The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Xenepp on May 08, 2007, 10:26:53 pm
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It's been a while since I've scoured these forums and since I've just got hold of a nice stand-up cab, a PC and some Ultimarc gubbings the only thing left to investigate is the frontend.
I plan to run XP on my P4 with an ArcadeVGA and Mini-PAC, which frontend might suit best?
More to the point, what is everyone using these days and what layouts/schemes are the favorites?
I remember actually seeing a thread ages ago which dealt with hiding XP at boot time and minimising XP components. This is of particular interest since I only plan to run MAME on the cab, nothing else.
I did try to search but nothing came up (I tried with topics I knew existed though and it didn't find them either ???)
Anyway, thanks in advance guys!
-Joel
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It's been a while since I've scoured these forums and since I've just got hold of a nice stand-up cab, a PC and some Ultimarc gubbings the only thing left to investigate is the frontend.
I plan to run XP on my P4 with an ArcadeVGA and Mini-PAC, which frontend might suit best?
More to the point, what is everyone using these days and what layouts/schemes are the favorites?
I remember actually seeing a thread ages ago which dealt with hiding XP at boot time and minimising XP components. This is of particular interest since I only plan to run MAME on the cab, nothing else.
I did try to search but nothing came up (I tried with topics I knew existed though and it didn't find them either ???)
Anyway, thanks in advance guys!
-Joel
The most popular front end may not be the one that fits your needs.
Please consult the wiki (http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends) for a front end comparison.
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I can't comment on front-ends because I've not looked that much into them yet, however I can help with the threads on hiding windows, shelling your FE etc.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=53467.0
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Hiding_Windows
Good luck with it.
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Based on discussions in the software forum, I would believe (in no particular order) that the following frontends are talked about the most:
AtomicFE
Mala
MameWah
GameEx
This in no way means that other emulators listed on the Wiki would not suit your needs .... I am just trying to save you time. When I was searching for a frontend I did not really want to have to install tons of different frontends to make a decision ... I just preferred to try the FEs which most people were talking about at the time. Hope this helps you out a bit.
PS: The frontends listed above will give you a really good taste of what types of options are currently available for use in a frontend.
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The most popular front end may not be the one that fits your needs.
Please consult the wiki (http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Front-Ends) for a front end comparison.
Agreed. Take the time to try more than one frontend. Get to learn how they look/feel on your machine. Have fun with it -- one of the best parts of making the cab is putting together a really slick user interface.
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MALA with the Gamelauncher layout...................Simple, to the point, easy to set up!!!!
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When I started researching a new build-from-scratch, one of the things I looked into was windows based FEs, as I previously used DOS based advmenu/advmame.
I looked into Mamewah and Mala, and found I really liked Mala. The interface can be configured to look however you want, and Mala supports some extra functionality that I now want to include in my cab:
1. Program the U360s at game launch, so the joysticks behaves correctly for every game
2. Ledwiz plug-in, so only the buttons used in a game get highlighted.
It is these considerations that make me want to go Mala, but it all depends what you want out of your cab...