diff --git a/USERGUIDE.md b/USERGUIDE.md index 4bcb9c905..adb9c8158 100644 --- a/USERGUIDE.md +++ b/USERGUIDE.md @@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ Upon first startup, ES will create its home directory, by default the location i On Unix this defaults to /home//.emulationstation/ and on Windows it defaults to C:\Users\\.emulationstation\ -A settings file, `es_settings.cfg` will be generated with all the default settings, and a `es_systems.cfg` file will also be copied from the program resource folder. This file contains the game ROM and emulator settings and can be modified if needed. For information on how to do this, refer to the [INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md) document. +A settings file, **es_settings.cfg** will be generated with all the default settings, and a **es_systems.cfg** file will also be copied from the program resource folder. This file contains the game ROM and emulator settings and can be modified if needed. For information on how to do this, refer to the [INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md) document. -There's a log file in the home directory as well named `es_log.txt`, please refer to this in case of any errors as it should provide information on what went wrong. +There's a log file in the home directory as well named **es_log.txt**, please refer to this in case of any errors as it should provide information on what went wrong. After ES finds at least one game file, it will populate that game system and the application will start. If there are no game files, an error messsage will be shown, explaining that you need to install your game files into your ROM directory. Please refer to the game installation procedure below in this document. @@ -39,18 +39,13 @@ If a controller is attached when starting ES and no **es_input.cfg** input confi If an es_input.cfg configuration file exists, you will not be presented with the input device configuration screen as that would normally just be annoying. If you however need to configure a device to control the application (i.e. you've replaced your controller), you can do so by starting ES with the command line argument **--force-input-config** or you can manually delete the es_input.cfg file prior to starting the application. -## Main screen (system view) +## System view (main screen) When starting EmulationStation with the default settings, you will see the main screen first. From here you can navigate your game systems and enter their respective gamelists. If there are no game systems installed, you will not see this screen but rather an error message will be displayed, informing you that no games could be found. Depending on the theme, the system navigation carousel can be either horizontal or vertical. The default theme rbsimple-DE provides horizontal navigation, i.e. you browse your systems be scrolling left or right. -## Help system - -There is a help system available throughout the application that provides an overview of the possible actions and buttons that can be used. It's possible to disable the help system (it's enabled by default). - - ## Gamelist view The gamelist view is where you browse and start your games, and it's where you will spend most of your time using ES. @@ -58,23 +53,28 @@ The gamelist view is where you browse and start your games, and it's where you w Upon startup with the default settings, ES is set to the gamelist view style to `AUTOMATIC`. In this mode the application will look for any game media files (videos and images) and set the view style accordingly. If at least one image is found for any game, the view style `DETAILED` will be shown, and if at least one video file is found, the view style `VIDEO` will be selected. Note that this setting is applied per game system. +## Help system + +There is a help system available throughout the application that provides an overview of the possible