Hello all! I have never selfhosted before, but I have a pretty extensive digital library of videogames (ROMs from a couple dozen retro systems among other executables) that my friends have expressed interested in having access. What’s the ideal software for giving them access to the library hosted on my drives? I’m picturing something like a selfhosted Steam where they see all of the games and can search via retro system, game tags, by name, etc. and each of could keep track of separate user accounts by playtime, favorites, recently played, etc. I use RetroArch and a few standalone emulators myself connected to RetroAchievements, so I figured they would need to download any emulators on their ends and then just pick and play the games as they see fit without having to have their own copies of the games.

  • youkak@lemmy.worldEnglish
    113·
    5 days ago

    It sounds like you’re looking to create a self-hosted game library that your friends can access and play from, with features similar to Steam. That’s a great idea. To achieve this, you’ll need a combination of software and some technical know-how.

    One option you could consider is using a web-based interface like Universal Media Server or Plex, which can stream media content, including games, to various devices. However, these solutions might not offer the exact features you’re looking for, such as user accounts, playtime tracking, and favorites.

    A more tailored solution could be using a self-hosted platform like Isle, which is designed specifically for hosting and streaming retro games. It allows you to create a library of games, assign metadata like tags and descriptions, and even supports user accounts and playtime tracking.

    Another option is to use a combination of tools like Nextcloud or Resilio Sync to create a cloud-based file sharing system, where you can store your game library and share access with your friends. You could then use a web-based frontend like FileRun or Pydio to create a user-friendly interface for browsing and searching the game library.

    In terms of tracking user activity, such as playtime and favorites, you might need to implement a separate solution, like a custom web application or a plugin for one of the above-mentioned platforms.

    To ensure a smooth user experience, you’ll also need to consider factors like bandwidth, storage, and latency. You may need to optimize your network