Setting up custom controls for retropie/retroarch

Custom controls and hotkeys in retroarch

[@wastelandpress]

I rarely leave comments and I had to come on here and tell you a big thank you. For days I was stuck in menu hell on retropie. I start up a game, no controls and then I found your video and it saved me from selling everything. Thanks so much and if I could give you a hundred thumbs up, I would!

[@deanseavy7316]

Im glad

[@SEB1991SEB]

Thank you so much, this really helped me configure my Pi to the next level!

[@ProjectGenesisMusic]

Life safer dude! My hot key to exit games was not working so this is the only video that helped me so thank you very much!

[@eddieperez5549]

were you having the same issue you set it up in ES as you first booted retropie and the cores never exit games? Did you set hotkey inputs and your issue was solved?

[@ProjectGenesisMusic]

Yeah I think it just must not have been automatically set for some reason. Once I followed the steps in this video they started working.

[@adelgado4845]

This video save me from bashing my head in. Thank you!

[@deanseavy7316]

Your very welcome. Lmao. You wouldnt be able.to play games without your head

[@DanielChaves1984]

Thank you, this video helped me solve this very issue with my arcade build. :)

[@CutandCleanTV]

Thanks man! I needed this Basic Tutorial! Time Saver!!

[@nocount4835]

Thank you that was the information I needed subscribed!!!!

[@caseyhall5297]

My save and load state hotkeys are not working, I can't find the attract mode on mine because it looks different. Any ideas?

[@TheGreigclarke]

Exactly what I needed to know thanks!!

[@UndeadShadowHunter]

Huge help! Thanks for this video :)

[@th3SyLvEsTeR]

Is it possible to get rid of hotkey binds? Like would like to remove the reset hotkey

[@theclgc]

Great video and thanks. I have 4 extra buttons and want to make them do actions like exit the game and volume control. Do I still turn hot keys on as I want them to be a single button press and is this still the right place to set this up?

[@diegonobkpo]

Great video. I have two generic usb controls of type snes and megadrive and I have the hotkey configured in the select button of the snes control because if I use another button it gives me problems in the games. The problem is that the megadrive type control does not have a select button and therefore when I enter a game later I cannot exit. Can the hotkey be configured in a different button in the megadrive control without modifying the configuration of the snes control?

[@ezzysoto]

Thank you very much this video help me a lot I just have a question, if I configure my arcade joystick and I wanna go back to my regular control woulndt that mess my configuration? Because I did it with a PlayStation controller and a few days later all the commands were out of order (ex: start move to L2, select to X etc) so now in afraid that if I map my arcade joystick everything's goes out of order, thanks for your help

[@deadgara]

Is it possible to make combined buttons in a single one? e.g 3 punches on my PlayStation R2 button just to be specific 😉

[@Jekyll_Island_Creatures]

What would cause my second controller (PS4) to work on the menu screen, but not during multiplayer games?

[@deanseavy7316]

Map player 2 input binds in retroarch

[@FlanFanNetwork]

dean Seavy is it possible to have either the hotkey or the exit key set up where you have to hold down the button for a couple seconds to activate instead of just pressing?

[@deanseavy7316]

Nope. You can set it to a single key, but not long press.

[@SEB1991SEB]

Unfortunately I've just discovered a major flaw with this method. After mapping the hotkey actions this way, you'd likely only be able to perform these hotkey actions with the controller that you used to map them. This is because when you map a hotkey action, what you're actually doing is mapping that hotkey action to the 'number' of the controller button. So the controller's A button might have the number 0. So if you map a hotkey action to the A button, then you're actually mapping that hotkey action to the number 0. Then when you press 'Hotkey + A' in a game, what you're actually doing is pressing 'Hotkey + 0', and so the action will be performed. However different controllers will have different numbers for their buttons. So the A button of another controller might have the number 1. So when you press 'Hotkey + A' on this new controller, what you're actually doing then is pressing 'Hotkey + 1', and so the hotkey action won't be performed. Luckily though, there is another method to map the hotkey actions, where you map them for each controller separately (so then it wouldn't matter if each controller has different numbers for its buttons). To do this, first go into the RetroPie Menu, then click 'Configuration Editor', then 'Advanced Configuration', then 'Manually edit RetroArch configurations’. You’ll see a .cfg file for each controller you’ve mapped, so now click on the .cfg file of whatever controller you want to map the hotkey actions for. Edit this file to replace the numbers assigned to the hotkey actions, with the numbers of the controller buttons that you want to map to them. Do this for the .cfg file of each controller you want to use.

