How to Fix the GC IPL Error in Dolphin When Using RetroBat

Gaming, Retro, , , , , , , ,

If you’ve ever tried launching a GameCube game through Dolphin and been greeted with the dreaded “GC IPL file could not be found” error, you’re not alone. This issue can be frustrating, especially when everything else seems to be set up correctly. But don’t worry—there’s a simple fix, and we’ll walk you through it.

🧩 What Causes the GC IPL Error?

The error typically stems from a missing or incorrect BIOS file (also known as the IPL file) required for the GameCube boot animation. While the game itself may be perfectly fine, Dolphin attempts to load the BIOS sequence before launching the game—and if it can’t find the right file, it throws an error.

✅ Fixing the Error in Dolphin (Standalone)

If you’re running Dolphin directly (not through RetroBat), you can bypass the BIOS boot sequence entirely by tweaking a simple setting:

  1. Locate your dolphin.ini configuration file.
  2. Open it in a text editor.
  3. Find the line that says SkipIPL.
  4. Set it to True.

ini

[Core]
SkipIPL = True

This tells Dolphin to skip the BIOS animation and jump straight into the game—no IPL file needed.

🔄 Fixing the Error in Dolphin via RetroBat

If you’re using RetroBat as your frontend, the fix is slightly different. RetroBat tends to overwrite Dolphin’s configuration files each time you launch a game, so editing dolphin.ini manually won’t stick.

Instead, you need to configure RetroBat itself to skip the BIOS:

  1. Launch RetroBat and press Start to open the Main Menu.
  2. Navigate to: Game Settings > Per System Advanced Configuration
  3. Select the console you’re working with (e.g., GameCube).
  4. Go to: Emulation > Skip Bios
  5. Set it to Yes.

This ensures that RetroBat tells Dolphin to skip the IPL sequence every time, avoiding the error altogether.

🎮 Final Thoughts

The GC IPL error might seem like a showstopper, but it’s really just a BIOS boot hiccup. Whether you’re using Dolphin standalone or through RetroBat, skipping the IPL sequence is a quick and effective workaround. Now you can get back to what matters—playing your favorite GameCube classics without interruption.

Got other emulation quirks you’re trying to solve? Drop them in the comments or reach out—I’m always up for a good retro tech fix.

Comprehensive Guide to Helping an Ai Coding Agent Identify and Avoid Common Coding Bad Practices

Ai, Coding, Development, How To, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Introduction

In large projects, subtle anti-patterns can slip through reviews—like importing modules mid-file or conditionally. These non-standard import placements obscure dependencies, make static analysis unreliable, and lead to unpredictable runtime errors. This web article dives into that practice, outlines a broader set of coding bad practices, and even provides a ready-to-use AI coding agent prompt to catch every issue across your codebase.

What Is Non-Standard Import Placement?

Imports or require statements buried inside functions, conditional branches, or midway through a file violate expectations of where dependencies live. Best practices and most style guides mandate that:

  • All imports sit at the top of the file, immediately after any module docstring or comments.
  • Conditional or lazy loading only happens with clear justification and documentation.

When imports are scattered:

  1. Static analysis tools can’t reliably determine your project’s dependency graph.
  2. Developers hunting for missing or outdated modules lose time tracing hidden import logic.
  3. You risk circular dependencies, initialization bugs, or runtime surprises.

A Broader List of Coding Bad Practices

Below is a table of widespread anti-patterns—some classic hygiene issues and others that modern AI agents might inject or overlook:

Bad PracticeDescription
Spaghetti CodeCode with no clear structure making maintenance difficult.
Hardcoding ValuesEmbedding constants directly instead of using config or constants.
Magic Numbers/StringsUsing unexplained literals instead of named constants.
Global State AbuseOverusing global variables causing unpredictable side effects.
Poor Naming ConventionsUsing vague or misleading variable and function names.
Lack of ModularityWriting large monolithic blocks instead of reusable functions.
Copy-Paste ProgrammingDuplicating code rather than abstracting shared logic.
No Error HandlingIgnoring exceptions or failing to validate inputs.
OverengineeringAdding unnecessary complexity or abstraction.
Under-documentationFailing to comment or explain non-obvious logic.
Tight CouplingMaking modules overly dependent on each other.
Ignoring Style GuidesNot following language-specific conventions or style guides.
Dead CodeLeaving unused or unreachable code paths in the codebase.
Inconsistent FormattingMixing indentation styles or inconsistent code layout.
Not Using Version Control ProperlyCommitting broken code, poor commit messages, ignoring branching.
Non-standard Import PlacementPlacing imports mid-file or conditionally instead of at the top.
Missing Security ChecksOmitting authentication, authorization, or input sanitization.
Inefficient AlgorithmsUsing suboptimal logic that hurts performance.
Hallucinated DependenciesReferencing non-existent libraries or methods from AI suggestions.
Incomplete Code GenerationLeaving functions or loops unfinished due to AI cutoffs.
Prompt-biased SolutionsGenerating code that only fits the prompt and fails general cases.
Missing Corner CasesOverlooking edge cases and error conditions in logic.
Incorrect Error MessagesProviding vague or misleading error feedback to users.
Logging Sensitive DataWriting confidential information to logs without sanitization.
Violating SOLID PrinciplesBreaking single responsibility or open/closed design rules.
Race ConditionsFailing to handle concurrency leading to unpredictable bugs.

