a no front-end front-end.

[Howard_Casto]

[sandheaver]

Couple of days ago I got the bit of code that launches MAME on the cabinet done.  It is a very simple bit of javascript running on Node.js.  I can launch MAME and change games via my phone or any other web browser in the house.  I have a sane family and no roommates, so I didn't build any kind of security into it.  Doing this is left as an exercise for the reader.

This script has proven VERY HANDY already, such as when my daughter wants to play a different game and I am on the couch or in the garage or whatever.

PM ME if you want to see the code.  Why?  Because, that's why.

[Vigo]

This script has proven VERY HANDY already, such as when my daughter wants to play a different game and I am on the couch or in the garage or whatever.

Just curious, is there a reason in particular why you don't just want her to be able to change the game herself from the machine directly? As I parent I get the need for certain parental controls, but never considered the need to disable direct access to the front end.

Congrats on getting it going though.

[sandheaver]

This script has proven VERY HANDY already, such as when my daughter wants to play a different game and I am on the couch or in the garage or whatever.

Just curious, is there a reason in particular why you don't just want her to be able to change the game herself from the machine directly? As I parent I get the need for certain parental controls, but never considered the need to disable direct access to the front end.

Yeah, I've disabled the [P1 Start + P2 Start = exit game] chord on my i-PAC.  Actually, I changed the chord button (normally P1 start) to P1 button 8, which is not wired up.  None of the chord combinations work at all.  P1 Start and P2 Start are right next to each other and were continually getting pushed simultaneously by mistake.  It's not that my daughter couldn't learn a new button chord or that I don't want her to change the game.  I just hate visible front ends.  Emphasis on hate.

[Gray_Area]

......I have to comment before I read the rest of the page, and the next one.....because.

Regardless of your sex ...

Yeah. 'Gender' is a non-word. In my vocabulary anyways, and mine is more functional.

I'm getting a little personally interested in you sandheaver....although....I think I might have to steal you and Le Chuck, meld you together, and then have mad fun with you.

[Vigo]

This script has proven VERY HANDY already, such as when my daughter wants to play a different game and I am on the couch or in the garage or whatever.

Just curious, is there a reason in particular why you don't just want her to be able to change the game herself from the machine directly? As I parent I get the need for certain parental controls, but never considered the need to disable direct access to the front end.

Yeah, I've disabled the [P1 Start + P2 Start = exit game] chord on my i-PAC.  Actually, I changed the chord button (normally P1 start) to P1 button 8, which is not wired up.  None of the chord combinations work at all.  P1 Start and P2 Start are right next to each other and were continually getting pushed simultaneously by mistake.  It's not that my daughter couldn't learn a new button chord or that I don't want her to change the game.  I just hate visible front ends.  Emphasis on hate.

Fair enough. I assumed it was a more of a parental control from that last comment. I guess it all leads back to your deep embedded hate for the standard front-end. 

[sandheaver]

Fair enough. I assumed it was a more of a parental control from that last comment. I guess it all leads back to your deep embedded hate for the standard front-end. 

I just think they're tacky and take away from The Arcade Experience.  None of the arcade machines I played as a child had front-ends, none had custom cabinets, none had custom control panels.  I don't think you can correctly claim to be a fan of arcade games and modify everything about them when you build your own cabinet. 

I don't like custom cabinets, I don't like custom control panels, I don't like custom experiences (when it comes to arcades) at all.  I just don't think customization jives with the retro nature of the hobby.  If you're a person that just likes to play the games, then that's different entirely, but if you are doing it to replicate the arcade experience, and you don't use a stock or accurately restored cabinet and you don't use a stock control panel, and you don't use a game without a front-end, well, I don't understand a single thing about your motivations. 

Example: That guy who made a coffee table emulation machine for his family; I completely understand that.  There's a practicality to that thing that I love, and it's not trying to be anything it isn't.  When I see someone who "loves arcades" but builds a custom cabinet with a custom control panel with a spinner and a trackball and 4 joysticks and 8 buttons per player, and that person runs NES and SNES games on it... that I do not understand at all.

