Feature Request (for new MaLa) : Option to add logo to indicate list change

[mike boss]

Prior I had a post asking if there was an easy way that a logo could be used to indicate list/emulator change. For someone like myself who loves to create and share menus (as well as custom work) I think it would be awesome if there was an easy to do this.

Not sure if it is a feature that others see value in, or if it is indeed simple enuf to impliment.
But I think it would be cool.


thanks all

[mike boss]

Just wondering if anyone else thinks this might be something they would like to see in MaLa ?

[BadMouth]

Just wondering if anyone else thinks this might be something they would like to see in MaLa ?

I think it makes sense. 
One of the defineables could use the emulator name (or gamelist name) instead of rom name.
I can't code, but it seems like something that would be simple to add.

[DrChek]

One of the defineables could use the emulator name (or gamelist name) instead of rom name.

+1 for this suggestion.

[mike boss]

I think MaLa is an amazing frontend, and the support by loadman is A+ .
I'm trying to think of some features that might make my layouts look better.
When I think of such this is the one thing I'd like to see.

I may even start to compile and resize console images ! Just to be ready ! lol

[BadMouth]

I may even start to compile and resize console images ! Just to be ready ! lol

You're going to need more than just one defineable then, so you could have logo and console. 
Maybe just make it an option for each defineable to choose what variable it's using for pic names.
That way you can have characters, etc.
I guess as long as it supported transparency, they could all be in one pic.

[mike boss]

I like the logo idea over the console image (my choice).
Either way I think it's a cool feature if it could happen.
I might have jumped the Aim Trak in getting everything ready !
(BTW thats my LAME arcade joke of the day.......jump the gun...jump the Aim Trak! ha ha ha I'm so funny)

[drventure]

Anyone ever get the ROM +1, ROM+2,ROM-1,ROM-2 choices to do anything in the definables config for Mala?

I can't seem to figure out what they actually represent when Mala goes looking for images. Maybe that could be used somehow?

[Gray_Area]

I'm guessing those are for alternate images - say like two marquees for Gyruss, although I just have both games in the list....


To the original question: I have the relevant information in the title at the top (emulator), and bottom (gamelist).

[BadMouth]

To the original question: I have the relevant information in the title at the top (emulator), and bottom (gamelist).

The idea is that it would be cooler to have a Sega Genesis logo at the top instead of just text.

For my current build, I'm making a completely different layout for each gamelist, but I can see where it would be useful to keep the same layout and only have certain elements change.  i.e. spaceship appear when on the shmup gamelist, a fighter appear when on the fighting list, etc.
It's possible to do by making a different layout for each gamelist and emulator, but it makes sense to be able to do it all in one layout.
(especially for Mike, since he's hocking layouts    )

[drventure]

I like this idea, esp having alternate logos for each emu rather than just the text.

I'm working out a plugin that's intended to support true alpha-channel images in Mala.

If it continues to work out, this idea will definitely make it into the plugin. I could see pretty much any of the selected game's elements as replaceable parms to use for the image name.

[mike boss]

On my YouTube I have a video of the MaLa shooter menu I did.
I had a logo indicate emulator change, used the same template then added the logo.
I get a few requests to do layouts like that, but (A) it's lots of work (B) it wasn't super easy to set up. Having the ability to add a graphic element to indicate list change/emulator change would be great. Obviously it provides another graphic element which I'm all about !
It's just another level of customization !

I'd like to see it in a build and I think others would also.
Over and above that I love MaLa, I think Loadman has hit a home run !
A little bummed with the issues I'm having as of late, audio issue, SNES close issue, but I'm sure it will be worked out.

[Gray_Area]

Oh I see. I think that's the province of Hyperspin (and perhaps dead things like Fronty.....).

[harveybirdman]

Have something similar in mind with this work in progress

[mike boss]

@ harveybirdman,

Did you just create a default marquee image for the consoles (seeing as no marquees exist for consoles) ?
That's a good idea.

I'm thinking that would be a good idea, create a default marquee image for the consoles as a means to display them.
I'm gunna take a look @ that now.

