The Best

[pac-boy]

What does everyone think is the best frontend?

[mccoy178]

This is a good question.  I'd be interested to know as well.  I like xp myself.  Much better than 98.

[retrometro]

I like the videos of Maximus people have uploaded to Youtube.  Unfortunately it's not free.  I would use mamewah since there's such a huge community around it but its more difficult to manage / setup for the first time.  I'm currently using MALA since it's free (have donated though) and is very easy to setup / modify.

The only beef I have with it is that it's a little buggy.  I can go on and on but a handful of very little things bother me.  (using v1.04).

Otherwise, most people seem just fine with mame32 especially if their cab has a trackball.  I wonder though... now that MAME has an ASCII front end built in, how many people use that on their cab?

[ARTIFACT]

MaLa

[Cakemeister]

Peale would say Michelle Tractenberg (sic)

I personally like Jewel.

[TheDriver]

What does everyone think is the best frontend?

This is a hard question to answer, everyone has their own preference, there realy is no such thing as "the best frontend" your best bet is try a few and see which one you are most comfy with. I searched google for this exact same question and there was no definitive answer. Check the wiki page http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends , but quite a few of them are no longer getting updated.

Regards.

[DaveMMR]

Otherwise, most people seem just fine with mame32 especially if their cab has a trackball. 

If you have a cab, the general belief is that Mame32 is horrible for that.  A properly set up front-end (which is not hard at all) looks and interacts 10 times better than Mame32.

There's no answer for the "best" front-end.  You have to see which ones have the features that are most important to you and work best with your setup.  (Example, MaLa works great with Led-Wiz and U360s).  Sorry, no one said this hobby had easy answers.  Your going to have to do a little research.

[Thenasty]

MAME built in FE is good for others already. I guess it all depends what you want. 

[javeryh]

MaLa is by far my favorite - plus the tech support in these forums is GREAT and the program is still being developed/tweaked/refined.

[Green Giant]

I would use mamewah since there's such a huge community around it but its more difficult to manage / setup for the first time. 

Mamewah has a very minimal community now.  People have adopted Mala, Atomic, and GameEx instead since all three can do more than mamewah without any hassle.  But if you prefer scratching your brain modifying .ini's, go for mamewah.

Otherwise, most people seem just fine with mame32 especially if their cab has a trackball.  I wonder though... now that MAME has an ASCII front end built in, how many people use that on their cab?

Mame32 is in no way nice on a cab.  Everything about it screams casual user on their multi-use desktop/laptop. 

Pick one of the big three I mentioned above, Mala, atomicfe, or gameex.  Each has its perks depending on the hardware and other features you want.  All take little to no time to learn and look great.  A side note, GameEx is shareware and requires money to unlock the full potential.

What does everyone think is the best frontend?

As per your first question...

[pod]

I like Mala on my cabinet, only others I've used are MameWah, Mame32, 3dArcade and GameEx though. Just playing on a PC I'm happy with Mame32.

[retrometro]

Otherwise, most people seem just fine with mame32 especially if their cab has a trackball. 

If you have a cab, the general belief is that Mame32 is horrible for that.  A properly set up front-end (which is not hard at all) looks and interacts 10 times better than Mame32.

I completely agree.  mame32 is horrible for cabs but I've met more people than not using it in their cabs.  I think folks that read/post on arcade forums probably have a higher standard than most.

I've tried mamewah and just gave up.  the default is easy if all you want to do is play mame with some screenshots with the default template.  But man, it's confusing editing the ini's and having to name them a certain way for other emulators or editing the layouts..... and naming and putting them in the correct dir... ugh.

Features wise.... how does MALA compare to Maximus Arcade?  Both seem to have recent updates.

[vindes]

MaLa here.

I used to use MameWah, but after not touching it for a year or so then deciding I wanted to change things around, I found it was easier to switch to MaLa than re-learn all the stuff I forgot about configuring MameWah.

[headkaze]

As per your first question...

I'm hoping there will be a post about best backend too Jennifer Lopez? Or is that just the biggest backend?

[loadman]

'space for rent'

[loadman]

As per your first question...

I'm hoping there will be a post about best backend too Jennifer Lopez? Or is that just the biggest backend?

Yikes, I'm not putting any plug-in's in that!!!!   

My last name is Loader

So if I wrote a FE would it be called...... Frontend-Loader? 

[gonzo90017]

I used to use MameWah, but after not touching it for a year or so then deciding I wanted to change things around, I found it was easier to switch to MaLa than re-learn all the stuff I forgot about configuring MameWah

That's pretty funny since I tried getting into mala but i'm so used to editing everything by hand so I gave up. 

But seriously I love using Mamewah. It runs great on older hardware (im using a 400mhz pc) Other Fe's have higher system requirements.

[ErikRuud]

I was actually quite happy with GameLauncher, but then I upgraded my OS and it didn't work anymore.

