RomPQuestions and answers
Short answers about RomP. If yours isn't here, ask in RomP's issues on GitHub.
What is RomP?
RomP is a free, open source desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux that plays the games in your RomM library. You choose a game and press Play; RomP downloads the game and the right emulator, and syncs your saves with RomM.
What is RomM?
RomM is a self-hosted server for your own game collection. It organises your games with covers and details, and stores saves. RomP is a client for it: it needs a RomM server, version 5.0 or newer.
Is RomP free?
Yes, and it always will be. There are no paid features, subscriptions, ads, tracking or accounts of its own. RomP is licensed under the GPL, version 3 or later.
Does RomP include games or BIOS files?
No. You need your own games and BIOS files on your RomM server. RomP takes BIOS files from your server's firmware.
Which systems does RomP play?
More than 50, from the Atari 2600 to the PlayStation 3 and original Xbox, plus arcade games and home computers such as the Amiga, Commodore 64 and DOS. See supported systems.
Do I need to install or set up emulators?
No. RomP downloads the emulator for a system the first time you play one of its games. Most are libretro cores; Xbox games use xemu and PS3 games use RPCS3.
Does RomP sync my saves?
Yes. In-game saves and save states sync with RomM before and after you play. If a save changed on two devices, RomP asks which to keep and backs up the other. See save sync.
Can I play offline?
Yes. Games you've downloaded play without the server, and saves made offline sync the next time RomP reaches RomM.
Does RomP support RetroAchievements?
Yes. Sign in with your RetroAchievements account to earn achievements as you play, with popups, leaderboards, and a list on each game's page. Hardcore mode comes once RetroAchievements approves RomP, which it considers after an emulator has been public for six months; until then, unlocks count as casual.
Does it work with a controller?
Yes. Gamepads are picked up automatically and join as the next player, any key or button can be remapped, and the whole app can be used with a controller. Light guns, mice and keyboards work for the systems that use them.
How is RomP different from RetroArch?
RetroArch is a general emulator front end that you set up yourself. RomP uses many of the same libretro cores, but is built around a RomM library: it shows your server's games, downloads what you play, picks and sets up the emulator, and syncs your saves with RomM.
How does RomP compare with OpenEmu?
OpenEmu is a Mac app that brought an “it just works” approach to emulation: you drag your games in, it organises them, and you plug in a controller and play. RomP is inspired by that approach. The differences are that RomP runs on Windows and Linux as well as macOS, and that your games come from your RomM server instead of a library on one computer, so saves and save states follow you between computers through RomM.
Is RomP safe to run with games and emulators from the internet?
Each game runs in its own sandboxed process that can only write to that game's saves and its own temporary files, so a buggy or malicious emulator or ROM can't touch your other files or take RomP down with it. xemu and RPCS3 run outside the sandbox.
Can I send a game from RomM to RomP?
Yes, with RomM 5.4. Choose Install on device in RomM and pick RomP; the game starts downloading straight away, or the next time RomP is open.
Does RomP send any data about me?
No. RomP has no servers of its own and no analytics. It talks only to your RomM server, RetroAchievements if you sign in, and the places it downloads emulators and updates from. Its privacy policy lists everything.
Which languages is RomP in?
English, with French, Spanish, German and Arabic being translated by the people who use it, on Crowdin. To help with one of these, open the RomP project on Crowdin, choose the language and translate or vote on suggestions; a free Crowdin account is enough, and no programming is needed. To add a new language, open an issue on GitHub asking for it, and it will be added to Crowdin for you to translate.
Is there a version for phones or the web?
Not for now: RomP is a desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux. A full-screen TV mode is planned, for a computer under the TV that you use with only a controller, which also suits any computer set aside just for games. On Android, Argosy is RomM's own app, and RomM has a web player built in.