WebMAME .3 released

[Lilwolf]

So, I finally got around to updating WebMAME.  This is a bit like multimame where its a middleware piece that fits between your frontend and your emulators.  It makes multiple emulators look like a single emulator to the frontend.  And it also allows you to filter what games the emulator has.

The new major feature is that it can all be configured now through webpages, from any computer in your intranet... Plus it can also launch games from those webpages so you man verify the game, or just launch a single game, but where you don't really want it viewable from your frontend.

http://webmame.wikidot.com/start

The difference with WebMAME and MultiMAME is that WebMAME is additive... you want to add a game to a control panel/category?  Find the game and add it... MultiMAME tries to add EVERY game that matches your categories.  Sometimes though, I don't want 8k games on my arcade... I want the ones I like... And an easy way to add others by hand.

The pages are configurable, and can change with css the page to look like anything you want.  Change backgrounds, header string, add links in the footer... move stuff around... hide stuff... add marquees... snapshots... titles...

You can also control the app from either a web browser or a command line (thanks to CURL). 

So in a browser, to launch a game... type "http://localhost/emul/cat fighter sf2"
or in a command line type "fighter sf2"

Let me know how it works for you!


Next release:
* Add more details to the game page.
* Add direct support for HyperSpin and allow you to configure the 'parent' to any game with a theme that you like.
* Possibly switch to using jsps (I was playing with html generation outside of jsps) and move all data to custom tags.
* Filter in all games for emulator page
* Load history and other txt files per game to details page
* I might try and create a more ajaxian page that looks like a full fledged frontend... I just wouldn't use it... but might do it just for fun.

Good luck

[Ummon]

The idea seems ahead of its time....but it seems rather an involved process, yet.

[BASS!]

hmmmmm so how much longer for a completely web based local frontend?

[Lilwolf]

Well, hyperspin is written in flash.  So it isn't impossible at all.  Right now I could do it using ajax and javascript (propably scriptaculous or similar)... but it would either be very dull (like this is now) or near impossible to skin.

Once I get it working directly updating HyperSpins config files, I then could ask the HyperSpin people what it would take to run hyperspin from a browser. 

I'm just not sure what help that would be for most people.  Configuration seems useful from another machine... But I'm not sure how much the it would be worth running it on the machine itself.

[Lilwolf]

Fixed a bug...  WebMAME, if you launch a game.... and then launch another game... it would kill the first one and start the second.  Well, this only worked once... I finally figured out why...

Then I realized... I can now easily setup a frontend on another computer...  and have it just launch a game... and go back to the frontend...(ie, give WebMAME an option just to return right away when a game is launched).

Would anyone be interested in this (sooner then the next few weeks?). 

This has also made me interested in making a iphone ready frontend webpage...  control the game running from my iphone would be cool...

[Dazz]

Well, hyperspin is written in flash.  So it isn't impossible at all.  Right now I could do it using ajax and javascript (propably scriptaculous or similar)... but it would either be very dull (like this is now) or near impossible to skin.

Once I get it working directly updating HyperSpins config files, I then could ask the HyperSpin people what it would take to run hyperspin from a browser. 

I'm just not sure what help that would be for most people.  Configuration seems useful from another machine... But I'm not sure how much the it would be worth running it on the machine itself.

This is a very interesting concept... I've been thinking about how I could incorporate it on my cabinet.

HyperSpin isn't actually flash... it's compiled Action Scrip 3.  I don't think the code can be run natively in a browser like a flash application.

[Lilwolf]

directx9 added actionscript3.  So it could be done...  But I'm not sure if its like java where the jvm in a browser has a lot more security then the compiled exe.  But you would have to change where you load images from and a ton of other items I'm sure.

Anyway, a tweek or two later, and my arcade machine now stays on a game 24/7 until I change it from my computer.  Works pretty well.  I had to add a few items to it like adding a configurable pause between games or mame will calculate width/height based on the last screen resolution or something and make all vertical games really narrow... few hundred milliseconds and thats gone.  Also, you can do a combination of both.  As long as you don't have a return video (and a simplish frontend without sound) you can swap games from the frontend on the machine or from another computer.