If you find the RetroArch a little overwhelming and want something different as a front-end for Libretro, have a look at the newly announced Ludo.
For those not aware, RetroArch is just a front-end application to the Libretro API. This means anyone can write their own entire UI for it and use all the same 'Cores' as RetroArch does to run classic games through emulation. Which is what's happening with Ludo. Speaking on Twitter about the why, the team at Libretro said:
Anyway, the main purpose of this project is just to show people what Libretro is - an API that you can write a frontend around. RetroArch is the reference frontend and is written in C (and some C++), while Ludo is entirely written in Go. It's meant to show off Libretro ecosystem.
Here, they showed off Ludo running on Ubuntu Linux:
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One of the major differences to RetroArch, is the aim for simplicity. They said it will stay smaller, target fewer platforms and fewer emulation cores. They hope to create a more stable and easier to use experience overall along with picking the cores and packaging them all up for you.
Looks pretty sleek, good for a dedicated setup perhaps. They're also doing LudOS, a dedicated operating system for Ludo for a proper dedicated experience.
Check it out here and on GitHub.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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8 comments
The timing of this is incredible. After my garage flooded a few weeks ago, I finally ordered a skip last week and cleared it out. I now have enough space in there to worry about my ancient MAME cabinet - it survived the flood, but I haven't spent any time on it for the past 15 years when the old CRT finally gave up the ghost. So on Saturday I ordered a new 19" 4:3 monitor on Ebuyer at the weekend, and a new Pi 4b to hook it all up and get it going again.
The parts are due to arrive today... and then you posted this article. Spooky.
The parts are due to arrive today... and then you posted this article. Spooky.
5 Likes, Who?
While this doesn't work for me, I'm glad it exists. The retroarch guys definitely follow a particular mindset, while I won't call it wrong-headed since everyone has their own opinions, it doesn't mesh well with me. On several occasions I've tried to properly set up six+ button controllers, like a real sega saturn pad, and figuring I must be doing it wrong for it to be so difficult I googled it... and after reading similar opinions and what the retroarch people thought of them, I just use something else.
3 Likes, Who?
Very interested in this. I find Retroarch terribly awkward to set up and use, so hopefully Ludo will be quite a bit more intuitive.
2 Likes, Who?
JSVRamirez Aug 31, 2020
While this doesn't work for me, I'm glad it exists. The retroarch guys definitely follow a particular mindset, while I won't call it wrong-headed since everyone has their own opinions, it doesn't mesh well with me. On several occasions I've tried to properly set up six+ button controllers, like a real sega saturn pad, and figuring I must be doing it wrong for it to be so difficult I googled it... and after reading similar opinions and what the retroarch people thought of them, I just use something else.
Emulation used to be a really active thing on Linux, but recently it seems that the only option, particularly for Sega games, is RetroArch. I had the same problem (and similar issues mapping out a Logitec P2600 as an N64 pad) and in the end, I gave up.
0 Likes
Bah.
Just tried out Ludo and it's just as difficult to get games into your library as Retroarch. And, in fact, some of the games that it does pick up in a scan don't actually work.
I'll stick with Mednafen I guess. Not as fancy, but a hell of a lot easier to use and more reliable.
Just tried out Ludo and it's just as difficult to get games into your library as Retroarch. And, in fact, some of the games that it does pick up in a scan don't actually work.
I'll stick with Mednafen I guess. Not as fancy, but a hell of a lot easier to use and more reliable.
1 Likes, Who?
I reckon I'll give this a go, but given that a few commenters don't like how complex the underlying mappings are, I suppose there's also Nostlan and Pegasus. Probably Pegasus though, since it looks like your only option for Nostlan on Linux is to build from source (but of course, they provide a Windows exe...)
Pegasus does look very nice. The DEB version just segfaults for me on Mint, but the flathub version worked. I'll give it a shot on the Pi which arrived yesterday, see if I can configure everything on it first.
Edit - Hmmm, in fact, I think I'll start with Attract-Mode, since this will be largely Mame-only, this is exactly what I'm looking for. Fingers crossed.
Last edited by scaine on 1 September 2020 at 12:06 pm UTC
Pegasus does look very nice. The DEB version just segfaults for me on Mint, but the flathub version worked. I'll give it a shot on the Pi which arrived yesterday, see if I can configure everything on it first.
Edit - Hmmm, in fact, I think I'll start with Attract-Mode, since this will be largely Mame-only, this is exactly what I'm looking for. Fingers crossed.
Last edited by scaine on 1 September 2020 at 12:06 pm UTC
2 Likes, Who?
Looks fine but it would be great be able to configure your controller
0 Likes
Oof. Just looked at Attact Mode's page - it seems to be pretty focused on Windows. Another one of those projects that provides every executable under the sun for Windows, but expects Linux peeps to do the compile. Naw.
So, it's either Pegaus (via Flatpak since the deb segfaults for me), Ludo (which is a straight, unpackaged, but pre-compiled download) or just bite the bullet and learn me some Retroarch (which is the daddy - PPA, pre-compiled, source, flatpak, you name it, everything except snap from the looks of it).
So, it's either Pegaus (via Flatpak since the deb segfaults for me), Ludo (which is a straight, unpackaged, but pre-compiled download) or just bite the bullet and learn me some Retroarch (which is the daddy - PPA, pre-compiled, source, flatpak, you name it, everything except snap from the looks of it).
1 Likes, Who?
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