Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Front End Support => MaLa Frontend => Topic started by: squirrellydw on January 15, 2007, 11:30:43 am
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If anyone is good at making layouts for Mala and would like to make one for me here is what I would like.
Would like it to do all the fancing stuff that Mala supports, rotating is a must and have it look similar to Apples Apple TV/Front Row/CoverFlow application. I have attached a picture to give you an idea. Would like to have the games listed on the left and the snapshots/video on the right and maybe the title on the top right. I like the way this looks color wise, I think it looks very clean and professional.
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since no one seems to be interested I guess I will have to try this in a week or so. This is possible right?
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If you have Photoshop, you are golden.
Open an existing layout folder and grab a copy of the .jpg file. Open it in Ohotoshop and overwrite the image with what you want and save as the same name as the .jpg file you took from the layout folder.
I am far from being a pro, but this was the easiest way for me to do it. I searched the net for some nice artwork and plugged it in where I wanted.
If you haven't used Photoshop, you can pick up how-to books on it for about $20.00.
Cheers and good luck.
John
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You could certainly copy the overall look in a skin, but the rotating/animation would really need to be built-in to the FE itself.
I personally would love an FE that had a CoverFlow and FrontRow look with customizable graphics. I put together working versions of these that looked slick in Blitz3D in about 2 nights, but it did not include the other 99% of mame/emulator FE functions. Hopefully a FE dev will get bored one night with some of the new Vista options coming down the pipe. ;)
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Well, I simply modified the default layout and it worked OK. I have no idea out to make the selected game out lined in a blue box though.
Yes, I think a coverFlow theme would kick ass. I wish I had the talent to do that. I would gladly pay $20 for that.
Take a look here if you don't know what I mean
http://www.apple.com/itunes/jukebox/coverflow.html
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You can trick for the rotated snap. You could with photoshop (i guess) make a macro (or script) that rotate all your snapsaccording to what you want in your layout and save it.
Then point the snap folder of your FE to that new snaps.
If you use this trick to rotate the snap , you could do exactly the kind of layout you show on your first post.
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Like this?
(http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/7454/applesquehorizontalgq8.th.png) (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=applesquehorizontalgq8.png) (http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6708/applesqueverticalct9.th.png) (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=applesqueverticalct9.png)
That's at 1024 x 768 but can resize it if you want.
The font is Century Gothic which is pretty close. Substitute something if you don't have it.
You'll need to specify your Titles folder as Definable 1 in the Mala GUI options.
I just remembered I forgot to lay out the video over the snap - but that'll only take you a second.
Caveats you probably already know:
- You won't get the reflection effect on the snaps etc themselves, since they're dynamically added to the screen at runtime.
- Due to the way Mala works, the list will scroll around the selection cursor box; the selector won't slide up and down the list.
Here it is. MaLa layout and background PNGs (37KB .zip) (http://freefileupload.net/file.php?file=files/190107/1169222219/applesque.zip)
Photoshop .PSDs if you want to mess with the colours, dimensions, layout, whatever - or just see where I cheated for the reflections :) Source PSD files (117KB .zip) (http://www.freefileupload.net/file.php?file=files/190107/1169222183/applesque-psd.zip)
I don't want your $20 by the way. Nice choice of inspiration, I might use it myself! :cheers:
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Like this?
(http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/7454/applesquehorizontalgq8.th.png) (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=applesquehorizontalgq8.png) (http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6708/applesqueverticalct9.th.png) (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=applesqueverticalct9.png)
That's at 1024 x 768 but can resize it if you want.
The font is Century Gothic which is pretty close. Substitute something if you don't have it.
You'll need to specify your Titles folder as Definable 1 in the Mala GUI options.
I just remembered I forgot to lay out the video over the snap - but that'll only take you a second.
Caveats you probably already know:
- You won't get the reflection effect on the snaps etc themselves, since they're dynamically added to the screen at runtime.
- Due to the way Mala works, the list will scroll around the selection cursor box; the selector won't slide up and down the list.
Here it is. MaLa layout and background PNGs (37KB .zip) (http://freefileupload.net/file.php?file=files/190107/1169222219/applesque.zip)
Photoshop .PSDs if you want to mess with the colours, dimensions, layout, whatever - or just see where I cheated for the reflections :) Source PSD files (117KB .zip) (http://www.freefileupload.net/file.php?file=files/190107/1169222183/applesque-psd.zip)
I don't want your $20 by the way. Nice choice of inspiration, I might use it myself! :cheers:
:o WOW :o, that is awesome. That looks perfact, just what I wanted. So I just have to layout the video over the snap then correct? And I do that just by picking video and sizing it correctly. Does that mean it will play the video and if I don't have the video for that game it will show the snap? This is great, thank you so much
:applaud: :cheers: :cheers: :applaud:
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Nice layout!
