Experimental libretro player support:

• Get cores from: http://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/windows/x86_64/latest/
• or, launch retroarch and use its core updater. Here's the process:
  • down down down to Online Updater; press X key on keyboard; press X again to select Core Updater
  • scroll to desired core; press X to download
  • the core is now in the c:\retroarch\Cores directory

• Use File > Open Advanced.

• Select a libretro core. Store them in the bizhawk/Libretro/Cores directory. Use bit dlls. You'll probably want libwinpthread-1.dll (from retroarch itself) and maybe libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll and others parked alongside it--NOT in the bizhawk main dll directory.

• • You can also get these dlls (as nightlys) from http://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/windows/x86_64/redist.7z but beware that mixing up a bunch of nightly builds with stable builds can cause problems.

• Load a ROM or load No ROM (e.g. 2048)

• Put the "system" path is bizhawk/Libretro/Cores/System/corefilename_libretro

• Don't complain about compatibility unless youve tested on retroarch.

The below information is OUT OF DATE by 2 years or more

Current compatibility (note, most of the crashers are crashing for me in retroarch too)

• 2048 (secretly saves its state each move, so it can make testing confusing)
• 4do - works; crashes without panafz10.bin firmware. is flaky about what discs it accepts. it wants a .iso, but you may have .bins. Some isos may fail to be detected by the OS as a disc.
• catsfc
• desmume - crashes but fix for issue has been posted to github
• emux_gb
• fba (arcade) (open the .zip file directly, don't dearchive)
• fceumm (place disksys.rom alongside game.fds)
• ffmpeg - requires 100mbs of dlls, and our zlib1.dll conflicts with theirs, but once that's sorted out, it seems to run OK and even faster for me than in retroarche scenario might crash
• gambatte - works, but CAN_DUPE behaviour untested. som
• imageviewer
• mame
• mednafen_ngp
• mgba

• bluemsx - crashes (why?) no savestates anyway.
• bsnes / bnes - certainly uses cothreads. this core isnt a priority but itll get fixed when mame gets fixed if thats what's going on.
• dosbox - crashes, and is complicated to setup probably. libretro wiki says you have to launch a game, then exit it, then fiddle with config files. blech.
• fb_alpha_neo - requires neogeo.zip bios in the same directory as the game you choose (does not appear to be our bug) and then crashes metalslug 5 while the screen displays garbage. retroarch displays garbage but then boots OK. If we can get this running, i might fix that core to acquire that bios file from the system directory.functions relative to retroarch. keyboard support not working? it hasn't been successfully tested yet, anyway
• fmsx - crashes. maybe due to not finding bios? after that, it runs but mal
• fuse - crashes
• handy - runs sometimes, but doesnt think a rom is mounted. crashes most of the time. requires Cores/System/lynxboot.img
• mupen64plus - crashes, of course. getting 3d working will be a headache

TODO

• --open commandline which receives a command capable of running an OpenAdvanced item. Do this kind of soon, since it might affect the serialization of those command a little bit