FE concept

[shorthair]

I've looked at all the fe's, as well as tried the majority of actively-supported ones, and I don't like any particular one enough that I'd use it. Many of them have features I like, but not all together. A lot of people don't like a 'windows' look, but here's the one thing that Mame32 has the others don't: a side list of folders, with drag and drop capability.

Here's my idea: have an icon or number pad analogue somewhere (perhaps defaulted in the upper left) as in the diagram below. Mame32 seems to have all it needs in the four items in the in its tool bar. Put those in four of the 'buttons'. The fifth one would be, either, an emu toggle, or a list would drop down from it (I'm thinking the latter might be more effective) as well as lists would drop down from the others. These would also be drag and drop, from game list to folder list on the left. And the buttons would be mappable for those without mice/trackballs.


An added feature would be for the display to be modular. Each section - game info, image box, list, function icon (possibly also customizable) could be moved around each other.

Supplemental to this would be the desire for CMD/EXE (the latter meaning that some fe's won't use only the exe from Mame32...Atomic will) as well as PC for supported emulators. And perhaps a simplicity in or negation of some features - such as working path, exe used, and only snaps being available.

Definitely, there would need to be a simplicity in the manager, which would indicate this is a medium level fe: more arcade-like than Mame32 (as well as multi-emu support), but not cluttered with the tons of extra features that some of the hard core folks are interested in.

Of course, I don't have the experience to generate this, but if this idea grabs anyone who does, please holler.


(Whoops, forgot the image.)

[unclet]

In MALA I know you can create as many folders as you want (ie:  Driving, Shooting, Favorites, etc..) and then if you highlight a game title in MALA then right click on the mouse you can move the game into one of these different folders.   You can then of course decide which folder you want to dislpay as your "Game list" for the emulator you are using.

Pretty easy in my opinion.  It is funny, since I like Mame32 a while back but thought it was silly that it always dislpayed all the different categories in which you could drag-drop game titles into.   I am glad MALA hides this from the main screen, but allows it rather easily (right clicking the mouse) to populate them.

[juggle50]

Just to jam on that idea.  I think it would be great to have the option to press an icon on the screen in a MALA style FE that swiches the display to a windows MAME32 style FE so you can have the best of both worlds.  In MAME32 I really like being able to switch things around in the "properties" tab without using an "ini" file as I do a lot of messing around on the fly.

[unclet]

You never need to go into an INI file in MALA.   Right click on the mouse and select "Options" to bring up the options menu.   You can then set everything how you want it, similiar to setting stuff like Mame32 offers.

[juggle50]

Huh,

I guess I've never played around with it that much.  Can MALA run MESS as a single emulator? (As opposed to having to set up each emulator seperately that MESS emulates?) Does that make sense?

[Howard_Casto]

There's no such thing as a fe that can run mess as a single emulator because mess itself is only technically a single emulator... the way the file structue is for mess cfgs, it just makes more sense to use it as seperate emus. 

[shorthair]

Well, I just tried MaLa, again. It still has too much stuff, too many options. Plus, you can't access other folders like you can in Mame32. (The only thing Mame32 is missing in this respect is being able to create other folders from the GUI....which I would also add to this project.) As well, though configuring in MaLa is easier than other fe's, you can't configure particular apsects in Mame, nor particular Mame games, as you can in Mame32 from the GUI. My icon idea and such address these.

As for MaLa, itself, there are problems with Mame: it said there was no Mame ini, but there was one in the ini folder. Some games ran fine, others ran slow, whereas this is my standard version (.104) on this computer which runs just fine, otherwise.

Lastly, it's not modular, let alone in real-time. Being able to just click'n'drag each 'object' within the GUI would be cool. Additionally, being able to select the background and game list font parametres are desired.

Basically, it seems I'm wanting a GUI like Mame32 but with three other things:

1. new, modular, real-time changeable skin/interface.

2. create new folders from GUI.

3. multi-emu support (without all that extra features crap).

