Online Game Configuration Database for FS-UAE Launcher - Page 2

FrodeSolheim · 28 November 2012, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by nexusle

I've a little feature request

)
please can you implement the ability to filter for "ADF"-, "IPF"-, "WHD"- and "CDROM"-configs in launcher.
It could be made possible by using checkboxes for each item.

I assume that this request has something do do with the database system, and the fact that there are many different varieties of each game (worst case up to 20-ish), and yes, some kind of filtering is desperately needed. What you suggest is fairly quickly implemented.

I am thinking a bit further though, assuming we are talking about the same thing

How to be able to shorten the list of games shown in the launcher (by default) for normal users? Some kind of voting / rating system comes to mind. But it may be difficult present a limited number for each game in a sensible way? How many should be included? What rating threshold to use?

Another strategy is to split up the UI in launcher to show a *game* list instead of a configurations list, and when you have chosen a game, you can change the game variant in a drop-down list or something. But still, the launcher must then select one by default. But programmatically deciding on *one* is much easier, because it could then just preselect the *one* with the highest rating / likes / whatever.

But to complicate matters further:
- I might want to have the highest rated English version selected by default.
- Someone else might want to have the highest rated German version selected by default.
- Some may prefer the WHDLoad version over floppy versions, while other again may want to use IPF versions if available.

If sufficient information is added to the variants, the launcher could help automatically preselect the "best" configuration based on user preferences, for example your preference could be WHDLoad, IPF and ADF in that order, and DE, EN versions, in that order. Further, the launcher can remember the last used variant of a specific game, so you don't have to specifically re-select the variant it each time you select the game in case the system does not pick your preferred variant automatically.

Are we talking about the same thing?

Anyone may chip in here if you have an opinion.

nexusle · 28 November 2012, 20:28

Yes! This is a very good idea.

Also users should be able to set games as favorites and these games should override the games with highest rating.

FrodeSolheim · 28 November 2012, 20:43

Absolutely, but the favorite selection mechanism would only work if the user has chosen only one favorite and/or having the favorite selection in addition to another rating mechanism. In any case, the remember-the-last-variant feature would also fill this role to some degree.

But to be more specific, here are some concrete suggestions:

- Have a work/dontwork status on each variant - every user can vote (+/-) on each variant. Variants which are sufficiently voted down could be filtered away from the default list. Also, another option the Launcher could present is to only show tested / verified variants.

- Have a like/dislike status status on each variant - every user can "vote" (+/-) on each variant (This could also be the "favorite" function). I.e. you can vote up the game variants you like, for example a WHDLoad variant and an IPF variant, or a specific cracked version. The sum of votes here would influence the default selection (and possibly list order) in the Launchers game variant selector. Might not need the dislike/- status though.

- Possibility to add a "languages" key to a variant. This must be used as a variant-level key, not on the game level. Can be used to select a variant based on user preference.

- Possibility to add a "protection" key to a variant. This must be a variant-level option, not on the game level, since it would vary from variant to variant. Example values could be "manual" or "wheel". If variants have this key specified, it could be possible for users to have preferences such as: Prefer IPF versions to ADF versions unless the game is copy-protected (with manual/wheel/etc).

Dic_Ray · 30 November 2012, 14:43

Hello Frode,

I'm not sure, if it's my fault, but under Windows I get the following error, when I scroll through the recognized games. The png-filetype is associated to the Windows Photo Viewer. Do you have a glue, what could be the mistake? I also deleted the launcher.settings and let FS-UAE recreate it.

Best regards

FrodeSolheim · 30 November 2012, 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

Under Windows I get the following error, when I scroll through the recognized games. The png-filetype is associated to the Windows Photo Viewer. Do you have a glue, what could be the mistake? I also deleted the launcher.settings and let FS-UAE recreate it.

Hi, does it only pop up when you select a specific game?

Dic_Ray · 30 November 2012, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Hi, does it only pop up when you select a specific game?

No, in everyone, although I get the images.

nexusle · 30 November 2012, 18:52

Which Windows you use? 32bit or 64bit?

Dic_Ray · 30 November 2012, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by nexusle

Which Windows you use? 32bit or 64bit?

Hey nexusle,

nice to hear from you. I use Windows 7 Pro 64-bit.

FrodeSolheim · 30 November 2012, 20:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

No, in everyone, although I get the images.

Best guess right now, wxWidgets tries several loaders when trying to load the image and one of them fails on your system causing wxWidgets to log a warning. I have tried to simply temporarily suppress the warning in this version: http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/devel/2.1.9beta1/ (please try)

Dic_Ray · 30 November 2012, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Best guess right now, wxWidgets tries several loaders when trying to load the image and one of them fails on your system causing wxWidgets to log a warning. I have tried to simply temporarily suppress the warning in this version: http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/devel/2.1.9beta1/ (please try)

Don't know why, but under Windows FS-UAE doesn't find/load all game screenshots, which it found under Mac OS X. What could be misconfigured in my system? Atm I have no glue.

Btw. the refresh games configuration from data base button tells somthing about 4576 ???. Is this the whole amount of included configurations?

Best regards

nexusle · 30 November 2012, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

Hey nexusle,

nice to hear from you.

We know each other? From where?

BTW: I haven't this problem on my work pc (running Win 7 Enterprise 64 bit)

FrodeSolheim · 30 November 2012, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

Don't know why, but under Windows FS-UAE doesn't find/load all game screenshots, which it found under Mac OS X. What could be misconfigured in my system? Atm I have no glue.