[@deanseavy7316]

Cool that you found all that, but this is basically for entry level simple solutions. Im not trying to confuse people with all that. These tutorials are mostly for people that are struggling to figure out how to just make it work

[@SEB1991SEB]

@@deanseavy7316 Ok fair enough, I do think this was still a great tutorial anyway. I suppose most people wouldn’t want to use more than one controller with RetroPie anyway. And if they did want to start using a new controller, then it wouldn’t be much bother to follow this tutorial again with the new controller.

[@oleschoolgamers]

Hey Dean, good info, but I got a question. I was waiting in the video for the part where you said you can configure different button settings per game / per emulator did that get cut off or did I miss it? This is just the how to setup a global button configuration for Retroarch correct?

[@deanseavy7316]

OleSchool Gamers sorry for the slow reply. I never made that video, but all you need to do is launch a game and then press select and x to wnter the retroarch menu and set the controls how you want and then save configuration. Or when you enter the menu go to quick menu>controls and you can do it from there and on your way out click "save core overrides"

[@williammaldonado7653]

Thank you.That helped.

[@hopperdropper7137]

Thanks very much dude! Great

[@HannesRoets]

Thnx for the tutorial. I have an issue where my mame doesn't seem to use these settings. If i go to cores caus i think this is a core specific btn layout there are no cores. I'm clueless

[@deanseavy7316]

Do you have a pre made image? There are a few other mame emulators that retropie uses. Mame4all, advmame, for example. To change those settings launch a game and press tab on a keyboard to bring up the menu for that emulator. This is only for retroarch cores

[@tonyworrell6059]

I need help please I'm trying to set up my 2 c64 joystick's but none of the controls work in retroarch I have been looking everywhere over the web but no joy

[@juanpa2102]

When I do "Save current configuration", a Failed message appears. Why it appears? please help me. tk

[@deanseavy7316]

I have no idea. Sorry. Not suppose to happen

[@marioadame7369]

sorry, this is late, but try saving "new configuration". it should create a new config file (global, or if you're running a specific core). then you can save current config later to overwrite/update that same config.

[@evancaloca1472]

Hey I need some help because I'm trying to set my g29 steering wheel and I don't know how to do that ik the inputs for all the buttons but some reason all the games are not cfg to the same input I put it for they all different In each emulator can you help me plz Thank you.

[@dalemckeown6433]

Ok so I use this on my SNES Mini, I understand how to do the remapping input user binds, in Retroarch, but when I've finished my custom config and leave the game, the buttons had gone back to default the next time I went to play that game, ( how do I save my remap so it auto loads every time I go into that game, just that game though ) plus instructions on how to save remaps to all games on that CORE will be nice for future reference will be nice plz?

[@deanseavy7316]

Use save game overrides after setting controls in the quick menu

[@inquisitorchristopher8527]

I'm having a problem on the SNES classic where it will run the game but as soon as I press any button at all it goes to the Suspend Point menu....

[@deanseavy7316]

Sorry man. Ive never used a snes classic. Go to retromaniacus on facebook. Join the group and ask there. Somebody will know

[@alflg4480]

Thanks...for all

[@techs5564]

really helped me

[@deanseavy7316]

Im glad. If you have more questions join RetromaniacUS on facebook. We can help with anything

[@techs5564]

@@deanseavy7316 Thanks. On my raspberry pi2 every time I reboot I had to unplug and plug my Bluetooth dongle and Every time I have to connect my BT controller manually. Any solution to connect It by it's own even If I reboot or startup?

[@TheRangeControl]

How do we lock our controls to set buttons, so that we don't have to set them up every time we plug them in?

[@deanseavy7316]

Did you try "save auto config"? Other than that as long as they are plugged in when you turn on the pi they should work.

[@kevinBRZchannel]

I installed rasbeey pie in my 12 and 1 how do map the controls for games like asteriods. Also how to I make it regonize the track ball and spinner. I had to splice them into 2 pin vs the original 4. Due to new control board?????????

