm that my controller is now working again.  I have never used RetroPlayer before (been a die-hard RetroArch fan for years now) and was wondering if there were any good guides (written or video) that show me how to use and get the most out of it?  For example, I wanted to set up RetroAchievements in RetroPlayer but had no idea how.  After a lot of looking, I finally found the setting and put in my username and password.  However, it is telling me that my account is not verified and to check my email.  But nothing shows up in my email.  Am I doing something wrong or did I find another bug?  Thank you.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Clutz450 - 2024-01-18

Actually, I think I did just find something.  I was trying out an Atari 2600 game (Pitfall) and was able to download the Stella addon and everything played just fine.  I then tried playing Super Mario Bros. using the Mesen addon and Kodi just crashed on me.  I looked at the logs and the last line in the log was "2024-01-17 18:56:48.919 T:14252   error <general>: IAGL:  Status of launch is unknown for Super Mario Bros., current window id 9999".  I also uploaded the entire log here (https://pastebin.com/rrPdznw8).  I then tried with the FCEUMM addon and it worked just fine.  Let me know if there is anything else you need.  Thanks.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-18

(2024-01-18, 01:49)Clutz450 Wrote: I have never used RetroPlayer before (been a die-hard RetroArch fan for years now) and was wondering if there were any good guides (written or video) that show me how to use and get the most out of it?

Unfortunately RetroPlayer isn't very straightfoward to set up because we lack a game database. I've tried to write one several times and always failed because Kodi's database code is unruly. So basically add-ons are the only way to use RetroPlayer fully. I see you found IAGL, that's what I use, and I enjoy the experience.

Another problem is that we have too may cores for a good UX. I took the shotgun approach of porting everything, and letting add-on authors sort out which cores are best. The ultimate solution is some kind of lookup table for different games/cores/platforms/systems, but I've never created one.

Until these two problems are solved, RetroPlayer is more of a "toolbox" and "kitchen sink" for add-on authors to make the best of.

(2024-01-18, 01:49)Clutz450 Wrote: For example, I wanted to set up RetroAchievements in RetroPlayer but had no idea how.  After a lot of looking, I finally found the setting and put in my username and password.  However, it is telling me that my account is not verified and to check my email.  But nothing shows up in my email.  Am I doing something wrong or did I find another bug?  Thank you.

I've gotten reports that Achievements have broken since RetroAchievements support was implemented in GSoC 2021. Patches welcome, but I'll probably get around to fixing this after my Player Manager is done.

(2024-01-18, 02:21)Clutz450 Wrote: Actually, I think I did just find something.  I was trying out an Atari 2600 game (Pitfall) and was able to download the Stella addon and everything played just fine.  I then tried playing Super Mario Bros. using the Mesen addon and Kodi just crashed on me.  I looked at the logs and the last line in the log was "2024-01-17 18:56:48.919 T:14252   error <general>: IAGL:  Status of launch is unknown for Super Mario Bros., current window id 9999".  I also uploaded the entire log here (https://pastebin.com/rrPdznw8).  I then tried with the FCEUMM addon and it worked just fine.  Let me know if there is anything else you need. 

You've caught a bug in what I call the "long tail". After getting 90% of emulators to work, there are still millions of edge cases in the last 10% that have to be hunted down manually, and the only way is for as many people (like yourself) to try stuff and see what breaks, then I can hook up a debugger and invest time into fixing the problem.

The debug log was all I needed to hunt down the problem. We initialize cores in a slightly different manner from RetroArch, but because cores are only ever tested with RetroArch, they aren't made very robust and these problems aren't surfaced until things break for Kodi.

The problem with Mesen is fixed in https://github.com/kodi-game/game.libretro/pull/121 . Thanks again for the debug log. I'll do a test build shortly and you can confirm that Mesen loads.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-18

@Clutz450 Can you give this build a try and see if it fixes the Mesen crash? https://github.com/garbear/xbmc/releases/tag/retroplayer-20.3-20240117


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Clutz450 - 2024-01-22

Sorry for the delay.  Been busy with work but I have the next 3 days off.  I just tried it out and I was able to get Super Mario Bros. to load up just fine using Mesen in RetroPlayer.  I'm doing stuff with my wife this morning but later tonight I'll try to do some more testing and ask more questions.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-28

(2024-01-22, 16:28)Clutz450 Wrote: Sorry for the delay.  Been busy with work but I have the next 3 days off.

As we're all volunteers it can take me weeks or months to find time for RetroPlayer, so no worries.

(2024-01-22, 16:28)Clutz450 Wrote: I just tried it out and I was able to get Super Mario Bros. to load up just fine using Mesen in RetroPlayer.

Success! Thanks for confirming. I'll get the fix into our latest releases.

(2024-01-22, 16:28)Clutz450 Wrote: I'll try to do some more testing and ask more questions.

RetroPlayer rocks because our testers do such a great job! Thanks for helping.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Clutz450 - 2024-01-28

Does this mean the fix will be in the Android version as well? I didn't get a chance to play around with RetroPlayer like I had hoped at home. But I get a lot of downtime at work (especially when I work overnights and weekends) so I could probably get some testing in on the Android version once you get it updated with the Mesen fix.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-28

(2024-01-28, 06:31)Clutz450 Wrote: Does this mean the fix will be in the Android version as well?

Yes, I'm doing full releases of the game.libretro add-on for Nexus and Omega now. They'll be on the mirrors in a few hours.

(2024-01-28, 06:31)Clutz450 Wrote: But I get a lot of downtime at work (especially when I work overnights and weekends) so I could probably get some testing in on the Android version once you get it updated with the Mesen fix.