[mike boss]

Just opened the MaLa layout editor, the cool thing with the marquee idea is it still has the transparent option.
A nice simple solution ! I'm going to start working on my logos !

[harveybirdman]

That's what I did. However since I've had some issues with marquees and since they don't change for consoles I just put them in the bg. Image for that emulator.

[mike boss]

I like my layouts to look a certain way.
I guess to be honest sometimes perhaps they are not user friendly to someone not in the know.
But for me I know what does what.
As I work on this latest project with multiple emulators I know I need a solution to indicate what is what. For now I'm soooo doing the idea of a default marquee image which will simply be a system logo. I'll use the make transparent option to maintain the look I want.

For my CP I have a 2 player 6 button layout, 3 over 3 Street Fighter style.
From left to right the buttons would be 1 thru 3, and 4 thru 6. I think that is pretty straight forward.

When I set up my emulators I looked at joystick images to see what was what , so NES was B before A (so for me B is 1, A is 2).

I set up my controls to work with my favorite games as the default. Meaning that for SNES I looked @ SFII. Low punch to High punch - so from left to right 1 - 2 - 3 (if that makes sense).
However as I did this I thought it would be cool to be able to pull up some info on the controls.
I found some great resources that have old instruction booklets and took some screen captures, put them in Photoshop and cropped them as needed. So I have some screen shots of the NES Bad Dudes manual, SNES Street Fighter II, etc. I'd like to have it where a person can pull this info up some how to review. So if a person was not in the know they would see that NES is 2 buttons, SNES 6, etc etc.

I usually create some form of instruction sticker like you see on Nintendo DK, DK JR and Popeye cabinets. A 5"x7" graphic that has info on how to navigate the menu, etc. I'll add some info to indicate how the control panel is layed out, what button is what.

[mike boss]

@ harveybirdman,

Can you explain a lil more how you got this working ?
I've created all my default marquees (required images).
But I now have no idea what I should do/or how I should do it so the image I created can indicate I've changed console.
Your video is the exact idea I'm trying to replicate, I just don't know how to do it.

Thanks

[harveybirdman]

I feel obliged to say that while using default marquees was my original plan that I wound up using paint.net to make separate backgrounds for each emulator, adding the marquee image each time.

I have a feeling I was experiencing the same bug as you were as I couldn't get default marquee to work.  However it's likely fixable, Dr. Venture has it working on his setup.  I suggest posting a text file of your mll and letting him take a look at it.

I have 1.7.4 so maybe its something that's fixed in 1.7.45, as that is what Dr. Venture is running.

[drventure]

Yeah, odd that Marquees don't seem to work for you guys.

On a (only partially) related note, Finally figured out what the ROM+1 ROM+2, -1 -2 are for.

Lets say you want to have a "stack" of images that follow the selected rom.

You can use the ROM +1 etc entries to place images above and below the selected rom, matching the rom immediately BEFORE the selected rom (ROM-1), 2 entries before (ROM-2), immediately after (ROM+1) and 2 entries after (ROM+2).

Duh. Makes perfect sense now, even if it's a tad peculiar in my book.

[mike boss]

Looks like I will need to obtain the result the same way I did on my MaLa Shooter project.
Creating a different layout per emulator. I use the same layout design + mll, simply add the image in Photosop and save as needed. IE - Nintendo = nintendo.mll, etc

Still think this would be a good feature. I hope perhaps it becomes a reality.

[Gray_Area]

Yeah, odd that Marquees don't seem to work for you guys.

On a (only partially) related note, Finally figured out what the ROM+1 ROM+2, -1 -2 are for.

Lets say you want to have a "stack" of images that follow the selected rom.

You can use the ROM +1 etc entries to place images above and below the selected rom, matching the rom immediately BEFORE the selected rom (ROM-1), 2 entries before (ROM-2), immediately after (ROM+1) and 2 entries after (ROM+2).

Duh. Makes perfect sense now, even if it's a tad peculiar in my book.

I was thinking multiple images you could sort through (sort of like you can flip through support file types when you press the 'game info' button), but multiple simultaneous images in your layout makes more sense (ie: easier to code), although, that would mean a blank space for games that don't have more than one image....