Topic: Side Projects... (Read 679 times)

Pulsemasta · « **Reply #45 on:** January 18, 2010, 08:18:00 PM »

It would be cool if someone could rewrite the core to implement other folders in the game selection menu like "reviews".... that way if you are thinking about playing a game you can check out the review...

is that a big edit on the source code to do something like that? I'm not really sure what is involved in adding this feature, if its just a simple edit or if countless lines of code would have to be put into place?

ressurectionx · « **Reply #46 on:** January 18, 2010, 08:56:00 PM »

I don't believe that has anything to do with the source. That sounds like the menu type tweaks that Madmab has been doing for about a year and a half now. That's the type of thing that Madmab and I are discussing for the Media Browser. Never really had a reason to persue it too hard before though since there weren't any reviews archived on my part. I have a ton of commercials I plan on getting around to though, and I'm sure there are a lot more out there.

Pulsemasta · « **Reply #47 on:** January 18, 2010, 09:00:00 PM »

QUOTE(ressurectionx @ Jan 19 2010, 04:56 AM)

I don't believe that has anything to do with the source. That sounds like the menu type tweaks that Madmab has been doing for about a year and a half now. That's the type of thing that Madmab and I are discussing for the Media Browser. Never really had a reason to persue it too hard before though since there weren't any reviews archived on my part. I have a ton of commercials I plan on getting around to though, and I'm sure there are a lot more out there.

I wasn't sure if there being a video player in the first place would cause problems with loading another video player to play the review, and then go back to the original video player.

but you guess should make room for expansion, even though you may be fed up with it now, after a break you might feel like adding on to it.... and what if MadMab vanishes like all the others and you have no one to make the tweaks?? THINK OF THE UNMADE TWEAKS!!!!!! haha

ressurectionx · « **Reply #48 on:** January 18, 2010, 09:12:00 PM »

To my understanding, all of the videos played use the same player, even the new intro videos that madmab just enabled. All videos have to be converted to XMV, no matter the original source or the type of video.

It's just a matter of making a easy to use menu system to access these videos that is the issue.

I thought at first it would be cool to have the ability to choose the order the videos play.

For instance, if I wanted Commercials to play first, Game Reviews to play second and Preview Videos to play third then I could select that in the menu. If there were no commercials, it would play the game review first, if there were no game reviews as well, it would just play the video preview.

Now I'm thinking it would just be easier for Madmab to code the ability to browse the different videos in the Media Browser in the Utilities, and perhaps make a menu item for the Media Browser in the in-game options and if the user wants to see any of these they can just view them that way.

Pulsemasta · « **Reply #49 on:** January 19, 2010, 12:37:00 AM »

QUOTE(ressurectionx @ Jan 19 2010, 05:12 AM)

To my understanding, all of the videos played use the same player, even the new intro videos that madmab just enabled. All videos have to be converted to XMV, no matter the original source or the type of video.

It's just a matter of making a easy to use menu system to access these videos that is the issue.

I thought at first it would be cool to have the ability to choose the order the videos play.

For instance, if I wanted Commercials to play first, Game Reviews to play second and Preview Videos to play third then I could select that in the menu. If there were no commercials, it would play the game review first, if there were no game reviews as well, it would just play the video preview.

Now I'm thinking it would just be easier for Madmab to code the ability to browse the different videos in the Media Browser in the Utilities, and perhaps make a menu item for the Media Browser in the in-game options and if the user wants to see any of these they can just view them that way.

I think browsing from Utilities would be a little out of the way. Browsing from the game menu by pusing in the left analog stick or something, or from the main menu in a "extras" area would be cool, I think.

ressurectionx · « **Reply #50 on:** January 19, 2010, 01:01:00 AM »

QUOTE(Pulsemasta @ Jan 19 2010, 01:37 AM)

I think browsing from Utilities would be a little out of the way. Browsing from the game menu by pusing in the left analog stick or something, or from the main menu in a "extras" area would be cool, I think.

In the new betas, there really isn't much in the Utilities section, so the Media Browser in that directory should be fine for out-of-game viewing.

What I want the media browser to do is have options like this:

View Commercial
View Game Review
View GameFaq
View Intro Movie
View Manual
View Maps
View Strategy Guide

Etc, etc, etc.....

When using one of these functions from the in-game menu, say "View Game Review", if there is a video in that category with the same name as the rom name, it will automatically bring up the game review for that game. If there is no video in that category with the same name as the rom currently being played than it will take you instead to the "Game Review" folder where you can select a video. It would work the same, or similar, for every other category, depending on the nature of the media.

For example, you couldnt' just bring up the Manual for a game automatically because they're a collection of JPG images since we can't use a PDF viewer currently. In that case, if there is a folder with the same name as the rom you're currently playing, it will take you inside that folder for you to choose a page.

When using the media browser from the Utilities section, it would always just dump you into the main directory for the selected type of media for you to choose what you want to look at.

