BigBox - Select Random Game Feature fixed by "Wheel Spin"

[Kondorito]

31 minutes ago, Grila said:

@Kondorito added looping navigation to the menus

You rock

And the git releasing format is much better. Thank you!

[MayorQwert]

@Grila

I just tested out the latest build, everything seemed to work great! I love the new UI and genre selection! In lieu of any real concerns, I was wondering if you have you considered adding a small pause when you reach the start/end of a list, so that you don't blow past the end of the list if you're scrolling down? I know some UIs do that, but this is completely marginal in importance. I really don't have anything else to say, it looks great, works great, and I look forward to future updates!

Edited June 28, 2018 by MayorQwert

[MayorQwert]

@Grila

Actually, I was wondering if you would consider having some sort of text pop up when you attempt to choose an invalid option, say pick "selected playlist" when you are in the "All Games" view, with something to the effect of "That option is not available" or "Invalid selection" so that people will know the plugin is not broke if they try to do that without realizing it won't work. I don't want anybody thinking the plugin is broke if they happen to be messing with it while I'm not there.

 

Actually, thinking out loud here, but what if as an alternative you had it detect if you are in "All Games" or a playlist and choose the appropriate random mode for the user? I understand this would mean having to back out to go to "All Games" if you want a random game from the whole list, but this could serve to simplify the UI and eliminate the need for the "Main Menu" entirely.

Edited June 28, 2018 by MayorQwert

[Grila]

31 minutes ago, MayorQwert said:

@Grila

Actually, I was wondering if you would consider having some sort of text pop up when you attempt to choose an invalid option, say pick "selected playlist" when you are in the "All Games" view, with something to the effect of "That option is not available" or "Invalid selection" so that people will know the plugin is not broke if they try to do that without realizing it won't work. I don't want anybody thinking the plugin is broke if they happen to be messing with it while I'm not there.

I have this crudely solved displaying a Windows Forms Message Box for testing. I'll have it implemented once I get it to display more elegantly within the actual plugin. Thanks for pointing that out, I only use it on the platform wheel view so it was never an issue for me.

34 minutes ago, MayorQwert said:

Actually, thinking out loud here, but what if as an alternative you had it detect if you are in "All Games" or a playlist and choose the appropriate random mode for the user? I understand this would mean having to back out to go to "All Games" if you want a random game from the whole list, but this could serve to simplify the UI and eliminate the need for the "Main Menu" entirely.

It's possible but would take a major re-write on the menu logic tree. I'll add it to my long list because it does make sense to have it that way. 

[JamesBond@ge]

How to install this? Do we just put the DLL in the plugin folder? :-)

[Grila]

Instructions are in the download on this site, then just replace the .DLL with the updated one from GitHub. 

[Typhon]

On 6/28/2018 at 4:00 PM, Grila said:

I have this crudely solved displaying a Windows Forms Message Box for testing. I'll have it implemented once I get it to display more elegantly within the actual plugin. Thanks for pointing that out, I only use it on the platform wheel view so it was never an issue for me.

It's possible but would take a major re-write on the menu logic tree. I'll add it to my long list because it does make sense to have it that way. 

Honestly I prefer it the way it is. Unless @Jason Carr adds a dedicated button, it would cause problems for me. I use long presses of left and right inside of the platform, on the main menu, not so much. It  also frankly seems like kind of a waste of time for you to put that much effort into subtracting a layer from the menu, when the user still has to enter a platform (which requires an extra button press and a delay, anyways). The way it is, you can do everything you need to do right from the main menu, and it's quick, perhaps even quicker than what was suggested.

Perhaps it's not my place to say this, and I'm not trying to start anything here, but @MayorQwert I think you need to stop suggesting more work for @Grila. What he made is beautiful... if beautiful isn't good enough, you should make 'perfect' yourself. I know you mean well but your last post kinda rubbed me the wrong way. You keep politely asking for more stuff when this guy has clearly put a ton of work into this, and as a contributer (on other sites, not so much here), it doesn't reflect well from my point of view. A couple of suggestions is fine. Asking repeatedly for more tweaks while simultaneously saying 'thank you' doesn't really seem appreciative at all.

