Some "Game Pass" games starts up and then reverts back to focus on retrobat, while launching in other windows

Hi - it's me again.

I am having some issues with what you have decided to call "Game Pass" games. Mind you, I own the games in question (as much as you can own digital goods).

Anyway - I can get UWP games to work by adding the .UWP file and everything is great. The games from the c:\XboxGames I can also get to launch, but not in the expected way (I have tried Forza 5 and Microsoft Flight Simulator). They launch, but in the process they go back to Emulationstation and keeps launching in a window in the background. Any way to mitigate this issue and keep them in focus not activating Retrobat and the annoying music? (no the solution is not to turn the music volume off and press alt+tab).

Help would be much appreciated.

If it's going back to Retrobat and the music is playing, it means the .uwp file is incorrect or the game has a first launcher and then runs another executable.
Can you show your .uwp file ?

Maybe these should use a link file and a .gameexe file instead to fix

tartifless wrote:If it's going back to Retrobat and the music is playing, it means the .uwp file is incorrect or the game has a first launcher and then runs another executable.
Can you show your .uwp file ?

Maybe these should use a link file and a .gameexe file instead to fix

I have tried searching a bit about this .gameexe. I cannot seem to find documentation, but it seems to only work with uwp games, and not the games installed in c:\xboxgames right? Or am I missing something - these games are run by exes and not by "uwp", meaning that .gameexe does not work or how should I understand it?

If that is the case, then .gameexe will not be of use.

It works with every game.

Can you tell me 2 things:
1) What is the path to the executable you run the game ?
2) Once you are in the game, what does the task manager display as process name in the detailed list ?

Thank you for reaching out to help :-). Let's do Forza Horizon to 5.

I have installed Forza Horizon 5 the default library. Her is the path to the exe
C:\XboxGames\Forza Horizon 5\Content\ForzaHorizon5.exe

I have made the xbox launcher create at shortcut at the desktop which I have placed in the c:\Retrobat\roms\windows\Forza Horizon 5 (it is a shortcut, apparently they don't have a last name)

I have looked at the properties to find the uwp-name the shortcut is referring to, which seems to be: Microsoft.624F8B84B80
I have pasted this in a textfile called Forza Horizon 5.uwp which is placed in the same directory as the shortcut.

I have also created a Forza Horizon 5.gameexe file, which I am not totally sure is necessary. In it I have written ForzaHorizon5.exe, which seems to be the executable file in memory when the game is running - also placed in the same directory.

Everything starts ok, but when the intromovies are about to be done, it kicks Forza 5 to the background and goes back to Retrobat. According to task manager it does not seem that other processes are being run.

I don't understand it.

1) create a shortcut to C:\XboxGames\Forza Horizon 5\Content\ForzaHorizon5.exe (an actual link, not a uwp link)
2) in the .gameexe file, remove the .exe

Ensure the link and the .gameexe file in the folder have exactly the same name

tartifless wrote:1) create a shortcut to C:\XboxGames\Forza Horizon 5\Content\ForzaHorizon5.exe (an actual link, not a uwp link)
2) in the .gameexe file, remove the .exe

Ensure the link and the .gameexe file in the folder have exactly the same name

Your solution works perfectly. I really did try to find the documentation, but it does not seem to be there.

Thank you :-)

One little issue I have realized. Somehow I need to to alt+tab to get rumble to work in the game. It only has this problem when I am starting the game this way. Strangely enough the gamepad functions except for the rumble BEFORE I alt tab. Now I look for at way to either alt tab or "focus" the window after starting the game. I cannot seem to make a script to do this, without breaking the gameexe as it only listens to lnk and I would start at VBS or BAT. Any suggestions to this issue?

Unfortunately, windows 11 does not always put the windows in focus when they are launched from command lines, it's a big issue with windows 11.

Best way might be to enable the developer option in RetroBat to hide Emulationstation at game launch... This might work

tartifless wrote:Unfortunately, windows 11 does not always put the windows in focus when they are launched from command lines, it's a big issue with windows 11.

Best way might be to enable the developer option in RetroBat to hide Emulationstation at game launch... This might work

I already have that option enabled. I also realized I have this issue with other games. For instance, Bioshock games will not play sounds unless I alt+tab it. Is there any fix for this? Would using Windows 10 mitigate this? I prefer not to (even though I like Windows 10 a lot more than 11). Can it be fixed?

No, there's a full thread on microsoft forums of people complaining...
Maybe ensure that you have no explorer window opened before running, might help.

Even outside of Retrobat, on normal windows games, it happens that the game looses focus xhile playing.

tartifless wrote:No, there's a full thread on microsoft forums of people complaining...
Maybe ensure that you have no explorer window opened before running, might help.

Even outside of Retrobat, on normal windows games, it happens that the game looses focus xhile playing.

Ok, thanks for clarifying.

Is there any way to implement a postlaunch focus feature in retrobat? Some kind of scripting, where you do an alt+tab or something? Or even focus a known process. I guess you can find out the process for every game to focus on. I just need an automated way of doing it, so I won't need a keyboard. I am trying to make a more or less consolized experience with retrobat and besides the installation of different games, I can mostly make the daily operation work fine. This focus issue is pushing me though.