New Frontend - teaser

[mathew_123456]

Hello all. The usual introduction - long time reader, first time writer!

I've been dying to get into this hobby for years, and have finally got the ball rolling on a couple of fronts. Purchased my first cabinet to be mamed a couple of months ago (gutted Breeders Cup). Out of home due to renovations, but looking forward to working on this.

Second, I've been using spare time to work on a frontend I can use for my cabinet. More of a learning thing for me. And I have learnt a hell of a lot about mame and all the things involved around roms.

Anwyay, getting to the point, I'm getting close to be able to release some kind of alpha version soon enough, but I have put together some information about this program on a web page. Current version does not have skinning, customisations, etc. (It is being developed for my likes), but does use a cover flow interface, and the interface automatically adjusts for whatever screen size and orientation.

http://sites.google.com/site/mercuryfe/

Any feedback, comments would be suggested!

(Hopefully soon I can even post about my adventures in completing the cabinet itself)

Update 24 Sep 2010 - Uploaded configuration component to website.

[abispac]

looks nice wonder if it would handle flv videos intead of snaps, good job.

[zorrobandito]

Though I can't say I need a new front-end, the thought of a custom one for my cab gets me excited, so kudos to you for having the talent.

Things I like in Mercury:
Built-in CP options
Multiple pages for buttons, history / trivia
Multi-emulator support
Emulator independent game-lists (very cool)
Menu-customisation

Things I didn't like in Mercury:
The game menu - too small and doesn't use white-space efficiently.

Obviously this is only based on what you've said, what I saw in the video and the screenshots, so what do I know?

[BadMouth]

Been looking for a FE with a horizontal list for my driving cab.

I don't care for the coverflow background, but that's personal taste.
If you ever do decide to ramp it up to suit the needs of others, here is my wish list:

>allow me to insert my own background image
>get rid of placeholders & reflections or make them black
>display the marquee for the selected game
>allow me to choose the placement of the images and text.

That's about all I would need to make it look the way I want.

It would be pretty cool to switch from the snapshot to a video when the snap gets to the center.

Just my $.02.  I have no ability to make anything like this. 

[EvilNuff]

I salute any excuse to learn LINQ...I have been learning it myself lately, mostly with LINQ to Xml.

[mathew_123456]

thanks for the comments. I'm actually trying to write it such a way that creating a new frontend in .net/wpf would be very trivial, just by using a dll file I would be creating.

Anyway, hoping to have the configuration part of the package ready in the next couple of weeks - and hoping some people would have a chance to try it out and provide feedback!

[drventure]

You doing it in C# or VB.net (or one of the other .net langs?)

Just curious primarily. I've thought about the same thing, but after looking through what's already in Mala (and most of the other FE), I just got too daunted

Plus, i'd like to finish my cab!

[mathew_123456]

C# - with a mix of winforms and wpf, and a SQL-CE database. Daunting at first, but I'm still having fun with it 

[drventure]

I SO want to do something with WPF.

I'm more of a VB.net guy though  (not trying to start any religious wars around here, though  )

[mathew_123456]

In case anyone is interested, I've uploaded the configuration component to the web site. Any feedback, bugs, suggestions appreciated.

[drventure]

Nice.

I'd love to hear what experience you have with Linq 2 sql (if that's the LINQ you're using, which, given that you're using SQL CE, I'm guessing it is).

I've run into issue after issue with it. Now, what I'm doing is a bit more involved than a single user standalone app like a front end, but l2s seems to make a number of things far more of a pain than they should be.

Plus, the code they generate for data objects is utter crap. But it does work, mostly.

It really feels to me like it was developed to look good in the demos that ms employees put on at training conventions, but that's about it.

[EvilNuff]

Do you want or need help with it?  I'm low on time but know c#, wpf, xaml, linq, all the tools you're working on.  Post away if you need help with any parts.

[mathew_123456]

drventure: After actually speaking with a MVP in sql, his views were that l2s was pretty much dead. I found it fine for a small single user app, but looking at some of the sql it generated, it just didn't make any sense (in fact, the game search query is written in dynamic sql - took forever to run with the linq version - might revisit down the track)
What I did find it was brilliant for was the linq to xml - so damn easy to parse the mame related xml files. The same MVP didn't even recommend for enterprise type applications - DBA's worst nightmare

EvilNuff - thanks for the offer. At this stage, if I get stuck will sing out - still having fun with it.

[drventure]

@Matthew

Cool. we're in total agreement then. L2XML is fantastic. I've used the hell out of it manipulating the OPENXML in the new Office document formats and it works great.

But l2s? Yeah, it kinda sucks...