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ppsspp_get_info

Retrieve the loaded game's title, disc ID, version, and PPSSPP run state. No side effects. Returns 'no game loaded' at home menu.

Instructions

PURPOSE: Get the loaded game's title, disc ID, and version, plus PPSSPP's run state. USAGE: Call after ppsspp_ping to learn what game is loaded and whether emulation is currently running or stepping. BEHAVIOR: No side effects — pure read. Returns 'no game loaded' fields if PPSSPP is at the home menu / not currently emulating. RETURNS: Multi-line text with Title, Disc ID, Version, and run state (running / paused / stepping).

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Implementation Reference

  • Handler for ppsspp_get_info tool: calls PPSSPP's game.status event, parses game title/disc ID/version and run state (running/paused/stepping), returns multi-line text output.
    case "ppsspp_get_info": {
      const status = await pp.call<{ game?: { id?: string; title?: string; version?: string } | null; paused?: boolean; stepping?: boolean }>("game.status");
      const lines: string[] = [];
      if (status.game) {
        lines.push(`Title:   ${status.game.title ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
        lines.push(`Disc ID: ${status.game.id ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
        lines.push(`Version: ${status.game.version ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
      } else {
        lines.push("No game loaded.");
      }
      const state = status.stepping ? "stepping (paused)" : status.paused ? "paused" : "running";
      lines.push(`State:   ${state}`);
      return ok(lines.join("\n"));
    }
  • Tool definition/schema for ppsspp_get_info: name, description, and empty inputSchema (no parameters). Registered in the TOOLS array for tool listing.
    {
      name: "ppsspp_get_info",
      description:
        "PURPOSE: Get the loaded game's title, disc ID, and version, plus PPSSPP's run state. " +
        "USAGE: Call after ppsspp_ping to learn what game is loaded and whether emulation is currently running or stepping. " +
        "BEHAVIOR: No side effects — pure read. Returns 'no game loaded' fields if PPSSPP is at the home menu / not currently emulating. " +
        "RETURNS: Multi-line text with Title, Disc ID, Version, and run state (running / paused / stepping).",
      inputSchema: { type: "object", properties: {} },
  • src/tools.ts:405-613 (registration)
    The registerTools function registers all tools including ppsspp_get_info via CallToolRequestSchema switch-case and ListToolsRequestSchema handler.
    export function registerTools(server: Server, pp: PpssppClient): void {
      server.setRequestHandler(ListToolsRequestSchema, async () => ({ tools: TOOLS }));
    
      server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (req) => {
        const { name, arguments: args = {} } = req.params;
        const p = args as Record<string, unknown>;
        const a = () => p.address as number;
    
