How do you get info screen before game start

[recklessindian]

I would like to have a picture of the game controls for the console games show up for a couple of seconds before the game starts.  How do I go about doing that?
I couldn't find the proper way to allow the info page to show. I tried, under the layout editor, to create an info page but it didn't show.  I also attempted to change the info page timer (in ms) but that didn't seem to change anything.   It was a couple of months ago since I tried this, so my memory of exactly what I tried is foggy.   If anyone has been able to do this could you give me some direction please.

[BadMouth]

I would like to have a picture of the game controls for the console games show up for a couple of seconds before the game starts.  How do I go about doing that?
I couldn't find the proper way to allow the info page to show. I tried, under the layout editor, to create an info page but it didn't show.  I also attempted to change the info page timer (in ms) but that didn't seem to change anything.   It was a couple of months ago since I tried this, so my memory of exactly what I tried is foggy.   If anyone has been able to do this could you give me some direction please.

I'm not sure if there is already a way to do it in Mala or not, but I can imagine a few different ways of doing it with autohotkey.

Have your command line in Mala launch an ahk script that displays the control pic as a splashimage before launching the emulator.

Or you could have it launch a script that swaps a path to the control pic into mala.ini in place of the game loading screen.
Not sure about the timing on the second option.  It would have to make the swap before Mala read the path to the loading screen.

[recklessindian]

 Thanks for your ideas.  Writing scripts is not something I've done before.  So I'll need more free time to research.  I'll try them out but not for at least a few weeks

[harveybirdman]

Question, are the buttons going to be same for all games on one console?  Or are you trying to do something game specific?

If you just want to display an image of your controls with what buttons correspond to the buttons on the native game controller then you can just use the load screen functionality and make a default image for each emulator.

If you want game specific outside of mame then as others stated you're likely looking at a batch file solution

[recklessindian]

For now I would be happy to "display an image of your controls with what buttons correspond to the buttons on the native game controller".
But in order to follow your suggestion I would need to know what is " the load screen functionality".
Thanks

[harveybirdman]

okay cool so basically Mala gives you an option to change from a loading window to a full loading screen.

You have to do two things.

1)  Right click during Mala and select the Options/Configuration option.  Under the GUI tab pick the Game Start/Quit tab.  The first check box, Use full screen starting picture instead of starting window should be checked.  Save your changes by clicking OK.

2)  From the Mala Layout editor, load your layout and select Starting picture form the Layout drop down right click the window that appears and add the picture.  I'm pretty sure you want it to be a picture with the same size as your layout background.

Drawbacks to this solution, while you can control the length of time the starting pic is displayed via another option in the Game Start/Quit tab, it may create some dissatisfying effects if you are using bg music/or game start/quit sounds.

[Gray_Area]

There used to be an app called CPWizard. There might've been similar others. Johnny5, by boing boing....I mean Buddha King.....I mean....Cakemeister?  No, wait, Howard_Casto.

[recklessindian]

Isn't CPWizard  a mame only program.  I am trying to do this for emulation of different consoles, using 2 N64 style controllers.

[BadMouth]

Mala can switch layouts based on emulator.
On my old x-arcade setup, I have a different background for each emulator.

At the top is the console's logo.
In the lower left corner is a drawing of the original controller and a picture of the x-arcade button layout with the buttons labelled.
I had some pics on here, but it looks like they were hosted somewhere else and have been deleted.

I think that's the simplest way to go.
People can look at if for as long as they want before launching a game.

[recklessindian]

Mala can switch layouts based on emulator.

I already use layouts I made for all my emulators.

In the lower left corner is a drawing of the original controller and a picture of the x-arcade button layout with the buttons labelled.
I had some pics on here, but it looks like they were hosted somewhere else and have been deleted.

I think that's the simplest way to go.
People can look at if for as long as they want before launching a game.

That is a good idea.  In the future I will want to do it differently.  I will want the button layout for each game displayed.  But for now your idea is a quick and easy option.  So now I need to find a useable picture of a N64 controller to label and add to the console layouts.
-Thanks

[mike boss]

I myself am now looking for a nice (graphic) way to display controls in MAME.
I'd like to use a CP viewer type program that will display my panel and then tell you what buttons are required for that game.
The issue is fining one that works with MaLa.

But reading this thread it did dawn on me I need a solution for console emulation.
For example my pannel is laid out in a Street Fighter style, 3 over 3.
But for a console that would use 4 buttons say, I use the top 2, and bottom 2.
Over and above trail and error how would a user know whats used ?

I like the idea of using a custom start image (which I do for MAME), but for consoles using a picture of the original system controller and t hen my panel.
Good idea @ harveybirdman!

[mike boss]

This is just rough (very rough) !
But a graphic like this designed per emulator, designed to match your resolution that pops up for say 5 seconds before ROM loads.


Actually another idea that I had (and never started) was a nice print graphic, like a flyer, or old school instruction booklet that was included with your NES, SNES cartridges that had a write up per emulator. It's a lot to remember when you have multiple emulators.
When I did my last install I created a  text document to record the changes I made, but with my NES emulator for example I can't remember if like an idiot I selected Player 2 start as select, which is foolish, because 2 players will play.

Anyway sorry to ramble !

[mike boss]

I'm still doing my homework on CP Wizard or CP Viewer to see which I can get to work within MaLa.
Or really any GOOD solution to show game specific controls for MAME, and a generic mapping of controls for console emulation.
I'll post results.