To me, it would be like buying a Mustang, but you modify it into a school bus, and while you drive it, you say "I love Ford Mustangs!  Don't you love my Mustang?  The Mustang experience is so amazing, and my 33 passengers agree!"

I know I'm in the minority with those opinions, and that's fine.  I've never followed the crowd. 

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect)."  -- Mark Twain



edit: added clarification and a stupid analogy.

[Le Chuck]

I'm getting a little personally interested in you sandheaver....although....I think I might have to steal you and Le Chuck, meld you together, and then have mad fun with you.

now i'm offended

[Endprodukt]

Fair enough. I assumed it was a more of a parental control from that last comment. I guess it all leads back to your deep embedded hate for the standard front-end. 

I just think they're tacky and take away from The Arcade Experience.  None of the arcade machines I played as a child had front-ends, none had custom cabinets, none had custom control panels.  I don't think you can correctly claim to be a fan of arcade games and modify everything about them when you build your own cabinet. 

I don't like custom cabinets, I don't like custom control panels, I don't like custom experiences (when it comes to arcades) at all.  I just don't think customization jives with the retro nature of the hobby.  If you're a person that just likes to play the games, then that's different entirely, but if you are doing it to replicate the arcade experience, and you don't use a stock or accurately restored cabinet and you don't use a stock control panel, and you don't use a game without a front-end, well, I don't understand a single thing about your motivations. 

Example: That guy who made a coffee table emulation machine for his family; I completely understand that.  There's a practicality to that thing that I love, and it's not trying to be anything it isn't.  When I see someone who "loves arcades" but builds a custom cabinet with a custom control panel with a spinner and a trackball and 4 joysticks and 8 buttons per player, and that person runs NES and SNES games on it... that I do not understand at all.

To me, it would be like buying a Mustang, but you modify it into a school bus, and while you drive it, you say "I love Ford Mustangs!  Don't you love my Mustang?  The Mustang experience is so amazing, and my 33 passengers agree!"

I know I'm in the minority with those opinions, and that's fine.  I've never followed the crowd. 

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect)."  -- Mark Twain



edit: added clarification and a stupid analogy.

So why don't you just buy pcb's and do it the real way? You don't understand why people build custom cp's but switching games from a mobile phone replicates the arcade feeling? I think that's a pretty custom experience.

[sandheaver]

So why don't you just buy pcb's and do it the real way? You don't understand why people build custom cp's but switching games from a mobile phone replicates the arcade feeling? I think that's a pretty custom experience.

Keep reading.  I've said at least twice that while I prefer PCBs (and use them in ALL my other cabinets) there simply isn't room for a 1:1 ratio of games to cabinets.

I prefer the unmolested nature of the 1:1 ratio but it isn't practical if you wish to play a wider variety of games than you can fit cabinets.  Again, I've said that while I prefer the authentic PCBs, I recognize the need for the ability to play many games on one cabinet.

This is my way of meeting that need in a way that is as hidden as possible.  Nothing more. 

[Malenko]

you dont need a 1:1 ratio of cabs to PCBs, I have a MKII cab (bought as a UMK3) that I use to play MK1, MKII, UMK3, and WWF Wrestlemania. With a generic vertical JAMMA and generic horizontal JAMMA cab you can play a great deal of PCBs. I am curious on how having the front end on a phone makes it not count as a front end?

Interesting quote about the majority, I cant be myself because most people agree with how I feel? How odd.

[Howard_Casto]

Exactly.  Now lets say you are installing mame in a pacman cabinet, I might see the point then.  But if it's a generic mame cab with no specific artwork or ect it isn't arcade authentic anyway.  Hell, you can go into any arcade still in existence today and even classics like pac-man, joust, ect have front-ends in them because they either have bootleg XXin1 pbs in them or the companies have officially released compilations to cram multiple games into the original hardware because 1 game per cab isn't exactly cost-effective anymore. 

Multiple games in one system selectable by a front-end started as early as the playchoice and max-a-flex systems. 

