Android MAME with online scoreboard, for all

[Oraap]

MAME & NEO-GEO emulator with online scoreborad, featuring new input method for mobile devices and new gameplay elements for classic arcade games. Includes changes to core MAME video and input systems making it faster and smoother than other arcade emulators on the market. Along with presenting new ways to play old games on your mobile we also aim to make it compatible and easy to use with real arcade cabinets by connection your Android device to a bigger display and actual arcade controls, console gamepad or mouse/keyboard.



Gameplay video:


Download on Google Play (Android Market):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.CrazyTilt



Beside the program itself I would also like to discuss the future of a PC. I believe soon there will be no more PCs. My phone is already faster than my computer from several years back. All I need is a way to plug in my keyboard and video-out, and there it is my new PC. Today's phones ARE computers, and when I'm done I put it in my pocket and off I go, and when I want to play the games I put it in my arcade cabinet, easily. Price? $70 - $250, or anything better will do, and it's getting cheaper. -- So, how long do you think it will take before you change your PC for some tablet or phone? Or is there maybe some reason why PCs would still remain for personal home computing after all?

[Sjaak]

I'll probably wil be needing a pc for a long time, for stuff like 3d animation, photoshop, illustrator, after effects, visual studio...all examples of software that wouldn't run on a phone/tablet

[Oraap]

I guess a bigger box will always be able to provide more power, so for professionals using that kind of software I think you are right.

What really pushed me to think about it is that new Windows is obviously designed for tablets. When I first installed it I couldn't figure out why did they make it so ugly and unlike anything we've seen so far. But that ugly menu with large icons, that's made for tablets and touchscreens, isn't it?

[yotsuya]

I think I'll keep my phone as a communication device and PCs for productivity and entertainment.

[Nephasth]

I'll now have thousands of songs on my car stereo... Literally weeks work of music. 

It's a fantastic modern age.

 

Welcome to 8 years ago...

[ahofle]

Cool application, I will definitely be checking it out. 

So, how long do you think it will take before you change your PC for some tablet or phone? Or is there maybe some reason why PCs would still remain for personal home computing after all?

We recently got a couple of tablets in addition to our existing smartphones, a netbook, a laptop, and a couple desktops.  When we picked up the tablets I thought I would never use the laptop or even the netbook again, and only use the desktop when I needed to do something like rip video or music.  In reality, when I need to look something up or get on the internet, the tablet and smartphones are my last choice.  They have essentially become overpriced portable game systems for our kids with crap like 'wheres my water' and 'ninja fruit'.  I can't stand touchscreen keyboards and touch screens in general.  I just don't find it natural or comfortable to press a bunch of tiny non-tactile square regions on a screen that look like keys.  I find myself attempting to use voice commands to text or answer email on my phone now, and even then I am constantly going back to manually correct the inept auto corrections.  The pointing devices on laptops/netbooks suck compared to a good mouse with a scroll wheel, but I still prefer them over the tablets/phones.  

So to answer your question, no I don't plan on replacing all my computing devices with a smudgy piece of crap tablet.  

[Oraap]

Cool application, I will definitely be checking it out. 

So, how long do you think it will take before you change your PC for some tablet or phone? Or is there maybe some reason why PCs would still remain for personal home computing after all?

We recently got a couple of tablets in addition to our existing smartphones, a netbook, a laptop, and a couple desktops.  When we picked up the tablets I thought I would never use the laptop or even the netbook again, and only use the desktop when I needed to do something like rip video or music.  In reality, when I need to look something up or get on the internet, the tablet and smartphones are my last choice.  They have essentially become overpriced portable game systems for our kids with crap like 'wheres my water' and 'ninja fruit'.  I can't stand touchscreen keyboards and touch screens in general.  I just don't find it natural or comfortable to press a bunch of tiny non-tactile square regions on a screen that look like keys.  I find myself attempting to use voice commands to text or answer email on my phone now, and even then I am constantly going back to manually correct the inept auto corrections.  The pointing devices on laptops/netbooks suck compared to a good mouse with a scroll wheel, but I still prefer them over the tablets/phones.  