        switch (name) {
          case "ppsspp_ping": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ version?: string; name?: string }>("version");
            return ok(`pong (${r.name ?? "PPSSPP"} ${r.version ?? "(unknown version)"})`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_get_info": {
            const status = await pp.call<{ game?: { id?: string; title?: string; version?: string } | null; paused?: boolean; stepping?: boolean }>("game.status");
            const lines: string[] = [];
            if (status.game) {
              lines.push(`Title:   ${status.game.title ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
              lines.push(`Disc ID: ${status.game.id ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
              lines.push(`Version: ${status.game.version ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
            } else {
              lines.push("No game loaded.");
            }
            const state = status.stepping ? "stepping (paused)" : status.paused ? "paused" : "running";
            lines.push(`State:   ${state}`);
            return ok(lines.join("\n"));
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_read8": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: number }>("memory.read_u8", { address: a() });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${fmtHex(r.value)}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read16": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: number }>("memory.read_u16", { address: a() });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${fmtHex(r.value)}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read32": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: number }>("memory.read_u32", { address: a() });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${fmtHex(r.value)}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read_range": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ base64: string }>("memory.read", { address: a(), size: p.size });
            const bytes = Buffer.from(r.base64 ?? "", "base64");
            const hex = Array.from(bytes).map((b) => b.toString(16).padStart(2, "0").toUpperCase()).join(" ");
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())} [${bytes.length} bytes]:\n${hex}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read_string": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: string }>("memory.readString", { address: a(), type: "utf-8" });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${JSON.stringify(r.value ?? "")}`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_write8": {
            await pp.call("memory.write_u8", { address: a(), value: p.value });
            return ok(`Wrote ${fmtHex(p.value)} → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_write16": {
            await pp.call("memory.write_u16", { address: a(), value: p.value });
            return ok(`Wrote ${fmtHex(p.value)} → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_write32": {
            await pp.call("memory.write_u32", { address: a(), value: p.value });
            return ok(`Wrote ${fmtHex(p.value)} → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_write_range": {
            const bytes = Buffer.from(p.bytes as number[]);
            const base64 = bytes.toString("base64");
            await pp.call("memory.write", { address: a(), base64 });
            return ok(`Wrote ${bytes.length} bytes → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_press_buttons": {
            await pp.call("input.buttons.send", { buttons: p.buttons });
            const pressed = Object.entries(p.buttons as Record<string, boolean>)
              .filter(([, v]) => v).map(([k]) => k);
            return ok(`Set buttons: ${pressed.length ? pressed.join("+") : "(all released)"}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_press_button": {
            await pp.call("input.buttons.press", { button: p.button, duration: p.duration ?? 1 });
            return ok(`Pressed ${p.button} for ${p.duration ?? 1} frames (auto-released)`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_send_analog": {
            await pp.call("input.analog.send", { stick: p.stick, x: p.x, y: p.y });
            return ok(`Set analog stick ${p.stick} to (${p.x}, ${p.y})`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_pause": {
            // cpu.stepping is fire-and-forget per PPSSPP source ("No immediate
            // response. Once CPU is stepping, a 'cpu.stepping' event will be
            // sent."). Send it, then poll cpu.status until stepping=true.
            await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.stepping");
            await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === true);
            return ok("Emulation paused");
          }
          case "ppsspp_resume": {
            await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.resume");
            await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === false);
            return ok("Emulation resumed");
          }
          case "ppsspp_step": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ pc?: number }>("cpu.stepInto");
            return ok(`Stepped one instruction. PC: ${r.pc !== undefined ? addrHex(r.pc) : "(unknown)"}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_reset": {
            await pp.call("game.reset");
            return ok("Game reset");
          }
          case "ppsspp_screenshot": {
            // PPSSPP's gpu.buffer.* events all require CORE_STEPPING_CPU (or GPU
            // stepping) state — they fail with "Neither CPU or GPU is stepping"
            // otherwise. We transparently pause→capture→resume so callers can
            // screenshot any time without managing pause state. If the emulator
            // was already paused, we leave it paused.
            //
            // source='render' (default) uses gpu.buffer.renderColor → reads the
            // active GPU render target. Safer: GPU_GetCurrentFramebuffer hits a
            // different code path than the crash-prone GPU_GetOutputFramebuffer.
            //
            // source='output' uses gpu.buffer.screenshot → reads the final
            // composited output (what's on screen, post scaling/shaders). Can
            // CRASH PPSSPP on some games: upstream has an `_assert_(buf != nullptr)`
            // after GPU_GetOutputFramebuffer that fires when the function returns
            // true with a null buffer (observed on some homebrew). We can't catch
            // a process abort from outside, but v0.1.2's auto-reconnect means MCP
            // recovers when PPSSPP is relaunched.
            const source = (p.source as string | undefined) ?? "render";
            const event  = source === "output" ? "gpu.buffer.screenshot" : "gpu.buffer.renderColor";
            const statusBefore = await pp.call<{ stepping?: boolean; paused?: boolean }>("cpu.status");
            const wasStepping = !!statusBefore.stepping;
            if (!wasStepping) {
              await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.stepping");
              await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === true);
            }
            try {
              // type: "base64" returns the raw base64 payload; the default "uri"
              // returns a "data:image/png;base64,..." prefix which we'd have to strip.
              const r = await pp.call<{ base64?: string; uri?: string }>(event, { type: "base64" });
              let b64 = r.base64;
              if (!b64 && r.uri) {
                // Belt-and-suspenders: if PPSSPP returned a URI anyway, strip the prefix.
                const m = /^data:image\/png;base64,(.*)$/.exec(r.uri);
                if (m) b64 = m[1];
              }
              if (!b64) {
                throw new Error(`PPSSPP did not return screenshot data from ${event} (no game loaded, or framebuffer not readable?)`);
              }
              return {
                content: [
                  { type: "text" as const, text: `Screenshot captured (source: ${source}, event: ${event}).` },
                  { type: "image" as const, data: b64, mimeType: "image/png" },
                ],
              };
            } finally {
              if (!wasStepping) {
                try {
                  await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.resume");
                  await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === false, { timeoutMs: 2000 });
                } catch { /* best-effort */ }
              }
            }
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_get_registers": {
            // PPSSPP's cpu.getAllRegs returns categories with PARALLEL arrays:
            //   { categories: [{ name, registerNames: [...], uintValues: [...], floatValues: [...] }] }
            // Not an array of {name, value} objects as I first assumed.
            const r = await pp.call<{
              categories?: Array<{
                name: string;
                registerNames?: string[];
                uintValues?: number[];
                floatValues?: string[];
              }>;
            }>("cpu.getAllRegs");
            const lines: string[] = [];
            for (const cat of r.categories ?? []) {
              lines.push(`── ${cat.name} ──`);
              const names = cat.registerNames ?? [];
              const vals  = cat.uintValues ?? [];
              for (let i = 0; i < Math.max(names.length, vals.length); i++) {
                const nm = names[i] ?? `r${i}`;
                const v  = vals[i];
                lines.push(`  ${nm.padEnd(8)} = ${v !== undefined ? addrHex(v) : "(unavailable)"}`);
              }
            }
            return ok(lines.join("\n") || "(no registers returned)");
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_breakpoint_add": {
            await pp.call("cpu.breakpoint.add", { address: a() });
            return ok(`Breakpoint added at ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_breakpoint_remove": {
            await pp.call("cpu.breakpoint.remove", { address: a() });
            return ok(`Breakpoint removed at ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_breakpoint_list": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ breakpoints?: Array<{ address: number; enabled?: boolean; condition?: string }> }>("cpu.breakpoint.list");
            const bps = r.breakpoints ?? [];
            if (bps.length === 0) return ok("No breakpoints set.");
            const lines = bps.map((b) => `  ${addrHex(b.address)} ${b.enabled === false ? "(disabled)" : ""}${b.condition ? ` if ${b.condition}` : ""}`);
            return ok(`${bps.length} breakpoint${bps.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}:\n${lines.join("\n")}`);
          }
    
