Choosing a Frontend... Need Help Deciding.

[Ryglore]

I'm working on the PC for my cabinet while I am between construction work. I'm trying to decide between MaLa and GameEx. I kind of know GameEx from using it on my buddy's cab. But I also want to be able to make a custom theme for the frontend to match my artwork on the cab.

So, my question is. Which of the two frontends should I go with? I know there is a lot of MaLa love on these forums and a ton of information regarding it. Ha, so much that there is a forum devoted to it. But, I know you can also theme-out GameEx...

I'm pretty sure I want to use MaLa, but since I've actually used GameEx in person it is also tempting.

Any help is much appreciated! 

[Cakemeister]

Neither. Go with Maximo G+.

[HaRuMaN]

Neither. Go with Maximo G+.

Mala

[DashRendar]

Read the discussion at the top of this section called "Favorite Front End".

They're all good for different reasons- it mainly depends on what features/ease of use that you prefer.

[GaryMcT]

MaLa has sluggish user input. I'd try something else.

[jtslade]

Is your friend into looks or raw functionality. Since your the expert with the PC and he won't be setting it up it probably falls into one of these two categories.  If he wants alot of WOW factor when people come over then go for looks. If its just him hammering out gaming on as many classics, clones and everything in between I would agree with MALA being a great choice. Maximus Arcade costs money but its a very good FE. Atomic FE I think takes a bit more setup but its worth it with the incredible amount of customization possible. 

For looks & WOW factor I'd say Hyperspin.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-xdeUmuBKo[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKwMvsLspD8&feature=video_response[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2sXTG03i1o&feature=fvw[/youtube]

Atomic FE can be customized in a redonkulous number of ways.



With Hyperspin FE on my Cab I have noticed that its very easy for people that come over to my house to visit (party-drunk), navigating the menus and selecting games. And I have all shifted functions, with dedicated mame buttons it would be even more smooth.

Here is the survey of what the general favorites are.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=84933.0

a war might ensue below... maybe not..

[Popcorrin]

Neither. Go with Maximo G+.

Cakemeister, did you incorporate alot of Maximo G+'s features into Khameleon?

[Cakemeister]

Neither. Go with Maximo G+.

Cakemeister, did you incorporate alot of Maximo G+'s features into Khameleon?

Heh probably.

[Ryglore]

I did some more research and downloaded MaLa to check it out. I'm pretty sure that its the front end I'm gonna go with. Thanks.

[BamBam]

I started with 3D Arcade and then migrated the MALA and am happy with it.  It's a bit more work to create your own custom graphics, but the end result is nice.
As mentioned by others here, it's best to try them all and pick the one that best suits your needs.

[massive88]

Best advice is to download all the ones you are interested in and check them out.

You can spend time doing the final tweak once you decide on one you like best.

All of the major ones have their supporters, as all are quality software.  The rest is just preference imo.

[Ryglore]

Yeah I've got MaLa set up as my FE right now, I still need to work on a layout for it yet. But I've decided that it's the FE I'm going with.

[dezblack]

personally, I chose gameex myself. they have there own forums for support that are very active. some people don't like all the extra stuff gameex has, like the intnet radio, the database that links a list of a game to all the platforms you have it on, the built in key mapping, (I could go on). but, it stands out for me and I am using a custom theme as well. I do also have it setup to launch both Hyperspin and 3darcade for those times I want a change, or want to show off and want something easy for my guests. but when I close these, it goes back into my workhorse gameex.

[syph007]

I picked Mala since there was an automapping plugin for the U360.  Didnt really look at the other FE's.  I don't like the gameex though as it looks windowey... I go to effort to hide windows, so I dont want to purposely add anything that looks like it.

[BamBam]

I'd try Maximo G+ if I could find the link.  Some the links on Saint's FE page are dead now.
We could certainly use an updated page with links to the FE's ;-)

[LeedsFan]

I have to agree that for the WoW factor then Hyperspin is the one to go with. But Hyperspin needs a pretty decent spec PC to get the best out of it. I couldn't use it on any of the projects I've built so far simply because I'd have to strip bits out of it.... and then what's the point? I've used Mamewah in the past (before MaLa came out) and then MaLa. I tried GameEx also which is cool, just didn't go with it on my projects. Nothing against it at all... I had just got used to MaLa and didn't see a reason to change.

EDIT: Oh yeah I forgot, the automap plugin for the U360 on MaLa rocks. I couldn't go without that now.