diff --git a/FAQ.md b/FAQ.md index 1b94899..c61820f 100644 --- a/FAQ.md +++ b/FAQ.md @@ -2,22 +2,22 @@ Here's a collection of Frequently Answered Questions. ## General -### What is SSNES? -SSNES is a frontend for libsnes, an API which exposes the functionality of a SNES emulator. libsnes started with the SNES emulator bSNES, but there is also a libsnes implementation for SNES9x, which means SSNES is emulator agnostic. SSNES builds around the emulator core to provide a full emulator. +### What is RetroArch? +RetroArch is a frontend for libretro, an API which exposes the functionality of a SNES emulator. libretro started as libsnes with the SNES emulator bSNES, but libretro has since become emulator/game agnostic. RetroArch builds around the emulator/game core to provide a full emulator/game. -SSNES itself is command-line driven, and relies on a graphical frontend, SSNES-Phoenix, to deliver a GUI. Thus, SSNES is suitable for HTPC setups. +RetroArch itself is command-line driven, and relies on a graphical frontend, RetroArch-Phoenix, to deliver a GUI. Thus, RetroArch is suitable for HTPC setups. -Some cool features to mention are frame-by-frame rewind (Braid-style), multi-pass GPU shaders, FFmpeg on-the-fly raw video recording and netplay. All these features will work independently of the SNES implementation used. +Some cool features to mention are frame-by-frame rewind (Braid-style), multi-pass GPU shaders, FFmpeg on-the-fly raw video recording and netplay. All these features will work independently of the libretro implementation used. -### Which platforms are SSNES available for? -SSNES runs and is supported on GNU/Linux, BSD, Windows and Mac OSX (PPC/Intel). It might run on other platforms, but you will be on your own. +### Which platforms are RetroArch available for? +RetroArch runs and is supported on GNU/Linux, BSD, Windows and Mac OSX (PPC/Intel). In addition, it has been ported to many other platforms, including the most popular console systems out there and mobile platforms. ### Where can I get help? If you have questions or issues which cannot be resolved easily, you can pay a visit to: -[SSNES forum](http://board.byuu.org/viewforum.php?f=17) +[RetroArch forum](http://forum.themaister.net/) ### Are there binaries/packages provided? -SSNES is mostly built from source. +RetroArch is mostly built from source. Binaries are provided for Windows (32-bit/64-bit) in the downloads section. OSX binaries might be available on the forums, but you are expected to build it yourself. Ubuntu users should be able to use builds from [Hunterk's PPA](https://launchpad.net/~hunter-kaller/+archive/ppa). @@ -28,28 +28,28 @@ Windows: [[Compilation guide (Windows)]]
OS X: [[Compilation guide (OS X)]]
### Which rom types are supported? -SSNES supports uncompressed roms. Be it headered or not. If you have a rom with extension ".sfc" or ".smc", it should work. SSNES does not support compressed roms directly, but there are various scripts out there which will do this automatically for you :) [Here](http://board.byuu.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1941) is one such script. +RetroArch supports uncompressed roms. Be it headered or not. RetroArch does not support compressed roms directly, but there are various scripts out there which will do this automatically for you :) [Here](http://board.byuu.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1941) is one such script. -### Does SSNES support patching formats? -SSNES currently supports UPS and BPS patching formats. Various scripts also support things like IPS. +### Does RetroArch support patching formats? +RetroArch currently supports UPS, IPS and BPS patching formats. -### Does SSNES support video filters like HQ2x, 2xSaI, etc? -Filters are not built into SSNES, but it supports filter plugins which you can load into SSNES. +### Does RetroArch support video filters like HQ2x, 2xSaI, etc? +Filters are not built into RetroArch, but it supports filter plugins which you can load into RetroArch. The filter plugins are the same as used in bSNES (*.filter). -Do note that SSNES only supports the older filter from bSNES v082 and older (15-bit -> 32-bit filters). -Using newer filters will most likely crash SSNES due to the lack of means to verify if a filter is compatible. +Do note that RetroArch only supports the older filter from bSNES v082 and older (15-bit -> 32-bit filters). +Using newer filters will most likely crash RetroArch due to the lack of means to verify if a filter is compatible. ### I have a bug to report! Where can I report it? -You can either report issues in the [issues](https://github.com/Themaister/SSNES/issues) section, or create a thread on the [forum](http://board.byuu.org/viewforum.php?f=17). +You can either report issues in the [issues](https://github.com/Themaister/RetroArc/issues) section, or create a thread on the [forum](http://forum.themaister.net/). --- ## Windows specific -### Where do I download latest SSNES binaries for Windows? +### Where do I download latest RetroArch binaries for Windows? Latest releases will be found in the [release thread](http://board.byuu.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1554&start=150). ### I see 'Slim' and 'Full' builds. What is the difference? -Full builds support every feature that SSNES has implemented. This means shaders, FFmpeg, Python, etc. Since the *.dll footprint of all this is considerable, there is a redist you have to download (just once). +Full builds support every feature that RetroArch has implemented. This means shaders, FFmpeg, Python, etc. Since the *.dll footprint of all this is considerable, there is a redist you have to download (just once). Slim builds have stripped down dependencies, and do not need a redist. This however, means that only features that do not need external *.dlls will work. To be more precise, the features you get from full build are as follows:
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ To be more precise, the features you get from full build are as follows:
If you do not need any of these features, slim build is for you. -### So I downloaded SSNES Windows binaries, and there are two programs here, what's the deal? -SSNES and [SSNES-Phoenix](https://github.com/Themaister/SSNES-Phoenix) are two separate projects, both found here on GitHub. While SSNES is a command-line application, SSNES-Phoenix is a GUI which allows you to configure SSNES and launch games from a comfortable GUI environment. It is fully possible to use your own launching methods which is very suitable for i.e. HTPC setups. +### So I downloaded RetroArch Windows binaries, and there are two programs here, what's the deal? +RetroArch and [RetroArch-Phoenix](https://github.com/Themaister/RetroArch-Phoenix) are two separate projects, both found here on GitHub. While RetroArch is a command-line application, Retrorch-Phoenix is a GUI which allows you to configure RetroArch and launch games from a comfortable GUI environment. It is fully possible to use your own launching methods which is very suitable for i.e. HTPC setups. ### I downloaded Windows binaries, and it tells me some *.dll file is missing, what do I do? If you downloaded the full build, you also need the library redist, similar to a DirectX redist or something. @@ -73,13 +73,13 @@ It only needs to be downloaded once. Extract every *.dll from the respective zip 32-bit: [Redist](https://github.com/downloads/Themaister/SSNES/SSNES-win32-libs.zip)
64-bit: [Redist](https://github.com/downloads/Themaister/SSNES/SSNES-win64-libs.zip) -### I tried launching SSNES in Windows with a different program but there's an annoying command line window there. Any way to remove it? -You can pass the -D flag to SSNES which will terminate the console window if you launch it outside cmd.exe (from a shortcut or something like that). +### I tried launching RetroArch in Windows with a different program but there's an annoying command line window there. Any way to remove it? +You can pass the -D flag to RetroArch which will terminate the console window if you launch it outside cmd.exe (from a shortcut or something like that). --- ## Linux/Unix specific -### I am using OpenGL driver, and when I do fullscreen, the display stretches over both my monitors. Is this a bug in SSNES? +### I am using OpenGL driver, and when I do fullscreen, the display stretches over both my monitors. Is this a bug in RetroArch? Not a bug per se, but rather a quirk of SDL 1.2. To remedy this issue (go fullscreen on a single monitor), you should set the environment variable SDL_VIDEO_FULLSCREEN_HEAD to the index of the monitor you want to use for fullscreen. I.e. you can add `export SDL_VIDEO_FULLSCREEN_HEAD=1` to your .bashrc (or whatever shell you're using).