Gaming on OSX was for some time always a joke to outsiders, and retro gaming isn't an exception.
So my history with RetroArch started with an PowerPC based console, my Wii U after modding and having access to a good homebrew library (not as great as the Wii was, but we enjoy it).
On the GBAtemp thread one day an user posted about his impressive custom build of Retroarch and I tried in the same day that it was available on the Wii/Wii U Modders group. Of course that it's huge build and very well configured, but I would like to have it on my other devices if I could, so I begin to test. Since I don't use Facebook anymore I found the torrent download for the build that you have to use for the ROM's, wallpapers, thumbnails etc.
Unfortunately their official download site don't have any more builds for our ancient OS, so @jflower posted on RetroArch Macintosh Garden page links for his builds on MediaFire, some builds with cores, without. So it was hit or miss.
After a testing a lot of combinations I reached to my build (I tried to make as universal as possible), and here are the instructions for those who like to make your own:
Use the Retroarch 1.8.8 build as a base
Add the Cores from 1.7.5 to - /Applications/RetroArch.app/Contents/Resources/cores
Directory
System/BIOS - /Users/YourUsername/Documents/RetroArch/system
Assets - /Applications/RetroArch.app/Contents/Resources/assets
Dynamic Backgrounds - /Users/YourUsername/Library/Application Support/RetroArch/wallpapers (14,6MB from the torrent file)
Thumbnails - /Users/YourUsername/Library/Application Support/RetroArch/thumbnails (3,53 GB if you use the torrent file. It's a beautiful work and worth it!)
Playlists - /Users/YourUsername/Library/Application Support/RetroArch/playlists (Edit the ROM's path to the correct folder as you like)
ROMS - Place wherever you like, but edit the path in the playlist like the example being in the root of your disk (All compatible ROMS in the torrent takes 83,97GB. But you can select what you want.)
Open the application and tweak the following options
User Interface > Appearance >
Dynamic Background - ON
Background Opacity - 0.250
Framebuffer Opacity - 0.900
Menu Icon Theme - Retrosystem
Icon Shadows - OFF
Menu Shader Pipeline - OFF
Menu Color Theme - Undersea
Thumbnails - Boxart
Left Thumbnails - Screenshots
Ticker Text Speed - 2x
Smooth Ticker Text - ON
Or if you wanna grab my pre-built (1.8.8 base + cores + Assets), but the System/BIOS, Playlists, Thumbnails and Dynamic Backgrounds (from the torrent) and you still need to put it in your folders as the instructions above.
It take a little time and effort, but once you learn it, you can reproduce it in almost any RetroArch version (I make it in my Windows, Playstation 3 and Nvidia Shield TV Android using the same principles, just replacing the Playlist with the appropriated cores and paths).
The result it's a very elegant all-in-one stop for your retro games.
I didn't test all other options and standalone emulators available in the garden, because with this setup I can play and move all my save files between different platforms. But a few cores run slow in full screen, but most of them run full speed in my iMac and my PowerBook.
Enjoy
So my history with RetroArch started with an PowerPC based console, my Wii U after modding and having access to a good homebrew library (not as great as the Wii was, but we enjoy it).
On the GBAtemp thread one day an user posted about his impressive custom build of Retroarch and I tried in the same day that it was available on the Wii/Wii U Modders group. Of course that it's huge build and very well configured, but I would like to have it on my other devices if I could, so I begin to test. Since I don't use Facebook anymore I found the torrent download for the build that you have to use for the ROM's, wallpapers, thumbnails etc.
Unfortunately their official download site don't have any more builds for our ancient OS, so @jflower posted on RetroArch Macintosh Garden page links for his builds on MediaFire, some builds with cores, without. So it was hit or miss.
After a testing a lot of combinations I reached to my build (I tried to make as universal as possible), and here are the instructions for those who like to make your own:
Use the Retroarch 1.8.8 build as a base
Add the Cores from 1.7.5 to - /Applications/RetroArch.app/Contents/Resources/cores
Directory
System/BIOS - /Users/YourUsername/Documents/RetroArch/system
Assets - /Applications/RetroArch.app/Contents/Resources/assets
Dynamic Backgrounds - /Users/YourUsername/Library/Application Support/RetroArch/wallpapers (14,6MB from the torrent file)
Thumbnails - /Users/YourUsername/Library/Application Support/RetroArch/thumbnails (3,53 GB if you use the torrent file. It's a beautiful work and worth it!)
Playlists - /Users/YourUsername/Library/Application Support/RetroArch/playlists (Edit the ROM's path to the correct folder as you like)
ROMS - Place wherever you like, but edit the path in the playlist like the example being in the root of your disk (All compatible ROMS in the torrent takes 83,97GB. But you can select what you want.)
Code:
{
"path": "/roms/Nintendo - Game Boy Advance/Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (USA, Australia).zip",
"label": "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (USA, Australia)",
"core_path": "/Applications/RetroArch.app/Contents/Resources/cores/mgba_libretro.dylib",
"core_name": "DETECT",
"crc32": "DETECT",
"db_name": "Nintendo - Game Boy Advance.lpl"
},Open the application and tweak the following options
User Interface > Appearance >
Dynamic Background - ON
Background Opacity - 0.250
Framebuffer Opacity - 0.900
Menu Icon Theme - Retrosystem
Icon Shadows - OFF
Menu Shader Pipeline - OFF
Menu Color Theme - Undersea
Thumbnails - Boxart
Left Thumbnails - Screenshots
Ticker Text Speed - 2x
Smooth Ticker Text - ON
Or if you wanna grab my pre-built (1.8.8 base + cores + Assets), but the System/BIOS, Playlists, Thumbnails and Dynamic Backgrounds (from the torrent) and you still need to put it in your folders as the instructions above.
It take a little time and effort, but once you learn it, you can reproduce it in almost any RetroArch version (I make it in my Windows, Playstation 3 and Nvidia Shield TV Android using the same principles, just replacing the Playlist with the appropriated cores and paths).
The result it's a very elegant all-in-one stop for your retro games.
I didn't test all other options and standalone emulators available in the garden, because with this setup I can play and move all my save files between different platforms. But a few cores run slow in full screen, but most of them run full speed in my iMac and my PowerBook.
Enjoy
