Hacking Design Your Own Menu: Community Challenge!

[spinal_cord]

Also, at least, last I checked, plg integration with BAGPlug was kinda.. well, bad. I'd like to see them treated the same as NDS files, UI-wise, with icons and descriptions

Not just BAGPlug, it's down to the PLG format. From what I remember, it doesn't have all of the information in the header than an NDS file has, no name, no serial, nothing. You are left with the filename only. (correct me if I'm wrong there Bass...)

 

[BassAceGold]

A sorting system of each filetype would be nice.

Smooth animations, of course

Also, at least, last I checked, plg integration with BAGPlug was kinda.. well, bad. I'd like to see them treated the same as NDS files, UI-wise, with icons and descriptions

And, an integrated media player, but that's already been said.

I'm a little weary about sorting files by type. People may have up to 32 gigabyte sd cards, and scanning that entire card for files of specific types would be very slow (Assuming you mean just file listing removing the need for folders). If you want to sort your files, it would be better having a dedicated folder for those files of similar types, which I'm sure most people already do to some extent.

With that in mind, maybe someone will design a menu that puts an importance of having files organized into certain folders, and then having these folders represent sections in the menu.

Also, at least, last I checked, plg integration with BAGPlug was kinda.. well, bad. I'd like to see them treated the same as NDS files, UI-wise, with icons and descriptions

Not just BAGPlug, it's down to the PLG format. From what I remember, it doesn't have all of the information in the header than an NDS file has, no name, no serial, nothing. You are left with the filename only. (correct me if I'm wrong there Bass...)

Plugins are straight binary and contain nothing within themselves for nice listing. BAGPlug had the option of adding custom icons for your plugins just by having an image file with the same name as the plugin (yourPlug.plg and yourPlug.plg.bmp). Unfortunately, the documentation for BAGPlug is quite scarce and there are still a few features the public have yet to figure out.

Some features that I would consider as awesome would be:

Something like a slideshow for the themes (new backgrounds every minute or so)
Music running at the background of the menu (if Mp3 is too heavy, try something else like midi?)
A rename option for the files on the card (right now we have copy paste and delete)
An option to add action replay codes to the usrcheat.dat from the supercard itself (instead of using the cheat code editor on your PC)

A rename option will probably make it into the menu now that I have some code created for a keyboard.

 

[chyyran]

A sorting system of each filetype would be nice.

Smooth animations, of course

Also, at least, last I checked, plg integration with BAGPlug was kinda.. well, bad. I'd like to see them treated the same as NDS files, UI-wise, with icons and descriptions

And, an integrated media player, but that's already been said.

I'm a little weary about sorting files by type. People may have up to 32 gigabyte sd cards, and scanning that entire card for files of specific types would be very slow (Assuming you mean just file listing removing the need for folders). If you want to sort your files, it would be better having a dedicated folder for those files of similar types, which I'm sure most people already do to some extent.

With that in mind, maybe someone will design a menu that puts an importance of having files organized into certain folders, and then having these folders represent sections in the menu.

Also, at least, last I checked, plg integration with BAGPlug was kinda.. well, bad. I'd like to see them treated the same as NDS files, UI-wise, with icons and descriptions

Not just BAGPlug, it's down to the PLG format. From what I remember, it doesn't have all of the information in the header than an NDS file has, no name, no serial, nothing. You are left with the filename only. (correct me if I'm wrong there Bass...)

Plugins are straight binary and contain nothing within themselves for nice listing. BAGPlug had the option of adding custom icons for your plugins just by having an image file with the same name as the plugin (yourPlug.plg and yourPlug.plg.bmp). Unfortunately, the documentation for BAGPlug is quite scarce and there are still a few features the public have yet to figure out.

Some features that I would consider as awesome would be:

Something like a slideshow for the themes (new backgrounds every minute or so)
Music running at the background of the menu (if Mp3 is too heavy, try something else like midi?)
A rename option for the files on the card (right now we have copy paste and delete)
An option to add action replay codes to the usrcheat.dat from the supercard itself (instead of using the cheat code editor on your PC)

A rename option will probably make it into the menu now that I have some code created for a keyboard.

Is it not possible to parse the INI for the name and use the BMP used to display it in the official menu?

 

[BrianPhan_296723]

What software should I use to develope this?

 

[Dead End]

As far as UI goes, I'd kinda like to see something that can mimic the 3DS's home screen . (Possibly optional?) I'm making a few concepts in Photoshop so you can see what I mean.. Hopefully I don't abandon the idea..

But something a little more simple?
-Folders
-Plugins on the game selector screen
-Better use of the top screen? (I'll make an example in Photoshop)
---I know I can think of more later

 

[BrianPhan_296723]

Since, no one responded to my question that was poster a few hours ago, I think I should just edit pictures with Ps CS6.

(I'm not so good with Ps)

Suggestion:
You should add stuff like add-ons not plugins (examples: add-ons for your web browser and the Mincraft plugin stuff (I don't play minecraft ))
so other developers can do stuff to.

