Author Topic: Modern themes with retro feel  (Read 65245 times)

omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #30 on: March 29, 2015, 02:11:46 PM »
Crawl-

For the blank spaces that show up in the wheel just create a generic wheel art "wheel.png" and drop it into the layout folder. I created one with arcade art on it that matches the wheel style. You could also edit your romlist.  But, really the easiest thing is to just drop the wheel.png in your layout folder.

omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #31 on: March 29, 2015, 02:37:51 PM »
Akafox-

Thanks for your comments friend. Checkout the new layouts with particle effects that I uploaded to main thread.  A unified layout style with particle effects that match the theme. I got rid of the marquee border since it's no longer needed with the added effects. We need some online storage for the stuff we're creating, FTP server would be idea. I have a bunch of wheel art that I could upload for people that want it. Once, I get your seal of approval on this new stuff I'll make some more for popular consoles. I'm already working on Nintendo. Any other ideas you have based on the new stuff let me know.   

nitrogen_widget

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #32 on: March 30, 2015, 04:06:00 AM »
Im thinking something like a google drive for the projects would be a good idea for sharing layouts and art?

My only question is for omega, how do those themes based on vertical games look when you use them on a vertical monitor?

omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #33 on: March 30, 2015, 08:21:19 AM »
Nitrogen-

I haven't tested any themes on vertical yet which is what 480x600? The only thing I've tested is 1024x768 which is pretty standard for frontends like hyperspin. I could make some layouts for that size if someone is willing to test them for me. The problem, I am running into right now though is my spin wheel doesn't scale with the layout proportionately. For example, everything looks great at 1024x768 or  640x480 but beyond that the wheel doesn't scale . Right now, I am creating 640x480 themes then scale them up to 1024x768 by specifying that size in the layout nut with fe.layout.width=1024;
fe.layout.height=768. Probably easy fix for the spin wheel but Ive been busy creating new themed layouts :p

Oh, as you suggested, I added 8 bit tron disk art to my presets. I thought it looked a little odd too.     

nitrogen_widget

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #34 on: March 30, 2015, 09:01:41 AM »
I see what you mean on the resolution.
If a TV or arcade monitor then yes 480x640
If an LCD panel I'd hope it's a 4:3 aspect LCD people are using.
I'd go with the standard resolution of 768x1024 or 1024x1280.

Id test them out if you wanted on a vertical LCD panel.

akafox

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #35 on: March 30, 2015, 10:10:03 AM »
Throw them at me. I'll test them. I normally run everything in 600x800 max anyway (unless I am working). Again why run mame games at 768x1024 or 1024x1280 most of these games don't even do 480x640. Pac-Man is only 288x224 (80's) and SFIII:3 is only 384x224! (99) :P The "worse" your resolution the better your "speed and performance" anyway ;) These are not hi-def games we are talking about here. Always remember mame does not use your graphics card unless you are doing special effects (artwork, overlay effects or HLSL). Remember these games are old they used the crappiness of the display to make the games look better :D
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omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #36 on: March 30, 2015, 04:04:44 PM »
OK, tested the vertical some what and it didn't look pretty as expected. So, I think I'm gonna retool some of these layouts for vertical too. Another thing to add to the list. Thing is, I am asking myself, how practical is a wheel for vertical layouts?

nitrogen_widget

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #37 on: March 30, 2015, 05:02:44 PM »
Throw them at me. I'll test them. I normally run everything in 600x800 max anyway (unless I am working). Again why run mame games at 768x1024 or 1024x1280 most of these games don't even do 480x640. Pac-Man is only 288x224 (80's) and SFIII:3 is only 384x224! (99) :P The "worse" your resolution the better your "speed and performance" anyway ;) These are not hi-def games we are talking about here. Always remember mame does not use your graphics card unless you are doing special effects (artwork, overlay effects or HLSL). Remember these games are old they used the crappiness of the display to make the games look better :D

I agree with what you are saying.
For a crt.


omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #38 on: March 31, 2015, 06:08:56 PM »
My first attempt at a vertical layout, based on defender with ship particle effect.

omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #39 on: March 31, 2015, 06:26:26 PM »
akafox -

Test this vertical layout for me. I included my preset folder with particle effects. I forgot to include the font.

omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #40 on: April 01, 2015, 09:39:50 AM »
Same vertical layout with star background.

omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #41 on: April 01, 2015, 09:42:20 AM »
I guess the snap border could be moved over to the right a bit to fill in the negative space, what do you think?

akafox

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #42 on: April 01, 2015, 04:27:46 PM »
akafox -

Test this vertical layout for me. I included my preset folder with particle effects. I forgot to include the font.

Looks good! I like it...but I couldn't get it to rotate vertical (90) so half of my screen was just black. And my wheel art never showed either. Either I am doing something wrong or I am missing something...


OK, tested the vertical some what and it didn't look pretty as expected. So, I think I'm gonna retool some of these layouts for vertical too. Another thing to add to the list. Thing is, I am asking myself, how practical is a wheel for vertical layouts?

I see your point here. But honestly for my cocktail table (most of my games are vertical) that would be great. No other system does vertical except mame anyway so you'll only have to make one. :P

Do have a question...in another front end you could control the front end with either joystick. That is to say it would flip (because it was a cocktail table). Can you do that with AM?
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omegaman

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #43 on: April 01, 2015, 05:21:45 PM »
My bad, I was testing on a horizontal screen and I didn't put anything in the script to handle vertical yet. But, under control/input you can assign a key to rotate 90 degree's right? I flipped it on my monitor with for-mentioned method and the wheel looked OK. I know that cools has a vertical script to handle rotation already, so I'll play around with that. Unless, you want take a look at his script and incorporate it real quick. BTW, you snap looks great, so does the wheel. And, I thought I was dedicated :p 

akafox

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Re: Modern themes with retro feel
« Reply #44 on: April 01, 2015, 05:57:44 PM »
lol you ARE dedicated man just on a different part. But it takes all parts of the body to make it work...even down to the smallest thing right?

Ok so the snaps I'll keep doing that way..THAT I can do. As for the wheel art..I don't mind doing them..but i'll push it off to someone that WANTS to do them because they LIKE to do them lol. I have a lot of snaps already. Your encouragement will help me finish them! Thanks :D

Ok I did that (I knew there was a way to flip but I couldn't remember..never thought to look in the controls :P). Still the same thing. Covers half the rest is black. I get no logo (should say mame right?) and no wheel. Not sure what's wrong. The particles work and look good though. I like them :)
« Last Edit: April 01, 2015, 06:22:51 PM by akafox »
People want life easy..then complain about it