Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Pasqualz on June 12, 2004, 11:39:59 pm
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I've been using MAME for almost 7 years now, and MAME32 for the last 3 years. Now that I'm finally building my cabinet and doing tons of research, I learn that there are seemingly dozens of graphical front ends for MAME and it seems that MAME32 is the least popular with cabinet builders!! I understand that some purists only want to use DOS, so that's the most compelling reason for not using MAME32, but what are the other reasons? MAME323 seems so easy to use (trackball/mouse compatible), and easy to configure (checkbox options per game!) So here are my questions:
1) What do front ends like MAMEWAH, Emulaxian, and other give you that MAME32 doesn't??
2) Why doesn't someone create a new ultimate front end that combines the best of all of the current front ends???
This has prolly been talked about before, but I couldn't find anythin with the search utility, so feel free to direct me to any previous threads!
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The main reason to not use MAME32 in a cabinet is because the other FEs look much nicer. It takes away from the arcade experience to boot up your cabinet and see a a standard Windows window.
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Ahhh, so some other front ends can be put in the "Startup" folder of Windows so that they run in fullscreen?? That makes sense! Another question:
- Do some front ends allow you to run multiple emulators?? For instance, MAME, DAPHNE, STELLAX.
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Most FEs allow multiple emulators. Some are easier to set up than others.
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Most of the other front ends can run multiplie emulators, look more "arcade-like", etc. My main reason for using standard MAME (not Mame32) and a front end (Emulaxian) is that the configurability of these other front ends are amazing. For example I have a rotating control panel setup with 3 panels, plus a rotating monitor. So I wanted to be able to have at least 6 sets of games that I could choose from - i.e. control panel 1 & horizontal monitor, control panel 1 & vertical monitor, control panel 2 & horizontal monitor, etc.. This way depending on the control panel I have "live" and the monitor orientation, I'll only see the set of games that match that configuration - so it makes it easy, I can pick any game on that list and know my current setup can handle it. When I reotate the panels and/or monitor, I get a new set of games to play. Mame32 couldn't do this the way I wanted to.
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MAME32 looks like poo.
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The main reason is mame32 is not cabinet friendly. It doesn't look arcadish. alot of people don't want the windows look. Many will even install windows98 and replace the shell with the FE.
Also mame32 is not joystick friendly. Yeah, it has the option of scrolling through the lists using a joystick, but for the most part, it isn't joystick friendly. If oyu don;t have a tbal on your cabinet it will be tough to get around.
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I agree with what everyone else here says. Originally I wondered the same thing (about Mame32), but only until I installed Mamewah...then I realized the greatness of a Front End :). Since my cabinet control panel was limited and I knew I wouldn't have room for a trackball (at least not on my current CP), I wondered how I would navigate without the need to pull out a mouse and take away from the true arcade experience. A FE just makes it look much nicer (IMHO) and makes it very easy to navigate (joystick and buttons only)
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If only you comprehended the restraint being shown by the die hard purists here (probably 70 or 80% of the people who frequent the software forum - I probably couldn't count myself as one of them if I wanted to -- not dedicated enough).
Coming in and asking, "Why not use Mame32?" is like going to Catholic Mass and saying, "I don't get it. Why don't more people follow Satan? He seems at least as good." ;D
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Actually, i was just on the vatican website asking that question in their forums. Hmmmm, strange, there seem to be large black clouds gathering over me, and lightning to. . . Agggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!
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You can also get better performance from some of the command line versions of MAME teamed up with a FE. You are very limited with MAME32.
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When I play my cab, I want to be transformed back to 1983. When I get general protection faults, blue screens of death, and other Microsoft anomolies it spoils the illusion big time. :)
It would be sort of like hearing a Staind tune during a sixties film I guess. :P
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I've been using MAME for almost 7 years now, and MAME32 for the last 3 years. Now that I'm finally building my cabinet and doing tons of research, I learn that there are seemingly dozens of graphical front ends for MAME and it seems that MAME32 is the least popular with cabinet builders!! I understand that some purists only want to use DOS, so that's the most compelling reason for not using MAME32, but what are the other reasons? MAME323 seems so easy to use (trackball/mouse compatible), and easy to configure (checkbox options per game!) So here are my questions:
1) What do front ends like MAMEWAH, Emulaxian, and other give you that MAME32 doesn't??
