Hello old friends!

[omegaman]

It's been a long time... Besides, improved and updated attract-mode is anything else new. I see a lot of cut and paste of old code with some improvements - other than that what do i need to get caught up on. 

[progets]

Hey omegaman. Long time no see. There have been a lot of changes to add features, optimize performance and allow better handling of artwork and graphics in layouts. You can check out the AM commits for full details.

Some newer features include:
- per game options and emulator exceptions
- being able to toggle between multiple layout.nut within the same layout
- custom displays menu
- shortcuts/pointers allowed in romlists to allow tiered menus
- pause and exit key/button settings for each emulator
- search plugin with onscreen keyboard
- game overviews
- RocketLauncher integration

Some of the newer (not cut and paste) layouts worth mentioning:
- Silky
- Ambience HD
- Arcadeflow
- Blueprint

Other non AM things might include
- MAME and MESS merged
- emulators that can play newer console systems like PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, etc.
- some emulators that support large roms now use .chd files which allows for compression (storage savings) but run native in the emulator so you don't have long wait times

Welcome back!

[verion]

Whoa! Long time no see. Welcome back!

[omegaman]

See progets... this is exactly why I tried to coax you into becoming a moderator. Good to see ya finally gave in. So, I'm still somewhat uptodate on the emulation scene in general. I just have not had the time to do a deep dive into AM for awhile. But, now with all this covid stuff going on, I might be able to again. I still get a lot of request about robospin which is kind of crazy to me with all the awesome themes that are available now.  Anyway, I've been pretty busy with restoring arcades in my personal collection and doing some custom build stuff like virtual pins. But, I am to the point now where I just want to sell off my collection and just have a nice multicade and virtual pin. I've made some pretty cool virtual pins thus far, so if someone needs help, just shoot me a message.

Anyway, good to see you guys who've made a lot of contributions like Verion and fox still fighting the good fight. I still think AM is one of the best front ends available and I don't get all the hype with others like coinops or launchbox besides being totally noob proof. Let's keep AM in the fore.       

[omegaman]

Hey omegaman. Long time no see. There have been a lot of changes to add features, optimize performance and allow better handling of artwork and graphics in layouts. You can check out the AM commits for full details.

Some newer features include:
- per game options and emulator exceptions
- being able to toggle between multiple layout.nut within the same layout
- custom displays menu
- shortcuts/pointers allowed in romlists to allow tiered menus
- pause and exit key/button settings for each emulator
- search plugin with onscreen keyboard
- game overviews
- RocketLauncher integration

Some of the newer (not cut and paste) layouts worth mentioning:
- Silky
- Ambience HD
- Arcadeflow
- Blueprint

Other non AM things might include
- MAME and MESS merged
- emulators that can play newer console systems like PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, etc.
- some emulators that support large roms now use .chd files which allows for compression (storage savings) but run native in the emulator so you don't have long wait times

Welcome back!

For "allow better handling of artwork and graphics in layouts"  you talking fixes to using surfaces etc... and I guess improvements to animate, fade modules. Just a sneak peak. I will dig into it soon. 

[progets]

See progets... this is exactly why I tried to coax you into becoming a moderator. Good to see ya finally gave in.

LOL. I received an email from raygun saying he made me a moderator and let him know if it wasn't ok. I guess the forum was short on moderators at the time.

I still get a lot of request about robospin which is kind of crazy to me with all the awesome themes that are available now.

This doesn't surprise me. AM on the Raspberry Pi started to explode around when you left and it was the layout of choice for many to modify. To be honest, I preferred your uni_cade layout that I have modified and been using for the past few years.

For "allow better handling of artwork and graphics in layouts"  you talking fixes to using surfaces etc... and I guess improvements to animate, fade modules. Just a sneak peak. I will dig into it soon.

I was talking about things like .mipmap parameters added to fe.Image as well as blending modes, .spacing parameter added to fe.Text as well as alignment modes, list sorting fixes/changes and other similar improvements.

[omegaman]

Sounds awesome. I need to start printing and reading. 

