Neo Myth Menu v1.1

[Conle]

Both my playback code and packer code is available here: http://jiggawatt.org/badc0de/vgmplay7.zip

I don't know if MIKE-STAMP has released his sources, so if you want to use his packer instead you'll have to ask him for it.

Your code looks like it can be embedded easily to the plugin with default mode : RLE + DC ..so why to look for other source code?


I also think that this feature can be added easily to the extended sd menu too.
A good idea is to add an interface header for the player with extern functions so it can be used instantly...but lets wait for the master  .

[ChillyWilly]

I had been thinking about vgm/vgz playing in the enhanced menu. We certainly have the room for such a player. There's also LOTS of VGM/VGZ files out there. Some form of LZ compression might be best for fitting big files into memory in a format that can be decompressed on the fly. Also, only about 7MB will be available for things like music. The other MB of PSRAM is for the code and data of the menu. Running the enhanced menu from flash is a little better as then you have 1MB of flash for code and static data, 1MB of PSRAM for data, and 7 MB of PSRAM for stuff.
 

Anyone who wishes to contribute to the enhanced menu is encouraged to do so. It'll be a little easier to do that once I have it up and running, but in the meantime, think about what you want in it. A VGM/VGZ player is a nice idea.

How about support for Ultimate Mortal Kombat Trilogy?

development on it was done here: http://www.tototek.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2262&highlight=mortal+kombat

I've seen that - right now, it's written to run on one big cart that is directly addressable, not bank selected. Someone would have to hack it to use banks instead. Not saying it won't happen, but it's not likely in the short term.

[Conle]

ChillyWilly i think when the Holidays are over it would be a good idea to write down what it has to be done for the new menu then people can contribute to different parts of the whole project.

 

[mic_]

..so why to look for other source code?

I can think of two reasons. 1) His packer gives much better compression ratios for some songs than mine. 2) My player suffers from inaccurate playback speed for some songs that does PCM playback - his doesn't.

Some form of LZ compression might be best for fitting big files into memory in a format that can be decompressed on the fly.

If you try out Mike's packer you'll notice that it offers excellent compression while being decodable on the fly. He's released neither the source code nor a codec spec afaik.. I dunno if that's a deliberate decision or if he just didn't think anyone would be interested in them.

[Conle]

I can think of two reasons. 1) His packer gives much better compression ratios for some songs than mine. 2) My player suffers from inaccurate playback speed for some songs that does PCM playback - his doesn't.
If you try out Mike's packer you'll notice that it offers excellent compression while being decodable on the fly. He's released neither the source code nor a codec spec afaik.. I dunno if that's a deliberate decision or if he just didn't think anyone would be interested in them.

Ah i see , but since we don't have the source i don't think that we can find anything better than yours.

Any chance to improve it before the new custom rom structure for the new SD Enhanced menu?
I know its not that easy , but there are always chances.
 

[mic_]

I'm leaving in a couple of hours for 6 days of xmas, so there won't be any updated VGM players from me before the 28th at least 

[Conle]

I'm leaving in a couple of hours for 6 days of xmas, so there won't be any updated VGM players from me before the 28th at least 

Haha of course  ! Have fun!
I don't plan either to write code after 25-30/12  so don't worry

[murdiaries]

I suggest to make an outline for the new menu, before any works begins on it.

Something like this:

• INTRO SCREEN (2 sec)
  (NEO Myth Logo image ver. + product by below it)
  
  
• MAIN MENU
  (THEME SET: Defining with mockups the main colours, bars, gfx and buttons)
  (MENU OPTIONS: Load ROM, Extra Features, Settings...)

I can follow art development of buttons and bars!

[Conle]

Do we really need graphics? Intro sound effects and graphics will only make the menu to run slower and will mess the reset feature.

I think ascii gui is fine in my opinion.We just have to improve the functionality.

[madmonkey]

**** gfx
selectable color would be a nice feature though, but not selectable from the menu, rather from the programmer. define a structure with magic string and color values, then programmer can modify this structure before burning "menu".
intro screen (2sec?) is a horrible idea.

[ChillyWilly]

When I think "enhanced", I don't think "ASCII".  

My thoughts were a nice splash screen and a nice skinned interface. If you want ASCII, make an ASCII skin.
 

I know that many folks don't like splash screens, so I think a method of bypassing it would be almost required. At the very least I could compile two versions - one with the splash and one without.

My own thoughts on the splash is this: when you power on, the splash shows. When you reset to menu, the splash doesn't show. It's easy enough to tell one from the other.

Skinning is also a virtual requirement. There's no way you can call an ASCII menu "enhanced" regardless of how many features it has. People will take one look and say "lame". Once it's running, we can have a contest to see which skin will be the default as well as get bundled with the menu. If you have an SD interface, skins, splashes, and wallpapers will be looked for on the SD card as well.

One thing about skins and wallpapers - they'll go into different layers on the MD. The wallpaper will go in back and can use two palettes. The skin will go in front, so it needs transparency and will be allowed two palettes as well. This will probably change a bit as I work on the menu. Suggestions are welcome as always.

[Conle]

Asciiiiii   !
 

By the way ChillyWilly , i can design the gui code code & config library if you tell me exactly how it has to be done.
 

You can always count on me 

[ChillyWilly]

Asciiiiii   !
 

 

By the way ChillyWilly , i can design the gui code code & config library if you tell me exactly how it has to be done.
 

You can always count on me 

I was thinking an interface like the Sony XMB would be pretty neat. We'd need lists of widgets you could switch between. We could use your event library so that widgets simply responded to events.

We'd have a list of widgets representing the top level, then we'd switch between lists associated with each entry in the top level. A widget would have an associated relative position, set of cells for disabled, enabled, selected, and active states, and event responder. Something like that.

If you want an idea of how I think of lists of widgets, look at the option entries in the do_options() in the current menu. That could easily be enhanced into a nice gui.

[keropi]

AWESOME NEWS!!!!  

so, do sd cards work OK now? can you please show me a link in the IC2005 store the card that works?
that opens up a great convenience possibility , especially with the N64 Myth system where even 1gigabit could be small 

[Conle]

 

I was thinking an interface like the Sony XMB would be pretty neat. We'd need lists of widgets you could switch between. We could use your event library so that widgets simply responded to events.

We'd have a list of widgets representing the top level, then we'd switch between lists associated with each entry in the top level. A widget would have an associated relative position, set of cells for disabled, enabled, selected, and active states, and event responder. Something like that.

If you want an idea of how I think of lists of widgets, look at the option entries in the do_options() in the current menu. That could easily be enhanced into a nice gui.

So after 10' of thinking , i came up with this concept code :
http://pastebin.com/m5cff8031

It will also use EventLibrary ->
http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index.php/topic,5839.0.html

And maybe a simple configuration library for themes.

What do you think ?