I wanted to simply boot up Moonlight and start playing any game I wanted using only a DS4 controller. I have no keyboard or mouse connected to my TV.
After lots of configuring and finding command line arguments and such, here is some knowledge that may or may not help you.
- Sunshine (on a Windows 11 Desktop, Ethernet)
- Moonlight (on a Nvidia Shield, Ethernet)
- Playnite (as the gallery / game launcher)
- Dualshock 4 (connected to the Nvidia Shield over bluetooth
- Switch Pro Controller (connected to the Nvidia Shield over bluetooth, used for Player 2 in co-op games)
I still havent figured out a way to consistently exit out of emulators. This will probably be updated in the future.
Download and install Playnite on the host computer from the releases page on github
Download and install Moonlight on your target (where you want to play the game)
Depending on your setup, Moonlight has alot of different clients. I use the app from Play Store on the shield - no sideloading or anything.
You can find the links to download on the Moonlight Website
Install Sunshine on your host machine.
To launch Playnite from Sunshine, click "Applications" up top menu and click "Add new".
Fill out the following (everything else is left as is or blank)
Application Name: Playnite
Command: "C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\Playnite\Playnite.FullscreenApp.exe" --hidesplashscreen
Image: C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\Playnite\Themes\Fullscreen\Default\Images\applogo.png
Retroarch allows for quick install of a bunch of different emulators, Just open RetroArch, grab the cores you need, scan the Retroarch folder with Playnite and it will register the cores as emulators.
This allows you to set your settings inside Retroarch one time, and have it work across the cores.
Go to the Configure Emulators menu, open each retroarch profile, copy the original built-in arguments, and then check "Override Emulator Arguments", and add -f to each one in the beginning to launch them in fullscreen.
For example: -f -L ".\cores\desmume_libretro.dll" "{ImagePath}"
I have personally decided to move away from RetroArch, since many of the emulator cores are out of date or behave unexpectedly in regards to audio and video outputs. If it works fine for you its still a good pick for ease-of-use not having to set up a bunch of emulators manually.
I have decided to move away from RetroArch, and set up everything manually. Below you will find a list of all the emulators I use and their respective launch arguments.
Playnite can import your steam library, or manually import .exe
I use the Mesen emulator with the built-in arguments:
Built-in Arguments: /fullscreen "{ImagePath}"
I use the snes9x emulator with the built-in arguments:
Built-in Arguments: "{ImagePath}" -fullscreen
I use the DeSmuME emulator with the built-in arguments.
I had a very hard time getting DeSmuMe fullscreen without using complicated AutoHotKey setups. However I have a nifty trick up my sleeve using Playnite script to trigger ALT+Enter:
Go to DeSmuME in Emulator Configs and go to the "Scripts" tab. Execute after emulator is started paste the following:
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait('%{ENTER}')
In this case, % means hold ALT and {ENTER} is the Enter key.
This will open the emulator and then enter into fullscreen.
Here is a full list of C# Keys you can use.
I use the *Lime3DS Emulator.
You have to add it as a custom emulator:
You have two options for arguments:
Windowed mode (GUI):
- Set the path to the
lime3ds-gui.exe - Set the arguments to
"{ImagePath}"
Fullscreen mode (CLI):
- Set the path to the
lime3ds-cli.exe - Arguments to
-f "{ImagePath}"
I personally use the GUI executable and just set the Fullscreen. It will keep being fullscreen for future launches. I couldn't get the CLI version to launch without errors.
I use the Simple64 as described above.
Built-in Arguments: --nogui "{ImagePath}"
To get fullscreen on launch, there is no command-line and the Alt+Enter Script trick does not work for me. You need to go and manually open Simple64, go to the option and enable fullscreen from there. Once enabled, it sticks on all future launches.
I use the Dolphin emulator with the default Built-in arguments.
Easiest way to launch with fullscreen is to open Dolphin and enable it.
I use the Dolphin emulator with the default Built-in arguments.
Easiest way to launch with fullscreen is to open Dolphin and enable it.
I use Ryujinx without overriding arguments in Playnite.
- There is no binding for exiting Ryujinx, or closing fullscreen with controller (which would let you use mouse simulation to close it).
- There is a feature request here: https://github.com/Ryujinx/Ryujinx/issues/3725 (It seems Ryujinx has been taken down)
- You can use one of these Playnite recommended ways to closing a game but I personally don't like installing too much stuff.
- My solution: Don't use fullscreen, use mouse simulator to click the good old "X".