Crafting an AI Coding Agent Prompt

To ensure an AI auditor doesn’t skip files, ignore edge cases, or take shortcuts, use the following prompt. It instructs the agent to comprehensively scan every line, record each finding, and tally occurrences of every bad practice.

## Prompt

You are an expert AI code auditor. Your mission is to exhaustively scan every file and line of the codebase and uncover all instances of known bad practices. Do not skip or shortcut any part of the project, even if the code is large or complex. Report every finding with precise details and clear remediation guidance.

## Scope
- Analyze every source file, configuration, script, and module.
- Treat all code as in-scope; do not assume any file is irrelevant.

## Bad Practices to Detect
- Spaghetti Code
- Hardcoding Values
- Magic Numbers/Strings
- Global State Abuse
- Poor Naming Conventions
- Lack of Modularity
- Copy-Paste Programming
- No Error Handling
- Overengineering
- Under-documentation
- Tight Coupling
- Ignoring Style Guides
- Dead Code
- Inconsistent Formatting
- Improper Version Control Usage
- Non-standard Import Placement
- Missing Security Checks
- Inefficient Algorithms
- Hallucinated Dependencies
- Incomplete Code Generation
- Prompt-biased Solutions
- Missing Corner Cases
- Incorrect Error Messages
- Logging Sensitive Data
- Violating SOLID Principles
- Race Conditions

## Analysis Instructions
1. Traverse the entire directory tree and open every file.
2. Inspect every line—do not skip blank or comment lines.
3. Identify code snippets matching any bad practice.
4. For each instance, document:
   - File path
   - Line number(s)
   - Exact snippet
   - Bad practice name
   - Explanation of why it’s problematic
   - Suggested refactoring

5. Keep a running tally of occurrences per bad practice.

## Output Requirements
- Use Markdown with a section per file.
- Subheadings for each issue.
- End with a summary table listing each bad practice and its total count.
- If the repo is too large, process in ordered batches (e.g., by folder), confirming coverage before proceeding.
- Do not conclude until every file has been reviewed.

Begin the full project audit now, acknowledging you will not take shortcuts.

Next Steps

  • Integrate this prompt into your AI workflow or CI pipeline.
  • Pair it with linters and static analyzers (ESLint, Flake8, Prettier) for automated, real-time checks.
  • Enforce code review policies that catch both human and AI-introduced anti-patterns.

By combining clear style guidelines, automated linting, and an uncompromising AI audit prompt, you’ll dramatically improve code quality, maintainability, and security—project-wide.

Fixing Emulators in RetroBat: Quick Install Guide

Gaming, Retro, , , , , , , ,

Sometimes, quite often actually 🙄, things get corrupted in RetroBat. I’m not knocking it, it’s an absolutelly fantastic emulation frontend and thinkering is just part of the retro games emulation experience. But, yeah, with thinkering. unfortunately things get broke. This includes the emulators themselves.

A quick and dirty way of performing a fresh install of an emulator in RetroBat is to simply delete the specific emulator folder. For example to remove Duckstation, navigate to RetroBat\emulators and then delete Duckstation. To reinstall it then simply open RetroBat enter RETROBAT emulator list and then reinstall.

Side Note:

Instead of Duckstation you can also use Swanstation in Retroarch.