:cheers:
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That's at 1024 x 768 but can resize it if you want.
The font is Century Gothic which is pretty close. Substitute something if you don't have it.
You'll need to specify your Titles folder as Definable 1 in the Mala GUI options.
I just remembered I forgot to lay out the video over the snap - but that'll only take you a second.
I don't want your $20 by the way. Nice choice of inspiration, I might use it myself! :cheers:
Sexy... ;D I wish I had the skills to make nice layouts.
You and gamecreature should work together on something :dunno
anyway...
Please consider sending to the MaLa Website for all to enjoy..
http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/layout_upload.html (http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/layout_upload.html)
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So I just have to layout the video over the snap then correct? And I do that just by picking video and sizing it correctly. Does that mean it will play the video and if I don't have the video for that game it will show the snap?
Exactly. Was 1024x768 going to be okay by the way?
You and gamecreature should work together on something
not... worthy... :notworthy: :notworthy: gamecreature's stuff is art; I am a big fan.
Please consider sending to the MaLa Website for all to enjoy..
Yeah I can do that, but I'll pre-render a few different sizes first, swap in a font I have actually checked is legal, and tidy up the .mll(s), otherwise it's just not something I'm happy sticking up on the fridge for mum and dad to see :-)
On fonts, my own current Mala WIP is using Square721 Extended (http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/bitstream/square-721/extended/win-ttf/143020/) - I have also converted this to ui.bdf so it's my MAME tab menu font also, I love it so much :P
Thanks for kind words of support - especially considering what an untrained hack I am. :cheers:
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1024x768 is fine but I will need some smaller ones. I am going to be using it on a multisync monitor. Any chance you can make it a Scalable layout? Scalable layouts will scale to your selected screen resolution automatically. The only thing you have to consider is the ratio of your screen resolution.
• 1.33 (4:3): 320x240, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960
• 1.25 (5:4): 400x320, 640x512, 800x640, 1280x1024, 1600x1280
• 1.6 (16:10): 480x300, 960x600, 1280x800, 1920x1200
• Free aspect ratio
That means a layout for 800x600 will also work on 640x480 and so on.
This was taken from the Mala site
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Thanks for kind words of support - especially considering what an untrained hack I am.
It works so it's cool. ... ;)
I've just been coding for six months and it is pretty ugly/inefficient in parts (but I'm getter better). I get away with it as I'm just making small plug-ins and test aps.
Whatever works ... Have Fun! ;D
FYI: Your layout appeals to my personal taste 'simple and sexy' .. Just like my wife. :laugh2: (OK I just got a smack for that ;) )
..... To my wife" Honey what I meant by 'simple' is not too much make-up"
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I've almost finished a tidy up of this... 6 colour options, and 640x480,800x600,1024x768 and 1280x1024. Worth posting any of that up?
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I've almost finished a tidy up of this... 6 colour options, and 640x480,800x600,1024x768 and 1280x1024. Worth posting any of that up?
yes x 6. ;D
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I've almost finished a tidy up of this... 6 colour options, and 640x480,800x600,1024x768 and 1280x1024. Worth posting any of that up?
sweet, as long as it works on my billabs multisyc monitor I will be happy.
Thanks
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Broken into two parts to ensure filesize fits as an attachment here.
No readme yet, etc. but font included. Very un-user friendly at the moment, but this is pre-alpha release stuff :)
- Add font (.ttf) file to your windows\fonts directory.
- Change colour by opening the relevant view in malalayout, doubleclick the background and change the image to the relevant colour. Do this for both horizontal and vertical variants, then re-save the .mll file.
- Make sure you've ticked "Use layout names for directory names" under Mala Options > GUI > Layout, assuming you've left the directory structure in place.
applesque-small includes 640x480 and 800x600 versions, in blue, azure, green, orange, red, purple.
applesque-big includes 1024x768 and 1280x1024 versions for same colours.
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and the bigger version (edit: nb there is an attachment here !!)
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and the bigger version
??
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and the bigger version
??
applesque-big includes 1024x768 and 1280x1024 versions for same colours.
