Gaseous Server

Gaseous Server is a self-hosted web application designed for the management of game ROMs and titles. It provides a centralized interface to organize game libraries and includes integrated browser-based emulation for playing titles directly within a web browser. This allows users to access their gaming collections from any device with a compatible browser without needing to install local emulation software on every client machine.

The software is deployed as a server and requires a database backend to store library information and metadata. It utilizes an API key from the Internet Game Database for automated metadata retrieval, although a proxy option is available for those who do not wish to manage their own API keys. User authentication is included in version 1.7.0 and later, which enables the server to be exposed to the internet for remote access, though the use of a VPN is recommended for increased security.

Key features

• Management of game ROMs and titles
• In-browser emulation of supported ROMs
• Automated metadata retrieval via Internet Game Database API
• User authentication for secure remote access
• Support for MariaDB and MySQL database backends
• Integration with EmulatorJS for JavaScript-based emulation
• Background library scanning for title imports
• Support for importing signatures to identify game files

The application is built using .NET and relies on ffmpeg for media processing tasks. It is specifically designed for users who maintain large collections of retro games and require a structured way to catalog their files and play them via a web interface. The system supports the import of signatures to help identify files during the library scanning process, ensuring that the correct metadata is associated with each ROM. The database architecture is optimized for MariaDB, though MySQL remains supported for existing users.

Gaseous Server serves as a specialized administrative utility and control panel for retrogaming enthusiasts managing self-hosted ROM libraries.