You can easily make a fe cruddy and 8-bit looking if you want it to blend in with the looks of the cab, so I must really be missing something.

[sandheaver]

you dont need a 1:1 ratio of cabs to PCBs, I have a MKII cab (bought as a UMK3) that I use to play MK1, MKII, UMK3, and WWF Wrestlemania. With a generic vertical JAMMA and generic horizontal JAMMA cab you can play a great deal of PCBs. I am curious on how having the front end on a phone makes it not count as a front end?

You don't.  Nor do I; I was trying to explain that there isn't enough room in my house to have all the cabinets I want.  This will be the 4th time I've said this, yet still I'm being challenged on that fact. 

Interesting quote about the majority, I cant be myself because most people agree with how I feel? How odd.

You've misread me.  Most of you have had zero hesitation in telling me how ridiculous my idea is.  Does this not equate to disagreement?  You certainly aren't lining up to say "your idea is terrible, I agree with you entirely."

You all work so hard to find things to nitpick, yet those of you still commenting each continue to miss my overall points entirely.  I'm beginning to think I'm talking to CleverBot.

[sandheaver]

You can easily make a fe cruddy and 8-bit looking if you want it to blend in with the looks of the cab, so I must really be missing something.

You are.

I find it odd indeed that when I speak of this to people, face-to-face, my ideas are transmitted quite effectively, usually sparking discussions that generate new ideas on both sides.  Yet, here, you're all still dumbfounded.

[yotsuya]

You can easily make a fe cruddy and 8-bit looking if you want it to blend in with the looks of the cab, so I must really be missing something.

You are.

I find it odd indeed that when I speak of this to people, face-to-face, my ideas are transmitted quite effectively, usually sparking discussions that generate new ideas on both sides.  Yet, here, you're all still dumbfounded.

No one's dumbfounded by what you want- rather, they're trying to understand your FE jihad.

[sandheaver]

No one's dumbfounded by what you want- rather, they're trying to understand your FE jihad.

It's not a jihad, I just don't like them.  That's it.  It's personal preference; there's nothing to understand.

[Ond]

I think the exact opposite about about FE's and custom cabs.  This isn't a rant about your personal preference BTW Sandy, I still say go for it and develop your cabs remote control system to suit your needs.  However,  a few general thoughts in support of customization, multi-purpose cabs and FE's.   I think a lot of what people are trying to achieve with their custom built emulator based based cabs these days is more about practicality and enhancement, than strict arcade experience authenticity.  I totally understand the pleasure restoration folk get from restoring a mint fresh version  of a cab they loved to play on back in the day.  Given the time and parts availability, its something I'd like to do myself.  One cabinet, one game, and attention to authenticity bordering on the pathologically obsessive, you know, make a KLOV member weep blood with envy  .

However (this a series of howevers)  When I make a custom cab I'm not aiming for that, I'm aiming for a new experience, something that builds on arcade nostalgia but also extends on it.  There are poor example of builds where they are a 40 seater bus claiming to be a mustang, but this isn't true of all multi-game custom builds.  I went to a kind of an arcade exhibition last year featuring a bunch of original 'preserved' cabs unfortunately poorly maintained.  It really sucked trying to play Xevious with dud controls that wouldn't respond,  I thought "I can play this much better on my Mame machine with quality controls".  My point is, when I’m playing, so long as the controls respond accurately and the game experience itself is accurate, well I’m not focusing on much else at the time if you know what I mean.

Sure there weren't Front Ends back in the day, but so what, there weren't a lot of other cool technologies that can extend the experience (including you’re handy iPhone/Android apps) either.   A well designed FE can be fun and useful, especially for younger people oblivious to the era.  I have a pinball game with completely re-done customized (professionally recorded) music to replace the terribly dated 80’s 90's music in its vanilla version, it’s great to play it all over again with the new experience, that’s the crux of what I’m getting at.

