Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: snatex on May 28, 2010, 11:48:41 pm

Title: Frontend advice
Post by: snatex on May 28, 2010, 11:48:41 pm

I am putting together a Mame cabinet for my family.  I am trying to figure out which frontend to use.  I want something that is easy to use hard to screw up.  I'd also like to be able to view all the Mame artwork available like the control panel, marquee, flyer, cabinet, etc.  I don't mind paying for a good program.  Any suggestions? 

Title: Re: Frontend advice
Post by: severdhed on May 28, 2010, 11:55:38 pm

you can't go wrong with MALA.  it is pretty easy to set up and get working, and it is easy to make custom layouts that really fit your needs.  i have tried many front ends, but i always come back to MALA

Title: Re: Frontend advice
Post by: 92greenyj on May 29, 2010, 12:00:16 am

I was planning to use Mala originally, but I didn't really like it after playing with it for a while. So I tried Atomic FE and that is the front end I will be going with. very slick front end with tons of options

Title: Re: Frontend advice
Post by: Dazz on May 29, 2010, 01:26:10 am

Check out Maximus Arcade.  It's an OK front end, fairly basic, but easy to set up and navigate.  It's difficult to add non-supported emulators.  It lacks support by the developer and the community is quite small. 

Now, if you don't mind a bit of setup, and your romsets are named using No-Intro naming convention, then HyperSpin is highly recommended.  It is easy to setup if romsets are named correctly.  It looks great and the kids tend to love it.  Once setup you can't mess it up unless you have access to the config application which is not accessible via the front end.  You can create a HyperSpin theme that displays any artwork file as long as it's png format.

Title: Re: Frontend advice
Post by: arzoo on May 29, 2010, 09:58:10 am

The wiki is a good place to start: http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends (http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends).

Lots of opinions here: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=84933.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=84933.0)

Title: Re: Frontend advice
Post by: nickynooch on May 29, 2010, 01:27:41 pm

I'll say I couldn't be happier with Maximus Arcade.

Pretty simple setup too.  Highly customizable too, if you mess with the themes, which are pretty easy to mess with too.

Title: Re: Frontend advice
Post by: SammyWI on May 29, 2010, 04:21:30 pm

GameEx works great for me and does everything you list.  I found it the easiest to set up of any that I tried.  The thread Arzoo linked to has a lot of good info.

Title: Re: Frontend advice
Post by: orchidius on May 29, 2010, 04:45:11 pm

Posting the same thread twice isn't really how to use these forums... 

Mods, could the two posts be merged? (the other one is in the software forum)

Anyway, check out my response there.