I realize this is nothing new, but with many of the emulators being pulled from the market, and the somewhat confusing process of getting everything in place, I thought I would post a little guide here on how to get some old school console gaming on our Photons, for people who may not have realized it was possible.
I also would ask that no one flame on about YongZh. Whatever your opinion is of him, his N64 emulator is bar none the best on Android.
Now, with that out of the way, the MoPho is a seriously capable gaming machine for those of you who grew up in the 80's and 90's. Because of the support for bluetooth that Motorola has in their phones, you can interface with the phone with several devices, some of which you may already have. With it's fast processing power, and a solid GPU, it runs emulators smoothly, and with HDMI, you can connect right to your TV. I have tried similar set-ups with the Evo, and the Evo3D, and neither one compared to what I am enjoying with my MoPho.
To start, you will want download some of the best emulators. You need to create a SlideMe account to buy N64oid. You can do that here: http://slideme.org/application/n64oid
SlideMe is safe to give your credit card information. Plus once you have an account, you can download several other emulators for free, like SNES, Gamboy Advanced, etc. For PSX, it's available in the Android market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.emulator.fpse&hl=en
The best SNES app is no longer available in the market. It was Snes9xEX from Robert Broglia. You can still find it here: http://www.explusalpha.com/home/snes9x-ex/downloads
There is an initial investment here of about $10 for the newer consoles (N64 and PSX), but it's worth it if you have the cash. These developers continue to work hard on these emulators, and $5 is a steal for the experience you get.
Second, you will want to download the BluezIME that supports a Wii Controller. Found here: http://code.google.com/p/android-bluez-ime/downloads/list
There are other Wii Mote apps, but this is the only one that works natively with the N64 emulator.
This app will allow you to pair a number of controllers with your device, and it supports true analog movement with the Wii controller analog stick. For those that don't know, analog allows you to control the movement of your player based on how far you bend the stick. Digital is 100% or 0% with a trigger somewhere about half way. Analog lets you push the stick a little, and move a little, push the stick alot, and move alot faster. I hope that makes sense. N64 is really the only console from this era that used it actively. PSX had a few games that did take advantage of it.
Once you have N64oid installed, as well as BluezIME, you can go into N64oid, and connect a Wii controller directly there. Just go into menu>settings>input settings>bluetooth gamepads>controller 1.
Once you are in there, you can hit connect, and it will ask to turn on bluetooth if you haven't already done so. Once it is on, it will say connecting. At this point, hit 1 and 2 on the Wii controller to pair it. The buttons automatically map, but you can change them if you want to. The analog stick should not be mapped in this section. It's already mapped correctly. If you are using the nunchuck, it's mapped to that analog stick. If you are using the classic controller, it's mapped to the left stick.
If you have multiple remotes, you can pair them all up using the other controller slots. N64 had a lot of great 4 player first person shooters. The wonderful advantage to having the MoPho is out of the box mirroring on to your HDTV. Because mirroring uses far less resources than webtop, make sure you just do mirroring, not webtop. It will ensure your emulator runs more smoothly.
Pairing with FPSE is a little different. It doesn't support BluezIME right in the app. So you have to pair with Bluez before going into FPSE. The upside to the N64oid emulator is you don't have to change your input method. So if you pause your game to answer a text, you type with your regular keyboard. In FPSE, Bluez is now your input method and you are mapping to actual keystrokes. Which means you will have to change your system input method if you need to type something, and change back when you re-start your game.
There is another option for a controller, which is the Sixaxis controller app. I don't have that controller, and so I haven't bought or tested that app. If anyone has, feel free to post your feedback here.
The other thing these emulators have is on screen controls, or hardware contols that use the sensor to move or physical buttons to shoot, jump, etc. Again, the MoPho has an advantage here over other phones. The camera button, and the volume up button can be mapped as triggers, and they are placed nicely. Also, because the MoPho has a gyroscope instead of an accelerometer, using the sensor as an analog stick is much more accurate than it was on my OG Evo. You can also map the camera and back buttons if you so choose.
