Gamebrowser Guide

[Luke 37066]

2 hours ago, Whatscheiser said:

Not within the ROM but placed with the ROM, in the same file folder.

As I'm doing things now, I'm placing my images with names that Emby understands in the same file folder as my Game ROMs. When I do a library scan, this automatically populates my images for each of my game entries. I'd like to be able to save a .nfo file in these directories as well, with the goal being that a library scan would also rebuild the metadata for the games if I had to recreate the library.

I believe (I'm new to this software) this can currently be done for Movie and TV libraries. I'd just like to do the same for Games.

Ok yes we should add support for nfo files for games.

[Charliexyx 5]

@LukeI got it (but it took more than one line )! Maybe you want to share this file:

run_game.bat:

 

@echo off
setlocal

:: ADJUST THIS FOR YOUR EMBY LIBRARY
set "path_to_emby_library=\\Niklasynology\docker\emby"
set "emby_game_path=%~1"

:: Read executable filename from .gbwin file
set /p game_executable=<"%path_to_emby_library%%emby_game_path%"

for %%a in ("%path_to_emby_library%%emby_game_path%") do set "filedrive=%%~da" & set "filepath=%%~pa"
pushd "%filedrive%%filepath%"

start "Emby Game" "%game_executable%"

:: Keep batch running until game process exits to maintain CWD
:WAITLOOP
ping -n 2 127.0.0.1 >nul 2>&1
tasklist /fi "imagename eq %game_executable%" | find /i "%game_executable%" >nul && goto WAITLOOP
popd
exit /b

 

With the file in attachment (and shown above) it is possible to start and run games in Windows via Emby Theater:

Line 4 with the path to the emby library has to be adjusted for each user. But thats it. One has to place that file anywhere (e.g. in the emby-Windows-library-folder) and choose it as external Player for Windows Games:

Also: The ".gbwin"-file has to contain the relative path to the executable file for that game. In my Example "Chuzzle" it looks like this:

Thats it.
Best wishes!

 

run_game.bat

[Charliexyx 5]

@Luke

PS: When I think about it, this might actually not work for everyone. This works for me because I mounted the game library as a rootfolder to the emby docker installation "/spiele" and this can concat to the actual path on the server defined in the batchfile "~synology/docker/emby" + "/spiele/Windows/Chuzzle Deluxe/Chuzzle.exe" works. But this concetanation has to be adjusted depending on the server konfiguration. The batchfile has to translate the "local" Emby-path to a path understandable for the Windowsmachine...

[Luke 37066]

On 3/6/2023 at 8:28 PM, Charliexyx said:

@Luke

PS: When I think about it, this might actually not work for everyone. This works for me because I mounted the game library as a rootfolder to the emby docker installation "/spiele" and this can concat to the actual path on the server defined in the batchfile "~synology/docker/emby" + "/spiele/Windows/Chuzzle Deluxe/Chuzzle.exe" works. But this concetanation has to be adjusted depending on the server konfiguration. The batchfile has to translate the "local" Emby-path to a path understandable for the Windowsmachine...

Exactly. There are challenges here that need to be worked out.

[wighty 4]

On 11/27/2022 at 10:49 AM, sundevil67 said:

I'm finding myself very interested in this topic again since buying an "Odin" (handheld Android-based system intended for retro gaming , and the coolest toy ever), and am finding that I really need a central location in which to manage my very large game collection. Emby runs great on the device, and every game launcher/organizer I've tried is a buggy mess.

I'm still not sure if the fact that my Emby server is MacOS, that disqualifies me from any option to use this plugin or if there is a workaround of some kind? I can't seem to dig up an 'official' page that might have any more specific info... but I wanted to check in and see if there'd been any movement on this or a user out there somewhere with a similar setup to mine who managed to get this set up.

Thanks.

Same here. I used game browser originally way back when it was first launched on my HTPC... these days I'm using mostly shield pro devices with 3-4 locations. My son is now getting into the old ROMs (loves the original sonic :DD) and I have found myself thinking the ability to store all of the ROMs still on my server and be able to access them from the other locations. I realize it doesn't have that support yet, but just adding a +1 definitely interested in the ability.

