The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: big10p on July 02, 2016, 02:27:21 pm

Title: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on July 02, 2016, 02:27:21 pm
OK, so the 'animation' in MaLa is pretty pathetic, right? Well, using a carefully designed layout and multiple layers, decent animation can be achieved. The link below is a vid of my 'Hit the Arcade!' vertical layout. Notice I was also able to make the game list look like it's behind the overlaid graphics (of Kong etc.) and put rounded corners on the marquee display. I got inspiration from one of Mike Boss's layouts I saw - hope you don't mind, Mike?!  :) I actually made this a while ago but thought I'd post now just to see what you guys think.

http://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxKUTaa8vXUhTlF3bWxJQU5oME0/view?usp=sharing (http://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxKUTaa8vXUhTlF3bWxJQU5oME0/view?usp=sharing)
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: mike boss on July 02, 2016, 09:22:23 pm
Wow!
I think that looks incredible.
The getting the gameslist to appear behind stuff I know.
But the effects you achieved with Stanley and flame on the bomb.
Awesome !

I think I need pointers from you.

Top shelf work !
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: thomas_surles on July 03, 2016, 04:55:01 am
I like it a lot. Makes me want to finally switch over to mala.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on July 03, 2016, 06:44:13 am
Thanks guys. It was quite a lot of hard work, but worth it in the end, I think. I can zip this all up and post it, if anyone else wants to use it?
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: Rattus on July 03, 2016, 08:30:30 am
Looks great 😀 I would be tempted to give it a try if you posted it.
I have run into trouble trying to get the game preview videos working on my PC with MaLa in the past installed divx codec but no go I would try again though.

ATM I'm using John's Arcade layout on both my vertical and horizontal cabs and I like how they match.
If I could have yours in vertical and horiz and display game play count I would probably swap both cabs to your layout.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: empardopo on July 03, 2016, 11:44:06 am
It's awesome!!!!!!

Could you shared it? I would like take a look!

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: mike boss on July 03, 2016, 12:13:21 pm
I think I've watched the video three times trying to think on how you created the layout.
I'd love to see the zip files and understand how you put it all together.
Honestly, it would help me be better at what I do.

I look forward to taking a look.

And again, good on you, top shelf work. Looks AMAZING.
You've added a layer of depth to MaLa I've never seen.
Outstanding.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on July 04, 2016, 08:57:06 am
Wow, thanks guys. :) Here's a download to take a look. I think I've included everything, but let me know if I've missed something. You will need to set your desktop - or run MaLa - in 688x512 res, BTW.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZcOuECAU44SjVaKLm9mRZfRTXtlOBJUV/view?usp=sharing (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZcOuECAU44SjVaKLm9mRZfRTXtlOBJUV/view?usp=sharing)
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: bmanbdaman on July 29, 2016, 02:53:59 am
I spent some time and added a moving Intellivision guy. Thanks for the idea.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on July 29, 2016, 09:47:48 am
Nice little running man anim, there.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: lathe26 on August 23, 2016, 11:54:51 pm
That is a cool Intellivision man animation.  Is that something you can share?
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: bmanbdaman on September 03, 2016, 07:44:08 pm
I used the free png from here (http://fontstruct.com/fontstructions/show/172950/intelligent_television_dings_right).

Then I adapted it to my template. See attached. It is custom to my background.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: Luigi on September 22, 2016, 10:09:25 am
Thanks for sharing, this is awesome! :)

I have no clue how it works, though....I expected some animated GIFs but there are only BMPs  :dizzy:
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on September 22, 2016, 03:24:42 pm
Thanks for sharing, this is awesome! :)

I have no clue how it works, though....I expected some animated GIFs but there are only BMPs  :dizzy:
Thanks. Basically it works by having layered background images and animation strips. The background layers have a 'window' cut out where the animations are, and the animation strip is displayed behind it, so only the frame where the window is, is visible.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: bmanbdaman on September 24, 2016, 12:38:44 pm
Yes. Mala supports layers. The moving part is like a cel in a movie. I use a 1024x768 screen with 128 pixel cels so I have 8 horizontal frames or 6 vertical frames. The smaller your animation, the more frames you get. 64 pixels in 1024 gets you 16 horizontal frames. You can animate as many "holes" as you put in your layers. I only did one. The hard part was imagining what to make move and the timing (Interval) to ensure a smooth scroll.

Think of it like making a cartoon. Well, a really slow cartoon. Like the old flip the pages on the bottom of a notebook animation.

Of course, once MaLa supports animated gifs this will be moot. :)
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: bmanbdaman on September 24, 2016, 03:49:19 pm
Created a vertical animation with 12 frames. Next step is to create multiple animations on the same screen.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: Luigi on September 26, 2016, 04:49:18 am
Amazing :)

I'm afraid I have not enough knowledge how creating layouts in Mala works. I don't get how and when the different frames are displayed. Will look more into it and maybe I will understand one finde day ;)
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: Luigi on September 26, 2016, 04:49:35 am
dammit....these double postings keep coming. I click the Post button then I get a message that while I was writing there was anothers answer and when I click Post again my message is there twice  ???
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: wcndave on November 10, 2016, 04:42:50 pm
Hi, I was trying to look at the layout files to see how you did this, and it looks completely different.

In the folder "Hit the arcade!" there are some familiar images from your video, however opening in MaLa or in editor shows something else completely...

Any ideas?
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: wcndave on November 10, 2016, 05:53:29 pm
OK, I found the answer, I have to go into MaLa editor and change the Orientation to vertical, then it springs to life.

The reason I wanted to look, was to see how you managed to do the video snaps.

I have some MP4, however they don't play.  I tried in the MaLa video tester http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,107768.0.html (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,107768.0.html) and i get audio, no video.

I tried to install the cccp codec pack as recommended, however it seems to have no effect, or, I don't know how to set up the codecs in some way....

Any clues as to how you can get video snaps to work in a modern win10 64bit PC?

thanks

Dave
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on November 10, 2016, 06:11:21 pm
CCCP only seems to work sometimes, depending on version of windows, etc. Uninstall CCCP and try the K-Lite codec pack. I only use win 7 so can't guarantee it'll work. Also, if it does work, you may find that the video preview stops working in file explorer. No idea why this happens, but it's no big deal for me, but might be for you.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: wcndave on November 11, 2016, 05:00:12 am
Are you saying I should try to install that, and then play the MP4 in MalaVideoTester?  If they play in VideoTester should they work in MaLa?

I converted one MP4 to AVI, which I wound't want to have to do for all, however just to see.  It played in video tester, however not in MalaFE...

I want to check I am embedding it correctly first.  I can hear the sound, however there's no video, so I think I am doing it right.

It's on top of everything else, and the object is "Video"
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: wcndave on November 11, 2016, 05:10:18 am
Right, further to that, I installed the basic codec, and it played in the mala video tester (the mp4).  Note that all videos played in media player or vlc, so the computer had the right codecs already for those programs.

However here's what happens in Mala.

When I am on the game with the AVI file, I hear the sound, and see a black square, no video.
When I go to the game with the MP4 file, nothing happens for a few seconds, then MaLa becomes unresponsive and crashes...

Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on November 11, 2016, 05:46:06 am
So you installed K-Lite but videos still don't play in MaLa? Like I say, I don't use win10 so can't really help any further. Probably best to start a new thread asking win10 users how to get vids to work.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: wcndave on November 11, 2016, 05:55:09 am
Well, the MP4s do play in the MaLa Video Tester.
The AVI plays in the tester.

in MaLa, the AVI has sound only, and the MP4 crashes Mala...

I'll start another one, sorry for the hijack!
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: mike boss on November 20, 2016, 10:36:43 am
DUDE! I just took a look at this layout folder.
Much credit and respect to you for getting this layout done.
This must have been a sh*t ton of work!
Very complex.

Even looking at the innards I can't quite figure out how you got it all to work.

It looks FANTASTIC! Really  top shelf work.
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on November 20, 2016, 11:14:48 am
Thanks Mike. It did take a fair bit of work and thought, but worth the effort, I think. I still love seeing it running on my cab, now.  :)
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: mike boss on November 20, 2016, 02:44:45 pm
You did an awesome job................. I better not get an email from a customer saying, "Hi can you do a layout like this?" and include yours. Answer is NOPE! LOL


Great work
Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: DP Louie on August 21, 2021, 11:24:15 am
Wow!  I haven't been active on here in years and I've recently been tinkering with my vertical mame cab (running Mala) and decided to log on and see if there was anything new.  I found this thread and I have to say that this layout is just stunning - the best I've ever seen for Mala.  The linked video still works, but unfortunately the link for downloading this incredible layout is dead.  I'm hoping the OP will re-post it or maybe someone here would be willing to send me a copy... 

Title: Re: Animation in MaLa IS possible!
Post by: big10p on August 23, 2021, 01:16:22 pm
Wow!  I haven't been active on here in years and I've recently been tinkering with my vertical mame cab (running Mala) and decided to log on and see if there was anything new.  I found this thread and I have to say that this layout is just stunning - the best I've ever seen for Mala.  The linked video still works, but unfortunately the link for downloading this incredible layout is dead.  I'm hoping the OP will re-post it or maybe someone here would be willing to send me a copy...

Hmm, no idea how the download went missing from my Google Drive. Anyway, I've zipped it up and uploaded it again. Link above has been updated. Been a while since I've played with this stuff, so let me know if it works OK for you, or if I've forgotten to include something.