Has anyone tried other frontends?

[shateredsoul]

Don't know if this type of conversation is allowed, but I was wondering if anyone has tried any ohter FE and what did you think?

I'm trying Hyperspin, and although it does look great (especially when you have all the themes for mame), it takes forever to setup and get the correctly named roms. So I'll probably stick with maximus since I've set up pretty much every emulator I have on it (minus some of the newer system ones)

Don't get me wrong, Hyperspin is very nice, but it just takes forever to setup to look nice. Which leads me to another point, if we could get some artists on board for Maximus.. we probably could get both user friendliness and a nicer looking FE.

For example, showing consoles on a TV in the theme rather than having everything on an arcade monitor.

[delusional29]

Don't worry... this topic is allowed.

I've tried Hyperspin myself and you are correct. It is a pain to configure. Also the fact that for the console emulators, you need to use the "no intro" versions of the snapshots and videos.

I have a buddy who has it running and although he has it up and running (finally) he said had he known how complex it would be when he first started he would not have done it. So much so, that when the new 1.0 version was released (recently) he stayed away from it, since it required that you reconfigure stuff again.

I've also tried Mala (briefly) and of course the famous MameWah. Mala is very powerful once you get to know it but again, it's one that has a steep learning curve (MameWah too).

Maximus is point and click and is certainly in my opinion, a great beginners front end. If not the final front end solution (as in my case since I stuck with it).

I did find Game Launcher to be very easy to set up and use. But that one is for older computers since it's a "no frills" front end. I have it currently running on my Green Invader Cabinet which runs on a combination of DOS and Windows 98se (Pentium II). However, it's very basic and only shows snapshots as you scroll over the text and there are no themes. (You can only change the font and colors).

I agree about the part for Maximus Themes. Perhaps a contest or something would be cool for the best theme. I'll have to think about that. Hopefully it would generate more interest in skinning.

DeLuSioNaL29

[shateredsoul]

I remember I tried Mamewah when I was trying out Ubuntu... but since then I asked my self, "Do I really want to add something to my life that causes more stress? and takes up a bunch of my time?" Maximus is

Hyperspin is great, it's super easy to setup with. I really liked the genre idea, but recently discovered that maximus could do this really easily for mame, and for other systems I can create list (i.e. rpg, fighters, puzzle games, etc) and add the games manually while in the front end.. and I bet there's an even easier way.

I do think the ps2 and sega saturn compatibility need a little work, hyperspin's hyper launch seem like a pretty good idea. Sega Saturn was a headache to setup and I never figured out how to integrate the ps2 emulator. If Maximus could integrate some sort of virtual drive it would resolve many issues that it has with emulators that play bins and isos.

I know your friend probably was annoyed that he would have to redo everything.. but it's pretty easy to install the new themes in hyperspin (they all come in zips now).. If I had a mame only machine I'd probably go with hyperspin, but since I want all my systems I have to go maximus arcade.

Now I can just wait and home that Maximus adds new emulators (dolphin for gamecube and wii, makaron for naomi).

And options for the mame list that can create lists for the system time (i.e. cpsIII, neo geo, etc..).

I do think that maximus could also benefit from taking note of how easy it is to add a new system in hyperspin and given that it is so easy to setup lists for mame (and all mame games are named the same for all people) why not include some premade lists? for genres and controller types.

mame, nes and snes look great by the way, I love the box images more than the mame themes. It would be great if we could see that option in maximus.. an option for additional art so that the box art would show up. I don't know what it is ,but something about seeing those boxes makes it feel more "real" and ups the nostalgia. And adding something as simple as that make it look so much nicer. Mame also has a bunch of art.

I know this was a long post, but I'll end by saying that hyperspin does look nice, but returning after about 2 weeks of trying to setup hyperspin I was relieved and comforted coming back to maximus. I added sega model 2 in within in about 5 minutes (had to change some settings since it was not launching games with sound but it was fixed within seconds).

Sorry for the long winded post, I've just been thinking about this lately.

Also, I would like to help in any way if it would get this project back in the running. I don't know much about coding or that kind of stuff, but I have figured out how to integrate most systems (gave up on zinc though.. the controllers were giving me issues, and turns out my desktop runs those games great in mame)

[janX]

You mentioned some emus that aren't supported, but here is how to get them running in MA using unused emulators.

Nintendo Gamecube, Wii & DS
and
Naomi

http://maximizedemulation.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/guide-add-systems-to-maximus-arcade-wii-gamecube-nintendo-ds-and-naomi/

It's a great guide! The only thing I changed when I followed the guide is...instead of using the Gamecube on the Dosbox, I just used the ALREADY set up Wii which is going through the "Texas Instruments tI-99/4". So I use both Wii AND Gamecube on the same emulator, because I want to be able to use my DosBox.

Then simply rename my roms as follows...

Code: Select all

(NGC) F-ZERO GX
(NGC) The Legend of Zelda - The Wind Waker
(Wii) Guinness World Records The Video Game
(Wii) Silent Hill - Shattered Memories


...so I can easily find all my Wii & Gamecube games on the same emulator. Which works fine, because the Dolphin emulator supports Both!


THEN I downloaded his custom made skin, and used copy'n'paste to take the images from his Nintendo DS, Wii, gamecube and used them on another custom skin that I like.

I haven't set up Naomi yet, but it looks like it's very easy, so I might do that one day.




janX

[janX]

Oh I feel stupid...that was YOUR guide, shateredsoul.

Well it was a great guide, thanks alot. I just set up the 3 Nintendo Emulators last night, and was so happy how easy it was to follow your guide. I wish everyone could do guides that detailed and easy to follow.

You should add a link to your guide on your YOUTUBE videos, people are interested there too!

Thanks again.

janX

[nickynooch]

"If I had a mame only machine I'd probably go with hyperspin, but since I want all my systems I have to go maximus arcade."

I agree. However, with multiple game systems COMPLETELY necessary for me, I chose maximus. I hear it's a complete pain to setup a system with hyperspin, but it looks good (only if there is actually a theme available for it). I personally think it looks odd when you do not have a theme for a specific game in the "defaul text"... just looks very out of place.

Since I have around 10,000 games, I'm 100% sure that not all of them will ever have themes done, so I'm completely happy with maximus.

I couldn't be happier with my maximus arcade. I'm finishing re-painting my cab and putting on sideart by end of next week, then I'll put up a vid.

I'm glad we are seeing new themes from spacegoogie. New themes bring life back into maximus arcade. Hopefully mameseer will find time to do some updates soon, but quite honestly, mine is all set up perfectly, so I'm happy.

Honestly everything for maximus arcade is working fine for me (very thankful this forum exists!). Glad to hear some good reviews of other frontends, but for me it's a 2 front end race, and maximus won.

[janX]

Yeah, MA is the easiest way to go for multiple emulators. I've used GameEx, Hyperspin and 3D Arcade but the learning curve on those three can be a little steep, and it takes some time to theme them out. Eventually once I've fully set up my MA, I will move onto other front ends, just for fun but I'm quite happy with MA for now.

Of course no matter how much stuff I put onto MA, I always seem to find more to do. LOL Different emulators, more snaps/videos, themes, customizing favorites lists etc... Will I ever truly be done?


janX