RetroAchievements: Remaining features to implement

[hrydgard]

The main work was done in #17589 . Here's a checklist for additional and future development.

• Leaderboards UI: RetroAchievements: Add function to view leaderboards #17629
  • Show avatars in leaderboard
• Switch to the new rc_client_t API layer once it's merged: Add rc_client_t RetroAchievements/rcheevos#242
  • Get the basics working
  • Finish up the integration
  • Challenge/hardcore mode (savestates and cheats disabled)
  • Wait for the merge
  • Always disable cheats when achievements are enabled?
• Move settings to the front tab
• Allow alternate speeds above 1.0x (slowdown is not permitted in challenge mode)
  response_body" - see https://github.com/RetroAchievements/rcheevos/wiki/rc_client-integration#server-errors )
• Refactor so we can play sounds on top of gameplay Change the sound effects mixer (used for UI sounds) to mix on top of main output #17703
  • Copy custom sound effects into the memstick dir
• Sound effect for unlocks and leaderboards submits Achievement Unlocked sound effect, more UI work #17705
• Correctly call do_frame even during fast-forward RetroAchievements: Call rc_client_do_frame from hleEnterVblank #17710
• Cache icon images properly (Save/Load the icon cache to disk if RetroAchievements are enabled. #17709 )
• CSO file support (RetroAchievements CSO support, delay until identified #17699)
• Make it work even when launched from a frontend (RetroAchievements: Try to eliminate possible race conditions on load #17708 )
• HTTPS support, so we can use the standard RA URLs
• Correctly handle HTTP timeout ("When a request times out, the server callback should be called with a NULL
• More UI tweaks
  • Customizable sound effects Custom achievement sound effects #17725
  • Filtering or collapsible sections in achievement viewer Make the achievement lists collapsible on the main achievements screen #17728
  • Improved text formatting in achievement list
  • In leaderboards, show just the range you are in by default. Allow choosing to view top entries. Leaderboard: Choose whether to see top players, or "around me" #17828
  • Allow configuring in which corner for notifications to show
• Disable more things in challenge mode
  • Interactive debugger
  • Remote debugger
• "RAIntegration", for easier development of achievements on Windows?
  • Use the RAInterface library for loading the DLL
  • Alternatively wait for rcheevos to integrate RAIntegration, this is planned
  • Debug setting to allow saving, but not loading, state in challenge mode (only meaningful after RAIntegration is added): RetroAchievements: Add option to allow saving, but not loading, in challenge / hardcore mode. #18425
  • Allow changing mode (softcore etc) in-game

Additional feature requests:

• RANDOMPLAYER1: can i request a feature when achievements that are nearly done can they move up? Like 4/5 monsters are killed they'll be moved at the top of the locked achievements or maybe they'll be moved to almost done category?

[IrfanH495]

I've tried only a few games that support achievements, for example the game the 3rd birthday Region USA & Japan there is no achievement.

[radiandedy]

I've tried only a few games that support achievements, for example the game the 3rd birthday Region USA & Japan there is no achievement.

i believe 3rd birthday only support europe rom in retroachievements

[RenanSD007]

I've tried only a few games that support achievements, for example the game the 3rd birthday Region USA & Japan there is no achievement.

Under "Supported Game Files" on the RA website it says you need the "Europe" version of the ISO

[IrfanH495]

I've tried only a few games that support achievements, for example the game the 3rd birthday Region USA & Japan there is no achievement.

i believe 3rd birthday only support europe rom in retroachievements

Yes only for the European version

it looks like ppsspp needs a team to make game support achievements,

[GABO1423]

it looks like ppsspp needs a team to make game support achievements,

That's not something that PPSSPP can do, that's on the RetroAchievements side of things.

[IrfanH495]

@LunaMoo like you said, some people may use cheats to unlock achievements.

I want to know if my account will be deleted if I use cheats.?

[hrydgard]

@IrfanH495 That's up to Retroachievements policies, not PPSSPP.

Though, I'm thinking of disabling cheats entirely when RetroAchievements is active, and will definitely disable them when challenge/hardcore mode is enabled later.

[IrfanH495]

challenge/hardcore mode it's an interesting feature, but what about the 60fps cheat the hatsune miku game is very difficult to play at 30fps.

[hrydgard]

@IrfanH495 Technically I guess we can whitelist a few cheats like that, although I'm not sure the RetroAchievements project will appreciate that.

[GABO1423]

@IrfanH495 That's up to Retroachievements policies, not PPSSPP.

Though, I'm thinking of disabling cheats entirely when RetroAchievements is active, and will definitely disable them when challenge/hardcore mode is enabled later.

I think cheats are allowed on other RetroAchievement implementations when not using Hardcore mode, so you could leave them alone when the user has Hardcore mode disabled (Softcore mode basically). With the exception of fast forwarding, Hardcore mode doesn't allow for any possible convenience features. More specifics can be found here: https://docs.retroachievements.org/FAQ/#what-is-hardcore-mode

[GABO1423]

Technically I guess we can whitelist a few cheats like that

To give my two cents about this, the whole point of hardcore mode is for the player to play as closely as possible to what original hardware offered, but now with achievements. I think no cheats should be allowed when using Hardcore mode even if they are improving the experience instead of just giving you infinite items or stuff like that.