Pulsemasta · « **Reply #51 on:** January 19, 2010, 01:25:00 AM »

QUOTE(ressurectionx @ Jan 19 2010, 09:01 AM)

In the new betas, there really isn't much in the Utilities section, so the Media Browser in that directory should be fine for out-of-game viewing.

What I want the media browser to do is have options like this:

View Commercial
View Game Review
View GameFaq
View Intro Movie
View Manual
View Maps
View Strategy Guide

Etc, etc, etc.....

When using one of these functions from the in-game menu, say "View Game Review", if there is a video in that category with the same name as the rom name, it will automatically bring up the game review for that game. If there is no video in that category with the same name as the rom currently being played than it will take you instead to the "Game Review" folder where you can select a video. It would work the same, or similar, for every other category, depending on the nature of the media.

For example, you couldnt' just bring up the Manual for a game automatically because they're a collection of JPG images since we can't use a PDF viewer currently. In that case, if there is a folder with the same name as the rom you're currently playing, it will take you inside that folder for you to choose a page.
When using the media browser from the Utilities section, it would always just dump you into the main directory for the selected type of media for you to choose what you want to look at.

That sounds cool too.. I just thought the utilitys would be filled with a bunch of boring stuff, then at the bottom of the list it would be "Xtras" and have all that stuff.... I was just thinking if it is too hard to get to, or too out of the way, no one will use it and all the work that went into it will be for nothing.

Pulsemasta · « **Reply #52 on:** January 19, 2010, 04:15:00 AM »

QUOTE(madmab @ Jan 19 2010, 10:49 AM)

Would be kinda nice, but all the buttons are used up.

What about button combo's?

ressurectionx · « **Reply #53 on:** January 19, 2010, 04:26:00 AM »

I don't think it's really necessary to have a button do it as long as the Media Browser is towards the top in the in-game menu where it's easy to see. Really, there isn't going to be much point using the media browser when you're not playing a game. When you're in the game, the Media Browser will work very well with the rom you're currently playing.

To use it in-game, you would just press the right joystick down once, and selet "Media Browser" and all the different options will come up.

Otherwise, the Utilities is the best spot for it outside of the gameplay. The main menu is already full with options that are, in my opinion, more important for setting up the GUI and actually playing the games. The Media Browser is pretty much by definition a utility, so it makes sense to put it there.

And besides.... don't you know that people HATE button combos?

I can't tell you how many accidental game saves and screenshots I've made over the years.

Pulsemasta · « **Reply #54 on:** January 19, 2010, 04:40:00 AM »

QUOTE(ressurectionx @ Jan 19 2010, 12:26 PM)

I don't think it's really necessary to have a button do it as long as the Media Browser is towards the top in the in-game menu where it's easy to see. Really, there isn't going to be much point using the media browser when you're not playing a game. When you're in the game, the Media Browser will work very well with the rom you're currently playing.

To use it in-game, you would just press the right joystick down once, and selet "Media Browser" and all the different options will come up.

Otherwise, the Utilities is the best spot for it outside of the gameplay. The main menu is already full with options that are, in my opinion, more important for setting up the GUI and actually playing the games. The Media Browser is pretty much by definition a utility, so it makes sense to put it there.
And besides.... don't you know that people HATE button combos?

I can't tell you how many accidental game saves and screenshots I've made over the years.

haha... yeah I guess I have been known to take screen shots, add things to my favs, delete things....

maybe button combos are the devil? ...probably

dpolsrod · « **Reply #55 on:** January 19, 2010, 04:38:00 PM »

Here are some samples of the first conversions.

04 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - NES
06 - Back to the Future - NES

These are from the first 10 episodes, so the resolution is 320x240.

ressurectionx, I've sent you a PM with some more info and will send you links from newer episodes as they are converted.

wimpyRBX · « **Reply #56 on:** January 22, 2010, 01:16:00 AM »

bump.

did you have a chance to check these Rx?

ressurectionx · « **Reply #57 on:** January 22, 2010, 02:07:00 AM »

Yep... they're no good. WMV2. We need WMV8.

I sent him a message yesterday or 2 days ago now but haven't heard back yet.

dpolsrod · « **Reply #58 on:** January 22, 2010, 04:24:00 AM »

I don't quite understand what happened.
I chose Windows Media Video 9 when converting the videos, but when I play them I too get WMV2 as the codec.
I have now switched to a different converter and will try to see if I can get the files encoded with the WMV8 codec.
I'll send you a message with the links once I get them right. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Pulsemasta · « **Reply #59 on:** January 22, 2010, 06:32:00 AM »

QUOTE(dpolsrod @ Jan 22 2010, 12:24 PM)

I don't quite understand what happened.
I chose Windows Media Video 9 when converting the videos, but when I play them I too get WMV2 as the codec.
I have now switched to a different converter and will try to see if I can get the files encoded with the WMV8 codec.
I'll send you a message with the links once I get them right.

It may need to be converted VIA a different method. What program are you using anyway?

Author Topic: Side Projects... (Read 679 times)