BYTEBACK GAMING

BATOCERA QUICK START GUIDE

Simple instructions for starting, playing, saving and shutting down your retro gaming PC.

IMPORTANT

Your system has already been configured and tested. You do not need to install anything or change the emulator settings.

Please read this guide before altering any settings.

STARTING THE SYSTEM

• Connect the PC to your television or monitor using HDMI or DisplayPort.

• Connect the power cable.

• Plug in the supplied controller receiver or connect a wired controller.

• Turn on the television or monitor.

• Turn on the PC.

• Wait for Batocera to load. It may take longer when several storage drives are connected.

• Do not press buttons repeatedly while the system is starting.

If a boot menu appears, select Batocera and press Enter.

BASIC CONTROLLER BUTTONS

D-pad or left stick: Move through menus.

A button: Select or open.

B button: Go back.

Start: Open the main Batocera menu.

Select or View: Open the quick menu.

Y button: Add or remove a game from Favourites.

Shoulder buttons: Move quickly through long game lists.

Hotkey, Home or Guide button: Hold this with another button to use in-game shortcuts.

NOTE

If the buttons appear reversed, use whichever button is shown at the bottom of the screen for Select and Back.

CHOOSING AND STARTING A GAME

• Move left or right to choose a console or collection.

• Press A to open it.

• Move up or down through the games.

• Press A to start a game.

• Allow the game time to load.

Large games and newer systems can take longer to start. Pressing the button repeatedly will not make them load faster.

LEAVING A GAME PROPERLY

• Hold the Hotkey, Home or Guide button.

• While holding it, press Start once.

• Release both buttons.

• Wait for the Batocera game list to return.

Never turn the PC off while a game is running.

Some computer-based games use a different exit method. If the normal shortcut does not work, contact us with the exact name of the game. Do not press random button combinations.

FINDING A GAME

• Press Start from the system selection screen.

• Open Game Collection Settings.

• Select Search.

• Enter part of the game’s name.

• Choose the result and press A.

The theme may also provide a Search button directly on the screen.

Some games use their American title instead of their European title.

FAVOURITES AND RECENTLY PLAYED

• Highlight a game and press Y once to add it to Favourites.

• Press Y again to remove it.

• Open the Favourites collection to see your saved favourites.

• Open Last Played or Recently Played to return quickly to games you have launched.

SAVING YOUR PROGRESS

NORMAL GAME SAVING

Use the game’s original save option whenever it has one. This is normally the safest method.

SAVE STATES

Many older systems can capture the game exactly where you are.

Common default shortcuts are:

• Hotkey plus Y saves a state.

• Hotkey plus X loads a state.

• Hotkey plus D-pad Up or Down changes the save-state slot.

Watch for the on-screen confirmation.

Shortcuts can differ between controllers and emulators.

Do not load a state unless you know one exists. Loading an older state can replace your current position.

Modern PC games normally use their own saving system.

WHAT THE MAIN MENU CONTAINS

GAMES SETTINGS

Controls how games look and run. Emulator, graphics, resolution and performance settings are already configured.

Changing these settings may stop games from working correctly.

GAME COLLECTION SETTINGS

Search for games, open automatic collections, view favourites and recently played games, or create a custom collection.

CONTROLLERS AND BLUETOOTH SETTINGS

Connect or configure controllers, change player order and pair Bluetooth devices.

Do not remap a controller that already works.

NETWORK SETTINGS

Enable Wi-Fi, select your network and enter its password.

An internet connection is not required for normal offline play.

SOUND SETTINGS

Change the volume, audio output, menu music and audio profile.

If sound is missing, check the television volume first. Then check that the correct HDMI or speaker output is selected.

USER INTERFACE SETTINGS

Change the theme, menu appearance, screensaver and on-screen help.

Different themes may arrange options differently.

SYSTEM SETTINGS

Contains language, display, storage and update options.

Do not change the storage, graphics, boot or update settings without advice.

