/RetroFlow-Launcher

A 3d cover flow like launcher for PS Vita

Primary LanguageLuaMIT LicenseMIT

Fork information

This is a fork of jimbob4000's RetroFlow-Launcher, with alternative controls :

  • DOWN: Next category
  • UP: Previous category
  • SQUARE: Skip to favorites

Instead of the original :

  • SQUARE: Next category
  • DOWN+SQUARE: Previous category
  • UP: Skip to favorites

If you'd like to use this fork, just replace ux0:/app/RETROFLOW/index.lua by the one in this repo.

RetroFlow Launcher

About

This is a modded version of HexFlow Launcher; a 3d coverflow like launcher for PS Vita.

With RetroFlow you can also integerate retro games without the need to create bubbles for Adrenaline, RetroArch, DaedalusX64 and Flycast.

Main features added since forking from HexFlow:

  • No need to create bubbles for games
  • Retro game categories added
  • Create your own categories (Collections)
  • Favourite games category
  • Recently played category
  • Ability to search for games
  • Ability to rename games
  • Support for game backgrounds images
  • Support for multiple music tracks
  • Support for multiple wallapers
  • Load from cache for faster startup
  • File browser added for setting up game directories
  • Smooth scrolling of game covers
  • Fully translated

Supported systems: PS Vita, PSP, Playstation, Playstation Mobile, Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, Game Boy, Sega Dreamcast, Sega CD, Sega 32X, Sega Mega Drive / Genesis, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear, PC Engine, PC Engine CD, TurboGrafx-16, TurboGrafx-CD, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64, WonderSwan, WonderSwan Color, MSX, MSX2, ZX Spectrum, Atari Lynx, Atari 600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, ColecoVision, Vectrex, FBA 2012, MAME 2003 Plus, MAME 2000, Neo Geo (FBA 2012), Neo Geo Pocket Color, ScummVM and PICO-8.

Installation & setup

1. Install the RetroFlow VPK's.

  • Install the latest version of RetroFlow
  • Also install the 'RetroFlow Adrenaline launcher' VPK from the latest version of RetroFlow.
  • 'RetroFlow Launcher' is the app you will use to browse games. 'RetroFlow Adrenaline launcher' is needed for launching Playstation and PSP games.

2. Install any other necessary apps

Important: If Adrenaline games aren't launching after you have finished the setup, please install Adrenaline Bubble Manager. Or try installing AdrBubbleBooterInstaller.

3. Check your PS1 and PSP are in the right Adrenaline folders

  • PS1 and PSP games with eboot files should be saved here: ux0:pspemu/PSP/GAME/
  • PSP ISO and CSO games should be saved here: ux0:pspemu/ISO/
  • uma0, ur0, imc0 and xmc0 partitions are also supported.
  • The partition you use for Adrenaline will also need to be selected in the 'Scan settings' in RetroFlow.
  • Tip: PS1 games can also be launched using RetroArch, helpful for games which don't run well in Adrenaline.

4. Add your retro games to RetroFlow

For best results it's recommended that your games are named using the no-intro file naming convention, e.g. "Game Name (USA)", these names are used to download matching cover images.

Option 1 - Use the default folders

  • Launch RetroFlow for the first time, RetroFlow will create the folders where you can save your games.
  • Once it's finshed loading; close RetroFlow and copy or move your favourite retro games into the relevant game subfolders here: ux0:/data/RetroFlow/ROMS/

Option 2 - Use your own game folders

  • If you don't want to save your games in the RetroFlow data folder, you can use your own directories.
  • Go to 'Scan settings' and then 'Edit game directories' to change the path to game folders.
  • Once you are done, select 'Rescan' to find the games.