 

[BrianPhan_296723]

I have another idea after I ate! What if you just make it like the reguler menu but a bit more basic and you add add-ons to make it better.
(Example: if you ever had a jailbroken idevice you could add those tweaks like barrel, winterbourd, etc.)

 

[Aeter]

I hope this really turns out well, unfortunately most functions I'd like to see are already mentioned and my designing skills aren't that great, so I can't really help there.
I do know some programming like Java and Python for instance and a little bit of C(++/uda), but I doubt any of that will help with this project.

I just don't get why people keep mentioning MENUdo, if you like it just use that instead.
In what way is it flawed that people want to see it redesigned in this project?

 

[The Catboy]

Could you make a poll for this thread for some of the more popular ideas?

 

[BassAceGold]

Could you make a poll for this thread for some of the more popular ideas?

I might make a poll to collect some technical details on how to program the menu, but anything related to its look and feel is up to the community to manage through whatever means they have. The point of the challenge is to have the community working together for what they want rather than dumping all the ideas on me to do whatever with (which may or may not be what the community desires).

 

[jurassicplayer]

There is absolutely no way for me to condense the stuff I want to say, this is the stuff I can rant about for hours. I hope you people read it and take it into consideration while you blabber out UI ideas.
http://gbatemp.net/blog/531/entry-10016-designing-a-ds-usable-menu/

 

[BassAceGold]

Although I said in the first post I wouldn't start coding the menu until a design has been finalized, I have been preparing some code to put towards the menu when it is time to start coding. I present to you, the new font system I have been working on:

And here I was testing some unicode characters (Bottom left corner). I have no idea what they mean and I'm sorry if these random characters happen to offend anyone.

Font scaling is also in there but its really ugly:

So you'd be better off generating your font to the sizes you need for this.

To create these fonts, all you need is the program called BMFont, where you can customize what characters are present and what font type to use, and its size.

 

[Rydian]

Fixed-width only, or is variable-width going to be an option?

 

[BassAceGold]

Fixed-width only, or is variable-width going to be an option?

It is variable width only, unless you can get BMFont to output fixed width.

 

[PJM]

There is absolutely no way for me to condense the stuff I want to say, this is the stuff I can rant about for hours. I hope you people read it and take it into consideration while you blabber out UI ideas.
http://gbatemp.net/b...ds-usable-menu/

Great read. I don't agree with everything, but you make a lot of good points.

As for this project.. I am really enjoying BagPlug since I installed it about a week ago. It certainly kills the CycloDS Evolution menu... But wouldn't it just be easier to add features to that rather than starting from scratch? Sorry if this has been covered already, I don't recall seeing it in this thread.

Regardless, I can't wait to see something come of this, and I am working on several mockups already.

 

[BassAceGold]

But wouldn't it just be easier to add features to that rather than starting from scratch? Sorry if this has been covered already, I don't recall seeing it in this thread.

I can't even compile BAGPlug any more with all the changes I've made to my various libraries. Also it's way easier to start from scratch with a constant list of things to program rather than trying to patch in a never ending list into an existing code base that may have not been set up for such suggestions.

 

[PJM]

I can't even compile BAGPlug any more with all the changes I've made to my various libraries. Also it's way easier to start from scratch with a constant list of things to program rather than trying to patch in a never ending list into an existing code base that may have not been set up for such suggestions.

Ah, excellent explanation!

 

[spinal_cord]

Here is a summary of the ideas that people have mentioned, not in any particular order, with some of the worst ideas removed...


Single list with or without icons
Grid with either original or double size icons, also 1.5x and 0.5x
Smooth scrolling
Change wallpaper from menu / timer
'Glow' for icon selection
Arrange icons by Name/Type/Used/Manual

Drag icons to the side or long press to reveal options (both views?)
> Customisable icons
> Customisable Name + Description
File type display selection - only .nds, only .plg etc.
File associations - .SMC = smes emulator etc.
-Icon info-
> three lines of text (from rom header)
> title/filename
SD card info - file sizes, free space etc.
Main 'Home screen' not related to folder paths
Most used games list
Groups like iOS and 3DS
Customisable tabs for different file types/genres
Brightness control
Some sort of widget support for clock, screenshot, info etc.

Show current file path
Boot menu (similar to the one from iMenu?) to allow changing of main .nds/plg menu

Stylus + D-pad controls for everything

Support EZ 3-in-1

Built in media player
Ability to rename/move/copy/delete files
Animated themes


So if someone wants to start coming up with some drawings based on the above info, then please do.
Also, Bass, if you wonna drop the above list in the first post to try to prevent people re-sugesting the same things over and over...

 

[Dead End]

I was able to make a Lower Screen UI.. (Not Completely Finished) I'm thinking about Ideas for the Top Screen..
-Also Being able to move Games around manually like the DSi/3DS (Instead of by automatically by Name)

1st Button - Cheats
2nd Button - Saves
3rd Button - (Was thinking Updates but I guess thats not possible)
4th Button - ROM Info
5th Button - Card Settings

 

[BassAceGold]

Just a bottom screen is fine. I'm thinking the top screen will be scriptable, so people can put whatever on it.