The amount of Kodi time I spend at work Wink


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-29

New round of test builds! These are only needed for joystick fixes on Android, other platforms can skip the update: https://github.com/garbear/xbmc/releases

If you want to help test joysticks on Android, please upload your debug log and results to the tracking thread: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=376084


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Clutz450 - 2024-01-30

Are you not releasing a 20.3 version? I only see a 21 version.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-30

I didn't see you were on 20.3, I'll do a round of 20.3 Android builds. Should be up in a few hours.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-30

20.3 builds are up: https://github.com/garbear/xbmc/releases/tag/retroplayer-20.3-20240129


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Clutz450 - 2024-01-31

So to ensure I am using the latest and greatest revisions of your version of Kodi, I deleted Kodi from all my devices so I can start with a fresh install and start testing.  But now I am confused as to which ones are the ones that I should be downloading off of your GitHub.  When I go to your releases, the one of the top is "RetroPlayer 20.3 (2024-01-30)" which was released about 13 hours ago but only has .apk versions to download under releases.  If I scroll up, I see under "Kodi Builds" it says "Windows x86/x64: See 2024-01-16 release".  When I click on that link it takes me to "RetroPlayer 20.3 (2024-01-16)" which does have both .apk and .exe files to download under releases but this version says it was released about 2 weeks ago.  Basically, I have a Windows 10 PC, a Samsung Galaxy S23+, and an Amazon 4k Max Fire Stick and I want to install your version of Kodi on all of those and start using them as I normally would.  Can you help me understand how to navigate GitHub to ensure I am always using the most up to date version?  I am sticking with the 20.3 version only because it's what I know and I haven't tried messing around with the official v21 version of Kodi yet.  But if it's more helpful for me to test the v21 version for you let me know and I will.  

Also, I use a build on my main official version of Kodi.  Will me reinstalling a build onto your version of Kodi mess anything up?  I mean, we are only testing the RetroPlayer here so I really don't see the build I use changing anything related to that.  But I still just want to ask so I can ensure that the test I do is the most accurate and valuable for you.  Thanks.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - garbear - 2024-01-31

(2024-01-31, 23:32)Clutz450 Wrote: So to ensure I am using the latest and greatest revisions of your version of Kodi

You can see in the changelogs what I've done in the last two weeks. You'll notice that the changes from 2024-01-16 to now only affect LibreELEC and Android, which is why I haven't created new Windows builds, so 2024-01-16 is the latest and greatest for Windows, and is what I run on my main PC.

There's one exception, I fixed a crash in game.libretro when loading Mesen in the 2024-01-29 build, but it's such an edge case I figured I'd just wait until the next time I release for Windows.

However, I'm doing new Android builds today, I'll throw in windows too so you can get the Mesen crash fix. Builds will be on GitHub in a few hours.

(2024-01-31, 23:32)Clutz450 Wrote: Also, I use a build on my main official version of Kodi.  Will me reinstalling a build onto your version of Kodi mess anything up?  I mean, we are only testing the RetroPlayer here so I really don't see the build I use changing anything related to that.  But I still just want to ask so I can ensure that the test I do is the most accurate and valuable for you.  Thanks.

You should be safe to swap between any build based on v20.3. The only problem you'd have is that I bundle a version of game.libretro that uses a different API for achievements. I've given this the version 20.3.0 so that it'll override the version on the mirrors (which is 20.2.7). When you swap to a non-retroplayer build just make sure that you're back on game.libretro version 20.2.7. You'll know if you're not because Kodi will complain loudly.


RE: RetroPlayer Test Builds (updated for Nexus) - Clutz450 - 2024-02-01

Thank you for that.  So I successfully downloaded and installed your 20.3 versions on my 3 devices.  I have the x64.exe on my Windows 10 Laptop, armeabi-v7a.apk on my Amazon Firestick 4k Max (1st gen), and the arm64-v8a.apk on my Samsung Galaxy S23+ cell phone.  I am using an XBOX One S Controller on my Laptop and on my Firestick.  I am using a Backbone One Playstation Edition controller on my cell phone.  I also reinstalled the build I used onto all 3.  I didn't know how to check for the game.libretro version but Kodi hadn't yelled at me (...yet).  

First thing I noticed when I loaded up Kodi with all 3 was that my controller inputs were immediately recognized.  I'm so used to needing to configure my inputs before my controllers would work so this was a nice surprise.  I only had time to test one game so I went into IAGL and tried to play Pitfall for Atari 2600.  I was prompted to download the Stella Addon which went fine.  When the game started, the first thing that caught my eye was that the screen seemed a bit too narrow than what I am used to seeing in RetroArch.  In regards to the controllers, things worked great on my Cell phone and on my computer.  However, the controls wouldn't work on my Firestick.  Like none of the buttons would control my character.  And the weird thing was that hitting the B button on my XBOX controller would close the game.  Also pressing in the Left Stick would bring up a "Browse for Folder" window and pressing the Right Stick would bring up the window for closing Kodi.  I know you said in your changelog that you "Fixed Android joysticks that report buttons as keyboard keys" but I'm wondering if for some reason that didn't work on the armeabi-v7a.apk version.

That's all I had time for tonight.  I plan on playing around with it more tomorrow.  I think I asked this before but not sure if you answered it, but do you have a Discord channel?  I can't figure out how to attach pictures to this post without uploading the image somewhere else first and then clicking the picture icon and putting in the URL.  I like to be as detailed as possible and send pictures/videos of what I am seeing/doing so you don't have to guess or assume anything about what I did.  Thanks.