A description of the two is below:

🦆 DuckStation

  • Type: Standalone emulator
  • Focus: High compatibility, speed, and long-term maintainability
  • Platform: Available on Windows, Linux, Android, and macOS
  • Features:
    • Modern UI
    • Save states, widescreen hacks, texture filtering
    • Supports achievements (RetroAchievements)
  • Development: Actively maintained by its original developer
  • Best For: Users who want a full-featured, standalone PS1 emulator with a modern interface

🦢 SwanStation

  • Type: Libretro core (used within RetroArch)
  • Origin: Fork of DuckStation, created due to licensing and distribution disagreements
  • Focus: Same as DuckStation—playability and performance—but within the RetroArch ecosystem
  • Features:
    • Nearly identical emulation to DuckStation
    • Integrated into RetroArch’s unified interface
  • Limitations:
    • May lag behind DuckStation in updates
    • Slightly less customizable outside of RetroArch
  • Best For: Users who prefer RetroArch’s all-in-one emulator interface

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review: A Nostalgic Adventure

Gaming, ,

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle aims to capture the essence of the legendary archaeologist’s adventures, but for fans of the character, it may feel too familiar. While the game succeeds in making its characters feel at home in a navigable Indiana Jones universe, it falls short in providing a consistently engaging gaming experience. In a nutshell, it’s a better movie than game and would have benefited from there being less of it. Still a big recommendation for fans of the franchise.

Exceptional Voice Acting: A Cast That Breathes Life into Adventure

One of the strongest aspects of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is undoubtedly its voice acting. Troy Baker’s portrayal of Indiana Jones is nothing short of exceptional, a masterful embodiment of the character’s rugged charm, quick wit, and underlying vulnerability. He doesn’t just mimic Harrison Ford; he captures the spirit of Indy, delivering lines with a perfect blend of confidence and world-weariness. Baker’s performance is a key factor in making this game feel like a genuine extension of the Indiana Jones universe.

Beyond Indy, the supporting cast shines as well. Alessandra Mastronardi brings a spirited and independent energy to Gina, reminiscent of Marion Ravenwood, while also imbuing the character with a unique sense of determination and resilience making her a compelling partner for Indy.

Marios Gavrilis delivers a chilling and understated performance as the antagonist, Voss. He avoids cartoonish villainy, instead portraying Voss as a cold, calculating, and genuinely menacing presence. Gavrilis’s subtle vocal inflections and measured delivery create an atmosphere of unease, making Voss a truly memorable and unsettling adversary.

Enrico Colantoni brings warmth and depth to the role of Father Antonio Morelli. Colantoni’s nuanced performance creates a believable and touching mentor-mentee relationship but leaves the audience in a constant state of distrust as to what role he truly plays in the globetrotting adventure.

However, the inclusion of Tony Todd as the character Locus raises questions. While Todd’s distinctive and commanding voice is undeniably captivating, the character feels somewhat extraneous to the core narrative after awhile. Locus’s presence often seems more like a calculated move to include a recognizable actor than a genuinely integrated element that enhances the story. The character’s motivations and contributions sometimes feel vague and underdeveloped, leaving the impression that Locus exists primarily to capitalize on Tony Todd’s star power rather than serve a truly vital narrative purpose. So I can’t help feeling like the character of Locus let Tony Todd down but he, as all great actors do, elevated the character as much as he could.

While the characters themselves might tread familiar archetypes, the quality of the voice acting elevates them beyond simple imitations. This talented cast brings nuance and personality to each role, making them engaging and memorable additions to the Indiana Jones lore. The voice performances alone provide a compelling reason for fans to immerse themselves in this adventure.

The Padded Narrative

One of the most striking issues with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is its reliance on padding, creating a sense that the game could have been a much tighter and more compelling experience. Certain environments within the game feel underutilized. You might enter a seemingly significant area, perhaps a grand library with tantalizing clues scattered about, but the interaction ends up being minimal, leaving you feeling like a potentially rich puzzle or investigative sequence was cut short. You can almost see where more engaging content was intended, marked by detailed set dressing that never quite serves its intended purpose.

Furthermore, the game often seems aware of its own padding. In a later level, Indy and Gina are forced to spend an inordinate amount of time traveling up and down a river system in a long-tail boat. Indy expresses his jaded frustration with the situation in a conversation with Gina, almost as if directly acknowledging the player’s own boredom, suggesting that they’ll be stuck on this boat “for a while,” with Indy himself even commenting that Gina might as well get used to it. It’s a moment that, while humorous, underscores a core problem: too much time spent traveling with no substantial engagement. These long stretches of boat travel become tedious, lacking in environmental distractions or events to break up the monotony.

Collectathon, Gameplay Mechanics and Story Execution

There seemed to be some debate online as to how to define Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. I would suggest it borrows elements from the likes of Medal of Honor: Frontline and Half-Life 2. Medal of Honor offered a tight, focused, linear first-person shooter experience. Half-Life 2, on the other hand, captivated players with its compelling narrative, innovative physics engine, and challenging environments.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle attempts to strike a balance somewhere between the two, but the results are mixed.