I then switched to Kymaera and was pretty happy with it.  I am actually still using it.  Unfortunately it is not supported anymore.

About a year ago, I tried to setup AtomicFE, but I couldn't get it work.  It had a tendency to lock up when I first started it.  I'll try it again soon.

I plan on trying out MaLa and GameEx in the near future as well.

One feature in particular that I liked in GL and Kymaera was the ability to have more than one key assigned to a function.  Unless I missed something, Maximus Arcade seems to be the only currently supported FE that does this.

I also liked being able to mix emulators in the same list, but almost every FE allows that these days.

[gonzo90017]

I also liked being able to mix emulators in the same list, but almost every FE allows that these days.

Not natively though.

[Havok]

I also liked being able to mix emulators in the same list, but almost every FE allows that these days.

Not natively though.

AtomicFE does...

However, I think the best frontend is:

[gonzo90017]

Yes so does Arcade.exe I just mentioned it since he said most.
And I agree with you in regards to the best frontend.

[Green Giant]

However, I think the best frontend is:

I like that one too.  Old Lindsay=good, new lindsay=crack whore.  Johansson=hottest currently

Now for the best back debate.

[Havok]

Now for the best back debate.

Got to agree with headkaze, J-Lo...

[loadman]

mmm Good Photoshop work

[headkaze]

Look what this guy sent to me in PM. It's his first post so he joined up to send me this (creepy huh)

J-lo? I think you haven't seen back end.

I don't think J-Lo's got the best back end. She has the biggest back end. If I had to vote best "back end", it would be Thora Birch or Gwen Stefani. I don't like big back ends.

Sorry had to set the record straight 

[Green Giant]

I don't think J-Lo's got the best back end. She has the biggest back end. If I had to vote best "back end", it would be Thora Birch or Gwen Stefani. I don't like big back ends.

Thora Birch, WTF?

[headkaze]

I don't think J-Lo's got the best back end. She has the biggest back end. If I had to vote best "back end", it would be Thora Birch or Gwen Stefani. I don't like big back ends.

Thora Birch, WTF?

Not a fan I take it 

[Green Giant]

I don't think J-Lo's got the best back end. She has the biggest back end. If I had to vote best "back end", it would be Thora Birch or Gwen Stefani. I don't like big back ends.

Thora Birch, WTF?

Not a fan I take it 

Of this...  Now show me more of Scarlett

[headkaze]

I don't think J-Lo's got the best back end. She has the biggest back end. If I had to vote best "back end", it would be Thora Birch or Gwen Stefani. I don't like big back ends.

Thora Birch, WTF?

Not a fan I take it 

Of this...  Now show me more of Scarlett

hehe, each to their own I guess. I must admit it's not the best photo of her I've seen. She looks better as a brunette. And I have to agree Scarlett is definately a contender for best FE

[Havok]

Sorry brother, but Thora is just not in the same league...



Booyah!

[headkaze]

Sorry brother, but Thora is just not in the same league...
Booyah!

Okay next time we double date, you take Scarlett and I'll take Thora and we'll leave J-Lo at home

[Green Giant]

I don't think J-Lo's got the best back end. She has the biggest back end. If I had to vote best "back end", it would be Thora Birch or Gwen Stefani. I don't like big back ends.

Thora Birch, WTF?

Not a fan I take it 

Of this...  Now show me more of Scarlett

hehe, each to their own I guess. I must admit it's not the best photo of her I've seen. She looks better as a brunette. And I have to agree Scarlett is definately a contender for best FE

If you really like her than do her a favor, that picture I put up is pulled directly from wikipedia.  Someone should change it.

[pod]

Well, it looks like this thread has been completely hijacked with pics of ho's... sorry pac-boy.

[Green Giant]

Well, it looks like this thread has been completely hijacked with pics of ho's... sorry pac-boy.

This thread is by far better than the 200 other best arcade frontend threads out there.  The answers started out so crappy with no descriptions for the initial question.  Details are necessary for such a broad question.

[Havok]

Well, it looks like this thread has been completely hijacked with pics of ho's... sorry pac-boy.

Thanks for the commentary n00b - anyone that can click on the search button can see this is a question best answered by doing a little work and reading the Wiki, because a new thread with the same old question keeps coming up every week. And seriously, do you know these women enough to insult them by calling them ho's? Shame on you!

 

[loadman]

Yeah let us regular software forum junkies vent a little.   

We see the post 'What's the best FE'?  all the time.    C'mon Serach the many posts already of this topic please 

Check the Wiki.  http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends

There is no best only what is best for you and your gaming needs.

[Kangum]

Mala has always worked best for me. it takes seconds to set up.

the only thing is it assumes you will use mame no matter what. since thats what it is made for. i use it for visual pinball and 2 other non mame emulators. i had to set up empty directorys and a mame.exe even though i have no use for them, to stop it from crashing since it expects it. not that big a deal.