I lived the golden era of arcades (I was 16 when Space Invaders was released to the world) you want to talk nostalgia and Arcade purism?  They were tough times for me as a kid, bah, I prefer today.  To quote KISS:

“The hard times are dead and gone
But the hard times have made me strong
And the hard times have made me see
That the hard times ain't where I wanna be”.

[Malenko]

You don't.  Nor do I; I was trying to explain that there isn't enough room in my house to have all the cabinets I want.  This will be the 4th time I've said this, yet still I'm being challenged on that fact. 

I'm just confused on how having a no front end front end is any different then swapping PCBs, other than the fact you have to buy PCBs and physically swap them. And how is the front end making you have all the cabinets you want? I'm being genuine in my replies, I'm not intending to be difficult.

You've misread me.  Most of you have had zero hesitation in telling me how ridiculous my idea is.  Does this not equate to disagreement?  You certainly aren't lining up to say "your idea is terrible, I agree with you entirely."

You all work so hard to find things to nitpick, yet those of you still commenting each continue to miss my overall points entirely.  I'm beginning to think I'm talking to CleverBot.

I think your idea is ridiculous, my opinion is independent of everyone else's opinion. While they may agree with me (or I with them); it's not because of them I feel this way. That being said, I only offered up my opinion because you asked for it. I certainly understand why you did it, and I cant argue with the results. It does exactly what you want it to do and I see the convenience of being able to switch games for your kid without getting them to let go of a sticks. I however still prefer MaLa over using my phone/web browser. Did I not suggest using what you made to generate gamelists for other front ends so that others could benefit from the work you've done?

Just because people on here disagree with things you do doesn't mean we hate you. The list of people that is universally hated by pretty much everyone is only about 8 members long and they are all driverman. So relax 

[sandheaver]

Just because people on here disagree with things you do doesn't mean we hate you. The list of people that is universally hated by pretty much everyone is only about 8 members long and they are all driverman. So relax 

I don't feel hated; I just wonder why people keep asking why I'm doing things that I want to do.  Especially maddening are those who haven't read the entire thread who believe they have some powerful logic that I've not come across myself.  An example of this would be the "why not just use PCBs" question.

I'm just confused on how having a no front end front end is any different then swapping PCBs, other than the fact you have to buy PCBs and physically swap them. And how is the front end making you have all the cabinets you want?

If you can't see the difference between clicking a link on a webpage and hauling PCBs around, then there is nothing I can say to explaining it to you.  Of course I believe that you do understand the difference, technically.  The difference to someone standing at the cabinet is exactly nothing, except that I can switch games for them in less than one second, rather than several minutes to an hour, depending on where the PCB they want to play is located.  The difference for me is that I don't have to drive to my storage locker and dig out the PCBs I want then bring them home, pull the cab out from the wall, turn it off, take off the back, unplug the current board, and so on and so forth.  It is an issue of convenience for me, while keeping the cabinet as pristine as possible.

Over the weekend I converted my Donkey Kong cabinet away from a dedicated Donkey Kong PCB.  I used a spare PC and set it up so that the little switching app that runs on it only lets me select Nintendo games that originally came out in that style of cabinet.  (Mainly the Donkey Kong series & Popeye.)  I can switch from dkong to dkongjr to popeye with VERY little effort.  That is of value to me.  I visit http://nintendocab/ and I'm presented with a list of games, as well as what is running currently.  A single tap of the finger, or click of the mouse and the game is switched. 

It is very different than switching PCBs, as I'm sure you can see.  The benefit to the player is minimal, in that downtime is shortened.  The benefit to me is significant.

I hope I've explained the benefits of this little system well enough.

[sandheaver]

What I mention above applies to all front-ends, with the exception that one does not need to stand in front of my cabinet, and reveal to the player the wizard behind the curtain.  I can be anywhere within my house and and make the change, or on any computer from which I can connect to my home VPN.

Surely you can recognize the advantage(s) of that.

[yotsuya]

It's an advantage if you absolutely want to hide the front end. I actually enjoy watching guests browse through the front end lists and seeing their smiles as memories are triggered. It leads to great conversations.

