The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: bosco on March 16, 2013, 12:59:20 am

Title: Planted a MaLa tree. Opinions please
Post by: bosco on March 16, 2013, 12:59:20 am
The resolution and audio quality dropped during the upload but you get the point.  Some of the layouts/emulators aren't finished yet.  An ongoing WIP for a cab I'm building.  Many of the images are other peoples work that I found on the web.  A lot of it I did myself.

MaLa Forntend - Tree (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX_fIrpTz5g#ws)
Title: Re: Planted a MaLa tree. Opinions please
Post by: BadMouth on March 16, 2013, 02:13:01 pm
Cool.  Looks like you've put a lot of work into it.
I've never used Mala tree before, always stuck to the standard setup.

If I were to offer any criticism, it would be that the layouts don't seem to have a common feel running throughout them.
It's a bit Hyperspinish in that regard.  That's just my personal taste though.

There is a font package out there for visual pinball that includes a lot of fonts that look good in Mala.
It can almost become tiresome sorting through all of them, but it's worth it IMO.

Just google visual pinball fonts.
Title: Re: Planted a MaLa tree. Opinions please
Post by: Gray_Area on March 17, 2013, 12:32:53 am
The difference is:

- tree mode starts at a master list of genres/emulators/other game lists/combination.

- regular mode starts at MAME/the last emulator visited (each emu has the option to have their own set of game lists), and needs a separate key to access the emu list.


I have enough buttons on my main rig, and am used to the regular mode. My candy has only two 'admin' buttons - coin 1 and 2 - but in the front end, both six-button layouts and the second stick are ripe for the using, and I use them.
Title: Re: Planted a MaLa tree. Opinions please
Post by: mike boss on March 17, 2013, 01:59:43 am
I like consistency in layouts, so the above (to me, no offense) has no continuity or fluidity to it.
Even one of the layouts I'm working on now for a customer is themed very different, MAME themed after "Bubble Bobble" , NES "Mario & friends" , Sega "Sonic."
However each layout will use the same font and be branded "_________ Arcade."

I tired using the tree before, found the set up rather difficult.

I have my cabinet set up where left/right is used to navigate lists, and holding P1 button 1 + 1 player start allows me to switch to a different emulator.
I find it to be an easy transition and quite user friendly.
Title: Re: Planted a MaLa tree. Opinions please
Post by: Dekieon on March 25, 2013, 05:35:09 am
I think it look really nice. I like how, for the most part they fit the console they are for. The only one I didn't like was The Bronze Age..seemed a bit plain.
Title: Re: Planted a MaLa tree. Opinions please
Post by: bosco on April 03, 2013, 06:59:09 pm
Thanks for all the input. Hopefully I can adjust/change it to make the layouts flow better. It will always be a perpetual WIP.  It is kind of cool what MaLa can do with the tree mode (I know it is not for everyone).  I just wish it was a little more polished.  Loadman come  back :)