Again I know you mean well. But you are a fan and a beta tester, not a co contributor. If you were helping out with it I'd have nothing to say. The only person that should be putting this much thought into how to improve it is Grila in my opinion, if he is so inclined.

Apologies to Grila if I'm out of line.
 

Edited June 30, 2018 by Typhon

[MayorQwert]

Not trying to push him to do more work than he wants too, I just like to try to give a bit of feedback thrown into whatever I find from playtesting. I honestly had no complaints about the last version he put out, I just like to throw ideas I have out there. It's really no biggie though if my ideas aren't good or just aren't worth the time, I just like to put them out there.

[Typhon]

I think you've missed my point, but I said what I needed to say.


 

[JamesBond@ge]

On 6/28/2018 at 5:25 PM, MayorQwert said:

@Grila

I really don't have anything else to say, it looks great, works great, and I look forward to future updates!

You know, I see where you're coming from Typhon. A well written post. The above quote is something that ground my gears a little before you made your post but I feel compelled to speak because I thought it might just be me being grumpy.

"Look forward to future updates" pfffft.......like Grila is chained to his desk churning out updates for MayorQwert......slightly passive aggressive.

"I don't want anybody thinking the plugin is broke if they happen to be messing with it while I'm not there." <---- what like burglars and stuff? How many people are roaming around your house on your machine when you're not there?

Another user on here called Dan does this sort of passive aggressive nit-picking and contributes NOTHING. Constantly harassing eXoDOS  with the same questions over and over about "what it if I do this?" and "shall I extract it over there?" and "I don't want to take a chance because things normally go wrong for me". Pisses me off. 

 

TBH I'm happy with what Grila did in the first instance where the Random Game selector was in the options menu. It selects a random game and that is that. All this adding complexity that was being suggested "multiplayer games", "co-op games" blah blah blah "for when I have my buddies around".

Thanks Grila. No more, no less.

Edited July 2, 2018 by JamesBond@ge

[Grila]

First I'd like to say thanks to everyone for the feedback and I understand everyone's point of view. I don't mind adding features if it will make the plugin "better" to use. I understand some people liked the simplicity of the V1, and that's why I tried to incorporate that into the V2 (Entire Collection, All), while also adding the play-modes and now genre's. Remember, the V1 also did play-modes so that really wasn't anything new, just a new way of selecting them.

And please don't think that I ever feel obliged to continue working on this. If someone suggests something that I don't agree with, I won't add it. Plain and simple. The truth is, I have a reasonably cushy job (Sys Admin) that allows me to basically do whatever I want as long as there are no problems in the building. So, in my infinite downtime at work, I choose to contribute to this project because @Jason Carr has provided the retro gaming community with one hell of a front end.

Again, I value everyone's opinion and I'm grateful to be apart of this community with all of you.

 

Now, moving along. I added the game detail/notes with the ability for the user to toggle them on/off. The individual details that are shown are directly tied to the Options\Game Details menu in BigBox (minus the scrolling setting and icon's settings). The updated file is available on the GitHub page. Also, I've included the documentation there in the README.md.

Here are some SS's of the different settings:

Both False (same as before this update):

Details=True Notes=False:

Details=False Notes=True:

Both True:

[Kondorito]

You never stop rocking @Grila

Incredible work with this plugin, for real. 

[JamesBond@ge]

12 minutes ago, Grila said:

And please don't think that I ever feel obliged to continue working on this. If someone suggests something that I don't agree with, I won't add it. Plain and simple.

Ahh ok. I guess Typhon and myself were worried that you were being 'bludgeoned' and overwhelmed with requests (from just one user). I think I've been gunning for MayorQwert ever since he made the "feels somewhat lacking" comment earlier in the thread.

Edited July 2, 2018 by JamesBond@ge

[Typhon]

There's a line somewhere, where repeatedly (and politely) asking for more begins to seem like taking advantage of the generosity of others. I have a friend that does that sort of thing often, and it seems manipulative and selfish.

But to each their own... I am also not the most patient person in the world.

Thanks for the plugin Grila.

