distribution/documentation/SETUP_GAME_ENGINES_AND_LAUNCH_FILES.md

        

Game Engine Launch Files

Game engines such as Build Engine, GZDoom, LZDoom, ScummVM and ECWolf use launch files for launching the game with the specified files and mods. Most are configurable to enable different configurations of game files and mods per game.

Note: the extensions for game engine launch files are case-sensitive, so make sure the launch extensions .build, .doom, .scummvm and .ecwolf are lower case, and make sure any references to game files match the case of the game files exactly (e.g. if the game file is DOOM.WAD then trying to launch it as doom.wad won't work).

.build files

These files must be created for each build engine game that will be launched with raze. The file contains a PATH variable and an optional GRP variable. The PATH variable points to the subfolder containing the game's GRP file. The optional GRP variable is used to identify the specific GRP file to load for games with multiple GRP files.

Example: /storage/roms/build/shadow warrior.build contains

PATH=sw
GRP=SW.GRP
-- end --

where the Shadow Warrior games files are stored in subfolder sw, i.e. /storage/roms/build/sw/

Note: don't leave any space between GRP or PATH and = and enclose filenames containing spaces with "quotes"

Note: add -- end -- to the end of the file if it contains multiple lines

.doom files

These files must be created for each WAD that you want to load with gzdoom or lzdoom. The file contains IWAD variables and optional MOD variables. Multiple IWAD and MOD variables can be used in the same file to load multiple wads, mods and packages. Therefore, multiple .doom files can be created for the same WAD for each configuration of the game. It is recommended to store WAD files in a iwads subfolder and MODs in a mods subfolder and include the full path to each file in the .doom file.

Example: /storage/roms/doom/doom.doom contains

IWAD=/storage/roms/doom/iwads/doom.wad

to load vanilla doom

Note: don't leave any space between GRP or PATH and = and enclose filenames containing spaces with "quotes"

Example: /storage/roms/doom/heretic-mod.doom contains

IWAD=/storage/roms/doom/iwads/heretic.wad
IWAD=/storage/roms/doom/iwads/IWMPP_Heretic.wad
MOD=/storage/roms/doom/mods/precise-crosshair-v1.4.1.pk3
MOD=/storage/roms/doom/mods/target-spy-v2.0.1.pk3
-- end --

to load Heretic with additional patches and mods.

Note: add -- end -- to the end of the file when it contains multiple lines

.scummvm or .svm files

These files are created by _Scan ScummVM Games.sh script in /storage/.config/scummvm folder (which is also displayed in EmuStation). The script scans for game folders and generates the relevant .scummvm files to launch those games. The files are stored in /storage/.config/scummvm/games.

.scummvm files are named using the common name of the game and the Game Short Name in brackets (e.g. Beneath a Steel Sky (sky).scummvm).

.scummvm files contain a single line in the form:

• --path= variable and the path to the folder containing the game, followed by
• Game Short Name

Example: /storage/.config/scummvm/games/Beneath a Steel Sky (sky).scummvm contains

--path="/storage/roms/scummvm/Beneath a Steel Sky (CD VGA)" sky

Note: enclose filenames containing spaces with "quotes"

Note: .scummvm and .svm files are identical and interchangeable

Note: the .scummvm files are NOT stored in /storage/roms/scummvm and any .scummvm files stored there will not be displayed by EmuStation. EmuStation only displays .scummvm files that are in /storage/.config/scummvm/games.

Note: to display metadata and media within EmuStation, put gamelist.xml in /storage/.config/scummvm/games and media into relevant subfolders (e.g. /storage/.config/scummvm/games/media folder with boxart, images and videos subfolders)

.ecwolf files

These files must be created for each Wolfenstein 3D compatible game. The file contains PATH variable that points to the subfolder containing the game's game files, DATA variable with the extension of the game files and PK3 variables for each separate package file to load. PK3 variables must be sequentially numbered with _1, _2 etc.

Example: /storage/roms/ecwolf/wolfenstein3d.ecwolf contains

PATH=Wolfenstein 3D
DATA=WL6
PK3_1=/storage/roms/ecwolf/ecwolf.pk3
-- end --

where the Wolfenstein 3D game files have extension .WL6

Note: the data value must match the file extension of the game exactly and is case sensitive so WL6 is not the same as wl6

Note: don't leave any space between GRP or PATH and = and enclose filenames containing spaces with "quotes"

Note: add -- end -- to the end of the file

Example: /storage/roms/ecwolf/spear of destiny.ecwolf contains

PATH=SOD
DATA=SOD
PK3_1=/storage/roms/ecwolf/SOD/ecwolf.pk3
-- end --

where the Spear of Destiny game files have extension .SOD

Note: add -- end -- to the end of the file