I use the DuckStation emulator.
Using the built-in profile from PlayNite (-batch -fullscreen "{ImagePath}")
Install the PCSX2 manually.
Use custom arguments: -batch -fullscreen -- {ImagePath}
The batch argument will make PCSX2 close instantly when exiting the game.
Inside the PCSX2 Settings, I have set my touchpad clickdown (ps4 controller) to launch "Pause Menu", where I can exit the game to return to Playnite.
You can also set the "Exit Virtual Machine" to directly close the game.
I use the Flycast Emulator with built-in launch arguments.
Easiest way is to open it, enable full-screen and it will stick in future sessions.
When setting up Vita3k for the first time, you can select a folder other than AppData. I recommend using a new folder inside the emulator directory to make it more portable.
You don`t actually need to install this as an emulator inside Playnite.
- Install the games through Vita3k
- Take note of their install folder name (you can also right-click the games inside the emulator and click Open Folder - Application and take note of folder name)
- Inside Playnite, Add a game Manually, import the metadata, and on the Action tab, use Vita3K.exe as path and add an argument
-r PCSE0443
- I can`t find a way to exit using your controller, which makes it hard to use for my controller-only setup.
- This is why I don't use fullscreen arguments, since I rely on mouse emulation (hold Start button) and close it by clicking "X".
- Most games don't work properly in my experience
For some reason its really difficult to find full documentation of arguments for emulators. I've tried to collect them here.
I use Lime3DS, which is based on Citra. I find the command line arguments to be the same.
From lime3ds-cli.exe --help:
Usage: lime3ds-cli.exe [options] <filename>
-g, --gdbport=NUMBER Enable gdb stub on port NUMBER
-i, --install=FILE Installs a specified CIA file
-m, --multiplayer=nick:password@address:port Nickname, password, address and port for multiplayer
-r, --movie-record=[file] Record a movie (game inputs) to the given file
-a, --movie-record-author=AUTHOR Sets the author of the movie to be recorded
-p, --movie-play=[file] Playback the movie (game inputs) from the given file
-d, --dump-video=[file] Dumps audio and video to the given video file
-f, --fullscreen Start in fullscreen mode
-h, --help Display this help and exit
-v, --version Output version information and exit
Here are the command lines for Simple64-gui:
I have tried to decipher them from here. No guarantees!
-r, --root-data-dir Not sure
-p, --profile Path of the profile
-f, --fullscreen Fullscreen Mode
-g, --graphics-backend Change graphics backend
-i, --application-id Launch Ryujinx with application ID
--docked-mode Override Docked Mode
--handheld-mode Override HandHeld Mode
--hide-cursor Override Hide Cursor Setting
--software-gui Override Hardware Acceleration for GUI
Taken from the following link:
https://github.com/stenzek/duckstation/wiki/Command-Line-Arguments
Usage: duckstation-qt-x64-ReleaseLTCG.exe [parameters] [--] [boot filename]
-help: Displays this information and exits.
-version: Displays version information and exits.
-batch: Enables batch mode (exits after powering off).
-fastboot: Force fast boot for provided filename.
-slowboot: Force slow boot for provided filename.
-resume: Load resume save state. If a boot filename is provided,
that game's resume state will be loaded, otherwise the most
recent resume save state will be loaded.
-state <index>: Loads specified save state by index. If a boot
filename is provided, a per-game state will be loaded, otherwise
a global state will be loaded.
-statefile <filename>: Loads state from the specified filename.
No boot filename is required with this option.
-fullscreen: Enters fullscreen mode immediately after starting.
-nofullscreen: Prevents fullscreen mode from triggering if enabled.
-portable: Forces "portable mode", data in same directory.
-nocontroller: Prevents the emulator from polling for controllers.
Try this option if you're having difficulties starting
the emulator.
-settings <filename>: Loads a custom settings configuration from the
specified filename. Default settings applied if file not found.
--: Signals that no more arguments will follow and the remaining
parameters make up the filename. Use when the filename contains
spaces or starts with a dash.
From here:
https://wiki.pcsx2.net/Command-line_support
-help: Displays this information and exits.
-version: Displays version information and exits.
-batch: Enables batch mode (exits after shutting down).
-nogui: Hides main window while running (implies batch mode).
-elf <file>: Overrides the boot ELF with the specified filename.
-disc <path>: Uses the specified host DVD drive as a source.
-bios: Starts the BIOS (System Menu/OSDSYS).
-fastboot: Force fast boot for provided filename.