actions and buttons that can be used. It's possible to disable the help system (it's enabled by default). + + ## General navigation The help system will provide an overview per screen on the navigation options for the application, however here is a general overview. These are the inputs you mapped in the previous input device configuration step. -### Up and down +**Up and down** Navigate up and down in the gamelists, system view (if the theme has a vertical carousel) and in menus. -### Left and right +**Left and right** Navigate between gamelists if _quick system select_ has been activated in the options (it's enabled by default) or between system (if the theme has a horizontal carousel). -### Start button +**Start button** Opens and closes the main menu -### Select button +**Select button** Opens and closes the game options menu if in the gamelist view, or toggles the screensaver if in the system view (main screen). @@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ Selects random games and systems. Marks games as favorites in the gamelist views. Used by some other minor functions as explained by the help system. +## Getting your games into EmulationStation + +For most systems, this is very straightforward, just put your game files into the folder corresponding to the system name. These names can be found in the end of this document. + + ## Main menu This menu can be accessed from both the main screen and from the gamelist views. It contains the scraper, the quit menu as well as the application settings. @@ -111,7 +116,7 @@ Here is a breakdown of the main menu entires: ### Scraper -**Scrape From** +**Scrape from** **Filter** @@ -119,15 +124,15 @@ Here is a breakdown of the main menu entires: #### Content settings -**Scrape Game Names** +**Scrape game names** -**Scrape Ratings** +**Scrape ratings** -**Scrap Other Metadata** +**Scrap other metadata** -**Scrape Screenshot Images** +**Scrape screenshot images** -**Scrape Box Cover Images** +**Scrape box cover images** **Scrape marquee (wheel) images** @@ -146,134 +151,134 @@ Here is a breakdown of the main menu entires: **Auto-accept single game matches** -### UI SETTINGS +### UI settings -**GAMELIST TO SHOW ON STARTUP** +**Gamelist to show on startup** -**GAMELIST VIEW STYLE** +**Gamelist view style** -**TRANSITION STYLE** +**Transition style** -**THEME SET** +**Theme set** -**UI MODE** +**UI mode** -**DEFAULT SORT ORDER** +**Default sort order** -**SORT FOLDERS ON TOP OF GAMELISTS** +**Sort folders on top of gamelists** -**SORT FAVORITE GAMES ABOVE NON-FAVORITES** +**Sort favorite games above non-favorites** -**GAMELIST FILTERS** +**Gamelist filters** -**QUICK SYSTEM SELECT** +**Quick system select** -**CAROUSEL TRANSITIONS** +**Carousel transitions** -**ON-SCREEN HELP** +**On-screen help** -**SHOW START MENU IN KID MODE** +**Show start menu in kid mode** -#### SCREENSAVER SETTINGS +#### Screensaver settings -**SCREENSAVER AFTER** +**Screensaver after** -**SCREENSAVER CONTROLS** +**Screensaver controls** -**SCREENSAVER BEHAVIOR** +**Screensaver behavior** -#### VIDEO SCRENSAVER SETTINGS +#### Video scrensaver settings -**SWAP VIDEOS AFTER (SECS)** +**Swap videos after (secs)** -**STRETCH VIDEOS TO SCREEN RESOLUTION** +**Stretch videos to screen resolution** -**PLAY AUDIO FOR SCREENSAVER VIDEO FILES** +**Play audio for screensaver video files** -#### SLIDESHOW SCREENSAVER SETTINGS +#### Slideshow screensaver settings -**SWAP IMAGES AFTER (SECS)** +**Swap images after (secs)** -**STRETCH IMAGES TO SCREEN RESOLUTION** +**Stretch images to screen resolution** -**BACKGROUND AUDIO** +**Background audio** -**USE CUSTOM IMAGES** +**Use custom images** -**CUSTOM IMAGE DIR** +**Custom image dir** -**CUSTOM IMAGE DIR RECURSIVE** +**Custom image dir recursive** -**CUSTOM IMAGE FILTER** +**Custom image filter** -### SOUND SETTINGS +### Sound settings -**SYSTEM VOLUME** +**System volume** -**PLAY AUDIO FOR VIDEO