[sandheaver]

It's an advantage if you absolutely want to hide the front end. I actually enjoy watching guests browse through the front end lists and seeing their smiles as memories are triggered. It leads to great conversations.

I have paper "menus" (for lack of a better term) for that.  Yes, it does lead to great conversations.

But there is no reason whatsoever to show all 25 (or however many there are) clones of Street Fighter II, for example.  If they want to see the full list, I have a web application at home for that, but the menu booklet has met every need, so far.

[yotsuya]

If your FE is showing 25 clones of SFII, then you're either lazy or you don't know what you're doing.

[Nephasth]

If your FE is showing 25 clones of SFII, then you're either lazy or you don't know what you're doing.

Agreed. Takes all of a few minutes with a list generator to trim the fat.

[yotsuya]

I will agree with you on that, Sandy. I hate seeing massive unfiltered lists.

[Hoopz]

I have paper "menus" (for lack of a better term) for that.  Yes, it does lead to great conversations.

To clarify this, you mean a hard copy correct?  I'm assuming so but wanted to ask just to make sure I understood correctly.

[Vigo]

I'm assuming she keeps a paper list out like a karaoke machine would have.

[yotsuya]

I'm assuming she keeps a paper list out like a karaoke machine would have.

I'm trying to see how this is better than using a FE. I really am.

[sandheaver]

I'm assuming she keeps a paper list out like a karaoke machine would have.

I'm trying to see how this is better than using a FE. I really am.

The menu doesn't come unless requested and no one is forced to look at it or listen to it.

To me, a front-end is like an advertisement that no one wants to really see but that everyone tolerates because they're so common.  I've "bought the DVD" and don't see the commercials.  That is, I've used my skills to eliminate the most annoying feature, by far, of any multiple-game arcade cabinet: the obnoxious front-end.

Again, if you don't get it already, you won't.  Stop trying.

[yotsuya]

Again, if you don't get it already, you won't.  Stop trying.

Why do you take such an antagonistic tone when people engage you in any sort of questioning? How is whipping out a paper list and choosing a game a more optimal experience than selecting a game from a scrolling, animated list? In the almost 3 years I've had a MAME cab, no one has ever said, "Man, this would be so much cooler if I wasn't forced to look at all these choices."

[sandheaver]

Again, if you don't get it already, you won't.  Stop trying.

Why do you take such an antagonistic tone when people engage you in any sort of questioning? How is whipping out a paper list and choosing a game a more optimal experience than selecting a game from a scrolling, animated list?

Because you keep asking me to explain.

In the almost 3 years I've had a MAME cab, no one has ever said, "Man, this would be so much cooler if I wasn't forced to look at all these choices."

I'm saying that.  That's the whole point.  I don't want to see all those choices.  I don't think it's some great feature to advertise that you've pirated tens of thousands of games.  I don't think it makes one look like they have more, I don't think that it makes the cabinet look better, I don't think having 10,000 games on a single cabinet can even be considered reasonable.

You don't agree.  That's fine.  You keep asking, and saying you don't understand, so I keep reiterating.

[yotsuya]

Again, if you don't get it already, you won't.  Stop trying.

Why do you take such an antagonistic tone when people engage you in any sort of questioning? How is whipping out a paper list and choosing a game a more optimal experience than selecting a game from a scrolling, animated list?

Because you keep asking me to explain.

In the almost 3 years I've had a MAME cab, no one has ever said, "Man, this would be so much cooler if I wasn't forced to look at all these choices."

I'm saying that.  That's the whole point.  I don't want to see all those choices.  I don't think it's some great feature to advertise that you've pirated tens of thousands of games.  I don't think it makes one look like they have more, I don't think that it makes the cabinet look better, I don't think having 10,000 games on a single cabinet can even be considered reasonable.

You don't agree.  That's fine.  You keep asking, and saying you don't understand, so I keep reiterating.

First of all, you're misguided in assuming most of us here have 10,000 games on their cab. That's usually someone who has built their first machine. After doing this for a while, you learn what works and what doesn't work. I bet anyone who's been here for at least 3 years (as long as I have), has pared their machine down A LOT.