2) Why doesn't someone create a new ultimate front end that combines the best of all of the current front ends???
This has prolly been talked about before, but I couldn't find anythin with the search utility, so feel free to direct me to any previous threads!
Ok I've been quiet enough, time to respond.
Before I start, purists do NOT necessarily like to use dos anymore, at least not the majority. They used to before xp came out and quality fes and emulators weren't available on windows. They used to use dos because all the good fes were for dos, not the other way around. Times have changed. The majority of cabinets run some flavor of windows at this point. Even with that being said, that was never the most compelling reason. Up until the last 2 or 3 years mame32 didn't even let you navigate by joystick or keyboard, so how are you supposed to run that on a mame cab? Besides that, the majority of fes are windows based, so how did you come to this brilliant conclusion?
Now back to your questions:
1)A nice interface and the ability to display more than one peice of artwork at a time. The ability to run more than mame (mame isn't the end and beginning of emulation you know). The magical transformation of the question "How did you get a computer in that arcade machine?" into "How did you get all of those cool games to run on a single machine?" It's a subtle difference but believe me, it's a HUGE one. Assuming your cabinet doesn't look like a hacked-up p.o.s., having the proper interface tranforms your end product from a cheap hack job into a nice, polished, system. A lot of people don't get this, but software is 70% of your mame project. Having a bad interface on a good cab ruins the effect. If you don't see that then you don't "get it" anyway and shouldn't bother with a mame cab at all imho.
2) I should smack you down for even asking. First off this whole software development thing isn't easy. Even the smallest of companies have a well-paid team of dozens, working for months, full time, on the simplest of programs. We have one guy (ourselves) that gets to work in our spare time, when we feel like it, for free, out of the kindness of our hearts.
Secondly, what features are best? Do you know? Do I know? Should I go by your opinon or mine? If you ask ANY of the fe developers they will say that they started their fe to take the best of the fes already out at the time and add to them. Their difference of opinion on what is best results in the diference of features between each fe. This is probably obvious to everyone, except you. Man I bet you feel bright by now. :)
Ok pasqualz, I'm done with you. The following comment is for everyone else so don't peak.
So what do you think guys, was I too harsh? Personally I think I showed a great deal of restraint. I could have crucified the poor lad for asking such a blatently disrespectful question.
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So what do you think guys, was I too harsh? Personally I think I showed a great deal of restraint. I could have crucified the poor lad for asking such a blatently disrespectful question.
Very restrained HC...but well answered too :)
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Possibly a little too harsh. I dont feel he was trying to insult any developers. I think he just wanted some general "common mame guy" questions answered. You might have taken that a little too personal.............easy on the coffee guy gooooosfraaaaaaabaaa ;D
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I'm sorry, but I just want to eat myself after reading this thread. :-X
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Howard Casto, you are a bad man. I feel so humiliated now! Why are you so insensitive. . . I'm sorry if im typing bad, but its herd to see the keys when im crying! :'(
Shame on all of you for breaking my heart when all i did was ask some innocent questions. How will I ever show my face in this forum again. . Oh, my keyboard is all wet now!!!
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Howard Casto, you are a bad man. I feel so humiliated now! Why are you so insensitive. . . I'm sorry if im typing bad, but its herd to see the keys when im crying! :'(
Shame on all of you for breaking my heart when all i did was ask some innocent questions. How will I ever show my face in this forum again. . Oh, my keyboard is all wet now!!!
LOL :D
I really hope you're joking now... ::)
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LOL... look what you did Howard, you bad man. That's some funny stuff. ;D
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Genuine tears... that's great! I feel like a kid again! ;)
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Well I think you were pretty easy him considering.
You're not losing your touch are you HC?