What customizations can I add?

[Zeppo]

I got the basics working really well.
Mamewah front-end controlling Mame, and a few other emulators.
Mamewah shows a jpg of each game as it is highlighted in the menu, then after 3 seconds a demo video of the game plays.
Leave it on the menu for over 15 minutes, then the screensaver of random game demos plays full-screen.

Most people that come over are fairly impressed by that, but I was wondering about adding a few other customizations such as:
When a game is selected, a screen pops up with a picture of my button layout, but shows arrows pointing to the buttons that the selected game actually uses.

I thought I have read something like this before, but not sure how to do it, or which front-end I might have to use to make that work.


What other neat little things can I make my cabinet do?

Thanks!

[drventure]

You might want to check out CP wizard (check the WIKI here for links)

There's several other apps that will generate images of your CP with the active buttons labeled for each game.

You might also check out arcade ambience, to have background sounds of various arcade machines playing at low volume behind your current game (makes it sound like your in an arcade with tons of machines).

Screen caps and vids are good, but you can also throw in flyer art, marquees, Historical info on the game, etc. That's all available from various places.

Add light guns maybe?

Just browse through the Hall of fame thread http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,103103.0.html for tons of great ideas.

[BadMouth]

You can always get crazy with the lighting.  Light up buttons, joysticks, cab.
Look up LED Blinky.

Personally I don't like light coming from anywhere but the screen but I have to admit,
having only the buttons to be used light up is pretty awesome.