[RenanSD007]

Technically I guess we can whitelist a few cheats like that

To give my two cents about this, the whole point of hardcore mode is for the player to play as closely as possible to what original hardware offered, but now with achievements. I think no cheats should be allowed when using Hardcore mode even if they are improving the experience instead of just giving you infinite items or stuff like that.

In Hatsune Miku for example, in all 3 games the achievement set dev added a 60 FPS patch, if there was a whitlelist of cheats this patch would not even be necessary, but of course that depends on what the RA staff thinks about it

[GABO1423]

Technically I guess we can whitelist a few cheats like that

To give my two cents about this, the whole point of hardcore mode is for the player to play as closely as possible to what original hardware offered, but now with achievements. I think no cheats should be allowed when using Hardcore mode even if they are improving the experience instead of just giving you infinite items or stuff like that.

In Hatsune Miku for example, in all 3 games the achievement set dev added a 60 FPS patch, if there was a whitlelist of cheats this patch would not even be necessary, but of course that depends on what the RA staff thinks about it

RetroAchievements uses patches to trick the hashing system into thinking the game is a different one entirely (note patches != cheats, we're talking about ips patches and the like), this allows for the bonus sets you can find for plenty of games. If the Dev added that patch, then the user can just patch the iso and the game will be recognized. This has nothing to do with the cheats system.

[RenanSD007]

RetroAchievements uses patches to trick the hashing system into thinking the game is a different one entirely (note patches != cheats, we're talking about ips patches and the like), this allows for the bonus sets you can find for plenty of games. If the Dev added that patch, then the user can just patch the iso and the game will be recognized. This has nothing to do with the cheats system.

I know that, but having to patch large files like PSP games is not ideal, in the Subsets part they are working to no longer need to patch, so this would also be great for using cheats that would be allowed by set devs (even to be used in Subsets for complex achievements)

[LunaMoo]

In my opinion disabling cheats for some feature like that will not make people who want to cheat actually stop cheating, they will just either:

• have to have or obtain a particular skillset,
• google for cheats or PPSSPP builds prepared by someone else that avoid the system altogether.

99% of the users will do the latter and this always leads to malware and/or monetization of mods as such I'll always say it's a bad idea to disable simple cheat system accessible to all users.
Open source nature of emulation makes it impossible to even create a nuisance barrier from cheating and even closing the source of the project wouldn't make it hard for anyone that understands how such things work, people that find something like achievements appealing should the ones to place limits on themselves and any kind of leaderboards should have server side detection of impossible cases to remove cheaters.

[GABO1423]

In my opinion disabling cheats for some feature like that will not make people who want to cheat actually stop cheating

Then if they want to use achievements they can just have Hardcore mode disabled and continue to use cheats and still have achievements. That's how other emulators with RetroAchievements support have handled it and I haven't seen any big issues arise from it.

Open source nature of emulation makes it impossible to even create a nuisance barrier from cheating and even closing the source of the project wouldn't make it hard for anyone that understands how such things work, people that find something like achievements appealing should the ones to place limits on themselves and any kind of leaderboards should have server side detection of impossible cases to remove cheaters.

That's true, but that is more on the RetroAchievements side of things rather than the PPSSPP side (Regarding the leaderboards).

[anr2me]

Don't forget to warn the user of possible ban when enabling cheats in-case it against RA's policy and we whitelisted some cheats (ie. 60 FPS), basically "Use at your own risk!" :)

[ricosalasa]

In my opinion disabling cheats for some feature like that will not make people who want to cheat actually stop cheating, they will just either:

• have to have or obtain a particular skillset,
• google for cheats or PPSSPP builds prepared by someone else that avoid the system altogether.

99% of the users will do the latter and this always leads to malware and/or monetization of mods as such I'll always say it's a bad idea to disable simple cheat system accessible to all users. Open source nature of emulation makes it impossible to even create a nuisance barrier from cheating and even closing the source of the project wouldn't make it hard for anyone that understands how such things work, people that find something like achievements appealing should the ones to place limits on themselves and any kind of leaderboards should have server side detection of impossible cases to remove cheaters.

IMO it's RetroAchievement side to judge their doing. If on Challenge/Hardcore Mode any cheat script on PPSSPP feature must disabled. If on softcore, i think RetroAchievement allowing cheat, load state, etc.
https://docs.retroachievements.org/Global-Leaderboard-and-Achievement-Hunting-Rules/#hardcore-vs-softcore

[FolkSong]

FYI a cheats whitelist is a common discussion topic on retroachievements.org, particularly with reference to PSP games, and I think it has at least some support among the big contributors there. But best to let them work it out in their own time.

RetroAchievements/RAIntegration#790

[Captainquill]

@LunaMoo like you said, some people may use cheats to unlock achievements. I want to know if my account will be deleted if I use cheats.?

