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Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Katana Man on January 04, 2005, 04:37:49 pm

Title: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on January 04, 2005, 04:37:49 pm
PacManFan, in another post (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,29689.0.html), you mentioned you will be working on adding a multiple level structure to Kymaera.
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: PacManFan on January 04, 2005, 10:15:13 pm
A heirchical list? I assume in this list you want to be able to have sub-lists for each emualtor or category type?

I'll take a look at the code and give you an estimate in the morning. My inital guess is around 4-5 solid hours of coding and testing. I would need to alter my list format, or examine certain elements in a game list that would correspond to another list.

-PMF
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on January 05, 2005, 03:31:20 am
Yeah, that would rock, thanks!  Then the only major thing that Kymaera could use is more mouse scrolling speed  ;)  Keep up the good work!
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: PacManFan on January 05, 2005, 12:42:55 pm
I'll fix the mouse scrolling speed too. It's fixed at a 1 game scroll per 3 pixels / per input res (1/8 second)

I can make it accumulate multiple game scrolls per input res.

After taking a look at the code for the hierchachal lists, I think it shouldn't be too hard to do. I just want to make sure that I do it right the first time.

I'll allow Kymaera to operate in "immediate" mode like it does now, or in "retained menu" mode like you're suggesting, and make that configurable.

BTW, did you know Kymaera supports mixing games from multiple emualtors into 1 list currently? Maybe that could solve some of your issues.

-PMF
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on January 05, 2005, 01:25:04 pm
Oooh, mixing games, I like that!
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Fandenivoldsk on January 20, 2005, 09:11:54 am
PacManFan, any news on how the work with the categories and subcategories in Kymaera are coming along? Maybe you could mail me an beta to try out?
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: PacManFan on January 20, 2005, 09:28:14 am
There should be a version available in about a week. I've been busy hacking my Dreamcast lately, but I'm back on Kymaera now.
The preliminary version is about done, Kymaera can support sub-lists now through a forward(select) and back button.

I'll make a post when it's available.

-PMF
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on January 20, 2005, 11:28:49 am
Oh man, I can't wait.  Thanks so much!
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: FunkyBoss on January 24, 2005, 10:13:04 pm
... I've been busy hacking my Dreamcast lately...

Really, what have you been doing?
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: PacManFan on January 25, 2005, 05:24:50 pm
I'm not exactly incorporating the dreamcast into my cab, I'm making a portable handheld Dreamcast with some various Emu's loaded into it. I think I'll be working on a port of Kymaera into the DreamCast soon.

-PMF
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Jakobud on January 26, 2005, 05:58:44 pm
PacManFan, take a look at the Mame FE called Lemon Launcher:

http://lemonlauncher.sourceforge.net/

It's a very basic FE, loosely based on Game Launcher (only looks and operation at least).

It's basic and works well, but the biggest advantage to it is the support for unlimited number sub menus in the heirarchy.  This FE is pretty much dead and hasn't been updated forever and is very very unknown to most, but for me, this unlimited sub menu's thing (which is totally customizable) gives it a huge advantage.

Take a look at it.  Hopefully you can develop a sub menu /heirarchy system that is as flexible as it is.
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on January 26, 2005, 10:39:29 pm
Yes, Jakobud, read this thread a little more closely. That's what he's working on for us :)
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: PacManFan on January 27, 2005, 09:29:05 am
The menu /submenu functionality is in my new version of Kymaera now. It allows you to use lists that have "sub-lists" as well. I have changed the functionality of the "Select" key to support this. Previously, "Select" would launch the highlighted game, now, "Select" will either

a) launch a game (if the current item in the list is a game)
b) enter into a new list (if the current list item is a sub-list)

I have also added a "Back" button, which will take you out of the sub list back to the previous list.

You can have as many sub-lists and levels of sub-lists as you like, and you can mix sub-lists in a list with games.

Now that I have that all working, I'm adding in the capabilities to the skins to have a Emulator Select screen, so you can select the Emulator, select a list , sublist, and then game.

