Apologies if this is the wrong community, happy to remove and post elsewhere.

I’m essentially a beginner to programming. I know some python (made a game of hangman with ASCII art for example) but nothing more complicated than that.

I’ve been wanting to learn some programming, whether it’s python or something else, and I think I’ve decided on a project I want to make (if possible?).

I aiming to make an emulation front end/GUI selector. I know there are things like RetroArch that are great, but it doesn’t have access to all emulation tools (e.g. doesn’t have Xbox/PS2/switch).

I’d picture just opening one program GUI that can select the “system” you want to use, then it provides a list of games.

The complexity that I can see is that even if I can run the actual emulator in a container or use a custom GUI to open the emulator it won’t 1) be able to show a games list within the same GUI and 2) it won’t be an easy back and forth to change emulators.

Not looking for anyone to solve the problem for me, just hoping for some advice on where to start like languages and what I should be trying to learn etc. or if it’s even possible. I’m aware there’s a high chance it’s not!

I’ve got years to learn and build before my kid might use it, not in a rush.

Thanks!

  • MalReynolds@slrpnk.netEnglish
    3·
    4 months ago

    RetroArch doesn’t have Xbox/PS2/switch

    No, but EmuDeck does, along with RetroArch… Best have a look before starting.

    More power to you if you want to strike out on your own, but you may find it quicker going to join a larger project at this stage, you’ll have people to ask questions to, if you choose well you’ll learn best (or good) practices, etc. Maybe EmuDeck itself? In the end the language doesn’t matter much (maybe avoid Perl, PHP and JavaScript at the start), once you get the concepts down it’s easy to switch to another. You’ve got time, take some to skill up.