RocketLauncher builtin AttractMode plugins a long time ago. ArcadeBliss wrote the AttractMode plugin for RocketLauncher a long time ago (OP
http://forum.attractmode.org/index.php?topic=858.msg6557#msg6557) and now it's part of (builtin) the standard AttractMode 2.4.1 build.
Here are the basic steps to configure AttractMode with RocketLauncher:
1. run Attract-Mode and enable the RocketLauncher plug-in and configure the settings.
Configure-->Plug-ins-->RocketLauncher = enabled
Configure-->Plug-ins-->RocketLauncher--> <configure settings for your system>
2. run RocketLauncherUI to add and enable the Attract-Mode FE to RocketLauncher
RocketLauncherUI (icon on the top)-->Frontends (tab)--> "+" icon to add Frontend. Choose "AttractMode" for the name and set the path to your Attract-Mode.exe and choose Attract-Mode for both plugins and click the "disk" icon to save it. Highlight your new Frontend entry and click the "red dot" icon to make Attract-Mode your active Frontend.
3. When creating or modifying your /Attract-Mode/emulators/<system>.cfg file use these settings (obviously correct these for YOUR system)
executable <path to>\RocketLauncher\Rocketlauncher.exe
args -s "[emulator]" -r "[name]" -p AttractMode -f "<path to>\AttractMode\attract.exe"
I'll be honest, RocketLaucher isn't needed for most builds. There are several less used emulators that truly benefit/need its slick autohotkey scripts but that's not why I like it. Where RocketLauncher shines is with its great loading and exiting screens and more importantly it's pause menu. If you have never seen a well done RocketLauncher build you're probably laughing and saying, "a pause menu?"
Were talking about a menu that comes up when you pause any game that will allow you to:
- see general moves for games
- see complex character's moves for games (like mortal kombat including finishing moves)
- use onscreen save and load states with screenshots of the save points
- view and hear videos, music, artwork, bezels, cabinets, consoles, etc.
- see statsitics about times played, how long it was played, when it was last played, etc.
- see game developer info, game ratings, description of the game (game info)
- read and review game manuals, arcade instructions, service manuals, circuit boards, etc.
- see onscreen maps that are very helpful for certain console games
- see walk through guides (I call this cheating)
- adjust the volume of your system
- exit out of emulation and FE
- in game controller changes
There's more to RocketLauncher, it can also:
- provide bezel loading per game or per emulator
- help you setup joy2key, xpadder, etc. controller manipulation software per emulator when need
- assist in loading virtual CD/DVDs if needed
- unzip games (if the emulator doesn't support a compressed format) and optionally delete the unzipped copy once the game is exited
- provide a uniform/one-stop-place for people that want to install/use/tryout multiple frontends on the same machine
- allow use of CPWizard and other 3rd party applications
- High Score menus for MAME games with specified names/initials highlighted
So if RocketLauncher so great why doesn't everyone have it? It takes a lot of work and time to get everything setup and maximize its benefit. You need to get every piece for every game on every system and put it in the right place. It's not for most and I only recommend it for hardcore emulators.
Who should use RocketLauncher with AttractMode:- people that already have another FE that uses/requires it (like HyperSpin)
- hardcore emulators
- people that want to have every single piece or artwork, instruction, guide, map, moves, etc. for ever single game
- people that want to one-up their friends
Who shouldn't consider RocketLauncher with AttractMode:- most people
- anyone not using a Windows OS (RocketLauncher is a Windows only app)
- anyone that has been in emulation for less than a year
- anyone that mostly cares about playing games and not fancy bells and whistles
- anyone that needs a lot of help setting up the basic AttractMode frontend
Why do I have RocketLauncher? Simple, if you go back long enough HyperSpin was (IMO) the best and only FE. HyperSpin migrated to use RocketLauncher years ago and so I already had a great and complete RocketLauncher build. I can honestly say that the RocketLauncher pause menu is the crown jewel of my cabinet and makes it standout more than any feature aside from the emulated games themselves and the graphics of the frontend, but anyone interest already saw/had those. I can also say that HyperSpin is no longer my preferred frontend, for the past 2 years it's been AttractMode. It's flexibility with layouts, filters, tags. etc. makes it the best and simplest to use frontend across many different OSes (especially when not using RocketLauncher).
Don't do it, it's a rabbit hole! If you already have it, want the best of best, need to impress, need to show up a friend... then dive in and don't look back.
Please chime in... who has RocketLauncher? Why do you have it? What do you like most about it? How hard was it to get all the feature you wanted setup?
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