[@deanseavy7316]

I cant be sure without being familiar with your setup. Most people use arcade button kits with zero delay encoders for this. But if the buttons are not recognized using this method you may be sol. As far as the trackball you have to start a game with mame and then press tab to open the menu and set your trackball up there

[@eddieperez5549]

I find that interesting that you said in Emulation Station if thats not working you need to set the Quit Retroarch. That is exactly the issue I have I can launch MAME because it doesnt use Retroch arc and set the UI Cancel. However the issue is with all the cores I booted up Retropie for the first time set all select and start etc....When I am in the cores like NES and SNES SGen no luck I try and start + select and I cant get back out to the cores menu. Any advice? Is this what I have to do set the Hot keys to be able to exit?

[@deanseavy7316]

Eddie Perez yes the video will show you how to manually set hotkeys for select and start to exit the games. Some images the person that created the image messed up slightly, this will fix it.

[@eddieperez5549]

thanks for the fast response yeah it seems like a few images do that when they are backed up and pushed back out. I notice you boot up set it all in place keyboard detected then the cores like NES and SNES you cant exit. very frustrating is the hotkey like an over-ride button or force close out? speaking obviously about quit of retroarch to get back to the main menu to access other cores. even the select button wont work in cores like NES which needs it. I have pounded my head on a wall with this issue for the longest and big images lol I appreciate your advice thank you Dean

[@denzelwashingmachine1950]

I have a newer version of retroarch and I'm just trying to swap the a and b buttons for the NES only. Can anyone point me to an easy to understand tutorial maybe?

[@deanseavy7316]

Start a game, press select and x at the same time. Go to quick settings and set the controls there. Then select save core overrides. That should do it

[@denzelwashingmachine1950]

@@deanseavy7316 thank you but I couldn't get it to work. I have used these instructions on that version of retroarch but it seems a little different on the newer version. I'll keep trying

[@deanseavy7316]

Ok try and start a game and then just change the controls in the normal input menu, shown in my other video. And then click save current config. That should also work. You have to have the core loaded though

[@deanseavy7316]

I meant start a game and then hit select and x. Does that at least get you into the menu? If not we can fix that too

[@deanseavy7316]

My absolute best advice is to join retromaniacus on facebook. It is a massive group. I am an admin there. And there is a ton of very knowledgable people in the group. Including the makers of motion blue and hyperpie. Also on our website there are game packs for everything you can imagine

[@5555boneman]

Dean, thank you for posting. Can you please tell me howto program a quit button? I'm using retropie on a pi3 b with a sanwa joystick and arcade buttons. Your video helped me setup the controls but for some reason start + select on a gamepad plugged into the pi will exit me out of any given platform, but not on the arcade buttons. I literally have to restart the pi to change games.

[@deanseavy7316]

Start and select are seen as 2 different sets of buttons on the joysticks than they are on the gamepad. You basically have one or the other unfortunately. Although i believ you may be able to set one up for the systems you use a game pad for. Say ps1 for example and name it "Sony Playstation.cfg" and drip it in the folder with the retroarch.cfg and it will load that one instead each time you start playtation games. I hope this helps. Join retromaniacus on facebook for more support. That is my facebook group. Its big and the guys know what they are doing.

[@bedstag]

I have the same problem. I've noticed that sometimes (and it seems random) if I press the buttons that are binded to L2 and R2 it quits. I think that RetroArch and RetroPie get the order of the buttons confused which is further exacerbated by using RetroPie setting "Switch A + B buttons". Try every combination of 2 buttons. My PicoDrive settings keep putting button A to the start button too. Hope that helps

[@deanseavy7316]

The hotkeys cant have multiple controllers that operate them. Only one. So if you are using arcade buttons you need to set the hotkeys for the arcade buttons. If you are using the joypad you need to set them for the joypad. As far as the issue with picodrive i dont know. I would suggest using the quick menu to adjuat the controls to your liking and then select save core overrides before you exit. Do this by starting a game>press select + x, or whatever your menu toggle hotkey is. And then select quick menu

[@MJH9899]

Can you customise the buttons for individual games

[@SEB1991SEB]

Yeah, try following these instructions: . Start playing the game you want to change the conrols for . Use the button combination to bring up the Quick Menu (by default I think it's Hotkey + X) . Press B to go back . Click 'Settings' . Click 'Configuration' . Make sure the 'Save Configuration on Exit' option is set to 'ON'. If it's not then set it to 'ON' . Press B to go back, and press it again to go back again . Click 'Quick Menu' . Click 'Controls' . Click 'Port 1 Controls' . Customise the controls how you want them . Press B to go back . Then you can also customise the controls in all the other Port Controls to change the controls for the other players . Click 'Save Game Remap File' (make sure not to click 'Save Core Remap File', that will save these control settings for all the games of this console, not just for this specific game) . Press B to go back again . Then scroll up and click 'Resume'

[@itzRizzle9]

I was configuring controller and later realized I couldn’t get out of games. If I go to retro arch and set select and start as the hot keys will I be able to get out of games?

