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Riivolution Mods
Riivolution is an on-the-fly game patching method for use with retail discs. As of Dolphin 5.0-15407, the emulator now has an HLE implementation of Riivolution that supports most mods. Unlike Riivolution on Wii, Dolphin's HLE Riivolution will work for GameCube games as well.
Usage
Riivolution can be used for all kinds of game mods within the context of the GameCube/Wii's limitations -- from minor fixes, to fan-translations, custom levels, and even total conversion mods. It does so by virtually modifying and/or replacing files on the game disc, which has the advantage of working on real hardware, but the drawback of being limited by the emulated system. For example, Riivolution is not able to increase texture resolution past an actual Wii's limit, so HD texture mods should use Dolphin's Custom Texture features instead.
For creation of a Riivolution mod, please refer to official documentation. This guide will focus on the installation and use of Riivolution Mods.
Setting Up a Riivolution Mod in Dolphin
Riivolution mods only take a few steps to setup in Dolphin.
- Download the Riivolution Mod to the device of your choice.
- Locate your currently configured Dolphin "Load" path and navigate into the "Riivolution" folder. You may need to create this folder if it does not exist.
- Extract the Riivolution Mod according to the mod's instructions. If the mod refers to the SD card or SD root, use the "Load/Riivolution" folder instead.
- Load up Dolphin 5.0-15407 or newer. Because additional support and fixes were added after the initial release, we highly recommend using the latest available builds for Riivolution.
- Ensure that the base game for the Riivolution Mod is present in your gamelist.
- Right-click the game in the gamelist and select "Start with Riivolution Patches...".
- Select the mod(s) that you wish to load. The available options are provided by the mod itself, so refer to the mod's instructions if the options are unclear.
- If you wish to have this mod configuration directly in your gamelist for quick access, select "Save as Preset...".
- Hit "Start".
Assuming you did everything correctly, the mod will now load up!
Setting up a Riivolution Mod on Dolphin Android with SAF Enabled
Due to restrictions with Android's Storage Access Framework, unfortunately most applications will not be able to access the "Load" directory for Riivolution mods. On most devices, you can connect your Phone/Tablet to a Desktop Computer and use it to copy things into App Specific directories.
The Load Path can be found under Options => Configuration => Paths for Android. The steps are identical otherwise with a Long Press replacing the Right Click.
Troubleshooting
My Riivolution Mod Won't Start!
Some Riivolution Mods specifically designed for Dolphin may take advantage of some of Dolphin's ability to extend the base hardware. They may need "Emulated Clock" or "Emulated RAM" modifications. Please refer to your the mod's instructions to make sure that you've configured Dolphin correctly. Do not change these settings unless the mod instructions specifically say to do so!
My Riivolution Mod Won't Show up!
Please make sure the load path is setup correctly. Some of the folder structure might seem a bit weird. Your "Load/Riivolution" folder will end up with a "riivolution" folder inside of it and that is completely normal.
Sometimes My Riivolution Mod Stutters While Loading Files
Due to limitations with how Dolphin detects what files are patched and not, Dolphin currently enabled "Speed Up Disc Transfer Rate" when a Riivolution Mod is used. This means if the game is loading a lot of files, they may load too fast and put extra strain on your device or cause other minor issues.