So to answer your question, no I don't plan on replacing all my computing devices with a smudgy piece of crap tablet.  

Touchscreen is only when you're on the go, but when you get home or to your office then you plug in real keyboard/mouse and connect it normal monitor. It's a computer just as any, only in smaller box.

[ahofle]

Touchscreen is only when you're on the go, but when you get home or to your office then you plug in real keyboard/mouse and connect it normal monitor. It's a computer just as any, only in smaller box.

True, but if you're tethered to a large monitor and keyboard/mouse for optimal usage, you might as well also have a larger desktop CPU with 5 times the processing power and storage sitting there too.  I still use the phone for on the go -- I like having both.  I still haven't found a good use for the tablet yet though. Maybe permanently sitting in an iCade. 

[Oraap]

I think 2Ghz CPU is enough for like 80% of the consumer market. I think we have plenty of speed now and that future of home computers will be more about making things smaller.

You have iCade? Are you using it with iPhone or Android?

[Oraap]

Here is something interesting. The application has more than 600 downloads now, only no one is posting their high-scores. I need help to figure out why is that so. If anyone tried it please tell me how easy or not easy was to set it up. I'd also like to hear opinions about the sensor controls.

[Paul Olson]

I plan to get the ASUS Infinity 700 whenever it comes out. I will try it out then.

I won't be getting rid of laptops or desktops anytime soon. I mainly use tablets as ebook readers, and haven't found a lot of use for them outside of that. The real ereaders are too small. I think the 10" tablets are just barely big enough.
I kept getting bigger laptops until I found a screen size that I like. My laptop has a 18.5" screen, and it is pleasant to use. I still use a 24" monitor with it when I am at home.

Phones are getting better. My current phone has a 4.5" screen, and there are one or two coming out at the end of the year with 5" screens.

Small is good for most computer components, but I think I will always want a large display.

[HaRuMaN]

Anyone seen this?

http://apc.io/

$50 android based PC...  hmm.

[eds1275]

I think that people who use PCs for more than checking email and social media networks will always opt to use their PCs. I was chugging along my recording studio on a pentium 4 3.2 for way longer than I should have, and last year it died and in a rage I went out and bought something awesome. And I am so glad I did. You just don't get that kind of functionality on a phone [yet], and even if I did screen space is a big deal to me. Not to mention i/o.

But for the most part I think you're right. The average everyday person has a phone and whips it out mid conversation to check their email, facebook and reply to text after text for 10 minutes [usually when a 2 minute phone call would have sufficed.] Typing skills have gone down the drain as well as punctuation and grammar.

[Oraap]

Anyone seen this?

http://apc.io/

$50 android based PC...  hmm.

I can't access that site for some reason. That surely sounds interesting, do you know hardware specs?

[HaRuMaN]

Model   APC 8750
Software   Android 2.3 (PC System)
Chip   VIA 800MHz Processor
Memory   DDR3 512MB Memory
2GB NAND Flash
Graphics   Built-in 2D/3D Graphic
Resolution up to 720p
Input and Output   HDMI
VGA
USB 2.0 (x4)
Audio out / Mic in
microSD Slot
Network   10/100 Ethernet
Size   170 x 85mm (W x H)
Neo-ITX Standard*

[lordnacho]

Anyone seen this?

http://apc.io/

$50 android based PC...  hmm.

Been thinking about getting one of these or a Raspberry Pi for a digital picture frame.  have a 19" lcd waiting to be decased.
Maybe somehow voice activated.

[Oraap]

Model   APC 8750
Software   Android 2.3 (PC System)
Chip   VIA 800MHz Processor
Memory   DDR3 512MB Memory
2GB NAND Flash
Graphics   Built-in 2D/3D Graphic
Resolution up to 720p
Input and Output   HDMI
VGA
USB 2.0 (x4)
Audio out / Mic in
microSD Slot
Network   10/100 Ethernet
Size   170 x 85mm (W x H)
Neo-ITX Standard*

Thank you. I have tablet with almost the same specs, and I'm afraid neither this one has real GPU. Without stretching it can run most of the classic MAME games full speed, but without GPU if you scale to some larger size then the speed drops down to only 10-15fps.