[@deanseavy7316]

itzRizzle9 yep

[@aaronmoreno389]

The problem im having is that im unable to bypass the "dpad" mapping and go straight to joystick. Playing Ikari warriors needs the joystick rather than d pad. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[@deanseavy7316]

AARON MORENO if you use the bind all option it will time out on each input and you will be able to map the joystick. You also can map the joystick as a d pad and vice versa.

[@davidblackburn9169]

Hi Dean will this be the same sort of issue I'm having... Have USB arcade joysticks in a cab using a pi most images i use controls on most games work apart from driving games ie outrun.... Hang on... Etc these are mame or fba games others on consoles work fine?

[@strawbunnylol]

my keys are configured but my analog is all inverted for some reason. left is right right is left up is down down is up..

[@deanseavy7316]

Are you using a joystick kit in a cabinet?

[@deanseavy7316]

If so your joystick is mounted upside down.

[@strawbunnylol]

dean Seavy xD i didn’t build it so I wouldn’t know is there a way to change the axis to inverted or not so I would have to rebuild it?

[@strawbunnylol]

It’s basically a gameboy with a joystick built into the center of it

[@deanseavy7316]

Did you actually map the buttons or did it auto config them? You should be able to just remap them to correct it

[@johnnygarcia6417]

Hi there. Just want to say great video. How do you start from scratch? Delete configs

[@deanseavy7316]

Yes, delete es_input.cfg and retroarch.cfg and then reboot

[@deanseavy7316]

Use filezilla or another ftp to delete the configs.

[@johnnygarcia6417]

@@deanseavy7316 Bought the Pi online and have no clue. Also, stuck on hot keys. Im using a keyboard to set keys but not sure what to use for "select'

[@deanseavy7316]

@@johnnygarcia6417 ok. Ill help you

[@deanseavy7316]

Get on facebook and go to retromaniacus that is my group. Ask any pi related question there and you will get so much help

[@SSpore]

How do I bind a n64 controller wut controls should I put

[@deanseavy7316]

ElderlySpore9 sorry there is no right answer. I use the right joystick for the c buttons and everything else as normal.

[@yanir.tzabary]

how do i exit from a game to the main screen? do you know?

[@TheAugmoe]

Hotkey + Select = Exit, So what ever button you have set for your Hotkey then Select should take you out of the game and back to the main game select window

[@blakesheridan3137]

it said there was an error saving config files after binding all

[@deanseavy7316]

Idk. If your using a prebuilt image that is probly the cause

[@blakesheridan3137]

Ok. I appreciate the reply. Thanks, I’ll look into it

[@ojabanishe5553]

When I go to Mame on my MOD. The screen is enlarged and off center to the point that I can only see the upper corner of a game like SF. How can I fix this

[@deanseavy7316]

When you say mame are you using mame lebretro? And what do you mean mod?

[@ojabanishe5553]

@@deanseavy7316 Yes Im using mame in lebreto? The mod is an arcade1up machine that I hooked up with a retropie. All the other emulators work fine except for the mame.

[@deanseavy7316]

Ok, start a mame game, then press select and x at the same time. This should open the retroarch menu for mame. Go into video settings and use the aspect ratio setting. Set it to 4:3 and it should fix the issue. If not then use the custom setting to adjust the specific viewport. Then on the way out before you exit. Select configuration>save current config. That should fix you up. Let me know

[@deanseavy7316]

Or whatever you set for your hotkey +x to open the menu

[@deanseavy7316]

If you have the same issue with your menu as you did with the game you may need to delete your cfg for mame within retroarch in retropie. Should be in home/pi/retropie/retroarch/configs off the top of my head and then reboot

[@redklok585]

I got locked out of my retroarch. I was in my gameboy emulator on my snes classic and I was trying to set it's configuration directories from the snes's memory to be stored on my usb thumb drive. I can't open my menu or use any controllers at all. I think I forgot to save my settings onto my thumb drive first (I forgot). I can't get back in and the only way now is to delete everything and start all over again. I have a lot of games with saves that will be lost if I do that. Is there any "back door" means of gaining access of the menu again? I would really hate to lose all my games' progress. If anyone could help me, I would be really be grateful.