          default:
            throw new Error(`Unknown tool: ${name}`);
        }
      });
    }
  • src/index.ts:34-43 (registration)
    MCP server setup: creates Server with name 'mcp-ppsspp' and calls registerTools to register all tool handlers.
    const server = new Server(
      { name: "mcp-ppsspp", version: "0.1.0" },
      { capabilities: { tools: {} } },
    );
    
    registerTools(server, pp);
    
    const transport = new StdioServerTransport();
    await server.connect(transport);
    process.stderr.write("[mcp-ppsspp] MCP server ready (stdio)\n");
  • The PpssppClient.call() method used by ppsspp_get_info to send the 'game.status' RPC to PPSSPP's WebSocket debugger and await a response.
    async call<T extends Record<string, unknown> = Record<string, unknown>>(
      event: string,
      params: Record<string, unknown> = {},
    ): Promise<T> {
      // Auto-(re)connect on demand. PPSSPP can be launched, closed, relaunched
      // at any point during the MCP server's lifetime; ensureConnected() will
      // bring the socket back up (or throw a clear error if PPSSPP isn't
      // reachable). Without this, a single failed connect at MCP boot would
      // leave every subsequent tool call broken until MCP-client restart.
      await this.ensureConnected();
      return new Promise<T>((resolve, reject) => {
        const ticket = `t${this.nextTicket++}`;
        const pending: PendingCmd = {
          ticket,
          resolve: (r) => resolve(r as T),
          reject,
        };
    
        const timer = setTimeout(() => {
          this.inflight.delete(ticket);
          reject(new Error(
            `PPSSPP call "${event}" timed out (${this.timeoutMs}ms) — ` +
            `is PPSSPP running with "Allow remote debugger" enabled?`,
          ));
        }, this.timeoutMs);
        const origResolve = pending.resolve, origReject = pending.reject;
        pending.resolve = (r) => { clearTimeout(timer); origResolve(r); };
        pending.reject  = (e) => { clearTimeout(timer); origReject(e); };
    
        this.inflight.set(ticket, pending);
        const msg = JSON.stringify({ event, ticket, ...params });
        if (process.env.MCP_PPSSPP_DEBUG) {
          process.stderr.write(`[trace] TX: ${msg}\n`);
        }
        this.ws!.send(msg);
      });
    }
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description fully covers behavior: 'No side effects — pure read' and 'Returns 'no game loaded' fields if PPSSPP is at the home menu / not currently emulating.' This completely informs the agent of safety and outcomes.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is structured with 'PURPOSE:', 'USAGE:', 'BEHAVIOR:', 'RETURNS:' sections, making it easy to scan. It is concise with no wasted words, and the most critical information comes first.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's simplicity (zero parameters, no output schema), the description completely covers purpose, usage, behavior, and return format. It leaves no ambiguity about what the tool does or when to use it.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

There are no parameters, so the description adds value by explaining the return format and field names (Title, Disc ID, Version, run state). With 100% schema coverage, a baseline of 3 applies, but the extra detail on return fields justifies a 4.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose: 'Get the loaded game's title, disc ID, and version, plus PPSSPP's run state.' It uses specific verbs and resource names, and distinguishes itself from sibling tools like ppsspp_get_registers by focusing on game metadata and emulation state.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly advises to 'Call after ppsspp_ping to learn what game is loaded and whether emulation is currently running or stepping.' This provides clear context and sequencing relative to a sibling tool, and mentions the edge case of 'no game loaded' at the home menu.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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