[kent79]

Hello, welcome back 

[akafox]

Look Omegaman it's okay you can tell hem that my army of rabbits finally tracked you down...there is no shame in it. But if you want me to..I will tell everyone I sent you out to spread the word of Attract Mode and while you were gone an evil anti-emulation organization got you and my army of rabbits had to bust you out. Then you had to lay low for a while to make plans to take them down but you made it back in one piece!

Either story is fine with me..just let me know before people notice your are back... 

It's good to have you back and I am glad to know you are safe and healthy! Yeah life has a way of getting in the way huh? But we all understand!

Yeah robospin has gone through many "changes" but ..well you did a great job with it. Robospin is light but "flashy" so yeah it is great for the PI! Like it was said...your theme exploded. Should be expected, after all "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?" 

Not sure how shallow your emulation has been but progets makes some good points... other things I can think of are:

1. Brush up on what is new with the PI [4]
2. What is new with Retroarch
3. Get a list of new emulators that are out there
4. ..and whatever else I am forgetting (Great help thanks fox!) *facepaws*

Sounds awesome. I need to start printing and reading. 

You mean I am not the only one that does that?! 
I would LOVE to have my Dot matrix to read code from again...two quid maybe and i could print PAGES! Something is wrong when the machine is cheaper then the ink know what i mean? 

GLAD to see you back Omegaman stick around this time huh?   (Although I hear that progets might send you out on the next mission....)

[verion]

good to see you guys who've made a lot of contributions like Verion and fox still fighting the good fight

I've gave up my coding efforts and focused only on design... but I couldn't find any coders willing to code my designs. Or to be precise - a few has tried but gave up half-way in.

So sadly - I'm thinking about moving my arcade emulation to my nvidia shield - and that means, no AM

[akafox]

Wow you are much braver than I am!   

Though I am very curious how that will turn out...

I might actually go to Windows for my final Arcade build. Sadly most of the hardware is built for Windows..while Linux does work on it....weeelllll...*sigh* yeah you get where I am going. That and there are arcade emulators made for windows and not for linux that mame won't run (because the machine is too slow) and the will cover that gap I think (namely naiomi..but I would like to try the Taito X emulator. (it was made to run on windows XP..so it should run on windows 7?) *shrugs*

now if they would make a retroarch core for the taitoX emulator so it runs on linux....well any linux box like the Nvidia shield would be ideal I think!

[omegaman]

Look Omegaman it's okay you can tell hem that my army of rabbits finally tracked you down...there is no shame in it. But if you want me to..I will tell everyone I sent you out to spread the word of Attract Mode and while you were gone an evil anti-emulation organization got you and my army of rabbits had to bust you out. Then you had to lay low for a while to make plans to take them down but you made it back in one piece!

Either story is fine with me..just let me know before people notice your are back... 

It's good to have you back and I am glad to know you are safe and healthy! Yeah life has a way of getting in the way huh? But we all understand!

Indeed, the rabbits found me then feasted upon my flesh. Thanks, my old friend.

GLAD to see you back Omegaman stick around this time huh?   (Although I hear that progets might send you out on the next mission....)

[omegaman]

good to see you guys who've made a lot of contributions like Verion and fox still fighting the good fight

I've gave up my coding efforts and focused only on design... but I couldn't find any coders willing to code my designs. Or to be precise - a few has tried but gave up half-way in.

So sadly - I'm thinking about moving my arcade emulation to my nvidia shield - and that means, no AM

LOL! Maybe, because you strive for perfection and that doesn't always translate well. That said, you had some cool and refreshing ideas from what I remember. The nvidia shield is decent for emulation from what i've read. I still love AM for how light weight and fast it is - maybe development will pick up again for android in the future. 

[omegaman]

Hello, welcome back 

Thanks Kent, I see your themes have really evolved into something special.

[akafox]

And you people thought I was kidding about the rabbit army. Never underestimate a fox...we will rule the world one day!

(I Love it omgaman!  )




You think I am kidding huh?