INFORMATION

Shows the Batocera version, hardware information, network address and storage details.

These details are useful when requesting support.

OPTIONS FOR ONE GAME

• Highlight the game.

• Hold A until the game options appear. Alternatively, press the button shown for Options.

• Choose the required option.

The available options may include:

• Add or remove the game from Favourites.

• View or edit the game information.

• Change emulator, graphics or performance options.

• Delete the game.

WARNING

Do not select Delete unless you deliberately want to remove the game.

Do not change the emulator simply because a game takes a few seconds to load.

CONNECTING ANOTHER CONTROLLER

USB OR WIRELESS RECEIVER CONTROLLER

• Connect the controller or its USB receiver.

• Wait several seconds.

• Press a button.

• Batocera should recognise it automatically.

BLUETOOTH CONTROLLER

• Put the controller into pairing mode.

• Press Start in Batocera.

• Open Controllers and Bluetooth Settings.

• Select Pair a Bluetooth Device.

• Choose the controller.

• Wait for the connection to complete.

CONFIGURING A NEW CONTROLLER

Only do this if Batocera reports that the controller is not configured.

• Hold a button when prompted.

• Follow each on-screen instruction once.

• Map the buttons carefully.

• Hold any existing button to skip an input that your controller does not have.

• Assign the centre Guide or Home button as the Hotkey where possible.

• Complete the entire process before leaving the screen.

CONTROLLER ORDER FOR MULTIPLAYER

• Connect all controllers before launching the game.

• Press Start.

• Open Controllers and Bluetooth Settings.

• Open Player Assignment or the controller-order option.

• Assign the main controller as Player 1.

• Assign the second controller as Player 2.

• Start the game.

Not every game supports multiplayer, even when two controllers are connected.

SHUTTING DOWN SAFELY

• Exit the game first.

• Press Start from the Batocera screen.

• Select Quit.

• Select Shutdown System.

• Confirm the shutdown.

• Wait until the PC has completely turned off.

Do not switch off the plug, remove the power cable or hold the physical power button while Batocera is running.

Doing this can corrupt saved progress, settings or the storage drive.

IF A GAME FREEZES

• Wait for at least one minute.

• Try Hotkey plus Start once.

• If Batocera returns, use the normal restart or shutdown option.

• Use the physical power button only as a final resort if the entire system remains unresponsive.

One game failing does not mean that the PC or complete game library is faulty.

Different systems use different emulators, and occasional compatibility problems can occur.

SETTINGS YOU SHOULD NOT CHANGE

• Do not update or reinstall Batocera unless advised.

• Do not format, initialise or alter drive partitions.

• Do not delete game, BIOS, configuration or system folders.

• Do not change the default storage device.

• Do not change emulator settings at random.

• Do not repeatedly remap a working controller.

• Do not unplug storage drives while the PC is running.

• Do not force the PC off while it is loading or saving.

The machine was supplied configured and tested.

Problems caused by deleted files, formatting, unauthorised updates or altered configuration may require a paid repair or restoration.

BEFORE REQUESTING SUPPORT

• Exit the game and shut Batocera down properly.

• Check that the controller receiver and storage drives are firmly connected.

• Wait 20 seconds and restart the PC.

• Try another game on the same system.

• Try a game from a different system.

When contacting support, please provide:

• The exact game title.

• The console or system you were using.

• What you selected.

• What happened after you selected it.

• The complete message displayed on the screen.

• A clear photograph or short video of the problem.

A general description such as “nothing works” does not provide enough information to identify the problem.

Exact information allows us to help you more quickly.

FURTHER HELP

Please check this guide before changing advanced settings.

Controller shortcuts can vary between emulators, controllers and Batocera versions.

If you are unsure about something, contact ByteBack Gaming before making changes.

THREE RULES TO REMEMBER

• A selects and B goes back.

• Hotkey plus Start exits most games.

• Always shut down through Start, Quit and Shutdown System.