Author Topic: RetroN  (Read 2752 times)

Sequence

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RetroN
« on: August 15, 2020, 11:05:04 PM »
Hoping to upload this theme when I'm truly happy with it. Had suggested to STAiN that themes should scream play me rather than looking beautiful. This is my attempt (probably last) at a theme that inspires game playing. Many many years ago I found that emulation was possible by playing Super Mario World. From there I needed more and more and more. The next step was to put said games together in a UI so it would work as a game station. It's been years on years with no end in sight. My first UI was Maximus Arcade which eventually lead to HyperSpin. Both of these compelled me to replay these old games, but they had their quirks. Maximus was just pick your system, pick your game, and play. HS was about the same but lead to art hoarding, but showed me the importance of each game and their respective art leading to a better experience. So, I wound up @ RetroFE where limitations were mostly my imagination. I combined the two theories and made this from my scraps.

Firstly, Maximus kept the focus on game playing. Left right arrows for system and a list to find that favorite game I wanted to play. So my main menu is simply system scrolling left right. HS says don't be bland and spruce it up so I did lightly. Speed. I just wanna play the games and not be dazzled by artwork. I coded it for speed and reliability. HS has blinky things and sounds constantly so I added that factor. When I messed with MUGEN, I hated the app name in the bottom corner but it helped tie it all together so I did the same for the RetroFE logo (original). Maximus has a beautiful screen transition between system select and game select which I still love. Don't know how to do it yet but...

The game select screen needed various items but a lot of it I don't give a shit about. The year, manufacturer, story, rating, and genre are useless to my taste. I just want to know the game name, how many players is the game, and some instructions on what buttons do what. I added the first letter after my friend was searching for a game and suggested it. He also looked lost not knowing how many games I had for each system, so I added the index in the upper right. I've always loved big video to see the game in action, and big box art so nobody has to squint as they browse the collection. No game logo art is used as sometimes it doesn't make the box somehow and it's yet another resource needed to complete the experience. So I decided to just use the box art to draw the user in more to their selection. Also, I used color boxes to draw as they're easy to modify and makes elements pop a little more.

In conclusion, I took a Maximus approach to the main menu and a HS approach to the game select. I also figured the easiest way to complete things was to use existing art and themes. I got color drawing from the Flatio theme. I got character art from the LUNA theme. I got the background system art from my old HS themes. The game bezel idea came from RocketLaunchers many bezels and it's what I use to launch all my games which use bezels. Smooth transitions  :)


Sequence

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Re: RetroN
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2020, 10:44:04 PM »
I don't get sound when entering and exiting menus. "load" plays a sound that happens when the intro is complete. "highlight" plays a sound on the menu scroll. "select" plays a sound at game launch. "unload" plays on RetroFE exit (ctrl+Q). What I don't get is why no sound plays when I enter and exit the menus. I want to hear "unload" when I exit a menu. I also want to hear "select" when I enter a menu. Any ideas ppl???

Sequence

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Re: RetroN
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2020, 01:27:36 AM »
Okay, different question. Can you set multiple list paths in the settings config for a system?

Pieter Hulshoff

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Re: RetroN
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2020, 07:18:28 AM »
Okay, different question. Can you set multiple list paths in the settings config for a system?

Sure, the code needs to be adapted in order to support that. I'm also not sure everyone would want that to happen to be honest, so perhaps it should be a separate sound?

Pieter Hulshoff

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Re: RetroN
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2020, 07:19:37 AM »
Okay, different question. Can you set multiple list paths in the settings config for a system?

For separate items (video, logo, etc.): yes.
For a single item, as in multiple paths for video: no, not at the moment.

Sequence

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Re: RetroN
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2020, 05:34:31 PM »
Sorry didn't explain my question well. What I should have asked for is multiple rom paths. Here's what I mean:

###############################################################################
# The location of where your ROM items exist. Examples:
# list.path = D:/ROMs/MAME                (absolute path)
# list.path = ../ROMs/MAME                (relative path to root of FE dir)
#
# If BASE_ITEM_PATH=D:/ROMs and the name of this collection is named "Nintendo
# Entertainment System" then the configuration below will search in
# "D:/ROMs/Nintendo Entertainment System"
###############################################################################
list.path = %BASE_ITEM_PATH%/%ITEM_COLLECTION_NAME%/roms
list.path = ../ROMs/MAME
list.path = D:/ROMs/MAME

Pieter Hulshoff

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Re: RetroN
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2020, 02:36:13 PM »
That would fall under single item, so no, not at the moment.