Second, news of your arcade wine list just came out this morning. So you went from "I like minialist FEs" to "I don't like FEs" to "My guests pick games from a list I don't tell them about". As you keep revealing more about your habits, you're going to get more questions. If you don't want to be engaged by questions, stop giving us info.

If it works for you, it works for you. But I don't think it's easier, nor do I think FEs shatter some illusion for purists. I don't remember some grizzled old OP handing me a list of games I could play when I walked into the Rebel Arcade back in '82.

[Hoopz]

I have paper "menus" (for lack of a better term) for that.  Yes, it does lead to great conversations.

To clarify this, you mean a hard copy correct?  I'm assuming so but wanted to ask just to make sure I understood correctly.

BUMP!

I'm just trying to understand the project more clearly.   

[sandheaver]

I don't remember some grizzled old OP handing me a list of games I could play when I walked into the Rebel Arcade back in '82.

You do remember that, I assure you; you looked at all the marquees.  The marquees weren't handed to you, but they didn't have to be.  You knew which games were available because the marquees told you which games were available.  That's a menu, if you define "menu" as "a list of choices."

I don't have room for all the games I play, so I must make sacrifices.  I can't let the marquees be my menu.

(By the way, I realize that this is the dilemma all of us face, I just chose a different solution than is common.)

To clarify this, you mean a hard copy correct?  I'm assuming so but wanted to ask just to make sure I understood correctly.

Yes.

[Hoopz]

Thanks.

Is there a way you can have your list on your phone?  From the screenshot I saw, it looks (somewhat) like Romlister where it showed # of buttons, players (if I recall correctly), and probably other info that's from Mame.  Is there a benefit to eliminating the paper list altogether and having everything via the browser?  I don't know how the lists are arranged but I try and eliminate all paper when possible.

What's the next step?  Thoughts on making this an app v. a browser?  Sideload it via Android (or whatever they call it on iOS)?  I'm using a Galaxy Nexus and even on my home network, I find that (most) apps run faster and more smoothly than waiting on a browser to render a page. 

Will it be scalable to larger phones/tablets? I can see someone running a cheap 7" tablet instead of a touchscreen monitor and clicking an icon for sports games, shooters, or maze games then a list coming up.

Caveat:  I'm not a programmer and stopped "coding" when I got to List "$",8,1 or WTF it was.   

[griffindodd]

My Mustang Bus has a frikkin' laser strapped to it's head, which makes it the second most awesome cab of 2012 

[Malenko]

I don't have room for all the games I play, so I must make sacrifices.  I can't let the marquees be my menu.

Sure ya can, I could do this in MaLa in about 10 seconds. Also, despite it already being said, I must reiterate that few of us have "10,000 pirated ROMS". Just for the record, I'm pretty confident I have more machines and PCBs than you do

I stated before that I saw the advantage of your system, and it works for what you do. Can you see the disadvantages as well?  If a person wants to know if you have a certain game, you have to look through your list and select it for them. If I was there and I want to play something else, you need to change the game for me. No option to have "preview videos" running so that they can be sure the game they are about to pick is the game they thought it was. Im not gonna go down the advantages and disadvantages, I just want to see if you realize even your way has it faults.

I think perhaps you tried out 1 or 2 front ends that weren't set up at all, and you're basing your opinions of all front ends based on that. I'm pretty sure no normal user has all 34 flavors of Street Fighter II (maybe just CE, Turbo, and Rainbow) and if they do it's their fault, not their front ends.

[sandheaver]

Is there a way you can have your list on your phone?  From the screenshot I saw, it looks (somewhat) like Romlister where it showed # of buttons, players (if I recall correctly), and probably other info that's from Mame.  Is there a benefit to eliminating the paper list altogether and having everything via the browser?  I don't know how the lists are arranged but I try and eliminate all paper when possible.

The "Application" (if you can consider it a whole) has two parts.  The part that runs and switches games is written and ready and running;  the full-featured front-end selection UI is nearly ready.  I'm probably not going to finish the full-featured UI selection one, even though it's about 98% complete.  I need to implement only a way to point it at a certain cabinet, and send an HTTP request to that cabinet.  Everything else is done.