[Whatscheiser 2]

On 3/6/2023 at 8:28 PM, Charliexyx said:

@Luke

PS: When I think about it, this might actually not work for everyone. This works for me because I mounted the game library as a rootfolder to the emby docker installation "/spiele" and this can concat to the actual path on the server defined in the batchfile "~synology/docker/emby" + "/spiele/Windows/Chuzzle Deluxe/Chuzzle.exe" works. But this concetanation has to be adjusted depending on the server konfiguration. The batchfile has to translate the "local" Emby-path to a path understandable for the Windowsmachine...

I was about to say that I don't think you need to mount the game library at all but I see you're using a docker for your Emby installation. I'm not familiar with that so I'm going to assume there might be some info there I'm missing out on. I guess the Docker would need to be able to "see" the folder on your local PC?

For my own installation I have been using AutoHotKey scripts to launch my Windows/DOS games. I do that by using Game Browser to setup a system I have no intention of emulating (the Amiga for example) then I create an AHK script with the file extension associated with that game platform. For example "World of Warcraft.adf". Once I have this setup in GameBrowser it appears I have an Amiga emulator pointing to a game.. I shut down my Emby server and edit the database with DB Browser to reflect the name of the platform I am actually emulating. So in GameBrowser when that edit is done Amiga becomes Windows. From this point it will always appear as the Windows platform and I can add as many games as I want launched through AHK via scripts with the .adf extension.

The actual game files are somewhere else entirely, Emby only sees the AHK scripts.

[ztc8069 1]

Hello, I have some games that are stored in compressed archive files(like zip 7z). I would like to manage these games through emby GameBrowser,i don't need play games on emby,i just want to browse game library and download by emby.so could you add a new "Game System", it will automatically recognize the jpg and nfo in the game folder as game poster and game information,recognize compressed archive files as game files, and provide a function download game files from NAS

[Charliexyx 5]

On 3/29/2023 at 7:12 PM, Whatscheiser said:

I was about to say that I don't think you need to mount the game library at all but I see you're using a docker for your Emby installation. I'm not familiar with that so I'm going to assume there might be some info there I'm missing out on. I guess the Docker would need to be able to "see" the folder on your local PC?

Hey @Whatscheiser,

I guess we have a little misunderstanding. The Windows games are not saved on my Windows Machine. They are stored on my NAS. My PC is in the same Network as my NAS and by Using "\\NAS_name\[...]\" I can access the NAS-folders via SMB protocol. This way I can run those Windows games, I just have to map the local path from the NAS server to the network path from my PC. That is what the script, I wrote and attached, does.

PS: Today I tested one game and played it from my PC, later on I went to my Dad and his PC and started the same game via Emby Gamebrowser via Emby Theater. And it worked great!

Best wishes

[dvalenci03 0]

Will Mac OS eventually work with game browser and running an external player? Is it something possible in the future?

Edited April 13, 2023 by dvalenci03

[Luke 37066]

On 4/12/2023 at 10:58 PM, dvalenci03 said:

Will Mac OS eventually work with game browser and running an external player? Is it something possible in the future?

Hi, yes we’ll add it to the to do list. Thanks.

[SilentDis 4]

Greetings

This guide was written in 2014, and last edited in 2018. While I'm sure much of it still applies - trying to set this up now has proven to be a futile endeavor for me and my co-admins.

Are there any modern guides for how to setup the Gamebrowser plugin successfully under Emby 4.8.0.x with Gamebrowser 3.3.3.0?

[Luke 37066]

10 minutes ago, SilentDis said:

Greetings

This guide was written in 2014, and last edited in 2018. While I'm sure much of it still applies - trying to set this up now has proven to be a futile endeavor for me and my co-admins.

Are there any modern guides for how to setup the Gamebrowser plugin successfully under Emby 4.8.0.x with Gamebrowser 3.3.3.0?

Hi, what problem are you having?

[SilentDis 4]

1 minute ago, Luke said:

Hi, what problem are you having?

