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[BenJeremy]

Beta 0.9g
* Reorganizing MusicManager to stomp all known issues with song selection and local soundtrack.
* Added two additional "intro" screens that can be configured with patching
 0 = Matrix Effect intro screen
 1 = Large Logo with sky
 2 = Small Logo with sky
* Added Matrix effect to screen saver; Saver will SOON allow combination of several elements:
 - Background can be black or shifting colors
 - Matrix Effect "falling symbols"
 - Bouncing MXM logo
* Added a system menu accessed with "Back" button
* Fixed memory/resource leak with fading screen logic
* Matrix Symbolic font was added to "built-in" data - Font designed by me (BJ), includes 12 symbols and letters A,D,E,I,M,N,U,X   
* MenuX Compatibility - MXM's default.xbe can be dropped in as a direct replacement for the MenuX app... it will use the XDI file to configure the games, and also use the PNGs and sounds from the MenuX media directory as a 'skin', unless another skin is loaded  (If 'real' MXM skins are available, the MenuX 'skin' will be randomly selected with the other choices).

The binaries also include a Win32-based patcher for selecting the default Initialization screen. More options will follow.

Sorry AGAIN, Weavus, I had to get this release out, since it's a pretty big update, so the "Generic Skinning" options did not make it in. There is a lot of the code in there now, but it's about 90% there right now.

AS usual, I can't directly tell you where to find the binaries, however, the MXMReadMe.txt, has been uploaded to the alt.binaries.cd.image.xbox,alt.binaries.games.xbox, and alt.binaries.xbox newsgroups. Find that, and you should be happy campers.

This post has been edited by BenJeremy: Feb 21 2003, 06:25 AM

[XanTium]

great new release , keep up the good work :-)

[bigcol]

Ok i'll d/l this one and give it a go. If i like what i see then i'll use MXM instead of MenuX. Only because i can use the same process to make a multi-game disc though Old habits die hard.
You should 'convert' a lot of people over to MXM with this new release, providing it all works well

[myst]

     

GREAT! i really LOVE mediaXmenu it's wonderful! i saw matrix effect screenshots it was amazing!

thank you!  

[pjclark1]

fantastic job.......works perfectly

how do i replace the swirl with the matrix background??
i'm too stupid to work it out for myself.

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (pjclark1 @ Feb 22 2003, 04:24 AM)

fantastic job.......works perfectly how do i replace the swirl with the matrix background?? i'm too stupid to work it out for myself.

Well, the swirl is the "Title Screen" background, as defined by the default skin... I know it's ugly - I just whipped it up to demonstrate using video. You can eliminate that entirely by using 0 in TitleDelay, or simply drop your own WMV video (encoded with Windows Media 8 tools) named 'swirl.wmv' - or be a bit more adventerous, and change the MXM_Skin.xml entry to your own WMV file.


There is a LOT of work that has gone into the new skinning technology I had hoped to release with 0.9g, but it slipped.... when this technology is in place, you will be able to use the Matrix background in other screens; so be patient. I will hopefully also add some new init screens to the mix.

[the_Watchers_eye]

Just wanted to say thanks for this great piece of software and keep up the good work.

I took version 0.9F with me [0.9G came out the day I went to the dvd writer], and it was my first time using this program. I followed the tutorial that was with it, for the basics, and was able to burn 3 DVDs with 100% success, not something that happens all the time.

I did have 3 things to tell/ask you though.

1: Do I need both xbes that you get with the compressed file? i.e. the default.xbe and mxm.xbe? Because it never said in the tutorial - I was thinking you just need the default.xbe since both were the same size, however I stuck both of them on the DVDRs and it still works nicely.

2: I found out that my in game reset does not work when I am using any of these 3 DVDRs I made. Not a big deal but just letting you know. I tested with both the evox IGR and the X-Ecuter bios, what happens is that the screen just goes blank and that is it.

3: The screenshots get muddled up. For example I got 3 games on one of the DVDRs, if I scrolled down slowly and waited for the screenshot to load then its ok [also going back up the list]. However if I press down down quickly to get to the 3rd option that is when the 2nd screenshot shows up of option 2 rather than from option 3. However the game is correct when you press the A button. Again just a small thing, letting you know.

This post has been edited by the_Watchers_eye: Feb 24 2003, 11:22 AM

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (the_Watchers_eye @ Feb 24 2003, 05:41 AM)

Just wanted to say thanks for this great piece of software and keep up the good work. I took version 0.9F with me [0.9G came out the day I went to the dvd writer], and it was my first time using this program. I followed the tutorial that was with it, for the basics, and was able to burn 3 DVDs with 100% success, not something that happens all the time. I did have 3 things to tell/ask you though. 1: Do I need both xbes that you get with the compressed file? i.e. the default.xbe and mxm.xbe? Because it never said in the tutorial - I was thinking you just need the default.xbe since both were the same size, however I stuck both of them on the DVDRs and it still works nicely. 2: I found out that my in game reset does not work when I am using any of these 3 DVDRs I made. Not a big deal but just letting you know. I tested with both the evox IGR and the X-Ecuter bios, what happens is that the screen just goes blank and that is it. 3: The screenshots get muddled up. For example I got 3 games on one of the DVDRs, if I scrolled down slowly and waited for the screenshot to load then its ok [also going back up the list]. However if I press down down quickly to get to the 3rd option that is when the 2nd screenshot shows up of option 2 rather than from option 3. However the game is correct when you press the A button. Again just a small thing, letting you know.

