Well now, let me tell you ’bout how you can turn your ol’ computer into a real retro gaming machine using this thing called Batocera. It’s free and open-source, so you ain’t gotta spend no money for it. All you need is a USB stick or SD card, and you can get started with it. This ain’t no fancy setup, just follow the steps and you’ll be good to go, just like turning a tractor into a plow for the first time.
First thing, you gotta make sure your USB stick or SD card’s got enough space for that Batocera image. You don’t want it all filled up with stuff you don’t need. Once you’ve got the image, plug it in and make sure you’re connected to the internet. It’s real important, see, ’cause you might need to download some updates and things. Batocera is like the magic for your computer, and you want it to work right.
Now, once you’ve got everything ready, boot up your computer with Batocera. When it’s up and running, press that [START] button, and it’ll bring up the MAIN MENU. From there, you gotta go to SYSTEM SETTINGS. Don’t worry, it’s just like choosing a setting on the old stove when you want the fire just right. Then you’ll find the option to INSTALL BATOCERA ON A NEW DISK. Pick where you wanna install Batocera, whether it’s your USB stick or your SD card. It’ll work just fine either way.
But that ain’t all. If you want to use Batocera on a virtual machine, you gotta do a bit more work. It’s just like when you’re planting seeds in rows: a little effort now saves you a lot later. You’ll need to create a VM using Qemu. This means setting up your Batocera image as the drive. You’ll choose the option for “Import an existing disk image.” Then, you just hit “Browse” and look for your Batocera image file that you downloaded earlier. It’s just like picking apples from a tree; you find the right one and you’re set.
Now, don’t forget, Batocera’s not just any ol’ operating system. It’s made for gaming. Retro gaming, to be exact. It’s designed to take old-school games and let you play them on modern equipment, just like those old-timey games you might remember playing in the town hall or in front of your house with your grandkids. All them games you loved back in the day, you can play ’em again with Batocera. It’s real handy, and you don’t have to pay a penny for it. Ain’t that something!
Once you’ve got Batocera running, you might want to mess with the settings a bit. Maybe you want to change up the games that show up in the menu or even add new ones. Well, all you gotta do is put the games in the right folder. It’s just like sorting beans. Make sure you put your games in the “roms” folder, and the system’ll know where to find ‘em. Simple as that!
There’s also something called “images” in Batocera. If you want to show videos or pictures, you gotta have an “images” folder too. It’s just like when you’re baking a pie—you need all the right ingredients in the right spots. If you set it up right, Batocera will show all the pictures and videos you want when you’re scrolling through the games. It makes things look real nice and organized, like your laundry hanging up nice and neat on a line.
Another thing you might run into is the IMG files. If you ever have to convert an IMG file to a different format, like VDI for use in a virtual machine, don’t get worried. It’s just like when you need to move a pile of dirt from one place to another. You just gotta make sure the partitions are handled right. The reason you use IMG files instead of ISO is because the IMG files have more partitions in them, and that’s what helps keep everything neat and tidy when it’s installed. It’s like keeping your tools organized in the shed, so you don’t have to search for the hammer every time you need it.
So there you have it, folks. Batocera is a mighty fine way to turn an old computer into a retro gaming machine, and it’s free, just like a good neighbor who lends you sugar. It don’t matter if you got a new computer or one from the past. As long as you’ve got the right setup and follow the steps, you can enjoy all those old games again, just like the good ol’ days.
Get yourself a USB stick or SD card, download the Batocera image, and follow them steps I told ya. Soon enough, you’ll be playing games just like you used to, but now you don’t have to worry ’bout no old machines breakin’ down. Batocera’s here to make it all easy for ya, and you don’t need no fancy know-how. Just follow the steps, and you’ll be gaming away in no time!
Tags：[Batocera, retro gaming, gaming system, IMG to VDI, Qemu, virtual machine, installation guide, retro games, free gaming system]