-slowboot: Force slow boot for provided filename.
-state <index>: Loads specified save state by index.
-statefile <filename>: Loads state from the specified filename.
-fullscreen: Enters fullscreen mode immediately after starting.
-nofullscreen: Prevents fullscreen mode from triggering if enabled.
-bigpicture: Forces PCSX2 to use the Big Picture mode (useful for controller-only and couch play).
-gameargs="-arg1 -arg2": Supplies launch arguments to the game itself ("-arg1" and "-arg2" will be passed to the game in this example).
--: Signals that no more arguments will follow and the remaining
parameters make up the filename. Use when the filename contains
spaces or starts with a dash.
Flycast Command Line Arguments need to be passed through a -config flag.
For example: -config section:key=value
With real data: -config window:fullscreen=yes
For detailed information see the Flycast Wiki: https://github.com/TheArcadeStriker/flycast-wiki/wiki/Configuration-files-and-command-line-parameters#command-line-parameters
From the Vita3K.exe --help output.
Vita3K Command Line Interface
Usage: C:\Path\Vita3K.exe [OPTIONS] [content-path]
Positionals:
content-path TEXT Path to the app with a .vpk/.zip extension or folder of content to install & run
Options:
-h,--help Print this help message and exit
-v,--version Print the version string
[Option Group: Input]
Special options for Vita3K
Options:
--firmware TEXT Path to the firmware file (.pup extension) to install
Input:
-z,--console [0] Start the emulator in console mode.
-Z,--app-args TEXT Argument for app, use ', ' to separate arguments.
-a,--load-app-list BOOLEAN [0] Starts the emulator with load app list.
-S,--self TEXT [eboot.bin] Path to the self to run inside Title ID
-r,--installed-path TEXT:{PCSA00099,PCSA00152,PCSB00291,PCSB00346,PCSB00404,PCSE00240,PCSE00443,PCSE00508,PCSE00644,PCSG00205}
Path to the installed app to run
-s,--recompile-shader TEXT Recompile the given PS Vita shader (GXP format) to SPIR_V / GLSL and quit
-d,--deleted-id TEXT:{PCSA00099,PCSA00152,PCSB00291,PCSB00346,PCSB00404,PCSE00240,PCSE00443,PCSE00508,PCSE00644,PCSG00205}
Title ID of installed app to delete
--pkg TEXT Needs: --zrif Path to the app file (.pkg extension) to install
--zrif TEXT Needs: --pkg zrif to decode the app (base64 format)
[Option Group: Configuration]
Modify Vita3K's config.yml file
Logging:
-A,--archive-log Make a duplicate of the log file with TITLE_ID and Game ID as title
-l,--log-level INT:INT in [0 - 6] Logging level:
TRACE = 0
DEBUG = 1
INFO = 2
WARN = 3
ERROR = 4
CRITICAL = 5
OFF = 6
-S,--log-active-shaders Log Active Shaders
-U,--log-uniforms Log Uniforms
Vita Emulation:
-B,--backend-renderer TEXT:{OpenGL,Vulkan}
Renderer backend to use
-C,--color-surface-debug Save color surfaces
YML:
-c,--config-location TEXT Get a configuration file from a given location. If a filename is given, it must end with ".yml", otherwise it will be assumed to be a directory.
Default loaded: <Vita3K>/config.yml
Defaults: <Vita3K>/data/config/default.yml
-w{false},--keep-config{false} Do not modify the configuration file after loading.
-f,--load-config Load a configuration file. Setting --keep-config with this option preserves the configuration file.
-F,--fullscreen Start the emulator in fullscreen mode.
Modules:
-m,--lle-modules TEXT ... Load given (decrypted) OS modules from disk.
Separate by commas to specify multiple modules. Full path and extension should not be included, the following are assumed: vs0:sys/external/<name>.suprx
Example: --lle-modules libscemp4,libngs
Command Line Options from their wiki: https://wiki.dolphin-emu.org/index.php?title=Help:Contents
-h, --help Show this help message
-d, --debugger Opens the debugger
-l, --logger Opens the logger
-e, --exec=<str> Loads a specific game file (ELF, DOL, GCM, ISO, WBFS, CISO, GCZ, WAD)
-n, --nand_title=<str> Launch a NAND title
-b, --batch Exit Dolphin with emulator
-c, --confirm Set "Confirm on Stop".
-v, --video_backend=<str> Specifies a video backend to use, D3D or OGL.
