Nice MAME2003 overlays repository

meleu

Hey guys, I think I've made some progress in the new script. It's a beta version but I think some guys can start the tests and give feedback ( @UDb23 and @backstander , I'm looking at you :) ).

We don't need to publicize the script for now. I still need to trim some edges, but we can start the tests.

How to use the script

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/meleu/rpie-art
cd rpie-art
./rpie-art

The script repository has several info.txt files I created for tests. They are for launching images only. If you look into them you'll notice that the launching_image entry can be a http[s] URL (cool feature, huh?).

Feedback about the User Experience is very appreciated.

Current features:

install overlays for arcade games.
install generic overlays for any system
install overlays for any game/system (not only the arcade ones) - note: I need to improve the ROM searching (look in gamelist.xml, etc).
install generic launching images for any system
install game specific launching image (any system)
cool feature: the *_image entries in the info.txt file can be a URL (only http/https supported).

UDb23

@meleu Wow! Excellent work. Will do some testing asap.
Great idea the URL pull for images; creators should consider dedicated images to limit web access time.

meleu

@UDb23 there are more Pull Requests on the repo. :)

Would you mind if I put some files on your repo? maybe in a folder like contrib/meleu/, what do you think?

My intention is to put those info.txt files and folders I have in my repo and let the repo with the script related content only.

UDb23

@meleu Done & Done ;-)

backstander

@meleu
How do you setup info.txt for multiple clones? Do you separate them with semi colons?

I'm trying to add the other 2 NES Robocops as "clones". Here is what I have:

rom_clones = "RoboCop 2 (USA) (Rev A);RoboCop 3 (USA)"

https://github.com/backstander/retropie-ovl/blob/master/nes/RoboCop/info.txt

UDb23

@backstander I'm not @meleu but answer is yes. ;-)
Full details on info.txt structure here.

meleu

As @UDb23 said, the answer is yes.

@backstander said in Nice MAME2003 overlays repository:

https://github.com/backstander/retropie-ovl/blob/master/nes/RoboCop/info.txt

I've just noticed that you repeated the .zip.cfg files for RoboCop 2 and 3 on your repo. There's no need for that. The script will use only the rom_config in info.txt file.

Currently the script doesn't deal with rom_clones yet, but it will work in the way I described above. :-)

backstander

@meleu @UDb23

I've just noticed that you repeated the .zip.cfg files for RoboCop 2 and 3 on your repo. There's no need for that.

I originally just put that in there for me so I could test with RoboCop 2 and 3
I wonder if I should use the optional rom_config_N variable instead of the rom_clones for RoboCop 2 and 3?

This is different because I have 1 overlay that works with 3 games.

meleu

@backstander said in Nice MAME2003 overlays repository:

I wonder if I should use the optional rom_config_N variable instead of the rom_clones for RoboCop 2 and 3?

If you want to use the same config/art for several games, just put the game names in the rom_clones.

In this case you should use the rom_clones.

Why?
Because the rom config content is exactly the same for every ROM you want to configure.

The rom_config_N is to be used when you want to provide an optional config/art, different than the default ones.

backstander

@meleu

Because the rom config content is exactly the same for every ROM you want to configure.

Okay, makes sense to me!

Also I will leave my repeated .zip.cfg files for RoboCop 2 and 3 on my repo until your script has added support for the rom_clones variable. No pressure ;-)

UDb23

@meleu said in Nice MAME2003 overlays repository:

Feedback about the User Experience is very appreciated.

It's a crazily busy week... I'll be able to test the script during the weekend.

backstander

It's a crazily busy week... I'll be able to test the script during the weekend.

Sorry @meleu same with me but I'll test later this week or weekend.

meleu

Hey fellows, there's no charge and no rush!

I will only be able to focus on the code again from 19/april on, and I have a good TODO list to work, even if there's no feedback.

I'm busy too and taking the time to catch a breath before diving into gamelist.xml stuff.

Cheers!

jozzy1

@UDb23 and @meleu
Love what you guys are doing and make my pi look AMAZING!
Any chance of mame overlays for Salamander 1 and 2.

UDb23

@Graboi Salamander ist a great shmup! Surely worth having an overlay.
Will check what artwork I can find and add it to the to-do list. Can't commit on timing...The list is quite long ;-)

jozzy1

@UDb23
Nice one buddy. Absolutely no rush 😀

UDb23

@meleu said in Nice MAME2003 overlays repository:

Hey fellows, there's no charge and no rush!

Just to say I didn't forget the testing ;-)
It's just that I'd like to take and dedicate the right necessary time to thoroughly test the script, also thinking of potential requirements/ expectations that a 'generic' user may have.
So far I couldn't find this time. Should be able this week.

backstander

@meleu @UDb23
I have been using it and it works pretty well! I am really impressed with the code you have so far to find the matching ROM filename. I think the only issue I had was if you're pretty deep in the menu and you're just about to install some overlays and you hit cancel, it acts like it is going to go ahead and install but then it says something about Overlays install but there's none on this list.

Also, maybe something for the ToDo list #1, it would be nice to have an option to uninstall/remove the overlay/launch image(s).

meleu

@backstander said in Nice MAME2003 overlays repository:

option to uninstall/remove the overlay/launch image(s).

Do you think that making the script set input_overlay_enable = falseis enough or should it delete the files?

EDIT
@backstander said in Nice MAME2003 overlays repository:

if you're pretty deep in the menu and you're just about to install some overlays and you hit cancel, it acts like it is going to go ahead and install but then it says something about Overlays install but there's none on this list.

Changed this behavior. Now you receive a "No art have been installed" message. ;-)
You can update the script in the main menu.

backstander

@meleu

Do you think that making the script set input_overlay_enable = false is enough or should it delete the files?

I think it should delete the files per Overlay or Launch Image (not both at the same time). I think there could be 2 different ways to accomplish this: and easier way to program and a little bit harder way. The easier way could be just to have the uninstall option even if its installed or not and when uninstalling do the install process in reverse and if the files don't exist then tell the user (could also be because we changed a filename in our repos and now the script can't uninstall it). Harder way would be to do it like RetroPie-Setup script does when installing first time and update/uninstall after it's installed. I think you'd have to have some log file that told which ones are installed and where to and what the names where at that time.

Also an option to enable/disable overlays could be neat and I could see it useful for users that go back and forth from 16:9 to 4:3 displays but I'm not sure if it is necessary. I'm not even sure what happens if you have 16:9 Overlays and you move to a 4:3 display.

Changed this behavior. Now you receive a "No art have been installed" message. ;-)
You can update the script in the main menu.

Thanks, I'll experiment with it later :-)