Suggestion To All Emu Authors

[Miner49er]

Hi there!

This isn't a demand it's a thought that should make GP32 emulators 'nicer' to use.
It would be nice if we had a set of standards for interface requirements.
Software engineers will understand where i'm coming from buty i'll explain anyway.
WIt would be cool to have a commen set of interface standards set out. A start of an idea is listed below:


1. long lists of 'things' are a constant need for emulators, either lists of menu options or lists of games. So it ouwl be nice if all the emultors use the left direction to skip down a page and the right to skip up a page.
2. Computer emulators require a keyboard interface, we need a common entry point for this. For instance fzx32 and castaway uses the select key, whereas frodo uses the left shoulder button.
2.1 To hold a key down should also be consistent. Castaway uses the a button, so does frodo. great.
3. Entering the 'options' screen cuold also be done in a consistant way. I like both left shoulder and right shoulder at the same time (can't spell simultaneaosly...)
4. Also, pauesing a game should allways be done using the start button. This way console emu's would work properly and so would everything else.

Okay, so i havn't this out fully (i've just drunk 3 glasses of red wine...hic) but do you see my point?

it would make the world a nicer place...well, the GP32 emulator world anyway.

Just a thought.

 

[KickinWing]

i think they should stay the way they are, the emulators that each developer writes is unique to their own personality and designing desires and should be left alone. If we have all the emulators all in line exactly the same way...well, we'd be seeing the second rise of hitler in the GP32.

 

[Miner49er]

okay, nice answer. I'm now hitler all of a sudden!
I just think that interfaces are eaier to use and more accesable to more people if they work in a similer way that's all., If no-one thinks it's a good idea then that's fine too. I was just a suggestion

 

[Vimacs]

ok, very nice idear, but for the work now you have to pay 49.99$ for evry emulator with proffesional standardised interface.


No, its not a good idear.

 

[trooper]

I'm now hitler all of a sudden!

No!, But the interface guidelines would dictate what you (the dever) can and can`t do, Not giving them the freedom to design the interface for their emulator how they want and include any options they wish without the restrictions of "interface guidelines". After all, The GP is an open source console, Not a windows machine.

Trooper

 

[skeezix]

There is meret .. just as almost all PC arcade emus use "1" for Start-1 and "3" for Coin-1 for instance. Keeping a consistent UI within a problem domain is nice for the user experience.

The trick is defining the domain..

ie: Console emus of a similar class could perhaps have some consistency. ie: SNES and Genesis are the same class, though with different button layouts. They could share the same 'menu' button perhaps, but with Genesis and SNES having different controller layouts and buttons.. should they map fire buttoms similarly? Tough choice. But comparing to CaSTaway.. its way out .. a totally different platform.

With CaSTaway I've gone a totally different route than everyone else.. the whole concept of 'control modes' where the modes are present to allow the GP32 limited controls to manage the many peripherals .. ie: Working the joystick, or the mouse, or the cursor keys, or the keyboard, etc. Thats a tough one to reconcile to anything else.

At the same time, I've considered pushing something a little different.. let CaSTaway work the way it wants, but then offer some alternate launch options.. so that a generic launcher across all emus could be written, and it'd call the emus the same way.. specifyhing which game to run, which source cart or disk to get it from, etc. But having a standardized optional frontend wouldn't help much unless the UIs worked the same inside, so I've left it alone.

Tough one

jeff

 

[tekt5]

1. long lists of 'things' are a constant need for emulators, either lists of menu options or lists of games. So it ouwl be nice if all the emultors use the left direction to skip down a page and the right to skip up a page.
2. Computer emulators require a keyboard interface, we need a common entry point for this. For instance fzx32 and castaway uses the select key, whereas frodo uses the left shoulder button.

1. I think right should be down a page and left be up

2. You can change it to select in Frodo if it really bothers you.. the keys are easily customizable

 

[Melampus]

ok, very nice idear, but for the work now you have to pay 49.99$ for evry emulator with proffesional standardised interface.

please fix your english, thank you

but let's jump over to the main talk
of course it IS a nice idea to get a standard control layout, but please get into your mind that everyone of the emu-coders is doing work in their free time. considering someone is doing FREE work, you should be happy that there are emulator and emulator ports at all, instead of having an easier standard control, i would prefer that the emulator get's a compatibility boost... which is imho more important!

 

[Quiest]

ok, very nice idear, but for the work now you have to pay 49.99$ for evry emulator with proffesional standardised interface.

please fix your english, thank you

...

​

Idiot.
If you are that picky, start using capital letters... or stfu.

 

[GA01]

Having a standard interface is a great idea. Ok, you get used to a new interface after a while but remembering each emulator's setup can be tricky at times. I've always thought that Rlyeh's interface has a good setup although personally, I would like to see all configuration accessed via the Select button.