Not sure how that impacts HDMI video out as I don't have it on my tablet, but I'd rather pay more and buy something with GPU, which is also important for Android OS itself, as without it can OS can be slow and tedious to work with. Still, if I could buy it for only $50 without any delivery or other costs I guess it's worth to have some fun with.



EDIT:

Actually, having HDMI and resolution up to 720p it seems this thing would need to have much more decent GPU than mine, so I think it's definitively worth further investigation.

[emphatic]

Anyone seen this?

http://apc.io/

$50 android based PC...  hmm.

Cool, I'd love to be able to run Android games or MAME @ 480p with a generic USB controller in my cabinet!

[ark_ader]

Anyone seen this?

http://apc.io/

$50 android based PC...  hmm.

Cool, I'd love to be able to run Android games or MAME @ 480p with a generic USB controller in my cabinet!

I wouldn't touch it.  Its a 800mhz VIA.  Bag of crap.

[Oraap]

Anyone seen this?

http://apc.io/

$50 android based PC...  hmm.

Cool, I'd love to be able to run Android games or MAME @ 480p with a generic USB controller in my cabinet!

I wouldn't touch it.  Its a 800mhz VIA.  Bag of crap.

It's still much better than 60-in-1 hardware. Possibly better than Raspberry Pi and that GameBox thing people are talking about in other threads.

I checked different VIA CPUs specs, mine is crap compared to this one. This one does have 3D acceleration and OpenGL ES 2.0 support, unlike mine, so I'd say this is actually pretty good for it's price, if only the postage didn't cost almost as the device itself.


I think it could be powerful enough to run Street Fighter II and Metal Slug at full speed for example, so that gives you about few thousand MAME games. It's also quite possible it could run PlayStation emulator at full speed, but if not PS1 and N64, then SNES, GENS, C64, Amstrad... they ought to run great on it.


I see in Raspberry thread you said you use your phone to play MAME. What emulator are you using, and have you tried this one yet?

[Oraap]

--- CRAZY TILT(tm) ---
New input system for mobile devices utilizing accelerometer, unlike any sensor input other mobile games or emulators use. If you think sensor control is clumsy, unresponsive and completely unsuited for arcade games prepare to be surprised and say goodbye to awful touch-screen controls.

Many games play like they were made for this (see video), with some practice of course, some games like Star Wars play even better than with ordinary joystick, and then there are some surprises... Track & Field, run by shaking the phone!



Has anyone tried this yet? People at KLOV laughed at me thinking that was impossible and is just some video trick.
Perhaps I'm just unnaturally good at it, wonder if anyone can beat my Donkey Kong record. How High Can You Try?

[emphatic]

It's hard to make out from the video, how are you firing? Nice work on the port, looks fast! 

[Oraap]

Yeah, it's low res and low frame-rate video.

Volume buttons are universal to almost every Android device, two of them usually as "one button" so when you press in the middle you can get third button press. I prefer when they are on the right side, but even if on the left you could use your thumb. These buttons are usually nice and gentle, so that's also why you can't see much of "pressing" motion in the video.

There is that volume button on the right hand side on that phone in the video, I'm using my index finger to jump in Donkey Kong.

In horizontal mode, say for Track & Field, I chose to put those volume buttons on top, but Metal Gear I play on another video I play with those buttons at the bottom. You can map any buttons to whatever input you like, and I'll also make touchscreen in next version act as one of the buttons.


Small phones, 240x320 as in the video, are best for sensor play, larger phones are harder to hold steady when pressing buttons.

It's really fun to play, just as it looks (I hope).

[MTPPC]

It's hard to make out from the video, how are you firing? Nice work on the port, looks fast! 

This software is vaporware. The video is fake.

[Oraap]

It's hard to make out from the video, how are you firing? Nice work on the port, looks fast!  

This software is vaporware. The video is fake.

It looks unbelievable, doesn't it? I guess you were not able to try it out for some reason, so tell me what Android device you have if you want me to fix bugs for you and your phone.