-a, --audio_emulation=<str> Specified the type of audio to use, HLE or LLE.
-m, --movie=<str> Plays a movie file
-u, --user=<str> Specifies a path to the user directory
-C, --config=<System>.<Section>.<Key>=<Value> Set a configuration option.
Retro Arch will basically use its own command line arguments to run the core.
Usage: C:\path\retroarch.exe [OPTIONS]... [FILE]
-h, --help Show this help message.
-v, --verbose Verbose logging.
--log-file=FILE Log messages to FILE.
-V, --version Show version.
--features Print available features compiled into program.
--menu Do not require content or libretro core to be loaded,
starts directly in menu. If no arguments are passed to
the program, it is equivalent to using --menu as only argument.
-c, --config=FILE Path for config file.
Defaults to retroarch.cfg in same directory as retroarch.exe.
If a default config is not found, the program will attempt to create one.
--appendconfig=FILE Extra config files are loaded in, and take priority over
config selected in -c (or default). Multiple configs are
delimited by '|'.
-L, --libretro=FILE Path to libretro implementation. Overrides any config setting.
FILE may be one of the following:
1. The full path to a core shared object library: path/to/<core_name>_libretro.<lib_ext>
2. A core shared object library 'file name' (*): <core_name>_libretro.<lib_ext>
3. A core 'short name' (*): <core_name>_libretro OR <core_name>
(*) If 'file name' or 'short name' do not correspond to an existing full file path,
the configured frontend 'cores' directory will be searched for a match.
--subsystem=NAME Use a subsystem of the libretro core. Multiple content
files are loaded as multiple arguments. If a content
file is skipped, use a blank ("") command line argument.
Content must be loaded in an order which depends on the
particular subsystem used. See verbose log output to learn
how a particular subsystem wants content to be loaded.
--scan=PATH|FILE Import content from path.
-f, --fullscreen Start the program in fullscreen regardless of config setting.
--set-shader=PATH Path to a shader (preset) that will be loaded each time content is loaded.
Effectively overrides automatic shader presets.
An empty argument "" will disable automatic shader presets.
-N, --nodevice=PORT Disconnects controller device connected to PORT (1 to 16).
-A, --dualanalog=PORT Connect a DualAnalog controller to PORT (1 to 16).
-d, --device=PORT:ID Connect a generic device into PORT of the device (1 to 16).
Format is PORT:ID, where ID is a number corresponding to the particular device.
-M, --sram-mode=MODE SRAM handling mode. MODE can be:
'noload-nosave', 'noload-save', 'load-nosave' or 'load-save'.
Note: 'noload-save' implies that save files *WILL BE OVERWRITTEN*.
-H, --host Host netplay as user 1.
-C, --connect=HOST Connect to netplay server as user 2.
--port=PORT Port used to netplay. Default is 55435.
--mitm-session=ID MITM (relay) session ID to join.
--nick=NICK Picks a username (for use with netplay). Not mandatory.
--check-frames=NUMBER Check frames when using netplay.
--command Sends a command over UDP to an already running program process.
Available commands are listed if command is invalid.
-P, --play-replay=FILE Playback a replay file.
-R, --record-replay=FILE Start recording a replay file from the beginning.
--eof-exit Exit upon reaching the end of the replay file.
-r, --record=FILE Path to record video file. Using mkv extension is recommended.
--recordconfig Path to settings used during recording.
--size=WIDTHxHEIGHT Overrides output video size when recording.
-D, --detach Detach program from the running console. Not relevant for all platforms.
--max-frames=NUMBER Runs for the specified number of frames, then exits.
-U, --ups=FILE Specifies path for UPS patch that will be applied to content.
--bps=FILE Specifies path for BPS patch that will be applied to content.
--ips=FILE Specifies path for IPS patch that will be applied to content.
--xdelta=FILE Specifies path for Xdelta patch that will be applied to content.
--no-patch Disables all forms of content patching.
--max-frames-ss Takes a screenshot at the end of max-frames.
--max-frames-ss-path=FILE Path to save the screenshot to at the end of max-frames.
--accessibility Enables accessibilty for blind users using text-to-speech.
--load-menu-on-error Open menu instead of quitting if specified core or content fails to load.
-e, --entryslot=NUMBER Slot from which to load an entry state.
-s, --save=PATH Path for save files (*.srm). (DEPRECATED, use --appendconfig and savefile_directory)
-S, --savestate=PATH Path for the save state files (*.state). (DEPRECATED, use --appendconfig and savestate_directory)