How do I open this achievements list... I have set up the login info and booted a supported game but I did not get any popup regarding achievements... Neither can I open the achievement list.

[hrydgard]

@Captainquill if the ISO you are using is supported, you should get a popup on startup and then on the Pause screen there will be an Achievements button. This is of course only if you have logged in properly from the Settings/System/Achievements menu.

It's very common that you have the wrong region or so, and I'm looking into what we can do to alert if that's the case.

[Captainquill]

@Captainquill if the ISO you are using is supported, you should get a popup on startup and then on the Pause screen there will be an Achievements button. This is of course only if you have logged in properly from the Settings/System/Achievements menu.

It's very common that you have the wrong region or so, and I'm looking into what we can do to alert if that's the case.

Thanks a lot for the prompt reply... Yes I am pretty sure I have the correct rom because when I boot the same rom from retroarch ppsspp core I get the achievemts pop up and the list... No idea what I am doing wrong here :( I have properly logged in with my account in the app settings.

[hrydgard]

Hm, that's really strange :/

I'm redoing the integration based on the new rc_client_t API, maybe it'll work better...

[televandalist]

We don't ban people for cheating. We untrack their accounts, which just removes them from the global leaderboards. Everything else works as it normally would. Someone can get an untrack reversed by resetting the achievements for that game, but in more servere cases it requires a full reset of all unlocks.

Lack of RAIntegration means that achievement developers won't be able to use the toolkit to troubleshoot potential issues with achievement logic, so tickets would need to be taken with a grain of salt until that option is available.

In any case, I'm happy to see support coming to the PPSSPP standalone since it's one of my favorites :)

There are plenty of sets so far https://retroachievements.org/gameList.php?c=41

[televandalist]

@Captainquill if the ISO you are using is supported, you should get a popup on startup and then on the Pause screen there will be an Achievements button. This is of course only if you have logged in properly from the Settings/System/Achievements menu.
It's very common that you have the wrong region or so, and I'm looking into what we can do to alert if that's the case.

Thanks a lot for the prompt reply... Yes I am pretty sure I have the correct rom because when I boot the same rom from retroarch ppsspp core I get the achievemts pop up and the list... No idea what I am doing wrong here :( I have properly logged in with my account in the app settings.

You can check the "Supported Game Files" link on the game entry to see which versions are linked. The majority of PSP hashes linked are for Redump verified ROMs, but there are a handful of No Intro ones. They often match each other, though.

[Barozzu]

Let me know if you need to test again.

[ricosalasa]

Getting Platinum on PPSSPP not intersting. I hope theres game picture like on start up.

[hrydgard]

Haha yeah, it's not very visually exciting to get the mastered notification. I'll try to find some time to improve it, starting by adding the game picture.

Maybe should do a fireworks effects or something :)

Also, congrats on mastering the game, hehe.

[ricosalasa]

Hehe, thank you. Firework effect i think make some low-end device heavier when using PPSSPP with RetroAchievement.

[djlain]

Have tested 1.16 for a while and achievements worked very well, thanks so much for your hard work! Just one report about customize: the option for Leaderboard result submitted seemed no effect, no matter any changes, the leaderboard result submitted notification is always in the top center.

For example: this is my customize

And when leaderboard submitted:

All the other customize options worked perfect though. I'm using windows version, so I'm not sure if other versions got the issue as well.

[hrydgard]

@djlain Thanks for reporting that one, fix coming in 1.16.1. Also thanks for testing and glad it works for you.

[djlain]

Thanks so much for the quick fixing, now it's perfect!!

[MoTem]

Please add a way to log in RetroAchievements using a virtual keyboard in-app. If you use Linux-based handhelds, you can select the login/password boxes but cant type anything.

[barrelltitor]

Any chance to include the Rich Presence from RetroAchievements in the Discord Rich Presence?

[samuelmacari]

Hi, could it be that in Hardcore Mode, saving a state stays enabled? DuckStation & PCSX2 do that for example, that way we can always save state in Hardcore then load it in Softcore.

[hrydgard]

@samuelmacari this is already supported. See "Allow Save State in Hardcore Mode" on the developer tab in Tools/Retroachievements in settings.

[samuelmacari]

I looked everywhere but where it was >< Sorry! While we're at it, could you just tell me please how to report a compatibility issue? Can I do it here on GitHub in Issues?

And a tiny note, shouldn't "Buy Gold" be hidden when using PPSSPP Gold (it's not a big deal though, was just wondering)

[hrydgard]

Report it here in Issues.

(yes, it should be hidden in Gold Mode and used to be, I'll look into it).

It's here: Retroachievements settings:

If you don't see it, you're probably not running the latest version of PPSSPP?

[samuelmacari]

Ok will do thanks.

Oh.

You didn't understand me sorry, I was saying that I looked everywhere before asking here, but that I didn't look at the right place, so yes now I've found it don't worry and thanks again!

[hrydgard]

Now that RAIntegration support is in (through rcheevos, works with beta RAIntegration DLL), I feel we're feature complete enough to just close this as done.

We can open new issues for additional feature requests etc.