Good feedback.

1) As a matter of fact, you are correct, the two xbes are identical. In the latest release, I did not include the 'mxm.xbe' - only the default.xbe... I only included both names because, believe it or not, it makes things easier for some people.

2) Yeah, Team Xecutor was looking at that. I haven't had the chance to look at that lately, so I don't know the status on whether it started working correctly or not. I **have** tried to look into it, though. With my current set up, it is definitely a bug I will tackle. All I can say is use the latest 0.9g version (though, as I said, I don't know if there's any change yet)

3) Yes, this is due to the fact that the screenshots are loaded on a seperate thread... large screenshots tend to take longer, and will queue up in the system. Keeping the screenshots fairly tight (smaller JPGs at, say 260x195 res, for example) will alleviate this problem, or using WMV8 video, which comes up immediately.

Thanks again for your input. It's ALWAYS welcome!  

[the_Watchers_eye]

no problem. Thanks for the feedback. Going to have to learn how to do more complicated things, I did have a look at the 2 examples that it came with and looked a lot more complicated than the basics [what is in the tutorial]. But will see, as long as it works it don't matter to me

[StrongBad]

Hey ben.. any chance at WMV9?

I have to go through a pretty complicated process to get wmv8.. and not at the desired quality using Windows Movie Maker.  

I use Vegas Video for video editing, but for some reason, I get an error exporting wmv8.  Wmv9 works flawlessly though.

Any chance for support?  Or is it a matter of what the xbox supports (only wmv8)?

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (StrongBad @ Feb 24 2003, 12:19 PM)

Hey ben.. any chance at WMV9? I have to go through a pretty complicated process to get wmv8.. and not at the desired quality using Windows Movie Maker.   I use Vegas Video for video editing, but for some reason, I get an error exporting wmv8.  Wmv9 works flawlessly though. Any chance for support?  Or is it a matter of what the xbox supports (only wmv8)?

It would be a real pain. To support WMV9, I'd need to basically add in a huge chunk of code XBMP uses to do the same (which means implementing DLL wrappers to pull in Media Player drivers).

I've had excellent luck using the command line encoder for WMV8, the results looked great and the resulting file miniscule compared to the original AVI source. It's a pain, but the only effective way I know of to get the job done.

The alternative might be XMV, but I haven't bothered with the required code yet (doable, though), and it's not playable on the PC. additionally, you need the XDK to create those.

So basically, yeah, it's a matter of what the Xbox natively supports through the XDK.

I can see incorporating some of XBMP in the future, perhaps as part of the Dashboard Enhancement Project (turning MXM into a massively featured dashboard). The effort won't really take flight until the new skinning engine is complete. By that time, MXM will be packed with the goodies to make turning it into a solid dashboard an easy task.  

[StrongBad]

Any details on this new skinning engine you wish to reveal?  

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (StrongBad @ Feb 24 2003, 12:30 PM)

Any details on this new skinning engine you wish to reveal?

Heh heh.... well, you know those MXM_Entry.xml files? You'll be able to put additional fields in them - ones the skinner can utilize to put additional tezxt or image elements on the screen. Weavus, an X-S member here, had an excellent skin idea that featured up to two screenshot/videos and the game box cover. With the new skinning engine, it would be a snap to do.

Additionally, I'll have 'specials' - graphical elements like the menu box, or menu arrows that can be conditional or behave in complex ways.

Oh, and you can use custom fonts, too... as long as they are in XPR format.

Essentially, all the screens in MXM will be completely configurable beyond the current system. I'll also try and offer all the usual info NeXgen and Evo-X offer in their displays as 'special' text that can be displayed.

The idea is to make it powerfully flexible for skin designers to go hog wild    in the 2-D space. Of course, the next step is to create 3-D environments and use the skins as texture maps for the objects.

Of course, I don't expect people to put everything up at once, but it will make for some cool stuff.

I've got most of the layout data structure done, as well as rendering.... I just have to finish the configuration loading, 'special rendering' and do the testing. I want it to be 100% when I release it, so nothing is broken when it is enhanced in the future.

[StrongBad]

Hey Ben, I was recently up to 11 items in my menu, all with in-game previews.  Upon the addition of the 12'th item, the menu font shrank to half of its original size.  It looks OKAY, but some may complain of not being able to read it at that size.  Is this something that you're aware of?  Did you implement it yourself?  Can the menu font autosizing be turned off?  Or is it a function that of the way the xbox displays fonts?

Your thoughts and advice are appreciated, as always.

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (StrongBad @ Feb 24 2003, 05:16 PM)

Hey Ben, I was recently up to 11 items in my menu, all with in-game previews.  Upon the addition of the 12'th item, the menu font shrank to half of its original size.  It looks OKAY, but some may complain of not being able to read it at that size.  Is this something that you're aware of?  Did you implement it yourself?  Can the menu font autosizing be turned off?  Or is it a function that of the way the xbox displays fonts? Your thoughts and advice are appreciated, as always.

Well, there might be still some quirkiness with the menu 'block' - it's defined as an image comprised of all the menu entries... I'll probably change that soon, though. Anyway, the way it's rendered, it takes the size of the titles and descriptions into account, so the length of both can affect the appearance of these elements. I fixed a couple of things in the logic, but I might not have caught all of it.

At any rate, it WILL be resolved one way or another in the next version.