The game’s reliance on collecting artifacts and items can lead to a frustrating experience, especially when tasks feel more like a chore than a rewarding adventure. This collectathon nature may not appeal to fans who prefer the streamlined, objective-driven gameplay of other action-adventure games. The inclusion of out-of-place gameplay elements disrupts immersion and makes fans of the iconic archaeologist question the game’s authenticity. This problem is compounded by there isn’t a real distinction made to the player between core elements of the story, side missions and mindless collecting. The game massively succeeds in getting the player to want to experience more of Indy’s world. But will taking pictures of cats unlock a new exciting mystery or did I just waste an hour of my life looking for cats to take pictures of. Hint, it’s the latter. The introduction of gameplay elements that don’t fit Indy’s character is a major issue. The game’s world, while visually stunning, often lacks the depth and interactivity that would make exploration, you know Indy’s whole thing, feel meaningful.

Conclusion

While Indiana Jones and the Great Circle effectively captures the essence of its titular hero, it falls short in providing a balanced experience. The game’s faithful representation of characters is overshadowed by frustrating gameplay mechanics and a narrative that overstays its welcome. Fans of classic Indiana Jones adventures will find enjoyment in the nostalgia, but this game doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessors.

Suggestions for Improvement:

  1. Tighten the narrative: Focus on essential locations and plot points to create a more engaging storyline.
  2. Revise gameplay mechanics: Remove out-of-place elements and incorporate more immersive experiences.
  3. Enhance player interaction: Encourage players to explore and engage with the environment rather than simply collecting items.
  4. Develop more original characters: Move away from iconic archetypes and create unique characters that feel authentic to the Indiana Jones universe.

By addressing these areas, a potential sequel or follow-up could refine the experience, delivering a game that truly captures the spirit of Indiana Jones and provides an adventure worthy of the legendary archaeologist.

How to fix a noisy GPU fan

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If you have an old GPU and you have noticed it is creating more noise now than when it was first installed, it may be because the bearing is no longer sufficiently lubricated.

A new fan off EBay, or new to you, might not be a sound investment. This is true assuming you can even find a replacement. Luckily most GPU fans can be serviced.

To Lubricate the Fan Bearing:

Remove the GPU from your computer.

Spin the fan manually. If it is not mostly silent, then there is a problem with the bearing. More than likely, there is just insufficient lubricant.

Carefully peel back the sticker on the top of the fan to expose the bearing. If access to the bearing is not provided on the top of the fan, then remove the fan from the GPU housing. Peel back the sticker on the back of the fan. If you see a yellowish mark on the inside of the sticker where the bearing is, this confirms the lubricant has leaked somewhat. If access to the bearing is not provided at the bottom of the fan either then very carefully try to remove the blade.

Once the bearing is exposed apply a small drop of light machine oil or sewing machine oil to the bearing. Singer oil is a good choice.

Rotate the fan manually to work the oil into the bearing.

Replace the sticker or use a small piece of tape to cover the bearing.

Before reinstalling the GPU, you might consider also applying fresh thermal paste to the GPU processor. This will help keep temperatures down, giving the fan less work to do.

How to fix no audio issues with RetroArch on Windows 10 or 11

Gaming, How To, Retro, , , , , ,

To troubleshoot a sound issue with RetroArch, follow these steps:

  1. Check that DirectX 9 is installed on the PC. DirectX 9 is not part of Windows 11 by default and if you are running retroarch via an external drive, i.e. usb key, on a new machine it may not have the necessary runtime installed. It can be downloaded here: LINK Note: when the installer is run it will ask what folder to use. This folder is just a temp folder, essentially it is asking where the contents should be extracted. Once the process is finised navigate to the folder you chose and run the DXSETUP.exe file. Once this file has run you can delete the temp folder.
  2. Check if the RetroArch program is muted by pressing random keys on your computer. If it’s muted, go to Settings > Audio and turn off Mute.
  3. If the sound issue persists, try setting the default audio driver to Wasapi and unchecking WASAPI Exclusive Mode and WASAPI Float Format.
  4. If the volume mixer is the culprit, check if it’s listed on the volume mixer and check if RetroArch was set to low volume or muted. If it’s not listed, try downloading a new copy of RetroArch from their website and extracting it into a new directory.
  5. Restart after trying the solutions above.

Organizing ROM Files: How to Safely Move and Sort by Region

Batch Script, Gaming, Retro, , , , , , ,

Typically there is a pattern to rom file names indicating what region the files belong to. For example it might explicitly state “(USA)” in the file name. However this alone cannot be taken as confirmation that “USA” means the game is from the USA region, USA could simply be part of the game title, e.g. “Daytona USA” etc. Japanese roms often end with the letter “j” but again this could just be part of the name of the game.

