[PLUGIN] Game Info Plugin

[Adultery]

Ahh that's CPWizard.

When you disable Game Info, the control panel image stays up?

When you enable it, the rest of the screen goes blank?

Maybe HK has a switch in there to hide the window if something else pops up on it, IDK. I didn't consider that when I coded this because I don't actually use CPWizard on my rig. I may have to ask Ben about this.

[Draco1962]

Likely the CP Wizard image is actually appearing over the Game Info image for the duration of its stay.

[Adultery]

1.0.9 Released:

• (Plugin) Fixed Attract Mode issue where GameExtender pops up over top of the "screen saver" (I was forcing my window to TopMost on a timer, but I stopped being lazy and just got the window handle for GameExtender instead. In the end, GameExtender is now hidden properly in Attract Mode and restored after.)
  
• (Plugin) Added the message "ATTRACT MODE! PRESS ANY KEY TO EXIT!" to the bottom of the Attract Mode screen
  
  • The message will flash on and off every second like it would in an arcade game's "Demo Mode"
    
  • The message also changes color randomly throughout attract mode
    

  [*](Plugin) Refined the code for Attract Mode (cleanup mostly, but I managed to contain a small memory leak in the process)

[nullPointer]

From the humblest of beginnings grows the mighty oak (which certainly isn't to say that this plugin was ever 'humble' ). This plugin just gets better and better Adultery! Thanks for all the work you've put into it. Your attention to detail really shows.

[Adultery]

1.1.0 RELEASED:

• (Plugin) Added code for the new "dialog form" in theme images, which I'll be working on for the next release
  
  • This will basically work like you would expect a dialog form to behave
    
  • The form will show for add/remove favorites, updating your MAME list, and maybe other things
    

  [*](Plugin) Fully fixed the GameExtender handle getting "lost" and not restoring after attract mode exited

  [*](Plugin) Added ability to customize the Attract Mode message

  [*](Settings) Added a place to enter said Attract Mode message

About the new dialog form: I'm thinking about adding some cool features to this, like maybe an optional weather forecast ticker and an RSS feed reader. These will be enabled and disabled via the Settings of course. I have been really busy with school and whatnot, and I'm working on another project for Null, so it'll be a bit before anything like that happens with this plugin. I really wanted to get this out more for the GameExtender fix and the custom Attract Mode message, so I can concentrate fully on the other "thing" I'm working on.

If you're interested in any of that, obtain it from the usual place.

[Adultery]

1.1.1 RELEASED:

• (Plugin) Removed all form dependant timers and moved on to more efficient methods of keeping time
  
• (Plugin) Added a nice fade-in to the visualizer and the jukebox banners when they first display
  
• (Plugin) Added a refresh combo to the jukebox form: [sHIFT + RT MOUSE CLICK]
  
  • ​This is really only useful to you if you use the Last.FM patch, otherwise the info comes from the registry and shouldn't ever need a manual refresh. It only takes about 1/4th of a second to update in regular mode and should never get stuck on a web query or anything.
    

  [*](Plugin) Added in the key combo to hide/show the jukebox form: [sHIFT + TAB]

  [*](Plugin) A little more behind-the-scenes work to increase plugin stability over long periods of time

  [*](Plugin) More coding on the new dialog form (nothing you can see yet, but it looks good so far! Still have a long way to go though!)

Damn, I should just put this down and move on, but I just love it so much! LOL! I can't wait to drop this new dialog form... It really classes the place up! Anyhow, feel free to snag the new version from the usual place like always, and thanks for your continued support (especially you Null... Your "likes" make my life worthwhile!).

[nullPointer]

What can I say? It's awesome to see "Labor of Love" projects like this come together in spectacular fashion. You keep making this thing better and better! Keep up the great work man!

[Adultery]

New version will be coming out soon.

I added full functionality for the Dialog form, and added some nice fading transitions (fade in and out) to the Jukebox and the Dialog form.

Currently the dialog form shows when you select a game from your list and when the MAME list updates. I want to add favorites info too when you add and remove a game, but I need some help from the "big guys" on that (the event currently doesn't fire).

I also did some optimization and fixed a rare bug for attract mode. I am toying with a couple things I want to add to this, but not gonna speak on that yet.

Stay tuned!

[Adultery]

Here's a quick demo of the plugin (I'll make a better one when I have my hands free, my tripod is at my bro's house). This basically showcases the fade in and out, the dialog form, the new update check, the in-game mode, and the jukebox with Last.FM. Enjoi!

[KRC]

Nice work Adultery keep it up.

[Adultery]

Updated to 1.1.2

Lots of new features and fixes! Nice and smooth, ya hear me?

• (Plugin) Added new Game Info update checker
• (Plugin) Added new dialog forms for displaying brief game info when the game is selected in the list or when the MAME list updates
• (Plugin) Added fade in and out transitions to all forms
• (Plugin) Fixed override for emulator specific displays
• (Plugin) Fixed a bug where game data wasn't being sent if a game was launched from most played or last played lists
• (Plugin) Fixed a bug where GameEx was crashing if artist metadata was not located for the jukebox
• (Configuration) Added enable/disable options to update checking, dialog forms, and added a global Game Info disable
• (Configuration) Fixed the monitor enumeration (use your Windows display assignments now)
• (Configuration) Fixed a bug were theme settings weren't being saved unless the user clicks "SAVE" on the config form:
  The idea was to make it save that setting once you clicked "APPLY" on the theme selection page.
• (Themes) Added customization for the dialog window, the dialog logo, and added spaces for the new CP features (coming soon!)
• (Themes) Updated the MegaMAME theme with the new images
• (Overall) Bug fixes and optimizations

I'm currently working on adding a CP viewer that displays on a keypress. More details on that later.

