RAOfflineProxy

Emulator Config Patching (Android) ​

Overview ​

RAOfflineProxy patches the supported emulator config so RetroAchievements traffic is redirected to the local proxy.

RetroArch stores its configuration in a file called retroarch.cfg. To redirect achievement traffic to the local proxy, RAOfflineProxy changes two settings in this file and imports your saved RetroAchievements login:

  • The custom achievement server is pointed at the proxy on your device
  • Hardcore mode is disabled
  • The saved cheevos_username and cheevos_token are imported into RAOfflineProxy's local credential cache when present
  • If no token is present, cheevos_username and cheevos_password are used once to retrieve a token through RA's login endpoint

RetroArch, Dolphin, PPSSPP, and ARMSX2 are patched and reverted independently depending on which emulator toggles are enabled in the app.

Patching and reverting happen automatically when you start and stop the proxy: there is no separate setup step. For the patched settings to be picked up reliably, fully close the emulator before starting or stopping the proxy, then relaunch it afterward.

Automatic Patching (Start Proxy) ​

When you press Start proxy in the action bar, the app imports credentials from each enabled supported emulator, patches the emulator config, then starts the proxy service. Do this only while the emulator is fully closed.

For RetroArch, the app patches retroarch.cfg.

  • It looks for the RetroArch config in common Android RetroArch paths
  • If you have previously granted folder access, it uses the saved permission to patch the file directly
  • If the file is directly writable, it patches it in place
  • On Android 12 and below, if folder access is needed, the app can prompt you to grant access to the RetroArch folder that contains retroarch.cfg
  • Before patching, it creates a one-time sibling backup named retroarch.raofflineproxy.cfg if that backup does not already exist

Automatic Reverting (Stop Proxy) ​

When you press Stop proxy, the app reverts any enabled emulator configs that were patched when the proxy started. Do this only while the emulator is fully closed, then relaunch it after the revert finishes.

The app reverts retroarch.cfg to clear the custom server setting so RetroArch connects directly to RetroAchievements again.

If hardcore mode was enabled before you started the proxy, it is automatically restored when you stop the proxy. The app records the original hardcore setting when patching and saves it so it survives process restarts.

Why Hardcore Mode is Disabled ​

The patcher disables hardcore mode because hardcore mode is not supported by RAOfflineProxy. Any hardcore award request is rejected by the proxy. Keeping hardcore enabled in a supported emulator while using the proxy would result in silent unlock failures.

When you stop the proxy, hardcore mode is restored to its original state: if you had it enabled before, it will be re-enabled automatically.