So how can one go about cleaning a rom folder without destroying these roms in the process?

You can still use these string elements to move files from one folder to another. The code below will not delete the files it will just move them en masse. If you have found a game was wrongly moved you can always return it.

Note: Always backup files and folders before you manipulate them programmatically.

The code below will need to be updated to reference your specific rom folder and where you want the files to move as well as the character string you are targeting i.e. *j.zip 

@echo off

REM Examples file types:
REM Move Japanese files target is *j.zip
REM Move USA files target is *u.zip
REM Move USA files target is *(USA).zip
set target="*j.zip"

set source_folder="C:\roms\"
set destination_folder="C:\roms\_j_roms"

if not exist %destination_folder% (
    md %destination_folder%
)

move %source_folder%%target% %destination_folder%

echo Files with the extension %target% have been moved to %destination_folder%

How to Secure Your Azure SQL Database

Azure, Data, Database Administrator, SQL Server, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
  1. Authentication and Authorization:
    • Use Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) authentication for better security.
    • Implement firewall rules to control access to your database.
    • Assign minimal permissions to users based on their roles (principle of least privilege).
  2. Encryption:
    • Enable Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) to protect data at rest.
    • Use Always Encrypted to secure sensitive data in transit.
    • Consider client-side encryption for additional protection.
  3. Auditing and Monitoring:
    • Enable Azure SQL Auditing to track database activity.
    • Set up Azure Monitor to receive alerts and insights.
    • Regularly review logs and audit trails.
  4. Network Security:
    • Isolate your database using Virtual Network Service Endpoints.
    • Restrict public access and use private endpoints.
  5. Patch Management:
    • Keep your database engine up to date with the latest security patches.
    • Regularly review vulnerability assessments.
  6. Backup and Recovery:
    • Implement automated backups and test recovery procedures (remember a backup is only theoretically there unless it has been tested and proven to work).
    • Store backups conforming to the 3-2-1 Backup Rule explained below (do not assume your backups are safe just because they are in the cloud).

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule: Ensuring Data Resilience

The 3-2-1 Rule is a robust strategy that emphasizes redundancy, resilience, and data availability. Here’s what it entails:

  1. Three Copies of Your Data:
    • Maintain the original data and create at least two additional copies.
  2. Two Different Types of Media for Storage:
    • Store your data on distinct forms of media (e.g., hard drives, tapes) to enhance redundancy.
  3. At Least One Copy Off-Site:
    • Safeguard one backup copy in an off-site location, separate from your primary data and on-site backups.

By adhering to this rule, you mitigate single points of failure, protect against corruption, and ensure data safety even in unexpected events or disasters

How to get PICO-8 games to run on Retroid Pocket using Retroarch

Android, Gaming, Retro, Retroid Pocket, , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the best ways to play PICO-8 games on a Retroid Pocket is via the Retroarch core retro8.

However you may run into the problem of only PICO-8 cart images being displayed rather than Retroarch launching the actual game.

You can solve this problem by doing the following:

Retroarch Settings > User Interface > File Browser > Use Built-In Image Viewer and set it on “No”. This way the image viewer will not get in the way, misinterpreting a PICO-8 cart as just a png file.

Happy Gaming!

How to add Android as a separate platform in Daijisho

Android, Gaming, Retro, , , , , , , , , ,

Copy the text below and save it as Android.json

{
    "databaseVersion": 8,
    "platform": {
        "name": "Android",
        "uniqueId": "android",
        "shortname": "android",
        "description": null,
        "acceptedFilenameRegex": "^.*$",
        "scraperSourceList": [
            "RAW:Android"
        ],
        "boxArtAspectRatioId": 0,
        "useCustomBoxArtAspectRatio": false,
        "customBoxArtAspectRatio": null,
        "screenAspectRatioId": 0,
        "useCustomScreenAspectRatio": false,
        "customScreenAspectRatio": null,
        "retroAchievementsAlias": null,
        "extra": ""
    },
    "playerList": [
        {
            "name": "android - activity component player",
            "description": "Android activity component player",
            "acceptedFilenameRegex": "^$",
            "amStartArguments": "-n {android.activity}\n",
            "killPackageProcesses": false,
            "killPackageProcessesWarning": true,
            "extra": ""
        }
    ]
}

Open Daijishou > Settings > (Under All settings) Library > Import Platform > Select the Android.json file.

Now go to the Android Platform > Path > Sync

Note: It is not an official platform and you can flag whether an app is a game or not if you go to daijisho apps section and then long press on an app and mark it as a game/not a game. It will show up in this android platform after syncing. By default the emulators themselves will likely be wrongly flagged as games.