Ideas for using a PC only with Controllers (and RetroBat as main UI)

Hi everyone!
I'm preparing a PC to boot up directly on RetroBat and use it ONLY with the controllers (in the future I'll build a Mini PC to do so), and I'm making all the configuration work so I can simulate KB/M when I need to.

However, I'd like to hear some ideas of how you do (or would do) this.
I thought of adding a "roms/windows" game which is just a window that stays open while I use the PC with the controller to mouse/kb keymap from RetroBat. But I still wanted something more friendly, like what TV Boxes do, where EVERY app (mainly file browser and web browser) are controlled by a controller, with a virtual keyboard.

I even searched Kodi addons for a FileBrowser and WebBrowser with controller-based UI but couldn't find it. So how would you do? Or how DID you do, if you ever tried that?

Thanks for the attention! :v

Hi hozerino,

Previously I setup Hyperspin/Rocketlauncher Arcade using an ipac2 keyboard encoder with joy2key software for the controllers. I think building an arcade around Retrobat is so much easier - especially if you're only going to use controllers. If I was going to do it for an arcade I would start with hiding the operating system using a black only screen or personalized splash screen, hiding the taskbar, place Retrobat.exe in your startup folder and configure a power on button to start the PC. As long as you stick with preconfigured Xbox controllers most of the setup will be done for you (but you'll always be tweaking games). On my arcade I use the trackball/ mouse buttons for PC games but still need a keyboard for those. The control panel has P1/P2/6 buttons for arcade stuff, Trackball and spinner. Just know there are always compromises if you're trying to play everything but it sounds like you're off to a good start. Goodluck with your project.

MartyKong wrote:Hi hozerino,  

Previously I setup Hyperspin/Rocketlauncher Arcade using an ipac2 keyboard encoder with joy2key software for the controllers. I think building an arcade around Retrobat is so much easier - especially if you're only going to use controllers. If I was going to do it for an arcade I would start with hiding the operating system using a black only screen or personalized splash screen, hiding the taskbar, place Retrobat.exe in your startup folder and configure a power on button to start the PC. As long as you stick with preconfigured Xbox controllers most of the setup will be done for you (but you'll always be tweaking games). On my arcade I use the trackball/ mouse buttons for PC games but still need a keyboard for those. The control panel has P1/P2/6 buttons for arcade stuff, Trackball and spinner. Just know there are always compromises if you're trying to play everything but it sounds like you're off to a good start. Goodluck with your project.

That's awesome, thanks a lot for your reply, I really liked the ideas and I was hoping to find someone who had already done that.
My goal here is to use my PC 99% as an Emulation machine, but 1% if I ever need to search for something online or change a single setting that would need mouse/keyboard.
In this case you'd go for a simple joy2key software to just surf it, right?

Sounds good, thanks a lot for the ideas.

To be honest, I think we built our systems in reverse of each other. In building the arcade my goal was to hide the inner workings and allow anyone (think kids) to just walk up, press one button that turns on everything (Pc, monitor, marquee, etc.) select game and and play. Since arcade games were the main focus these emulators were set up using keyboard commands. The Joy2Key program allows joypads to output which is converted back to key commands. This way games can be played using both original arcade controls or gamepads. To exit the front end I have a hidden hotkey so brings me back to the desktop. Currently I'm using Retrobat to set up a 500Gb portable gaming system which will only use an xbox controller. As a general rule retroarch cores already configure systems/emulators to work out of the box with these controllers. In the arcade I first had to set up every system/emulator for keyboard output. Once that was working I set up joy2key for the gamepads so a whole lot of configuration! With Retrobat/Retroarch the gamepads are the easy part, if I were to add arcade joystick, buttons, etc. which use keyboard output I would try to set that up using Retrobat standard key outputs x,z,a,s, etc.  Since you mentioned "I'm making all the configuration work so I can simulate KB/M when I need to." So far for gamepads I've only reconfigured stand alone emulators and some pc games controls. I haven't had much luck setting up gamepads to act as mouse and keyboard. On the arcade I have a trackball which works as a mouse but also use a pull out wireless keyboard (which rarely gets used). I purposely don't put KB/M intensive games on the arcade but if it works with an xbox or ol school joystick it's good to go. The Retrobat usb has everything from early 1980 arcade games to xbox360/PC games and for the most part all work resonably well with xbox controllers (excluding lightgun,stuff).

Ahh, perfect, I got it now.
Our systems aren't SO far off, I'm building a Mini PC which will boot directly into RetroBat, my idea is to make it plug-and-play to take it to a house-party, for example; so the KB/M was just for a moment where a game crashes and I need to click somewhere or if I need to click on something from Steam in case Steam Big Picture conflicts with RetroBat etc. Not an intensive use as well. But I got the overall idea and I'll brainstorm some configs and maybe some programs (my dream is to find a browser that behaves just like an Android browser, with directional input support and embedded Virtual Keyboard, I'll probably take a while to find and configure one of these). But thanks a lot for your reply and explanation of your build.

By the way, that arcade machine is awesome! Maybe someday I'll build one as well, I like configuring these things more than I like to play it hahaha. I recently made a program to mix roms from more than one external drive and I spent more time making it and tweaking than actually using it. Same for my old notebook, I set it all up and barely played.

hozerino,

There is a website http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/ you may want to check out. Basically it's just guys like us designing and building different arcade/gaming systems. They had a poll once about (1) Do you enjoy playing games more or (2) Do you enjoy the building/designing process more and overwhelmingly # 2 the building/design process easily won out. There's a lot of smarter guys than me there so if you get a chance check it out