FILES IN GAMELIST VIEWS** +**Play audio for video files in gamelist views** -**NAVIGATION SOUNDS** +**Navigation sounds** -### GAME COLLECTION SETTINGS +### Game collection settings -**AUTOMATIC GAME COLLECTIONS** +**Automatic game collections** -**CUSTOM GAME COLLECTIONS** +**Custom game collections** -**CREATE NEW CUSTOM COLLECTION FROM THEME** +**Create new custom collection from theme** -**CREATE NEW CUSTOM COLLECTION** +**Create new custom collection** -**SORT FAVORITES ON TOP FOR CUSTOM COLLECTIONS** +**Sort favorites on top for custom collections** -**GROUP UNTHEMED CUSTOM COLLECTIONS** +**Group unthemed custom collections** -**SHOW SYSTEM NAMES IN COLLECTIONS** +**Show system names in collections** -### OTHER SETTINGS +### Other settings -**VRAM LIMIT** +**VRAM limit** -**FULLSCREEN MODE (REQUIRES RESTART)** +**Fullscreen mode (requires restart)** -**POWER SAVER MODES** +**Power saver modes** -**WHEN TO SAVE METADATA** +**When to save metadata** -**GAME MEDIA DIRECTORY** +**Game media directory** -**PER GAME LAUNCH COMMAND OVERRIDE** +**Per game launch command override** -**SHOW HIDDEN FILES AND FOLDERS (REQUIRES RESTART)** +**Show hidden files and folders (requires restart)** -**SHOW HIDDEN GAMES (REQUIRES RESTART)** +**Show hidden games (requires restart)** -**CUSTOM EVENT SCRIPTS** +**Custom event scripts** -**ONLY SHOW ROMS FROM GAMELIST.XML FILES** +**Only show roms from gamelist.xml files** -**DISPLAY GAME ART FROM ROM DIRECTORIES** +**Display game art from rom directories** -**SHOW FRAMERATE** +**Show framerate** -**SHOW "REBOOT SYSTEM" MENU ENTRY** +**Show "reboot system" menu entry** -**SHOW "POWER OFF SYSTEM" MENU ENTRY** +**Show "power off system" menu entry** -### CONFIGURE INPUT +### Configure input -### QUIT +### Quit -**QUIT EMULATIONSTATION** +**Quit emulationstation** -**REBOOT SYSTEM** +**Reboot system** -**POWER OFF SYSTEM** +**Power off system** ## Game options menu @@ -385,117 +390,168 @@ A statistics counter that counts how many times you're played the game. You norm The scraper supports downloading of game metadata and media files from the Internet. Currently two scraper services are supported, ScreenScraper.fr and TheGamesDB.net. -## Getting your games into EmulationStation +## Command line arguments -For most systems, this is very straightforward, just put your game files into the folder corresponding to the system name. These names can be found in the end of this document. +You can use `--help` or `-h` to view a list of command line options, as shown here. + +### Unix: + +``` +--resolution [width] [height] Try to force a particular resolution +--gamelist-only Skip automatic game ROM search, only read from gamelist.xml +--ignore-gamelist Ignore the gamelist files (useful for troubleshooting) +--show-hidden-files Show hidden files and folders +--show-hidden-games Show hidden games +--draw-framerate Display the framerate +--no-exit Don't show the exit option in the menu +--no-splash Don't show the splash screen +--debug Print debug information +--windowed Windowed mode, should be combined with --resolution +--fullscreen-normal Normal fullscreen mode +--fullscreen-borderless Borderless fullscreen mode (always on top) +--vsync [1/on or 0/off] Turn vsync on or off (default is on) +--max-vram [size] Max VRAM to use in Mb before swapping + Set to at least 20 to avoid unpredictable behavior +--force-full Force the UI mode to Full +--force-kid Force the UI mode to Kid +--force-kiosk Force the UI mode to Kiosk +--force-disable-filters Force the UI to ignore applied filters in gamelist +--force-input-config Force configuration of input device +--home [path] Directory to use as home path +--version, -v Displays version information +--help, -h Summon a sentient, angry tuba +``` + +### Windows: + +``` +--resolution [width] [height] Try to force a particular resolution +--gamelist-only Skip automatic game ROM search, only read from