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RetroDECK v0.9.2b

A not so minor update!

Release date: 2025-04-15

Steam Sync 2.0

Steam Sync Version 2.0 is here! This is the next step in the Steam Sync function we launched with 0.9.0b. The new version is also much faster and smarter than before

It now supports two Sync Modes and has a complimentary troubleshooting purge tool as well:

  • Automatic Steam Sync: Sync ES-DE favorites to Steam automatically when RetroDECK quits. You can enable or disable this feature.

  • Manual Steam Sync: Perform a one-time manual sync of ES-DE favorites to Steam whenever you want.

  • New Tool: Purge Steam Sync Shortcuts: This tool performs a full Steam ROM Manager purge of all favorites in Steam (in case things have gotten messed up).

Gee whiz RetroDECK Team! How much faster is it?

It is hard to say how much faster it is exactly.

Downloading media files still depends on your internet speed and SRM parsers, which we can't change and that still is a the largest part of the process. However, we've improved the functions in RetroDECK that feed the favorites information to the parsers.

We did a simulation with the new version with fake data:

  • We built a new JSON manifest from 3 gamelists of 10,000 games each.
  • We marked 10% marked of the games as favorites. This initial build took about about 20 seconds.
  • Extracting the list of favorites from those files took 0.4 seconds.

In contrast that operation took minutes before.

Gosh golly RetroDECK Team! How much smarter is it?

The Automatic Steam Sync only runs when you have made changes to your favorites and not every time.

mic drop 🎤

Backup RetroDECK Tool 2.0

The new version of the Backup RetroDECK tool offers more backup options and is significantly faster. It includes three types of backups:

  • Core Backup: Backs up only essential files, such as saves, states, and gamelists.

  • Custom Backup: Allows you to select specific folders to back up.

  • Complete Backup: Backs up all data, including games and downloaded media.

Additionally, the Backup RetroDECK tool will now prompt users to perform an optional backup before upgrading RetroDECK to a new version.

Compression Tool Improvements

The Compression RetroDECK tool has significantly improved its speed by utilizing the system's CPU cores more efficiently.

In some cases, the speed increase has been between 100-400% (depending on the hardware).

BIOS Checker Improvements

The BIOS Checker RetroDECK tools speed has been significantly improved with query optimizations.

In some cases, the speed increase been improved with up to a factor of 10X (depending on the hardware).

New Tool: Repair Paths

If your RetroDECK folder is lost, this function repairs RetroDECK paths without needing a full reset.

It will automatically attempt to find common RetroDECK paths.

If RetroDECK can't be found, it will ask you to specify the location.

New Tool: Logging Level Changer

This tool lets you control how much information is logged in retrodeck/logs.

There are four levels:

  • Level 1: Informational: The default setting, logs only basic important information.
  • Level 2: Warnings: Logs general warnings.
  • Level 3: Errors: Logs more detailed error messages.
  • Level 4: Debug: Logs everything, which may generate a lot of logs.

In the stable version of RetroDECK, the default is Level 1: Informational.

In the unstable cooker builds, the default is Level 4: Debug.

ES-DE 3.2.0

We have included in the new ES-DE major update 3.2.0.

Read the full changelog here:

ES-DE Frontend - Changelog

RetroDECK ES-DE Theme

The theme has been updated for 3.2.0 with:

  • Clock Element
  • System Status Icons
  • Other tiny fixes and improvements

Improvements based on community feedback:

  • Adjustments to help menu text and icon sizes.
  • Added a Light grey variant of the theme.
  • The ability to change between Light and Dark variants.

New Systems in RetroDECK

RetroDECK now supports two more systems via RetroArch Cores thanks to the ES-DE 3.2.0 update.

Vircon32 Virtual Console

Vircon32 is a virtual game console, inspired by classic 16 & 32 bit systems as well as the arcade era.

Uses the roms/vircon32 folder

Sega Mark III

The Sega Mark III is the Japanese version and the predecessor to the Sega Master System.

Uses the roms/mark3 folder

Patch Notes

RetroDECK Framework

Added:

  • More functionality to SRM manifest steam_sync including better handling for unfavorited games and many more improvements.
  • Optional userdata backup prompt during post-update.
  • repair_paths function introduced to fix paths without a full reset.
  • Made a new custom parser that should better handle ES-DE's set alternative emulator per-game / global to steam_sync.
  • Better Multi-threading in compression.sh.
  • Better CPU core detection.

Changed:

  • Refactored compress_game to handle post-compression cleanup directly.
  • Enhanced find_compatible_games logic and spelling.
  • Moved sanitize() to other_functions.sh for better organization.
  • Updated backup_retrodeck_userdata for a more efficient "core" backup.
  • Updated cheevos login/logut process.

Fixed:

  • Corrected handling of realpath and basename with spaces.
  • Improved path cleanup for spaces in folder names.
  • Fixed broken symlink issue for internal logging folder.
  • PPSSPP cheevos preset information.
  • Cleaned up run_game.sh of not used functions.
  • Changed the launch order so CLI arguments are processed after the first install check to prevent half-installed states.

RetroENGINE

Added:

  • Added repair-paths CLI option that calls the repair_paths function.
  • Added steam-sync CLI option that does a manual steam sync of ES-DE favorites.
  • Added steam-sync purge CLI option that removes all SRM synced Shortcuts.

Changed:

  • Added to .png and .po to IGNORED_EXTENSIONS.

RetroDECK Classic (Zenity) Configurator

Added:

  • Compression Tool:
    • Improved multi-file compression logic.
    • Better cleanup argument for single-file and multi-file modes.
    • Better dynamic core utilization for compression (it's faster).
  • BIOS Checker:
    • Improved JSON parsing.
  • New Tools:
    • Repair Paths
    • Logging Level Changer
    • Steam Sync: Purge Steam Sync Shortcuts
  • Added Backup Tool 2.0.
  • Added Steam Sync 2.0.
  • Added Submenu: Steam Tools
    • All Steam related options now lives here: Add RetroDECK to Steam, Automatic Sync, Manual Sync, Purge.
  • Changed the name and moved the Backup RetroDECK tool under the Data Management Menu.

Changed:

  • Several texts have been improved.

Fixed:

  • A tiny slowdown when opening the Configurator.
  • Entry flow issues in:
    • Compression Tool multi-file entry.
    • PortMaster entry.
  • Steam Sync:
    • Fixed unnecessary Zenity dialogs during Steam Sync.
    • Resolved issues with SRM user configurations and new manifest sync type.
  • BIOS Checker:
    • Fixed a slowdown if you ran the BIOS Checker with a totally empty BIOS folder.

ES-DE

Added:

  • Updated to 3.2.0
  • Added Vircon32 core support.
  • Added Sega III core support.

RetroDECK ES-DE Theme

Added:

  • ES-DE 3.2.0 features: Clock Element and System Status Icons.
  • Light variant of the theme.
  • The ability to change between Light and Dark variants.
  • Boxart fallback for the System Menu's Screenshot.
  • Adjusted the Help Menu's text size vs icon size.

Dolphin / Primehack

Fixed:

  • Wayland System errors: env QT_QPA_PLATFORM=xcb.

Question - Other Systems Updates?

We are currently rewriting how system updates (emulators, engines, other systems) are handled in RetroDECK. Our goal is to make the system more contained within the application to reduce library and dependency conflicts that have plagued us in the past.

Once this is complete, we will ship new versions. This will make it easier to update systems in the future and add more systems.

The team thanks the community for its understanding.