Is there a particular game with this problem? Does the Launcher.log.txt file (after shutting down FS-UAE Launcher) show something interesting?

Does it help if you delete the "Images" directory in FS-UAE/Cache?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

Btw. the refresh games configuration from data base button tells somthing about 4576 ???. Is this the whole amount of included configurations?

In this case, 4576 is the ID of the latest change download to your system + 1. The refresh function only downloads the changes (since last refresh) from the server and calculates the configurations from the list of changes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nexusle

We know each other? From where?

My guess is your database edits have been noticed

nexusle · 30 November 2012, 21:49

Hmmm... This could be...

But he's also a german. It would be possible, he know me from the german Amiga community :-)

Dic_Ray · 30 November 2012, 22:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by nexusle

Hmmm... This could be...

But he's also a german. It would be possible, he know me from the german Amiga community :-)

I enjoy to hear from you again. We exchanged some not so friendly words, thats why. FS-UAE is such a great project and totally inspiring.

Best regards

nexusle · 30 November 2012, 22:12

Hmmm...

Are you StingRay from a1k.org??

nexusle · 30 November 2012, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

FS-UAE is such a great project and totally inspiring.

Yes! This database feature is a killer feature! The best, as I Frode understand is, that this database is open for another apps! I could imagine that for real Amigas a program might exist, which accesses the WHDLoad records and these starts directly on the Amiga ... Just an idea :-)

Dic_Ray · 01 December 2012, 00:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by nexusle

Hmmm...

Are you StingRay from a1k.org??

No, on a1k.org I have the same nick.

FrodeSolheim · 01 December 2012, 00:44

Short update: I haven't been able to publish any nice updates on the database system this evening, but I am looking at changing the system so key/value-changes and moderation is done with javascript and asynchronous requests. This way the page won't reload for each change = less annoying

I should also put some effort into separating games and game variants in the Launcher UI, and also download variant ratings from the database so we can see how well that works in reality.

Dic_Ray · 01 December 2012, 01:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Short update: I haven't been able to publish any nice updates on the database system this evening, but I am looking at changing the system so key/value-changes and moderation is done with javascript and asynchronous requests. This way the page won't reload for each change = less annoying

I should also put some effort into separating games and game variants in the Launcher UI, and also download variant ratings from the database so we can see how well that works in reality.

Frode, you are one of my heros these days.
Where were you all the last years and when did you start to do things with Amiga?

Btw. I hope you keep the cover flow in an eventually upcoming Amiga Game Center. iTunes 11 removed it.

nexusle · 01 December 2012, 19:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

No, on a1k.org I have the same nick.

Hmm... I can't remember for a unfriendly conversation

30 November 2012, 14:43	#24
Dic_Ray Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 105	No handler found for image type. Hello Frode, I'm not sure, if it's my fault, but under Windows I get the following error, when I scroll through the recognized games. The png-filetype is associated to the Windows Photo Viewer. Do you have a glue, what could be the mistake? I also deleted the launcher.settings and let FS-UAE recreate it. Best regards Attached Thumbnails

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28 November 2012, 20:28	#22
nexusle Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Earth Age: 46 Posts: 500	Yes! This is a very good idea. Also users should be able to set games as favorites and these games should override the games with highest rating.

28 November 2012, 20:43	#23
FrodeSolheim FS-UAE Developer Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Førde, Norway Age: 43 Posts: 4,043	Absolutely, but the favorite selection mechanism would only work if the user has chosen only one favorite and/or having the favorite selection in addition to another rating mechanism. In any case, the remember-the-last-variant feature would also fill this role to some degree. But to be more specific, here are some concrete suggestions: - Have a work/dontwork status on each variant - every user can vote (+/-) on each variant. Variants which are sufficiently voted down could be filtered away from the default list. Also, another option the Launcher could present is to only show tested / verified variants. - Have a like/dislike status status on each variant - every user can "vote" (+/-) on each variant (This could also be the "favorite" function). I.e. you can vote up the game variants you like, for example a WHDLoad variant and an IPF variant, or a specific cracked version. The sum of votes here would influence the default selection (and possibly list order) in the Launchers game variant selector. Might not need the dislike/- status though. - Possibility to add a "languages" key to a variant. This must be used as a variant-level key, not on the game level. Can be used to select a variant based on user preference. - Possibility to add a "protection" key to a variant. This must be a variant-level option, not on the game level, since it would vary from variant to variant. Example values could be "manual" or "wheel". If variants have this key specified, it could be possible for users to have preferences such as: Prefer IPF versions to ADF versions unless the game is copy-protected (with manual/wheel/etc).

30 November 2012, 18:52	#27
nexusle Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Earth Age: 46 Posts: 500	Which Windows you use? 32bit or 64bit?

30 November 2012, 21:49	#33
nexusle Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Earth Age: 46 Posts: 500	Hmmm... This could be... But he's also a german. It would be possible, he know me from the german Amiga community :-)

30 November 2012, 22:12	#35
nexusle Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Earth Age: 46 Posts: 500	Hmmm... Are you StingRay from a1k.org??

01 December 2012, 00:44	#38
FrodeSolheim FS-UAE Developer Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Førde, Norway Age: 43 Posts: 4,043	Short update: I haven't been able to publish any nice updates on the database system this evening, but I am looking at changing the system so key/value-changes and moderation is done with javascript and asynchronous requests. This way the page won't reload for each change = less annoying I should also put some effort into separating games and game variants in the Launcher UI, and also download variant ratings from the database so we can see how well that works in reality.

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