Messages

1

Themes / Re: [Download] Pandora's Box 4 Ultimate Theme

« on: January 06, 2017, 10:41:20 AM »

What resolution are you trying to fill?

I run it at 1920x1200 on my development PC, but admittedly the bars on either side do not bother me much

On my cab it runs at standard 15Khz 4:3 aspect ratio of course.

One of the easiest ways I could make it fill 1920 x 1200 (16:10) is simply to extend my background image of the circuitboard to fill the black space. I don't think many mods would be needed to the layout .nut file in that case.

Of course, when your setup goes to the screensaver videos, it'll still only be 4:3 with bars on either side because that's how the original games were? 

2

Themes / Re: best them for vertical display ?

« on: November 15, 2016, 05:31:46 PM »

I started on some layout work this evening based on the vertical multi-game carts that are available (some of the screens I show above).
I probably won't recreate one of those this time, but instead will make something similar from scratch.
But essentially yeah, vertical theme shouldn't be a problem, and the intro video even rotates fine (although it's a bit stretched.. need to find a dedicated vertical video if there is one!)

3

Themes / Re: best them for vertical display ?

« on: November 09, 2016, 05:07:27 PM »

Not sure if I've seen one.

I may end up making a new one in the similar style to some of the jamma multi game carts that are out there as I'm working on a vertical cab at the moment:

4

Themes / Re: Pandora's Box 4 Ultimate Theme

« on: November 06, 2016, 06:02:25 PM »

Hi,

Yes trying a solid font and an outline font was my first try. But due to letter size differences they did not line up. It looked a mess 

I have uploaded the first version to DepositFiles, so you guys can download.
This is the 640x480 version I am using on my CRT arcade monitor, running on an old laptop.

(Link + password in the first post above)

5

Themes / Re: Pandora's Box 4 Ultimate Theme

« on: October 27, 2016, 12:27:07 PM »

ok, where i can download it ?

I am currently cleaning up the code (as mentioned above) and preparing a package with the images and sounds I'm using.
Apologies for the delay - this ain't my day job!

in my opinion, it would be nice to have the ability to view two images that alternate in the box marquee !!! that we have now and the original marquee ... do you think is possible?

That sounds neat. The marquee area scrolls up vertically after a short time to reveal what's behind. So I guess I could do 2 reveals - one being the original, then the 'now marquee' after a longer time and finally the history text. But I may need some assistance with the code on this one!

How did you made outlined fonts?

With a slightly clever and probably overly expensive cheat/hack! But it does kinda work, especially on 15Khz arcade monitor
No you are correct, sadly attractmode doesn't handle outline font rendering out-of-the-box, much to everyone's annoyance currently.

6

Themes / Re: Pandora's Box 4 Ultimate Theme

« on: October 27, 2016, 05:09:38 AM »

Differences are:

- Outlined fonts (more like an actual Pandora's Box)
- Green design like Pandora's Box 4, rather than the blue of Pandora's Box 3
- Scrolling history window for games with larger history (rather than a static history panel)
- More game / ROM info displayed at the bottom right of the screen, under the marquee area
- CRT screen reflection and edge darkening on screenshots / videos area

7

Themes / Re: Pandora's Box 4 Ultimate Theme

« on: October 26, 2016, 04:50:34 PM »

Hi guys - not been on for ages and I've had no chance to revisit this theme for a good long while.
I'll do my best to clean up my hacks of the code for public release and bundle it all together soon

Other than fixing the crashes and the history scrolling niggle, I'm also looking to work out how to integrate the atrractmode menu into the theme, rather than just being plonked over the top in massive text Any help appreciated there, as always

8

Themes / [Download] Pandora's Box 4 Ultimate Theme

« on: October 13, 2016, 05:40:51 AM »

Work is continuing on my first theme... a modified version of kent79's superb 'Pandora's Box' theme.
Whilst his is based on Pandora's Box 3, mine is skinned to the more recent Pandora's Box 4.

I created it for use on my own arcade cab, running a 15Khz low resolution CRT screen.

The latest version (v1.0) can be downloaded here:
http://depositfiles.com/files/x2fwe4t5a
Archive password is: mameart

Features:
- Game history text area under the marquee panel scrolls upwards to cater for games with large text histories
- Bit more information on the game / rom selected is shown under the marquee area
- Snapshot / video window has a realistic CRT reflection and edge darkening
- A few design modifications to the user interface and logo 
- Default mame .pngs for missing flyers, marquees and snapshots to copy into your artwork folders.
- Sounds for navigation

There are still a few bugs / issues I'm trying to iron out.
- The history text is always centred vertically... so if there isn't much history text, you have to watch a blank window scroll upwards for a while (mentioned here: http://forum.attractmode.org/index.php?topic=1000.0)
- Got an intermittent crash when scrolling fast through the game list, not sure what's causing it.

9

Scripting / Trying to make a game history text area that scrolls upwards

« on: October 10, 2016, 06:29:38 PM »

Hi,

I'm trying to make a text area that contains game history / information text that will slowly move upwards.

I define the area object with:

Code: [Select]

::OBJECTS <- {
 history_bgpanel = fe.add_artwork( "hist_back.png", 337, 346, 262, 530 ),
 history_blurb = fe.add_text("history", 337, 346, 262, 530),
}


And I get it to scroll using:

Code: [Select]

animation.add( PropertyAnimation( OBJECTS.history_blurb, move_history_blurb2 )
So far so good... the problem then occurs where the history text is always aligned vertically at the centre of the text blurb area.
This means with games that have little history text, nothing appears in place for a while and eventually a bit of text is seen scrolling past! Games with tons of history text are fine.. simply because the text data fills the text box area fully.

Is there any way to make the text start at the top of the text area? ie. be aligned vertically to 'top' rather than always be centered vertically?

Thanks, any help appreciated