Disc based games

  • PC Engine CD and TurboGrafx-CD: RetroFlow will look for '.cue' files for these CD systems. Please make sure all the games are loose with the system's rom folder with .cue files.
  • Dreamcast: '.gdi' and '.cdi' games are supported.
  • PS1 using RetroArch - They will use the 'PCSX ReARMed' core, more information on supported extensions here: https://docs.libretro.com/library/pcsx_rearmed/

5. Rescan to find your games

  • Press 'Start' and go to 'Scan Settings', select your Adrenaline location, and if you are using custom game folders, select those too, then select 'Rescan'.
  • Your retro games should now appear when you restart the app.
  • 'Startup scan' can be turned off once you have finished adding your games, the app will startup faster when it's turned off.

6. Download covers & backgrounds

  • To download cover images, press start, go to 'Artwork' then choose which covers or backgrounds you would like to download.
  • From version 5 onwards you can also extract background images for PSP games from PSP iso files.

Controls

Navigate your library using the DPad or the Left Stick or with the Touch Screen.

DPad Up: Jump to the recently played / favourites category, or filter categories to only show collections.

R/L triggers: Skip 5 items

Cross: Select/Launch game/app

Square: Change Category

Triangle: Game Details/Game options menu/About

Circle: Change View/Cancel

Start: Settings menu

Select: Search

DPad Down + Square: Go back one category

DPad Down + L/R triggers: Skip games alphabetically

Troubleshooting

Please see the FAQ's page before posting an issue.

Customisation

Adding Custom game covers & backgrounds

Covers:

  • Custom covers can be saved in the game folders here: ux0:/data/RetroFlow/COVERS/.

Backgounds:

  • Custom game backgrounds can be saved in the game folders here: ux0:/data/RetroFlow/BACKGROUNDS/.

Filenames:

  • For Vita, PSP, PSX games and Homebrew the The cover image file name must match the Game ID or the Game Name of each app.
  • For retro games the cover image name should match the Game Name i.e. "Game Name (USA).png".

Image format:

  • Cover and background images must be in png format.

Adding Custom wallpaper & music

Wallpaper:

  • You can add as many wallpapers as you like by saving them here: ux0:/data/RetroFlow/WALLPAPER/.
  • Images must be in .jpg or .png format, the recommended size is 960px x 544px.
  • Some custom backgrounds are available HERE You can change your background within the app by going to the settings menu > theme > custom background.

Custom Music:

  • Songs can be added to ux0:/data/RetroFlow/MUSIC/.
  • Music must be in .ogg format.

Known issues

  • PSP background extraction: May need to be run more than once, after around 150 games it skips the rest.

Credits

  • Original HexFlow app by: VitaHex Games.
  • Programming/UI: Sakis RG.
  • Developed with Lua Player Plus by Rinnegatamante.
  • Scanning PSP and PSX games made possible by using ONELua by Team ONElua.
  • Extracting Vita backgrounds: Based on code for copyicons by cy33hc.
  • Aurora wallaper: Photo by Maria Vojtovicova.

Special thanks

Translations

  • French - @chronoss and @Axce
  • German - @stuermerandreas
  • Hungarian - @dagadtwok
  • Spanish - @kodyna91
  • Italian - @TheheroGAC
  • Russian - @_novff
  • Portuguese - @nighto
  • Portuguese (Brazil) - @dariofflima
  • Japanese - @kuragehimekurara1 and @iGlitch
  • Chinese - @acd13141
  • Polish - @SK00RUPA

Support

Help and FAQ's: For Help and answers to frequent questions please visit the FAQ's page.

Feature requests: Please note that I'm not a developer, this mod started as a personal project, please be mindful that there may be some redundant code, or some requests that will be beyond my knowledge to implement. Please feel free to build upon the mod as long as you provide credit to the original HexFlow developer and the people who contributed to the project.

Supporting developers: I don't accept dontations or payment for this project, however if you would like to support VitaHex; the developer of the original HexFlow app you can support their work by becoming a Patron.

You can also donate to them using PayPal. If you would like to follow them, you can find VitaHex on Twitter, or their website vitahex.weebly.com.

Disclaimer:
RetroFlow DOES NOT support or facilitate piracy in any way, on the contrary we are against it.

RetroFlow and any individual software authors will not be held responsible for any damages or loss resulting from the use of the homebrew software, by downloading the application you are agreeing to these terms.