Can't get it to launch on a remote client.

From what I've been able to figure - Windows system running Emby Theater should be able to pull the emulator, pull the file, and play - however downloads never happen.

I didn't expect Emby to launch it from the browser or anything (however, that may be possible now with a separate emu VM - you can emulate a lot of games in-browser).

I feel we're missing something just... basic, that's obvious to everyone at this point... but us, because we're just exploring it lol

[Luke 37066]

Just now, SilentDis said:

Can't get it to launch on a remote client.

From what I've been able to figure - Windows system running Emby Theater should be able to pull the emulator, pull the file, and play - however downloads never happen.

I didn't expect Emby to launch it from the browser or anything (however, that may be possible now with a separate emu VM - you can emulate a lot of games in-browser).

I feel we're missing something just... basic, that's obvious to everyone at this point... but us, because we're just exploring it lol

Currently it doesn't download the file, it just passes a url to the external player (emulator). This is the part that needs improvement, but in the meantime, if the player doesn't support a url then it won't work.

[SilentDis 4]

2 minutes ago, Luke said:

Currently it doesn't download the file, it just passes a url to the external player (emulator). This is the part that needs improvement, but in the meantime, if the player doesn't support a url then it won't work.

... of course that's how it works - overthinking it by a LOT on my side

So, it passes a tokenized URL to the client, alright! What's the format on it? Does it try for something like snap:// or steam:// or the like? I assume it pulls the rest of the base URL by what's in 'external domain' in emby's network settings, right?

[Charliexyx 5]

46 minutes ago, SilentDis said:

... of course that's how it works - overthinking it by a LOT on my side

So, it passes a tokenized URL to the client, alright! What's the format on it? Does it try for something like snap:// or steam:// or the like? I assume it pulls the rest of the base URL by what's in 'external domain' in emby's network settings, right?

When it is konfigured in the "external Player" in Emby theater, then it will pass the absolute path to the .gbwin file which is necessary to nake emby recognize a game as a game.

A few posts earlier I have a posted a solution (including the batch file "external player") for my system which translates the absoluteserver path to an external network path. The solution obviously requires SMB access from the windows machine to the Emby-server. Otherwise the translated path cannot be called.

[Luke 37066]

8 hours ago, SilentDis said:

... of course that's how it works - overthinking it by a LOT on my side

So, it passes a tokenized URL to the client, alright! What's the format on it? Does it try for something like snap:// or steam:// or the like? I assume it pulls the rest of the base URL by what's in 'external domain' in emby's network settings, right?

It's just the http url that it can use to fetch the game file from the server.

[Whatscheiser 2]

On 4/6/2023 at 4:32 PM, Charliexyx said:

Hey @Whatscheiser,

I guess we have a little misunderstanding. The Windows games are not saved on my Windows Machine. They are stored on my NAS. My PC is in the same Network as my NAS and by Using "\\NAS_name\[...]\" I can access the NAS-folders via SMB protocol. This way I can run those Windows games, I just have to map the local path from the NAS server to the network path from my PC. That is what the script, I wrote and attached, does.

PS: Today I tested one game and played it from my PC, later on I went to my Dad and his PC and started the same game via Emby Gamebrowser via Emby Theater. And it worked great!

Best wishes

Ah.

Yeah I should have looked a little closer. Sorry, I got caught up on the docker bit, I grasp what you're on about though. That is a neat solution.

I had tried keeping games and bits of front end media for another build I had done in the past up on my NAS but anytime it was spun down when I wanted to access something I had some hang time while I was waiting for it to "wake up" so I dropped the idea. I imagine I could probably solve that by putting an SSD in it for caching... I just never got around to that one. I can see the appeal though for sure.

[electricwildflower 12]

Hey everyone, decided to give this another go as i failed miserably a few years ago and i am testing it out using

Emby Server - Truenas Scale

Emby Theatre - Linux Mint

I have run into a wall i am 100% sure i am missing a step or not doing it right. Everything is set up properly i think so far, game browser installed, libraries created for testing. Emby Theatre is running on my Laptop but every time i click to play on a game it loads the emulator and that's it no game loads. I tested it with both Kega Fusion for Megadrive and higan for snes. Here is how i have my current setup. 

