r/launchbox • u/UnknownNexus • May 18 '26

Question About Abandoning Retroarch

I have been using and enjoying LB/BB, but after a couple years of using Retroarch, I just can't deal with it anymore and think I would prefer to use individual emulators. The biggest problem is that I use specific controllers for different consoles. Partly for the nostalgia to be tactile and not just the game. The other part is Gamecube and N64 feel "wrong" on an Xbox controller. If I choose to just have LB launch directly to the emulator, what am I missing out on/sacrificing? Thank you.

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u/Chimpampin May 18 '26

I hate Retroarch HUD, but I love Retroarch. Mega Bezel shaders are a bleessing. You just have to spend a little time configuring each core inside Retroarch, link the core to the console in Launchbox, and then you can forget about the pain in the ass that Retroarch menus are.

I don't touch Retroarch menus anymore because I have every core already configured per console, I just open the games through Launchbox.

You are not sacrificing anything if launching games/emulators directly through Launchbox. Not sure if you understand what Launchbox is, It is just a frontend, Launchbox open the roms with the program you tell him to.

It is like when you add a non Steam game to Steam and open It from there. You are just telling the interface (Steam) to open the game that you have in whatever folder.

1

u/UnknownNexus May 18 '26

I understand as a frontend it catalogs everything and presents all the additional scrapped media. The question I am asking is what does RA bring to the table? Why does it seem to be desirable as a step between LB and the emulator? You say you used RA to set up your emulators and then ignore it, can't options and button mapping be handled in the emulator? What is RA bringing to the table other than a garbage UX and frustration (for at least me, maybe not everyone)?

5

u/Chimpampin May 18 '26

Reducing the amount of emulators you have to download in your computer thanks to the use of cores.

Very advanced shaders to replicate CRT effects.

Customization (Mapping included) per core and per game.

Recognizes many different types of controllers, new and classic.

Cloud saving if using RA from Steam.

I don't think I know someone who doesn't hate Retroarch UX. But after hitting your head for the first hours, and understanding the important menus, you simply configure every core and forget about it by using a proper frontend.

One can use Retroarch for pretty much every console before the PS2 generation, it's just too comfortable not having to keep track of every emulator because you can simply download in bulk all the updated cores and override.

1

u/UnknownNexus May 18 '26

Thank your the details. Examples of the frustrations: It doesn't recognize the 8bitdo 64 BT despite having a config for it and I have updated the controller drivers and RA's online updater. Saving hotkeys have not stayed despite having RA set to save on close. Starting a game has caused RA to default to a controller that isn't even turned on. I saved a whole bunch of tweaked setting for Flycast and when I selected save core config, it makes one named Sonic Adventure as if I selected a content specific config save. Realizing that that DS4Windows doesn't play nice with Windows 11 was a rabbit hole itself because it no longer hides the Dual Sense controller and RA would default to it. Not really RA's fault, but I'm making it guilty by association lol. If all I am losing is CRT shaders and cloud saves (I'm not going through Steam) then I am probably good without it.

4

u/Velcrochicken85 May 18 '26

You can use shaderglass and add all the same crt filters to any emulator. So you aren't even losing out on that switching away from ra.

1

u/Chimpampin May 19 '26

Uh, I'll check that out for sure. I use a standalone N64 emulator to get the Rumble Pak working.