Once you have installed your emulators, you need to get games to play. I have to tread lightly here, because downloading game roms from someone else is illegal. If you already own the game, and make a back up of it, it's legal to play your own copy of your own game with these emulators. You can use Google to find roms to see an example of what your backup will look like. PSX roms are the most difficult to get a solid working copy. This is because they are very large to begin with, and need to be "un-cem'ed" usually. I can tell you there is a good youtube video if you search on how to get PSX roms for your android device. If me saying that violates something, let me know and I will take it out. For FPSE, you will need to install the PSX bios. Again, this is easily downloaded by doing a Google search. If you can't find it, PM me, and I will send it to you.
FPSE is a somewhat complex emulator with a lot of options. For more support related specifically to that system, go to their support forums at:http://www.fpsece.net/forum2/index.php?sid=0fe4c20b809864ad49553f31ba1e9d1a
For N64oid, you can view the discussion here: http://n64oid.forumotion.com
If you have made it this far, here is a list of some games that are fun to play if you re-map the controls. Most of these are games that used the gun, because it can be emulated with a screen tap.
NES
Duck Hunt - Use input method as zapper. Map volume up as select, and volume down as start to navigate initial menus.
SNES
Yoshi Safari - This was a game that used the superscope. So you have to set the superscope as your main controller. If you map the volume up as the up button, and the volume down as the down button, and use sensor as left and right, then you are actually playing it in 2 player mode. The second player controls Yoshi, while the first is Mario shooting. But if you hold your phone in portrait, you can tilt left to right to dodge enemies, and press up to jump on the platforms, and down to slow down and evade obstacles. These instructions should work with SNESoid or Snes9x EX.
Mario Paint - This only works with Snes9x EX. The developer allows you to emulate the mouse.
Mario Kart - Use sensor as left and right, and map Volume up as A, Camera as R. Leave the on screen controls for acceleration. You accelerate by pressing B on screen, steer with the phone, but hop to do power slides with Camera, and fire your weapons with volume up.
PSX
Time Crisis - Change the controller to Guncon, and map L3 to volume up, and R3 to volume down. L3 will come out of cover to shoot, then you can tap on the enemies, and R3 will pause the game.
N64
Star Fox - Use the sensor as your analog stick, map volume up to Z, and camera to R. Map Volume down to C-left (use for boost). Leave the on-screen controls except for the analog stick and L and R. Flying the ship is done mostly from the phone controls, and firing is on-screen controls.
The compatibility lists in the forums for N64oid and FPSE aren't really specific to our phones. I have found excellent compatibility with most games on this phone. FPSE runs almost everything 100%. For N64 here are all the ones I have currently running with no issues that I can see, but I am sure that more are compatible, and the developer is improving this app regularly.
Super Mario 64
Mario Kart 64
Star Fox 64
Goldeneye
Perfect Dark
Banjo Kazooie
Zelda OOT
Zelda Majoras Mask
I hope that helps some of you enjoy your Photon that much more. If I missed anything or you want to add anything, just let me know.
Great guide!
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App
Nice! Can't wait to try this out.
Yongzh is the freaking man. Google pulled his emulators I believe because of violations etc. Emulators don't last that long in the market. Ex, apple got a mame emulator and it was pulled in 2 days. I don't need to explain why they were pulled its pretty obvious lol. Also if you go to Google and search for "slideme market" yongzh gives his emulators free with updates. All of the emus are the latest versions. I'm not 100% on the story with yongzh and Google but the dude puts out qualify work. Not to mention the photon is the best devices I've ever emulated older systems/games on. Great write up.
Update: It appears slideme marketplace is down at the moment but I'm guessing it will be back soon? Here's a dropbox link to slide me i hope it's back up soon...
http://db.tt/KtgsxLaK
kennypow3rs said:
Yongzh is the freaking man. Google pulled his emulators I believe because of violations etc. Emulators don't last that long in the market. Ex, apple got a mame emulator and it was pulled in 2 days. I don't need to explain why they were pulled its pretty obvious lol. Also if you go to Google and search for "slideme market" yongzh gives his emulators free with updates. All of the emus are the latest versions. I'm not 100% on the story with yongzh and Google but the dude puts out qualify work. Not to mention the photon is the best devices I've ever emulated older systems/games on. Great write up.
Update: It appears slideme marketplace is down at the moment but I'm guessing it will be back soon? Here's a dropbox link to slide me i hope it's back up soon...
http://db.tt/KtgsxLaK
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree. My Evo was my first Android phone, and when I saw that there were SNES emulators, I was hooked. Yongzh replies to emails too, which is great. The Robert Broglia is also a really cool developer. If you want to venture into mame, and other systems like that, his emus are pretty legit.
