Working on a front end

[Oils]

Being a programmer and learning Direct 3D I thought i'd give a try at creating a front end for mame. I've decided to base it on a vista media center look, although you wont require media center to run it. It'll be full screen, skinnable via configuration files and requires a D3D card, .net framework 2.0 and windows to run. I've decided to do this purely for fun but will release it free to the community when its done. Hopefully finding games should be very quick as the interface is very fast.







I'll keep you all updated.

[MiKman]

Looks interesting. I'm looking forward to it.   I would love an easy to configure/setup (i.e. windows  interface with checkboxes, selection sets, etc.) interface when run looks cool and is also easy to use...

[BamBam]

Excellent!  I am looking forward to taking it out for a spin.
The ability to have a search function is always a nice feature

John

[iwillfearnoevil]

looks pretty cool. good luck.

[MartyNg]

Good start oils! Looks pretty good. I'm looking forward to a release. I see you're relatively new to the boards. I'm sure you'll have a legion of testers waiting to help you out with this one! Will this be for VGA monitor use only, or are you looking to allow lower resolutions for arcade monitors?

If you're targeting arcade monitor users, I for one would definitely be interested in playtesting for you (if my low-end machine will run it). Hit me up with a PM when you're at a point where you can use another set of eyes! Is this in C#? VB.NET? I'm a developer too - I think my system would be a good test of the low end of the spectrum - Athlon 750MHz, 192M RAM, Win98SE.

Good luck!
 
 
Feature ideas: 
"Most recently played" listing
"Most frequently played" listing

[gamecreature]

 
Feature ideas: 
"Most recently played" listing
"Most frequently played" listing

I'm pretty sure both of those are in MaLa.

[MartyNg]

 
Feature ideas: 
"Most recently played" listing
"Most frequently played" listing

I'm pretty sure both of those are in MaLa.

Yes they are. I didn't mean to make them sound like they were 'my ideas'. Should have said "things a front-end should most definitely have."

[Howard_Casto]

I like this one because it doesn't look like the other ones already out there.  I would like to thank you personally for not "jumping the shark" that is the old lazarus. 

One thing I would look out for is your text.  You seem to have a lot of it and it is fairly small.  That isn't going to register well on arcade monitors and tvs. 

[loadman]

It does look kinda different.  Is it going to be used it a Cab? If so what sort?

Howard I tried your FE yesterday (DK) the intro scared the s**t out of my 3 year old daughter. I did not realise that the amp was up so loud  :-)

[Brad]

I like to see new frontends out there but I do have to say it looks very similiar to GameEx. Thats due to it being a Media Centre type deal though.

Keep it up.

Brad

[Howard_Casto]

Well yes and no.... the difference is thsi thing doesn't have those god awful media center buttons that gameex does.  That ruins the whole fe for me. 

Front ends shouldn't have buttons... period, end of story. 

[Howard_Casto]

It does look kinda different.  Is it going to be used it a Cab? If so what sort?

Howard I tried your FE yesterday (DK) the intro scared the s**t out of my 3 year old daughter. I did not realise that the amp was up so loud  :-)

Heh I get that a lot.  You should have heard it before.  This is the child friendly version. 

[tspeirs]

Front ends shouldn't have buttons... period, end of story. 

Well actually you can turn off the buttons in about two seconds flat, but never mind, I'm used to it.

Anyway back to to the topic.:

The screens look very impressive. Glad to have some competition, its normally a good thing, and will only hopefully benefit the user community. Can't wait to see a release of some sort.

Please keep us posted.

Tom.

[Oils]

Hi all,

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'll answer your questions.

I would love an easy to configure/setup (i.e. windows  interface with checkboxes, selection sets, etc.) interface when run looks cool and is also easy to use...

Most of the configuration will be within the interface itself rather than a seperate windows interace. The main reason being is I want to keep it simple as possible to set up. Once the first build is out I'll happily take suggestions though for improvement, if a lot of people want that. The interface will be enitrely driven by CP controls. (Maybe some keyboard interaction but hoping for as little as this as possible)

Will this be for VGA monitor use only, or are you looking to allow lower resolutions for arcade monitors?

I'm actually targetting low resolution arcade monitors and television resolutions.

Is this in C#? VB.NET?

C#
 

Feature ideas: 
"Most recently played" listing
"Most frequently played" listing

Most definately and you'll also be able to rate your game 1-5 stars too and sort that way.

One thing I would look out for is your text.  You seem to have a lot of it and it is fairly small.  That isn't going to register well on arcade monitors and tvs. 

Works quite well on a 27" Television, I'm still awaiting though my arcade monitor. Believe me though I wont release this unless it looks good! I should point out though that the screenshots there the text isn't in focus so is smaller if you move the stick up to the text the text wheel gets focus and grows in size.

Is it going to be used it a Cab? If so what sort?

I'm planning on building a cab, specs yet to be decided

Please keep us posted.

Certainely will and again thanks for all the postive feedback.

[Oils]

I probably should add, I am only currently learning Direct 3D, and still awaiting my arcade monitor so no idea how bad this is going to look on a dedicated monitor. It looks pretty good though on a tv so I'm hopeful. Also the interface isn't static like a lot of Front Ends I have tried, it's entirely animated, imagine the interface in the shots above but everything moving around the beams of light rotate all to whatever mp3 you decide to use for the front end.

[Howard_Casto]

That's a good idea, but it isn't a unique one.  By "all fe's" I guess you only tried mamewah and some of the older ones.  Dk, atomic, mala and most others now support animated skins.  Now the quality of the skins are questionable (mine included) but still... static fe's are old school. 

The beat detection is a new one though.  I thought of adding it, but when I did a test it ate up too much reasources.  Look out for that.

[DaOld Man]

  Hey oils, that FE looks great!
Will we be able to use it on an arcade cabinet that doesnt have the mouse or keyboard connected?
Just Player one joystick, P1 start, ESC, and 6 P1 action buttons?
That would really rock.
(Count me in on the beta testing).

[AllisterFiend]

It does look kinda different.  Is it going to be used it a Cab? If so what sort?

Howard I tried your FE yesterday (DK) the intro scared the s**t out of my 3 year old daughter. I did not realise that the amp was up so loud  :-)

Heh I get that a lot.  You should have heard it before.  This is the child friendly version. 

Yes, definitely, his first one scared the crap out of ME when I first ran it.


Allister Fiend