An idea--maybe crazy.

[hobosapien]

I've seen a freind's modded x-box, wherein he has emulators for various consoles and tons and tons and tons of games. I'm not looking for this, but thinking of that struck an idea.

My idea is for a computer gaming system that contains all the emulators available and all the games available. In this gaming system, I would take an old laptop that I would otherwise throw away, and load on it a program where whenever I turn on the laptop, that program boots up, and I have the choice to play any of the emulators on that program. I would most likely like to have an x-box 360 controller connected to the computer, using a mapping program to control the mouse and keyboard of the laptop.

So I guess here's what would happen. When I turn on said gaming computer, a program would pop up and show all the emulators I could use, playstation, snes, nes, etc. You pick which you want, and then open up which game you want. But that'd be all in one interface. Within this i'd be controlling everthing thing i'm doing from that x-box 360 controller, or whichever controller you fancy.


I probably made that alot more complex than I needed. Tell me what you think.

[ulaoulao]

Like a mame cabinet?

Lot of folks out there using there computers a an emu box AKA mame cabinet. There are over 100's of emu front ends. all the emulators in one gui, and you load any game buy the click of a mouse. QuickPlay my personal favorite. Also gameEx is a good one.

[hobosapien]

Like a mame cabinet?

Lot of folks out there using there computers a an emu box AKA mame cabinet. There are over 100's of emu front ends. all the emulators in one gui, and you load any game buy the click of a mouse. QuickPlay my personal favorite. Also gameEx is a good one.

Wow, thanks for that information. I didn't know these programs existed. I'm checking them both out.

Now is there a way to make these programs boot up as soon as you turn on the computer?

[Zach]

Assuming they are windows base, make a shortcut and place it in the start menu "Startup" folder

You could probably google around to learn how to make a registry key to launch it on bootup too

[ulaoulao]

You could change your explorer entry in the registry to point to the front end.

[hobosapien]

You could change your explorer entry in the registry to point to the front end.

How hard would that be to do?

Should I just google it?

[FatTrucker]

If you're not sure what you are doing then an easier route (in Win XP anyway) is to change your windows startup and loading screens for something suitably arcade or mame related (there are a number of these about use google) and stick a shortcut to the mamwah/gameEx/Mala or whatever front end you're using into the windows startup folder.

If you remove all icons from the desktop, hide the toolbar and set your desktop colour to black then you won't really see that its running on windows and you haven't risked breaking your windows install.

There's a vid of the first Mamecab I made here using the above method. (right click and 'Save As' file is about 40Mb).

It also shows mamewah in action doing exactly what you were asking about in your original post.

Hope that helps.

[Genome]

if you need any pointers im glad to offer them. im about 80% through with building mine.

i recommend atomicFE for your frontend. if you dont want to use the basic layout that is provided you will need some knowledge of scripting to make your own. or you can download one they have on their website. there is a TON of them already available.

to make it go at startup just do what zach said. go to your start button, click it then under the "programs" list there is a folder named startup. just open that folder (right click then click on open). this was all i did to get mine to run as soon as i started windows.

but definatly look into getting rid of the windows loading screens, and the windows shutdown screen

you can check out my forum thread (on these same forums)

or actual video of my system working

by clicking the links below in my signature.