gamelist.xml +--ignore-gamelist Ignore the gamelist files (useful for troubleshooting) +--show-hidden-files Show hidden files and folders +--show-hidden-games Show hidden games +--draw-framerate Display the framerate +--no-exit Don't show the exit option in the menu +--no-splash Don't show the splash screen +--debug Print debug information +--vsync [1/on or 0/off] Turn vsync on or off (default is on) +--max-vram [size] Max VRAM to use in Mb before swapping + Set to at least 20 to avoid unpredictable behavior +--force-full Force the UI mode to Full +--force-kid Force the UI mode to Kid +--force-kiosk Force the UI mode to Kiosk +--force-disable-filters Force the UI to ignore applied filters in gamelist +--force-input-config Force configuration of input device +--home [path] Directory to use as home path +--version, -v Displays version information +--help, -h Summon a sentient, angry tuba +``` ## Supported game systems Here is the list of supported game systems: -| Platform Name | Full Name | Recommmended game setup | -| :-------------------- | :------------------------ | :----------------------------- | -| 3do | 3DO | | -| ags | Adventure Game Studio | | -| amiga | Amiga | .hdf WHDLoad harddisk images or .adf disk images | -| amiga600 | Amiga 600 | .hdf WHDLoad harddisk images or .adf disk images | -| amiga1200 | Amiga 1200 | -| amstradcpc | Amstrad CPC | -| apple2 | Apple II | -| arcade | Arcade | -| astrocade | Bally Astrocade | -| atari2600 | Atari 2600 | -| atari5200 | Atari 5200 | -| atari7800 | Atari 7800 ProSystem | -| atari800 | Atari 800 | -| atarijaguar | Atari Jaguar | -| atarijaguarcd | Atari Jaguar CD | -| atarilynx | Atari Lynx | -| atarist | Atari ST | -| atarixe | Atari XE | - -bbcmicro BBC Micro -c64 Commodore 64 -cavestory Cave Story (NXEngine) -channelf Fairchild Channel F -coco Tandy Color Computer -coleco ColecoVision -daphne Daphne Arcade Laserdisc Emulator -doom Doom -dos DOS (PC) -dragon32 Dragon 32 -dreamcast Sega Dreamcast -famicom Nintendo Family Computer -fba Final Burn Alpha -fbneo FinalBurn Neo -fds Famicom Disk System -gameandwatch Nintendo Game and Watch -gamegear Sega Gamegear -gamecube Nintendo GameCube -gb Game Boy -gba Game Boy Advance -gbc Game Boy Color -genesis Sega Genesis -intellivision Mattel Electronics Intellivision -chailove ChaiLove game engine -lutro Lutro game engine -macintosh Apple Macintosh -mame Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator -mame-advmame AdvanceMAME -mame-libretro Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator -mame-mame4all MAME4ALL -mastersystem Sega Master System -megadrive Sega Mega Drive -mess Multi Emulator Super System -moonlight Moonlight game streaming -msx MSX -msx1 MSX1 -msx2 MSX2 -n64 Nintendo 64 -nds Nintendo DS -neogeo Neo Geo -nes Nintendo Entertainment System -ngp Neo Geo Pocket -ngpc Neo Geo Pocket Color -odyssey2 Magnavox Odyssey2 -openbor OpenBOR game engine -oric Tangerine Computer Systems Oric -pc IBM PC -pcengine NEC PC Engine -pcenginecd NEC PC Engine CD -pcfx NEC PC-FX -ports Ports -ps2 Sony PlayStation 2 -psp PlayStation Portable -psvita PlayStation Vita -psx Sony PlayStation 1 -residualvm ResidualVM game engine -samcoupe SAM Coupé -saturn Sega Saturn -scummvm ScummVM game engine -sega32x Sega 32X -segacd Sega Mega-CD -sg-1000 Sega SG-1000 -snes Super Nintendo -solarus Solarus game engine -stratagus Stratagus game engine -supergrafx NEC SuperGrafx -tg16 NEC TurboGrafx-16 -tg-cd NEC TurboGrafx-CD -ti99 Texas Instruments TI-99 -trs-80 Tandy TRS-80 -vectrex Vectrex -videopac Philips Videopac G7000 (Magnavox Odyssey2) -virtualboy Nintendo Virtual Boy -wii Nintendo Wii -wiiu Nintendo Wii U -wonderswan Bandai WonderSwan -wonderswancolor Bandai WonderSwan Color -x68000 Sharp X68000 -xbox Microsoft Xbox -xbox360 Microsoft Xbox 360 -zmachine Infocom Z-machine -zx81 Sinclair ZX81 -zxspectrum Sinclair ZX Spectrum - +| Platform Name | Full Name | Recommmended game setup | Comments | +| :-------------------- | :-------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------- | :----------------------------- | +| 3do | 3DO | | | +| ags | Adventure Game Studio | | | +| amiga | Amiga | .hdf WHDLoad harddisk images or .adf disk images | | +| amiga600 | Amiga 600 | .hdf WHDLoad harddisk images or .adf disk images | Same as **Amiga**, only different theme graphics | +| amiga1200 | Amiga 1200 | .hdf WHDLoad harddisk images or .adf disk images | | +| amstradcpc | Amstrad CPC | | | +| apple2 | Apple II | | | +| arcade | Arcade | | | +| astrocade | Bally Astrocade | | | +| atari2600 | Atari 2600 | | | +| atari5200 | Atari 5200 | | | +| atari7800 | Atari 7800 ProSystem | | | +| atari800 | Atari 800 | | | +| atarijaguar | Atari Jaguar | | | +| atarijaguarcd | Atari Jaguar CD | | | +| atarilynx | Atari Lynx | | | +| atarist | Atari ST | | | +| atarixe | Atari XE | | | +| bbcmicro | BBC Micro | | | +| c64 | Commodore 64 | | | +| cavestory | Cave Story (NXEngine) | | | +| channelf | Fairchild Channel F | | | +| coco | Tandy Color Computer | | | +| coleco | ColecoVision | | | +| daphne | Daphne Arcade Laserdisc Emulator | | | +| doom | Doom | | | +| dos | DOS (PC) | | | +| dragon32 | Dragon 32 | | | +| dreamcast | Sega Dreamcast | | | +| famicom | Nintendo Family Computer | | | +| fba | Final Burn Alpha | | | +| fbneo | FinalBurn Neo | | | +| fds | Famicom Disk System | | | +| gameandwatch | Nintendo Game and Watch | | | +| gamegear | Sega Gamegear | | | +| gamecube | Nintendo GameCube | | | +| gb | Game Boy | | | +| gba | Game Boy Advance | | | +| gbc | Game Boy Color | | | +| genesis | Sega Genesis | | | +| intellivision | Mattel Electronics Intellivision | | | +| chailove | ChaiLove game engine | | | +| lutro | Lutro game engine | | | +| macintosh | Apple Macintosh | | | +| mame | Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator | | | +| mame-advmame | AdvanceMAME | | | +| mame-libretro | Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator | | | +| mame-mame4all | MAME4ALL | | | +| mastersystem | Sega Master System | | | +| megadrive | Sega Mega Drive | | | +| mess | Multi Emulator Super System | | | +| moonlight | Moonlight game streaming | | | +| msx | MSX | | | +| msx1 | MSX1 | | | +| msx2 | MSX2 | | | +| n64 | Nintendo 64 | | | +| nds | Nintendo DS | | | +| neogeo | Neo Geo | | | +| nes | Nintendo Entertainment System | | | +| ngp | Neo Geo Pocket | | | +| ngpc | Neo Geo Pocket Color | | | +| odyssey2 | Magnavox Odyssey2 | | | +| openbor | OpenBOR game engine | | | +| oric | Tangerine Computer Systems Oric | | | +| pc | IBM PC | | | +| pcengine | NEC PC Engine | | | +| pcenginecd | NEC PC Engine CD | | | +| pcfx | NEC PC-FX | | | +| ports | Ports | | | +| ps2 | Sony PlayStation 2 | | | +| psp | PlayStation Portable | | | +| psvita | PlayStation Vita | | | +| psx | Sony PlayStation 1 | | | +| residualvm | ResidualVM game engine | | | +| samcoupe | SAM Coupé | | | +| saturn | Sega Saturn | | | +| scummvm | ScummVM game engine | | | +| sega32x | Sega 32X | | | +| segacd | Sega Mega-CD | | | +| sg-1000 | Sega SG-1000 | | | +| snes | Super Nintendo | | | +| solarus | Solarus game engine | | | +| stratagus | Stratagus game engine | | | +| supergrafx | NEC SuperGrafx | | | +| tg16 | NEC TurboGrafx-16 | | | +| tg-cd | NEC TurboGrafx-CD | | | +| ti99 | Texas Instruments TI-99 | | | +| trs-80 | Tandy TRS-80 | | | +| vectrex | Vectrex | | | +| videopac | Philips Videopac G7000 (Magnavox Odyssey2) | | | +| virtualboy | Nintendo Virtual Boy | | | +| wii | Nintendo Wii | | | +| wiiu | Nintendo Wii U | | | +| wonderswan | Bandai WonderSwan | | | +| wonderswancolor | Bandai WonderSwan Color | | | +| x68000 | Sharp X68000 | | | +| xbox | Microsoft Xbox | | | +| xbox360 | Microsoft Xbox 360 | | | +| zmachine | Infocom Z-machine | | | +| zx81 | Sinclair ZX81 | | | +| zxspectrum | Sinclair ZX Spectrum | | |