Here's a quick pic of the new dialog form:

I also made a Game Info theme to accompany the default GameEx "Media Center" theme:

Download that from here:

[Adultery]

One more milestone for me! It's nice and smooth now... That split second focus loss really peaved me.

1.1.3

• (Plugin) More compatibility with GameEx in Windowed Mode - The focus is not lost from GameEx after dialog forms/jukebox displays. This also fixes the split second loss of focus in fullscreen mode. Never even would have thought about windowed mode! Good to test things!
  
• (Plugin) Tuned up my Last.FM routine a bit... Searches are now more accurate
  
• (Plugin) Fixed a bug where Last.FM routine got stuck if the network drops out.

[Draco1962]

Here is my Pink Floyd - The Wall theme for the Game Info plugin. I will also include a copy as part of the GameEx theme of the same name upon release.

PFTW-Game Info Theme.zip

[Adultery]

This is it for a while.. I swear!! Gotta move on to the database project!

1.1.4 is out:

• (Plugin) Found and fixed a bug in GameEx's jukebox mode
  
• (Plugin) Ironed out a bug where the jukebox overlay disappears in attract mode
  
• (Plugin) Added a font color option to the theme XML
  
• (Plugin) Found and fixed a tiny bug in the theme XML loading
  
• (Plugin) Cleaned up a bunch of old code
  
• (Configuration) Huge update to theme previews. I added in the scroll, placed the preview on your game screen, and added fading. This is about as good of an idea as you could want to get.

Grab it here:

Added Drac's theme to the theme thread located here. Thanks for being the first to take that jump buddy!

I also made a new theme for the plugin called "Super Mario's World" that you can download here:

Enjoy!

[Adultery]

Here's a game info theme I whipped up for Sonic The Hedgehog:

You can download it from the themes post or snag it from here:

I'd be lying if I didn't say I got some more theme ideas.

[Adultery]

One more in me yet! I generally don't like bumping my own threads, but ahh well.

Here's a skin for Tetris:

Download it from here:

I swear that's the last thing today.

[KRC]

Adultery, Draco,

Nice Stuff

How are these Game Info themes made? , Im not on my laptop so I cant check anything.

[Adultery]

Pretty easy actually... You make the image and fill out the XML. Then all you gotta do is apply the theme in the configuration for the plugin.

The easiest way is to open up a current theme's XML (MegaMAME is the most complete, I make art for everything since it's included in the plugin, and makes a good reference). If it'll help ya, here's a copy of the XML:

<game_info>
  <theme name="MegaMAME Extreme" author="Adultery">
    <logo>MegaMAME\MM_Logo.png</logo>
    <preview>MegaMAME\MM_Preview.png</preview>
    <desc>A skin for the plugin which was created to accompany the MegaMAME theme.</desc>
  </theme>
  <images>
    <game_noimg>MegaMAME\No_Img.png</game_noimg>
    <game_bg>MegaMAME\BG_Img.png</game_bg>
    <attract_bg>MegaMAME\Attract_BG_Img.png</attract_bg>
    <attract_logo>MegaMAME\Attract_Img.png</attract_logo>
    <juke_bg>MegaMAME\Juke_BG_Img.png</juke_bg>
    <juke_lfm_bg>MegaMAME\Juke_BG_Img.png</juke_lfm_bg>
    <juke_noimg>MegaMAME\Juke_No_Img.png</juke_noimg>
    <juke_loading>MegaMAME\Juke_Loading.png</juke_loading>
    <diag_bg>MegaMAME\Diag_Img.png</diag_bg>
    <diag_logo>MegaMAME\Diag_Logo.gif</diag_logo>
    <cp_bak>MegaMAME\CP_Back.png</cp_bak>
  </images>
  <font>
    <color>FFFFFF</color>
  </font>
</game_info>

Simple as that.

All image spots support animated GIFs as well as the usual snap extensions... Most of my themes have an animated GIF tucked in there (the loading image for the jukebox is where I like to use them most often). The CP background isn't used yet but will be in a future update, and juke_lfm_bg is only supported if the user applies the Last.FM patch.

As with any project I can't say how cool it is to have the plugin match up with your theme. It really adds a nice little extra something special IMHO.

[KRC]

ahh ok,

Simple enough, thanks for the advice, btw congrats on this cool plugin

[Adultery]

Thanks. It's kind of my baby ATM.

I've definitely learned a lot since I started working on this!

[Adultery]

Yeah, I know what I said earlier...

Here's a Game Info theme based off of Contra:

I really like the way the "no image available" snap came out.

Download it here:

That really is all... For now...

[Draco1962]

Here is my Blue Neon LCD theme for the Game Info plugin. I will also include a copy as part of the GameEx theme of the same name upon release.

BNLCD.zip

[Adultery]

Absolutely GORGEOUS!!!

Very well done, Drac ol' buddy! It looks AWESOME with the default theme too!

I'm really looking forward to this theme!!

[Draco1962]

[starbuck]

Looks great Adultery.

Is there a way to incorporate all the themes, myself , KRC and Krak have made for Kraks theme. Think it would look great if these themes could show on the top monitor with the video playing while yours or anyone elses theme played on the main monitor with your info plugin being showed. Last count had about 400 themes currently made.