[Howard_Casto]

well you best start coding then 


3darcade is the only fe that even comes close to what you are asking, but it has those pesky "options" that you hate. 


 
Lord knows we wouldn't want a fe with a lot of features we can either  choose to use or not to use, we just want to make a fe specifially for your needs that only does what you personally want it to do.  And for the record, a point and click interface goes against the spirit of a mame cab (no mouse) which is why you aren't seeing much of that.

 A real-time skinner in any fe not using the crappy gdi (which is what mame32 is using) is incredibly difficult to pull off.  There are a few that attempt it (like 3darcade) but you still end up editing parts of the skin outside of the fe, because you'll need a full keyboard, and again a keybaord goes against the spirit of a mamecab. 

Folders are so 1998.  Good fes might have the option of messign around with folders, but we all use "virtual folders" now.  In other words your roms don't move, but you cna make mutliple lists via filters. 

Multi emu support requires more settings, it's as simple as that.  Some fes make it easier to setup, but you still have more settings.  This is just common sense really.

[ahofle]

LOL
I agree with Howard that you can't have too many options (and pretty much everything else he said).  But I disagree on the 'point and click' thing.  I wish there were more trackball/mouse friendly FEs out there, at least as an option.  I hate MAME32, but I use it because I can scroll from 'C' games to 'W' games instantly by dragging the scroll bar button down.  It's definitely not required to use the windows gdi for a scrollbar -- look at the ZSnes emulator.  I know not everyone has a trackball, but I'd be willing to bet a good percentage of MAME cabs do.  And having a scrollbar is useful even without a mouse (provides feedback on list size and position, etc).  Guess I better start coding. 

[shorthair]

Now, Howard, I just presented an idea and asked anyone who might be interested say something. Though, definitely your feedback is educational, thanks.

I'm interested in a primarily graphical interface; I don't want to have to think about what's going on behind the scenes. As well, the extra options could be in there, but hidable with a click or just part of a different sub-menu. And even MaLa REQUIRES you set a snap path. Maybe I don't want to hassle with that, at least at first. But I do find myself, particularly when screwing around with native resolutions, using Mame32 cos each game I have the options to right there. You can't even do that with any other fe.

And, echoing ahofle, I think more people have trackballs than that - BUT, the main functions would be mappable through the buttons, so It'd be completely arcade-friendly. I'm assuming most people use both a keyboard and mouse when initially setting up their system, so dragging around the interface components wouldn't be weird - however, for those who have tb's and m's around, they could whenever they wanted...and the real-time option would just be convenient.

[loadman]

As well, though configuring in MaLa is easier than other fe's, you can't configure particular apsects in Mame,

Good luck with your FE 

I assume you have tried this button on MaLa   

[Buddabing]

The beginnings of support for user interface elements (buttons with customizable functions and a virtual keyboard) within skins is present in Kymaera. It looks like it would have been done in the next version.

A virtual keyboard would be very useful for certain functions if the cabinet has a trackball but no keyboard.

I made a lot of revisions to the Kymaera code, but I don't have time to pursue the project further. Plus, PacManFan didn't include all the code to the skinner and the config application.

An added feature would be for the display to be modular. Each section - game info, image box, list, function icon (possibly also customizable) could be moved around each other.

Not sure what this means. Isn't that what skins do?

[SGT]

Well, I just tried MaLa, again. It still has too much stuff, too many options.

 

Swindus, please do not remove the options nor stop adding stuff.

[shorthair]

I wasn't suggesting to modify MaLa, or necessarily any other fe, cos obviously they work for people. But there might actually be a significant amount of people who want something in-between Mame32 and arcade-like.

Buddabing: by modular I meant there would be a background on which modules - game list, snap, game info areas - could be real-time selected and moved around on, respectively. Sorta like a desktop with icons.

