Talk:Front-Ends
I didn't like the "Other Features" descriptions. It should use icons, because ABCDE is not rememable.
- Just create logos for the "Other Features" and edit!
Please see the discussion thread Talk:Jukebox_Software about -ware in the jukebox software, why "freeware" "shareware" and "Commercial" is choosen.
This one started the discussion about using the table with is lots better then the bunch of text.
I don't like the "Skinnable" category. I'm going to change it to "Skinning Features". The reason is that some FEs under the "Full" skinnable category really have more skinnable features than others. For example, although the game list in Kymaera can be resized, it still is always drawn as a straight up and down list of text. Plus, I don't think it can use marquee images instead of text. On the other hand, I believe Atomic can do those things, except the skins are not human readable (GRRRR!)
--Buddabing 09:26, 6 September 2006 (EDT)
You right.
If you look on the jukebox section, I have added servial more skin features), wich is a bit more precision. I guess the useing the table and minor changes should suit the skinning feature better. It up to you, what you would doing.
If there are some speciel thing about skinning, you can allways use the indepth page.
--Spacefractal 11:51, 6 September 2006 (EDT)
I've compiled the following skin-related questions which hopefully can be answered for each front end with a chart.
- Can a selectable solid color be displayed as the background?
- Can a changeable image be displayed as the background?
- Can a looping movie be displayed as the background?
- Can skin elements such as marquees, cabinet images, and control panels be added to the skin?
- Are skin elements resizable?
- Are skin elements moveable?
- Is the game list font changeable?
- Can font effects such as bold, italic, shadowing be applied to the game list font?
- Can game list entries be individually moved around and resized?
Only for a few front ends will we be able to answer "yes" to all questions. Movies would being added as the option, if you ask me.
--Buddabing 12:18, 6 September 2006 (EDT)
| Grade | Font Styles | Background | Entries | Elements | Resoulutions |
| Font Only | Yes | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed |
| Basic | Maybe | Yes | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed |
| Standard | Yes | Yes | Some | Some | Fixed |
| Advanced | Yes | Yes | All | Some | Some |
| Full | Yes | Yes | All | Most | Any |
Do I have missed some thing?
The above table should meet most thing, you asked. If some frontend have some thing speciel, it can allways destription in the indepth page or using some foot note.
I do guess a picture previes like marquees is not a skin question, but more than "Other Featuers" one. It nothing about skinning to due.
--Spacefractal 16:59, 6 September 2006 (EDT)
Maybe the skin column should even removed completly? And instead move it to "Other Features". A chart would used a lots with the "Other Features" as well.
Most frontend seen to use "full" skinning, wich doen´ts destription how it act with that. It maybe better to use a chart, with your quastion in thier own page.
Instead it canr renamed to "gui style" with present with style of gui it use:
- List only
- Picture based
- Window GUI
- Full 3D
Or something like this (only a breif example)? Your ideas?
--Spacefractal 18:05, 6 September 2006 (EDT)
Maybe having two tables is better like you suggest, one for front end features and one for skinning features.
The problem is that a lot of skinning features are unknown because the front ends does not have a good skinning application.
I would prefer not to have a "gui style" column, rather I would prefer the skinning column to be removed entirely.
| Front End | Font Styles | Background | Game List Split or One List | Skin Elements |
| Atomic FE | Face/Size | Color/Picture/Animation | One List | Selectable/Resizeable |
| MameWah | Face/Size | Picture only | One List | Selectable/Resizeable |
| Dragon King | Face/Size | Picture/Animation | Split | Selectable/Resizeable |
| Kymaera | Face/Size/Bold/Italic/Underline/Shadow | Color/Picture/Animation | One List | Selectable/Resizeable |
| MaLa | Face/Size | Color/Picture/Animation | One List | Selectable/Resizeable |
These table entries are not necessarily accurate.
Let remove the skintab completly and let it add into the features as a "Other Features" Instead. These codes can being used:
- SKF: This frontend can being skinned with a full skinning tool.
- SKN: This frontend can being skinned, but it have not have a skin tool included.
--Spacefractal 06:25, 9 September 2006 (EDT)