[@deanseavy7316]

If you save your game directory your saves will not be lost. They are stored in the directory with the roms. At least on every retroarch setup ive ever seen. I have not used a snes classic

[@redklok585]

@@deanseavy7316 You're right. Problem is, the saves are most likely stored on the SNES mini even though the roms are on my usb flash drive. I might be able to find a way to explore the files of my SNES Classic, but if I can't, I will have to restore everything on the SNES and just deal with the loss and start from scratch. I would have built my own console with one of those raspberry pi's, but as a busy dad, I had to take shortcuts by doing it half way with modding a pre-assembled console. Is there a way to get a raspberry pi console pre-built that you know off hand?

[@deanseavy7316]

Look in your flash drive and see if there are any other file types in your roms folder. Im telling you unless this has been altered retroarch always stores the game saves in the same directory the roms are in. Even if that is on an external drive

[@shaneday6813]

How do I set controls for an individual game

[@deanseavy7316]

You have to set a hotkey for "menu toggle" and then after you start the game you will use the menu toggle hotkey to open the menu. I usually use select as hotkey enable and then x as menu toggle so you hit them both at the same time to open the menu. Then go to quick menu>controls>and set your buttons up the way uou want, then on the way out select "save game overrides" this will load that button config only when you launch that game

[@deanseavy7316]

On retropie the menu toggle should ve select and x by default. No need to set it

[@Noggahide]

how do you go back to the previous menu? 3:32

[@deanseavy7316]

Should be b. But if you haven't set up your controller yet its esc on a keyboard

[@Noggahide]

@@deanseavy7316 unfortunately, neither of those are working, esc just takes me out of retroarch all together, ive even tried to default all the settings and no luck.... =(

[@deanseavy7316]

Backspace then

[@deanseavy7316]

Is it a pre loaded image?

[@user-mw3ws9ki5k]

How can I set the tab button for retroarch android I want to mame

[@deanseavy7316]

Mame has different hotkeys in android. Try this, Open retroarch>load core>mame> Then with the core loaded go to information>core information It should tell you the button combo i think

[@user-mw3ws9ki5k]

My brother, God bless you, I am finally subscribing.

[@deanseavy7316]

@@user-mw3ws9ki5k did it work?

[@deanseavy7316]

I dont care about subs. This is all just to help people. I am not monetized

[@user-mw3ws9ki5k]

Well thank you very much, thank you

[@FckYourFeelingsYT]

So you mentioned individual games.....

[@deanseavy7316]

Go into quick menu, and se the co trols there, and on the way out, inside the quick menu select "save game overrides" that should do it. Sorry i just now saw this

[@jedi1josh]

That countdown is too fast

[@deanseavy7316]

Josh Combs you can bind them one at a time. You dont have to click "bind all"

[@sparcx86channel42]

hard and sucks

[@marcosandoval6973]

This is so confusing

[@deanseavy7316]

If you have a specific question i can try and help.

[@deanseavy7316]

Or you can join our facebook group. RetromaniacUS. Lots of knowledge in there. And people are always willing to help

[@marcosandoval6973]

Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll be okay :)

[@epicon6]

This is so much unneccesary work and it doesn’t even have separate setups for dirrefent consoles/controllers. In OpeEmu you can setup a controller separately to every controller and it remembers all controllers you setup when you switch from a ps4 controller to a genesis controller or to any controller. The idiot who decided on this way of setting up controllers only owns one xbox controller.

[@deanseavy7316]

But this isn't open emu is it? Lol. And retroarch will remember different controllers you just have to change the controller profile to whichever one you are using and set it up.

[@deanseavy7316]

Most controllers you dont even have to set up. I guess i just dont get your point. Its a tutorial for retropie. Not openemu. So its going to be different lol

[@NegativeYoutube]

dude get a drink of water

[@sparcx86channel42]

this is completely useless. each emulator must have new completely different setup of buttons!

[@deanseavy7316]

sparcx86 Channel lol im afraid you have no idea what you are talking about. This will set controls for every single retroarch core that retropie uses, and there are only a couple of emulators that are not retroarch. This covers over 90% of the entire system

[@xhiltonx]

He even states you can set it for all or individual haha clearly just skipped the video