[Havok]

Most everything you want is already out there, but it's going to require some work on your part. All the popular front ends out there are attempts at being all things for all people. Of course, they can't, so everyone will find certain things they like in one and not the other. So, you have to invest some time and learn how to dig in and configure it for your needs. For example, you want to graphically drag and drop your layout? Not sure about the others, but AtomicFE has that - click on an element you want to enable, and drag it to the location you want. This cannot be done via the front end, you will have to run the layout editor program.  While none of the front ends out there (besides Mame32) have a folder structure, you can mimic the same thing by building custom game lists, something all the front ends can do. But again, you will have to invest some time and build these lists.

A virtual keyboard would be very useful for certain functions if the cabinet has a trackball but no keyboard.

AtomicFE offers a virtual keyboard to enable searching for a game. You press an assignable button to bring up the keyboard, and use the joystick to select the keys. Everything else would require a keyboard to configure the actual options of the front end however...

The main thing is that you design your layout, options, etc, and then build it. Once it's done, then fire up the front end and play. Once the thing is setup, do you really need options like dragging and dropping the layout, etc? If you do want to make changes, updates - is it really that important to be able to do it within the front end? Why? When you can just fire up a configuration program, make the changes, and save? AtomicFE offers a real-time preview of the layout if you really need to see what something looks like right away. And I believe Mala and GameEx offer something similar.

I think between AtomicFE, Mala, Mamewah and GameEx you're pretty well covered - one of these four has got to be able to do everything that you need with a little creative thinking/configuration.

Perhaps you find so many options in the front ends intimidating? Try AtomicFE's plug and play modules, or GameEx's automatic configuration - they may be more to your liking.

What it really boils down to is that you will have to do some work and figure out how to configure one of these front ends to make it into something that you are happy with. Out of the box, almost all of them aren't what anyone is looking for. However, they all have a ton of options to make pretty much whatever you want. There's a lot of great people here that will take the time and help you if you have questions on a particular front end, plus additional forums for each of the popular front ends out there. Now get to work, so you can play!

 

[unclet]

This might make it easier for you if you want a detailed step by step explanation of how to set up MALA for different emulators ...... 

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=56010.0

[MustardTent]

The above thread should really be stickied (as long as it hasn't been incorporated into the wiki yet).

[loadman]

Most everything you want is already out there, but it's going to require some work on your part. All the popular front ends out there are attempts at being all things for all people.  Now get to work, so you can play!
 

Nice Points...   

The above thread should really be stickied (as long as it hasn't been incorporated into the wiki yet).

Is is indeed. UncleT did a great job.   

Wiki (in othe emu set-up) : http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Mala_Wiki

Web (On the right pane): http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/help.html
** This may be the older version

[shorthair]

Actually, what would be that hard about creating an app that would utilise a desktop-like background with icons for fuctions and drop-down menus, as well as boxes or any shape you wanted that would be like a media player (you can easily change the skin, as well as move it around, real-time in those), that would load a certain way. Sounds like a relatively easy OS-related graphical experiment. Still have no idea how to approach it, technically, but as Windows is already set up that way in at least a general sense, well.....

[crzywolf]

Actually, what would be that hard about creating an app that would utilise a desktop-like background with icons for fuctions and drop-down menus, as well as boxes or any shape you wanted that would be like a media player (you can easily change the skin, as well as move it around, real-time in those), that would load a certain way. Sounds like a relatively easy OS-related graphical experiment. Still have no idea how to approach it, technically, but as Windows is already set up that way in at least a general sense, well.....

Have you tried using programs like Desktop X from Stardock.

[shorthair]

Mm. Looks like some research and experiment in its own right, but possibly more up my alley. Thank you.

[shorthair]

Did some preliminary messing around with and reading the documentation of Stardock's DesktopX, and it seems I would, at the very least, have to learn how to script to be able to do what I'm wanting...which should be easier than that: widget for each object (game list, snap, etc), and a widget or widget set to display menus down from the function items. Of course, when selecting a title from the game list widget, it'd have to be able to tell the other widgets to switch their content, appropriately, which maybe that's where a lot of the coding is done. Hm.