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oh, didn't see the attachment at first....my bad
No readme yet, etc. but font included. Very un-user friendly at the moment, but this is pre-alpha release stuff :)
So this is the final version yet, correct?
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So this is the final version yet, correct?
I'm guessing it's close. I'm new at this MaLa layout thing!
I'm not 100% on the font yet. Once I sort that and do a bit more testing and write a readme, I'll probably post it to the MaLa layout submissions page.
I'd like to perhaps package it up a bit better too, like perhaps pre-save layouts for each of the different colours to save ppl having to go in and manually change the background themselves in MaLalayout. As someone who does web interface / usability stuff for a living, that irks me. I just want the skin to be a "download-unzip-select in MaLa" sort of thing.
I haven't even explored the scalable ratio thing yet, which, once I understand it, will probably bring down the sheer number of files I'm generating.
I also don't know what is best for arcade monitor users like you - but again the ratio thing might solve it.
Feedback appreciated once you've had a crack at using them.
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"I just want the skin to be a "download-unzip-select in MaLa" sort of thing."
I agree
"scalable"
This would be great, nice work. Thank you again for doing this. This will finish off my cocktail table nicely.
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Wow, that looks sweeet. Know if it would work w/ AtomicFE which seems to be working very good on my Windows 98 box.
Bill
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Shock, I forgot to ask, did you inclued the Video over the snap in the latest download?
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did you inclued the Video over the snap in the latest download?
Yes, I did !!
Know if it would work w/ AtomicFE
No, I don't! The backgrounds are just PNGs and they're very undercomplicated layouts, so it isn't much overhead to rebuild them for whatever FE. I've got Atomic at home but haven't had much call to play with it yet.
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great, thanks man
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Wow, that looks sweeet. Know if it would work w/ AtomicFE which seems to be working very good on my Windows 98 box.
Bill
Not "as is" , but it is really easy to port it to Atomic FE. If layout authors give me the authorization i can port it for you to AtomicFE very quickly and even do a variant.
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Hey Youki - go nuts. I forgot to specify a licence, but this one as far as I care can be full blown public domain - with the exception of the font which isn't mine (its licence is in a readme within the zips) :)
Ohhh the rush that just gave me :angel: :cheers:
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That shock_
audiomidiman , as i don't have time to do all the version there is in the zip.
what resolution you want ?
What orientation?
What color version you prefer? (blue, red, green, purple,orange, azure?)
Do you prefer have the selection Fix at one position and only items moves or you prefer having the selection that moves?
Let me know what you prefer, i will do it.
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Hey Youki -
When you're done, can you post it to your download site? That looks like a really slick layout! Great job shock!
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I think this is done now.
One package including a new [free] font, and the layout is 4:3 scalable.
More info in the readme.
Over to you, youki!
Go nuts! :cheers:
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Thanks shock_
I'm waiting some confirmation about resolution and color choice from audiomidiman by mp.
then i will port them.
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Thanks shock_
I'm waiting some confirmation about resolution and color choice from audiomidiman by mp.
then i will port them.
:applaud: :applaud:
Which reminds me - squirrellydw if you have a specific colour to match your cab that you want, find it and tell me what it is so I can do you up a matching one. red,green,blue values should be fine, or hex, or whatever you can find.
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Thanks shock_, I will test this out tonight when I get home from work. I like that you made it scalable. And thanks for putting me in the credits, you didn't have to do that. :cheers:
I like the color blue that you used in the original one, so as long as it's the same I will be using that. Thanks
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Cool! I don't have a CRT handy to test it with, and my LCD hates messing about with resolutions so hopefully it works for you.
Love your cab, by the way. Good luck with the rest of the build!
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wow, even looks better than the first one. nice work. Can't wait to get my cab done and my monitor in.
Thanks
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So does it have any obvious bugs? If not I can send it up the official Mala upload pipe 8)
Feedback from anyone who has used it please!
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I have it installed on my laptop which is what I am using to test everything out with. I haven't had any problems with it. Nice job
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FYI
This layout is now posted on the MaLa Website
http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/layouts.html#applesque (http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/layouts.html#applesque)
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Wow, I'm famous :)
Looks like standard and a lot of .bak files made it into the final .7z though. They must be from Swindus' testing, I'm far too anal for that :)
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I need to modify the layouts to a fixed size for taking a screenshot. Thats the reason for the bak files. But I have uploaded the wrong 7z file to the server. Now the correct one is up, without any bak files ..... ;)
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That's quick service :) Thanks for posting it up Swindus! :cheers:
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Thanks for the layout! :cheers: