01-03-2022, 03:28 AM
I had some trouble to find all the pieces of information which makes it possible to play Mario Kart on one computer with 4 Dolphin Instances (8 controllers) on e.g. a projector (so it makes sense).
So I wrote the following guide which may be usefull for one or the other:
Step by step Guide
Written: 02.01.2022
Use newer versions of mentioned software if available.
Tested with the following system:
MS Windows 10 Home, Version 10.0.19044
Asus Notebook: G752VY
Intel i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2,6GHz
Geforce GTX 980M
1. Download and unzip a current version of the dolphin emulator https://dolphin-emu.org/download/ (e.g. dolphin-master-5.0-15445-x64.zip).
2. To run the dolphin emulator download and install the latest version of Visual Studio https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe (e.g. VC_redist.x64.exe)
3. Setup first instances of the dolphin emulator
A file: portable.txt needs to be created manually with an editor and placed next to the dolphin exe. It is an empty .txt file. Once it is in the same folder as the Dolphin.exe and the Dolphin.exe is executed the “User” folder will be generated. All Configurations regarding this Dolphin instance (including savegames) will be stored here. Without a portable.txt the dolphin emulator uses C:\Users\[USER]\Documents\Dolphin Emulator to store user data.
Execute first dolphin setup/instance and configure graphics, controller profiles and settings, path and the broadband adapter.
Relevant for controller input:
To be able to use different controllers with different dolphin instances in parallel, so that not only the currently active window accepts a controller input, the following setting must be set.
Background Input checkbox in Controller Settings.
Relevant fpor LAN connection:
Settings -> GameCube -> SP1
broadband adapter → unique MAC address e.g. 00:00:00:00:00:01
4. setup 3 more instances of the dolphin emulator
Copy the folder of the first dolphin setup (e.g. 3 times):
Now there are e.g. 4 dolphin instances with identical settings for graphics, controller profiles, path and the broadband adapter.
Only the MAC address has to be changed for each instance. It must be unique! Set up MAC addresses
00:00:00:00:00:01
00:00:00:00:00:02
00:00:00:00:00:03
00:00:00:00:00:04
One for each dolphin instance.
5. setup virtual LAN Ports to allow the dolphin instances to connect via LAN
https://wiki.dolphin-emu.org/index.php?t...nd_Adapter
Install: openvpn-install-2.4.8-I602-Win10 from
https://openvpn.net/community-downloads/
Only the component TAP Virtual Ethernet Adapter needs to be installed.
Type “network connections” in the windows start bar and look at the current existing network connections. There should be a TAP-Windows-Adapter V9.
Now type “tap” in windows start there should be the option “Add a new TAP virtual ethernet adapter”
Execute “Add a new TAP virtual ethernet adapter” 3 times until you got 4 TAP-Windows-Adapter V9 connections (each time CMD opens).
Now there should be 4 TAP LAN connections (in windows settings -> Network connections).
Mark all 4 connections (strg + left click) and select “Bridge connections”
There might occur an error message but in the end there should be a network bridge displayed.
Right click on the network bridge and select properties. Make sure all LAN connections are ticket inside “Adapter”.
6. configure controllers
Configure at least one controller per dolphin instances.
XInput only supports at most 4 controllers. Microsoft offers a dongle which supports up to 8 controllers: https://www.xbox.com/en-US/accessories/a...er-windows
Use DInput type Controllers instead e.g Playstation Controller to connect more than 4 controllers in parallel.
I had some trouble to connect DS4 controllers via bluetooth. Connecting Xbox or PS Controlelrs via usb-cable worked just fine for me.
7. Start the game
Start Mario Kart on each dolphin instance and select LAN play.
Select LAN play on each instance. After some time a countdown starts on each dolphin instance.
When you have a look at the network connections you can see that there is no red x anymore for the LAN connections.
All 4 instances should connect successfully. On each dolphin/Mario Kart instance it should be shown that 4 systems were found for LAN play.
If problems occur when trying to find the GameCube systems via LAN try to connect only 2 LAN adapters via bridge and test if that works. If it works, add another TAP adapter to the existing bridge and try again with 3. And so on.
That should be all to play Mario Kart with at least 8 Players on one computer using the dolphin emulator.
So I wrote the following guide which may be usefull for one or the other:
Step by step Guide
Written: 02.01.2022
Use newer versions of mentioned software if available.
Tested with the following system:
MS Windows 10 Home, Version 10.0.19044
Asus Notebook: G752VY
Intel i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2,6GHz
Geforce GTX 980M
1. Download and unzip a current version of the dolphin emulator https://dolphin-emu.org/download/ (e.g. dolphin-master-5.0-15445-x64.zip).
2. To run the dolphin emulator download and install the latest version of Visual Studio https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe (e.g. VC_redist.x64.exe)
3. Setup first instances of the dolphin emulator
A file: portable.txt needs to be created manually with an editor and placed next to the dolphin exe. It is an empty .txt file. Once it is in the same folder as the Dolphin.exe and the Dolphin.exe is executed the “User” folder will be generated. All Configurations regarding this Dolphin instance (including savegames) will be stored here. Without a portable.txt the dolphin emulator uses C:\Users\[USER]\Documents\Dolphin Emulator to store user data.
Execute first dolphin setup/instance and configure graphics, controller profiles and settings, path and the broadband adapter.
Relevant for controller input:
To be able to use different controllers with different dolphin instances in parallel, so that not only the currently active window accepts a controller input, the following setting must be set.
Background Input checkbox in Controller Settings.
Relevant fpor LAN connection:
Settings -> GameCube -> SP1
broadband adapter → unique MAC address e.g. 00:00:00:00:00:01
4. setup 3 more instances of the dolphin emulator
Copy the folder of the first dolphin setup (e.g. 3 times):
Now there are e.g. 4 dolphin instances with identical settings for graphics, controller profiles, path and the broadband adapter.
Only the MAC address has to be changed for each instance. It must be unique! Set up MAC addresses
00:00:00:00:00:01
00:00:00:00:00:02
00:00:00:00:00:03
00:00:00:00:00:04
One for each dolphin instance.
5. setup virtual LAN Ports to allow the dolphin instances to connect via LAN
https://wiki.dolphin-emu.org/index.php?t...nd_Adapter
Install: openvpn-install-2.4.8-I602-Win10 from
https://openvpn.net/community-downloads/
Only the component TAP Virtual Ethernet Adapter needs to be installed.
Type “network connections” in the windows start bar and look at the current existing network connections. There should be a TAP-Windows-Adapter V9.
Now type “tap” in windows start there should be the option “Add a new TAP virtual ethernet adapter”
Execute “Add a new TAP virtual ethernet adapter” 3 times until you got 4 TAP-Windows-Adapter V9 connections (each time CMD opens).
Now there should be 4 TAP LAN connections (in windows settings -> Network connections).
Mark all 4 connections (strg + left click) and select “Bridge connections”
There might occur an error message but in the end there should be a network bridge displayed.
Right click on the network bridge and select properties. Make sure all LAN connections are ticket inside “Adapter”.
6. configure controllers
Configure at least one controller per dolphin instances.
XInput only supports at most 4 controllers. Microsoft offers a dongle which supports up to 8 controllers: https://www.xbox.com/en-US/accessories/a...er-windows
Use DInput type Controllers instead e.g Playstation Controller to connect more than 4 controllers in parallel.
I had some trouble to connect DS4 controllers via bluetooth. Connecting Xbox or PS Controlelrs via usb-cable worked just fine for me.
7. Start the game
Start Mario Kart on each dolphin instance and select LAN play.
Select LAN play on each instance. After some time a countdown starts on each dolphin instance.
When you have a look at the network connections you can see that there is no red x anymore for the LAN connections.
All 4 instances should connect successfully. On each dolphin/Mario Kart instance it should be shown that 4 systems were found for LAN play.
If problems occur when trying to find the GameCube systems via LAN try to connect only 2 LAN adapters via bridge and test if that works. If it works, add another TAP adapter to the existing bridge and try again with 3. And so on.
That should be all to play Mario Kart with at least 8 Players on one computer using the dolphin emulator.