Having in game sound stuttering issues in fpse playing resident evil nemesis
Checked the fpse forum and saw other posts with people with same issue, but that forum is a mess and didn't find any answers
Cut scene audio is intact, it's just in game audio
Anyone got re3 working flawlessly?
What settings you using for
Dual core boost
Hle mode
Mdec acceleration
Gte acceleration
Fast booting
Spu sync
Frame skip
Screen filtering
Fast draw
ksound said:
Having in game sound stuttering issues in fpse playing resident evil nemesis
Checked the fpse forum and saw other posts with people with same issue, but that forum is a mess and didn't find any answers
Cut scene audio is intact, it's just in game audio
Anyone got re3 working flawlessly?
What settings you using for
Dual core boost
Hle mode
Mdec acceleration
Gte acceleration
Fast booting
Spu sync
Frame skip
Screen filtering
Fast draw
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One of my biggest complaints about FPSE would be that the sound never seems to work correctly. I would suggest unchecking the framelimiter, and see if that makes it work. Some games ran too fast with that unchecked.
I was looking into this today. This is a great start for a guide. This is what I found. Looks like this article is about 8 months old but, should help with a few things to look for. http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Top+10+Android+charts/feature.asp?c=29415
Thank you =]
i got this 1 link is in mine mediafire who ever want to used welcome to used is the gameboy and 64 and mariocar=]]
You know what to do
/?iuwcxceaieleqxa
Nice write-up. I'm running Snes9x and Gameboid on my Electrify (Photon minus 4G) and they run great, but with on-screen controls, fast-action games like Mario are just unplayable. I beat both real Castlevania games for the GBA (I don't count Circle of the Moon, they made that for people who thought the other two and SOTN were too easy) on my Electrify, and Zelda 3 is kinda playable (SNES or the Capcom reissue on GBA). A Sixaxis controller is a little too expensive. I didn't think about the Wii classic controller.
Eek. Looks like the Wii option costs more than I thought. First you have to buy a Wiimote, and the black one with MotionPlus is $2.69 cheaper than the white and blue ones, and $4.69 cheaper than the pink one (girl gamers always get shaft...eh, scr... eh, cheated), but if you want to go black on black, Newegg needs $2 more to ship the black classic controller than the white one (both $19.99 with $4.99 and $2.99 shipping, respectively, and $35.30 and free shipping for the black Wiimote). So we're looking at $60 for the Nintendo option.
Meanwhile, Newegg wants $39.99 for the PS3 controllers in blue or black. If you want white or red, the price goes up to $44.99. But if you want pink (again, girls get... eh, you get the idea), the price jumps up to $54.99. All with free shipping. (Does the pink... eh, sorry, "Candy pink"... one support breast cancer research? No? Sony's just being misogynistic?)
Hmm... looks like Sony wins this one, by about $20. (Note that none of those are referral links, I'm not getting kickbacks or anything.)
Since I originally wrote this I bought a PS3 controller, and the sixaxis app is nothing short of amazing! The touch profiles make it so you can use N64oid with full analog control. But, what's more, is you can play games like Shadowgun and map the controls to key presses, or Modern Combat 3 with mapping on screen touch profiles.
If anyone is interested in these mappings or profiles, I can upload them here.
Yes please upload the n64oid profile
I just recently came across this great new app in Android Marketplace called BT Controller. This is a free app. It's fairly new but I've confirmed it works very well. This app allows you to turn any Android device, whether your phone or the Prime itself. You install this app on both devices. Then you run them both at the same time. Both devices will prompt you to cut on BT. If devices already been connected before then the rest is easy. If not, then follow the usual methods of connecting or the marketplace description for app has instructions to easily do it. After that you press Connect on either device. it'll prompt both screens and ask which one you want to be Host(emulator or whatever) and other one the controller. once you choose one for a device, the other will automatically choose the remaining option. So lets say for example you have prime as the Host and phone as controller. Your phone screen will change to a controller. The Prime will have a box up the top right with 2 checkbox options in them. One is to configure input method. this is to select the BT controller to even be an option to use. Then the next box, when you click it, will actually allow you to select BT Controller as the keyboard input method.