The part that switches the games and all that has its own optional web UI.  In there you can list games, yes, and I do.  On my Nintendo cabinet that little app shows a small list with only Nintendo games that can play on that cabinet (all the Donkey Kong arcade games.)  I click the link for Donkey Kong Jr. and mame will immediately gracefully kill any running mame instance(s) and launch Donkey Kong Jr.

What's the next step?  Thoughts on making this an app v. a browser?  Sideload it via Android (or whatever they call it on iOS)?  I'm using a Galaxy Nexus and even on my home network, I find that (most) apps run faster and more smoothly than waiting on a browser to render a page. 

Next step?  I'm pretty much done; it's met my needs quite nicely and I've debugged it enough that it runs for days on automated testing.  I wrote a small script that switches games on my desktop machine and I let it run for 2 days while I worked on the Nintendo cab.  The whole thing could be made into an app, but honestly that feels like overkill given that the page is very light and no device I've tested with takes longer than an eyeblink to render.  If you add more games, that won't necessarily be true, though.  The full-featured front-end was imagined partly for this reason. 

Will it be scalable to larger phones/tablets? I can see someone running a cheap 7" tablet instead of a touchscreen monitor and clicking an icon for sports games, shooters or maze games then a list coming up.

It's HTML; it will run on anything with a web browser.  The pages can be customized to your liking.  If it were to be made into an app, the app could generate the HTML pages itself and only rely on the Node.js application to actually launch the games.

[sandheaver]

I don't have room for all the games I play, so I must make sacrifices.  I can't let the marquees be my menu.

Sure ya can, I could do this in MaLa in about 10 seconds. Also, despite it already being said, I must reiterate that few of us have "10,000 pirated ROMS".

My machines don't have LCDs in the marquee area.  MaLa can show you which games are available, but not at a glance.  [restatement of my hatred for visible front-ends and my refusal to implement one.]

Just for the record, I'm pretty confident I have more machines and PCBs than you do

If you want this to be a contest of who can pee the farthest, yes, I'll lose. 

I stated before that I saw the advantage of your system, and it works for what you do. Can you see the disadvantages as well?  If a person wants to know if you have a certain game, you have to look through your list and select it for them. If I was there and I want to play something else, you need to change the game for me. No option to have "preview videos" running so that they can be sure the game they are about to pick is the game they thought it was. Im not gonna go down the advantages and disadvantages, I just want to see if you realize even your way has it faults.

I think perhaps you tried out 1 or 2 front ends that weren't set up at all, and you're basing your opinions of all front ends based on that. I'm pretty sure no normal user has all 34 flavors of Street Fighter II (maybe just CE, Turbo, and Rainbow) and if they do it's their fault, not their front ends.

Yes, I recognize that my system may have disadvantages for some.  I don't dispute that at all.  I'm stating only that for my needs, this is the proper solution.  Those that I invite to play know what I have.  I created the menu simply to brush up on my LaTeX (typesetting system, in case you don't know) skills.  I'm having the shortlist laminated and the big book-o-games bound today.  We'll have to wait and see if they ever get any real use.

[Vigo]

I don't have room for all the games I play, so I must make sacrifices.  I can't let the marquees be my menu.

Sure ya can, I could do this in MaLa in about 10 seconds. Also, despite it already being said, I must reiterate that few of us have "10,000 pirated ROMS".

My machines don't have LCDs in the marquee area.  MaLa can show you which games are available, but not at a glance.  [restatement of my hatred for visible front-ends and my refusal to implement one.]

I think he is saying he could set up MaLa to show marquees rather than a list of games. It would be on the main screen and not on the Marquee.

And from my understanding, you could set up mala to show games in the exact same way you could with a piece of paper or a phone. You can set up Mala tree to group an organize your games any which way you want them to. I've had mine set up alphabetically, by genre, by control scheme, favorites, by year, you name it.