I've checked out the source code for Lemon Launcher and Game launcher, They are both very well written, and gave me some insight.

Look for a release in the next few days (a week tops).

-PMF


Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Buddabing on January 27, 2005, 10:18:55 am
The menu /submenu functionality is in my new version of Kymaera now. It allows you to use lists that have "sub-lists" as well. I have changed the functionality of the "Select" key to support this. Previously, "Select" would launch the highlighted game, now, "Select" will either

a) launch a game (if the current item in the list is a game)
b) enter into a new list (if the current list item is a sub-list)

I have also added a "Back" button, which will take you out of the sub list back to the previous list.

You can have as many sub-lists and levels of sub-lists as you like, and you can mix sub-lists in a list with games.

Now that I have that all working, I'm adding in the capabilities to the skins to have a Emulator Select screen, so you can select the Emulator, select a list , sublist, and then game.

I've checked out the source code for Lemon Launcher and Game launcher, They are both very well written, and gave me some insight.

Look for a release in the next few days (a week tops).

-PMF




If you haven't already, please change the spelling of "catagory" to "category". It's in a lot of places.
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on January 27, 2005, 01:23:33 pm
PacManFan,
  Thanks for the categories and subcategories!  Sounds like you designed it perfectly. I can't wait to see it in action. Keep up the good work!
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on May 19, 2005, 05:07:37 pm
PacManFan,
  It's been a couple of months. Are you still going to continue to develop Kymaera, or are you dropping the project?
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: SirPeale on May 19, 2005, 07:25:36 pm
I've been wondering the same thing.  It's an awesome project.  Now if I could get arcade modes working...
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on May 23, 2005, 10:04:51 pm
Well, he logged on yesterday, but no replies from him for a while.  PacManFan, are you alive?  :)
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: PacManFan on May 24, 2005, 10:06:51 am
Yes, I'm alive,
 I've been lurking on the boards occasionally. I've been very busy with school lately. As far as Kymaera goes, I'll have a "final" release for it sometime soon. I can't gaurentee a date though. I haven't been working on it too much lately. It seems everybody nowadays is using MameWah, so I figured, "Why bother to compete?".

Kymaera does everything that I want it to do right now, but I'll still make a few more changes/fixes for the rest of you when I can.

-PMF
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: SirPeale on May 24, 2005, 12:06:02 pm
It seems everybody nowadays is using MameWah, so I figured, "Why bother to compete?".

Arcade monitor support?  DOS version that MameWAH doesn't have?

Quote
Kymaera does everything that I want it to do right now, but I'll still make a few more changes/fixes for the rest of you when I can.

Looking forward to it!  I really like this FE.
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Katana Man on May 24, 2005, 12:39:40 pm
Kymaera does things that MameWah can't do. Just off the top of my head, it's easier to set configure, it can mix and match games from different emulators types, and if you get the categories and subcategories working, then it will definately much more flexiable than MameWah.  Not to mention the creator of MameWah said he's stopping/slowing down his development of it.

IMO, the only thing that Kymaera needs is faster scrolling and this cat/subcategory feature.
Title: Re: Kymaera with categories and subcategories
Post by: Buddabing on May 24, 2005, 12:52:21 pm
Yes, I'm alive,
 I've been lurking on the boards occasionally. I've been very busy with school lately. As far as Kymaera goes, I'll have a "final" release for it sometime soon. I can't gaurentee a date though. I haven't been working on it too much lately. It seems everybody nowadays is using MameWah, so I figured, "Why bother to compete?".

Kymaera does everything that I want it to do right now, but I'll still make a few more changes/fixes for the rest of you when I can.

-PMF

Please continue development on Kymaera. I think it's the best FE available because it has a robust feature set, is open source and cross-platform compatible, it is fast, and is not crippled by being written in a toy programming language like Visual Basic. :)

I find skinning difficult. If you would provide several example skins, that would be a nice additon to the package. I would like a skin with a background image, a game list, and a movie preview.