After that then you good to go. I found that the phone actually controls the homescreens also. allows you to scroll through the apps or homescreens. if you press start on phone it'll bring up all your apps. Haven't figured out how tl confirm choices yet in homescreens with controller. Anyways, go to the emulator you want to run. Snesoid for example. to to options in there. cut off the touch display controls. then go to map hardware or custom buttons. then just match up the phone controller inputs to the one on emulator by pressing corresponding input. After that start the game and you good to go. The marketplace description has list of known working emulators or games. There might be more but haven't been found out yet.
I've only tried this so far with Snesoid and it plays very well. no lag at all. Now the prime just looks like a high definition monitor and you using your phone as the controller. Its pretty cool how it connects like that. I will try out my other games that have support for external or wireless controller n see how this fares. I have a good feeling it will work. I'm hoping this might be a temporary solution to playing more Onlive Games that don't have touch controls for it yet. Since this is seen as a BT controller on the Prime. I could easily map the buttons to whatever. so wish me luck..lol
I just wanted to let those know that there's another option to having a wireless controller if your haven't bought a physical one yet. Being able to use your phone as the controller is cool and works very well with this app. Sorry for the wall of txt but wanted to cover the description of app and how to set it up. ENJOY here's the link below
https://market.android.com/details?id=droidbean.btcontroller
Ads in the notification bar... no thanks. I fully support a need for devs to get paid but those ads are no good in my opinion.
Dr.Jeckyl said:
Ads in the notification bar... no thanks. I fully support a need for devs to get paid but those ads are no good in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the free version and haven't seen any ads yet..lol they also have an ad free version.
plus I just confirmed this works great with Snesoid, Genesoid, FPse, and Riptide GP THD. This also works as an external controller on Onlive, to an extent. Any game that uses regular direction pad will work. those that use analog stick only won't work. Like I couldn't move in Batman Markham Asylum because its only mapped to analog sticks. the buttons worked though. Then I tried the new Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade edition. That worked great with the controller. it uses directional pad. so without my phone as external BT controller, I wouldn't of been able to play it. Couldn't get it tl work with N64oid though. trying to map the buttons came up unknown on controller setup. Still more games tl test out but this is pretty cool though.
I have one and it works great with Shadowgun, Riptide and other games but when I tried to use it with Dead Trigger it doesn't seem to be able to map the buttons. I press the escape button on the controller and the game asks if I really want to quit so I know the game sees the controller it just won't let me set it up. I tried all the buttons and the escape button is the only one that works. Any Ideas?
I sadly bought one of these controllers as well and at this point wish I had not. The problem lies in the fact that this "gamepad" is detected as a keyboard by the Prime. The easiest way to test this is to open up a text editor on the Prime and start pressing buttons you will notice that the "gamepad" is mapped to W A S D and various number keys (1-9)... For these same reasons you can't use this controller with USB/BT Joystick Center as it detects as a keyboard (actually this was how I figured this out was by using the controller detection testing APKs on the forums site of the creator of USB/BT Joystick Center... If only I had figured this out closer to when I bought it so I could return it.
That sucks. I'll give my Wii controller a try then and if it doesn't work I'll find a used PS controller since Sixaxis seems so popular.
Yep I have had a Dual Shock 3 on my list of things to get for a while now, those and the XBOX Wireless controllers work the best from what I have seen, with the latter needing an extra adapter (why I am going with the former as well).
I want to buy a PS3 controller but i want to know if the is any issue or problem that i need to know before i buy it.
Thanks you and sorry for my bad english :B
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using XDA Free mobile app
I'm not sure how much research you've done on this already, so I'll cover the basics.
You will need to use either a USB OTG to connect the controller with a cable, or be rooted and use the SixAxis app to connect using the PS3 Bluetooth system.
The last time I used the SixAxis app, it wasn't compatible with Android 5.0. Check this out first before purchasing.
jorgemariel said:
I want to buy a PS3 controller but i want to know if the is any issue or problem that i need to know before i buy it.
Thanks you and sorry for my bad english :B
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The other guy is right, get an OTG cable if you aren't rooted, or you can go wireless and use the SixAxis app. I use the SixAxis app(I'm rooted) and it works flawlessly on 5.0.1. If you go to Gamepad Settings and pick that you want the PS3 controller to be read as a gamepad, it even works natively with the shield tablet, the buttons are mapped on the controller as they are with the shield controller, and when you launch games, it acts like you have a shield controller setup! You can even do the hold-start-to-open-button-mapping with the PS3 controller!