Neither works with zipped or unzipped games so i know i am obviously missing a step



 

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by electricwildflower

[Luke 37066]

3 hours ago, electricwildflower said:

Hey everyone, decided to give this another go as i failed miserably a few years ago and i am testing it out using

Emby Server - Truenas Scale

Emby Theatre - Linux Mint

I have run into a wall i am 100% sure i am missing a step or not doing it right. Everything is set up properly i think so far, game browser installed, libraries created for testing. Emby Theatre is running on my Laptop but every time i click to play on a game it loads the emulator and that's it no game loads. I tested it with both Kega Fusion for Megadrive and higan for snes. Here is how i have my current setup. 

Neither works with zipped or unzipped games so i know i am obviously missing a step



 

 

Are those the correct command line arguments for kega-fusion?

[electricwildflower 12]

@LukeAccording to the Command line arguments on the first pages guide i was following it was but i have been in search trying to find the correct arguments and so far i came across the following for kega-fusion which now when it loads it boots but with a black screen which means i am still missing arguments or rom issues but the roms show in the library fine. Running them on the kega emulator by it's self and not through Emby theatre they run fine and i can even run them from my auto mounted samba share so i def just need to find the correct arguments unless something else is the issue.

Currently trying to find the Retroarch cores location in Linux Mint whilst i search for the arguments to ideally use Retroarch for most emulators and which part i need to point to for emulators but that's a whole different story. 

 

[electricwildflower 12]

I made progress well sort of, i noticed with Kega-Fusion it showed a missing bios so i added one and it now loads but it hits this screen and keeps flashing every so often and going no far. Also if it may be of use for anyone i have two pdf's which feature an extensive list of commands for various emulators i found online whilst searching for them if it will be of use to anyone? 

Emulator Commands 1.pdf Emulator Commands 2.pdf

[Luke 37066]

On 12/9/2023 at 5:00 PM, electricwildflower said:

I made progress well sort of, i noticed with Kega-Fusion it showed a missing bios so i added one and it now loads but it hits this screen and keeps flashing every so often and going no far. Also if it may be of use for anyone i have two pdf's which feature an extensive list of commands for various emulators i found online whilst searching for them if it will be of use to anyone? 

Emulator Commands 1.pdf 43.21 kB · 0 downloads Emulator Commands 2.pdf 59.25 kB · 0 downloads

I'm sure those will helpful to some. Thanks.

[Ninja_Gundam 8]

On 4/6/2023 at 8:29 PM, ztc8069 said:

Hello, I have some games that are stored in compressed archive files(like zip 7z). I would like to manage these games through emby GameBrowser,i don't need play games on emby,i just want to browse game library and download by emby.so could you add a new "Game System", it will automatically recognize the jpg and nfo in the game folder as game poster and game information,recognize compressed archive files as game files, and provide a function download game files from NAS

I look foward to have the same thing too

I'd like to catalog all games I own on Emby too, just matching "Folder name" or "Compressed name ISO\ZIP" maybe would be a nice start. Just some basic infos like Cover, Story etc we can grab from online catalogue and showing size of Folder\Files etc. and data maybe.

Maybe a bit OT but seem a nice adding to the Gamebrowser topic

 

Chooo

[Dog_Bronson 1]

On 2/1/2024 at 5:51 AM, Ninja_Gundam said:

I look foward to have the same thing too

I'd like to catalog all games I own on Emby too, just matching "Folder name" or "Compressed name ISO\ZIP" maybe would be a nice start. Just some basic infos like Cover, Story etc we can grab from online catalogue and showing size of Folder\Files etc. and data maybe.

Maybe a bit OT but seem a nice adding to the Gamebrowser topic

 

Chooo

This is something I'd like, too. Playing games through Emby is unnecessary for me. Just cataloguing and being able to browse would be great. I've tried using the Gamebrowser plugin for this, but it leaves a lot to be desired (when it even works) and every few Emby Server updates more and more of the plugin seems to break.