[DOS76]

 @JamesBond@gewhat you and @Typhon are doing is being openly aggressive towards other users and I'm going to politely ask you to stop doing it.

[Typhon]

Point taken, no worries.

[FreeSoftwareServers]

On 6/14/2018 at 10:54 AM, Grila said:

I don't have the ability to add it to mainstream, I'm not a LaunchBox developer.

No word from @Jason Carr yet on the hotkey implementation, but I know he's been cranking on getting LaunchBox.Next ready so he's been super busy. Also, I'm sure this isn't high on anyone's priority list except the folks in this thread.

Your tiny font has me stumped as I have had no other people mention this, especially if you're at 100% DPI and not above. What resolution is your display? I'm guessing higher than 1080, and if so that may be causing the problem. I need to optimize how the whole control scales but I just haven't got around to it.

Hey @Grila, Im not sure if I responded to this, but my display is a regular 16:9,1080p acer monitor. The problem replicated itself on another computer, I'm guessing it's something to do with my theme. I could try to replicate the setup, its basically "Griddles Boxview" with some small art changes. If you ever wana debug, I will do whatever to help, but it's really just tiny font, not a deal breaker.

I'm just doing some maintenance on my LB and poking around on your github page. 2 things I wanted to mention, I couldn't find the actual .DLL on your github, is the file now split into multiple smaller files? (Like just drop the whole folder into plugins?). Another was related to how it is an issue for me to hold R since i use Left to Right scrolling wheel. I noticed you made a few booleans in your code for "Game Details". Would it be possible to make the hotkey a boolean so I (or others theoretically) could set it to something else, IE: for me I'd want it to be Up or Down. 

 

This project/thread has been a great success, hope you are feeling pretty awesome for the contribution! 

[Grila]

1 minute ago, FreeSoftwareServers said:

Hey @Grila, Im not sure if I responded to this, but my display is a regular 16:9,1080p acer monitor. The problem replicated itself on another computer, I'm guessing it's something to do with my theme. I could try to replicate the setup, its basically "Griddles Boxview" with some small art changes. If you ever wana debug, I will do whatever to help, but it's really just tiny font, not a deal breaker.

I'm just doing some maintenance on my LB and poking around on your github page. 2 things I wanted to mention, I couldn't find the actual .DLL on your github, is the file now split into multiple smaller files? (Like just drop the whole folder into plugins?). Another was related to how it is an issue for me to hold R since i use Left to Right scrolling wheel. I noticed you made a few booleans in your code for "Game Details". Would it be possible to make the hotkey a boolean so I (or others theoretically) could set it to something else, IE: for me I'd want it to be Up or Down. 

 

This project/thread has been a great success, hope you are feeling pretty awesome for the contribution! 

Sure, zip your theme up and send it to me and I'll see if I can replicate it on my end. If I can, that'll give me a starting point.

The .DLL on GitHub in under releases: https://github.com/G-rila/BigBoxRGS/releases

Boolean is true/false, not a way to define a hotkey. The API only gives access to certain keys and all other access is swallowed up by BigBox. Since we are working with user controls, we can't grab input until the control is focused. That's the problem and why Jason has to implement it. There is no way for me to force-grab input. I'm sorry to say, but until we get hotkey support in the API you're better off using a vertical wheel theme.

[FreeSoftwareServers]

1 hour ago, Grila said:

Sure, zip your theme up and send it to me and I'll see if I can replicate it on my end. If I can, that'll give me a starting point.

The .DLL on GitHub in under releases: https://github.com/G-rila/BigBoxRGS/releases

Boolean is true/false, not a way to define a hotkey. The API only gives access to certain keys and all other access is swallowed up by BigBox. Since we are working with user controls, we can't grab input until the control is focused. That's the problem and why Jason has to implement it. There is no way for me to force-grab input. I'm sorry to say, but until we get hotkey support in the API you're better off using a vertical wheel theme.

Well at this point I think I'll just go hunting for a new theme :), there's lots of good themes coming out and I can customize them to my liking.

 

I have a feeling going to a vertical wheel theme will fix both my issues. Thanks

[Klopjero]

thanks for the plugin grila !