Thanks you very much! Can you confirm me that all games are compatible? Or there is one that have any problem...?
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using XDA Free mobile app
jorgemariel said:
Thanks you very much! Can you confirm me that all games are compatible? Or there is one that have any problem...?
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All games that are compatible with the shield controller is compatible, because like I said, when you connect the PS3 controller, the system acts like you just connected an nvidia shield controller. For games that don't have gamepad compatibility, you can hold the start button to bring up an on screen button mapper and place buttons and joysticks in the locations you want.
Excelent! I will buy it
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using XDA Free mobile app
rejectedjs said:
All games that are compatible with the shield controller is compatible, because like I said, when you connect the PS3 controller, the system acts like you just connected an nvidia shield controller. For games that don't have gamepad compatibility, you can hold the start button to bring up an on screen button mapper and place buttons and joysticks in the locations you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For NVidia Game Mapper, the game you are trying to set up controller maps for must at least have some sort of native controller code implemented.
For example, there are some pinball games that I tried to create a game map for using the Game Mapper. The button assignments would not work. At all.
In some ways, the NVidia Controller is limited by the Nvidia Gamepad Software. Which is a real shame, because the Shield Controller is a great piece of hardware.
If you are using SixAxis, you can set the app to treat all connected PS3 controllers as "Native Controllers".
You can also set up both a touch profile and use the native controller features already included in some games (this is referred to as "hybrid controller mode"). For example, Zen Pinball HD has basic native controller support implemented. But it doesn't have analog plunge for the ball launch. You can set up just the Right Analog Stick as a touch profile, and use the native features to control everything else.
jaredmorgs said:
For NVidia Game Mapper, the game you are trying to set up controller maps for must at least have some sort of native controller code implemented.
For example, there are some pinball games that I tried to create a game map for using the Game Mapper. The button assignments would not work. At all.
In some ways, the NVidia Controller is limited by the Nvidia Gamepad Software. Which is a real shame, because the Shield Controller is a great piece of hardware.
If you are using SixAxis, you can set the app to treat all connected PS3 controllers as "Native Controllers".
You can also set up both a touch profile and use the native controller features already included in some games (this is referred to as "hybrid controller mode"). For example, Zen Pinball HD has basic native controller support implemented. But it doesn't have analog plunge for the ball launch. You can set up just the Right Analog Stick as a touch profile, and use the native features to control everything else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just repeated everything I said in a long, drawn out format..
rejectedjs said:
For games that don't have gamepad compatibility, you can hold the start button to bring up an on screen button mapper and place buttons and joysticks in the locations you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The on-screen NVidia Key Mapper, like I specifically pointed out, only works for some games. Which is why...
rejectedjs said:
You just repeated everything I said in a long, drawn out format..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...I provided a "long, drawn out" answer. For someone not used to SixAxis and the powerful options it offers for game mapping (hybrid mode/native controller mode) it is long, drawn out info like this that will allow folks to get the most out of the app.
I also don't feel I repeated your information. I added specific information relating to SixAxis features that your two posts didn't contain.
Sorry to bother you guys but I'm looking for a way to use a gamepad without spending 70 euros on Nvidia's right now. So to see if I got what you said before right, if I'm rooted and install SixAxis I can use a PS3 controller as if it were an Nvidia controller with the device?
Just to clarify your understanding... you DO NOT have to root the device. You only need to root it if you want to use it wirelessly. You can use a USB OTG(which is a few $/€ on amazon) without rooting your device and plug it in directly.
Just to clarify your understanding... you DO NOT have to root the device. You only need to root it if you want to use it wirelessly. You can use a USB OTG(which is a few $/€ on amazon) without rooting your device and plug it in directly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an OTG cable and I tried plugging it in this way, it works but the mapping isn't very good, for example Mimpy which is also supposed to be Tegra optimized doesn't work, I can go back and forth with the left joystick (or the arrows) but I can't use the other side of the gamepad to jump as I should. If I connect it wirelessly and use SixAxis does the mapping resemble Nvidia's own gamepad or will I still have the same issues?