Potential new DraStic features?

Discuss anything about DraStic here.
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darkaegis
Posts:9
Joined:Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:16 pm
Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by darkaegis » Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:19 pm

I know it's totally the generic thing to say, but I feel like DraStic would do well to get a holo makeover. The functionality of the menus is definitely there, but they could be a lot prettier and the font is a bit jarring.

Aside from reasonable meaningless visual and usability stuff, obviously streamlining, bug squashing, and compatibility would be the main things to work on (although I'm sure the team is already hard at work on that).
Last edited by darkaegis on Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

Dragonbax196
Posts:29
Joined:Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:45 am

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by Dragonbax196 » Tue Aug 13, 2013 4:27 am

I hope this emu can play NDS game with wifi connection ^^

awk
Posts:93
Joined:Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:50 am

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by awk » Tue Aug 13, 2013 5:31 am

A couple of things I've noticed in the menus:

1st having to click twice on the menu button at the bottom sometimes register it as a touch and can be annoying (while playing zelda in full screen for example). Maybe a click and pull up (like PIE) could be more intuitive to bring up the pen? And a simple touch would just open the menu?

Also when saving/Loading, the two buttons are quite close together, and there is no confirm button for loading for example. I sometimes loaded a game instead of saving over it and that's never nice.

And finally, after saving, the back button makes you go back to the game, but quite often when you save it's because you're stopping and so having to press back only to have to bring up that menu again to exit (with the double tap and all that) feels a bit clunky. Pressing back after saving to go back to the main menu would feel more natural I think; alternatively the game could start again upon saving directly, without having to press back?

That said, I'm used to that same way of working with N64oid and it doesn't bother me. I think it might be because the pause menu feels like a chore to bring up (it's a bit slow, it's got a lot going on, and the buttons/icons aren't very easy to read, and don't register touch very well - it could also help if the whole background of the button was changing colour on touch). Or maybe it's because on this other emulator you choose first if you want to save or load, and then you choose which save interests you. That way you have time to go back if you made a mistake, and also you feel like you've finished your task when it's over (I don't know if it makes sense...). Selecting the screen and clicking save feels unsatisfying without a toast message, or some kind of validation that it did in fact save (I know the image changes but it's small and sometimes hard to see). Going back to the main menu would also fullfil that purpose.

It's the ol' "don't make me feel like I did something wrong" google guideline for making good apps, it sounds a bit stupid like that but I think there's something to it!

I'm just nitpicking trying to find all the little things that could improve though because it's really brilliant apart from that!

edit: clarification

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AsHperson
Posts:210
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Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by AsHperson » Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:05 am

awk wrote:A couple of things I've noticed in the menus:

1st having to click twice on the menu button at the bottom sometimes register it as a touch and can be annoying (while playing zelda in full screen for example). Maybe a click and pull up (like PIE) could be more intuitive to bring up the pen? And a simple touch would just open the menu?

Also when saving/Loading, the two buttons are quite close together, and there is no confirm button for loading for example. I sometimes loaded a game instead of saving over it and that's never nice.

And finally, after saving, the back button makes you go back to the game, but quite often when you save it's because you're stopping and so having to press back only to have to bring up that menu again to exit (with the double tap and all that) feels a bit clunky. Pressing back after saving to go back to the main menu would feel more natural I think; alternatively the game could start again upon saving directly, without having to press back?

That said, I'm used to that same way of working with N64oid and it doesn't bother me. I think it might be because the pause menu feels like a chore to bring up (it's a bit slow, it's got a lot going on, and the buttons/icons aren't very easy to read, and don't register touch very well - it could also help if the whole background of the button was changing colour on touch). Or maybe it's because on this other emulator you choose first if you want to save or load, and then you choose which save interests you. That way you have time to go back if you made a mistake, and also you feel like you've finished your task when it's over (I don't know if it makes sense...). Selecting the screen and clicking save feels unsatisfying without a toast message, or some kind of validation that it did in fact save (I know the image changes but it's small and sometimes hard to see). Going back to the main menu would also fullfil that purpose.

It's the ol' "don't make me feel like I did something wrong" google guideline for making good apps, it sounds a bit stupid like that but I think there's something to it!

I'm just nitpicking trying to find all the little things that could improve though because it's really brilliant apart from that!

edit: clarification
just sayin, if its like pie, its gonna have to have some crazy customization because more and more roms are using it.

awk
Posts:93
Joined:Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:50 am

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by awk » Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:08 am

I've hacked together a quick concept to clarify what I meant... Don't know if it'll be of any use!

Image

edit:

another useful feature would be to install a notification in the notification bar while the emulator is running. It could hold the saved state to prevent loss of progress in case it crashes while answering a phone call or sending a text, (if the memory is reclaimed by the os) and it's really useful to jump in and out of the emulator.

Dragonbax196
Posts:29
Joined:Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:45 am

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by Dragonbax196 » Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:47 pm

I hope Drastic able to connect wifi, i'm able to link duel with my friend

darkaegis
Posts:9
Joined:Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:16 pm

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by darkaegis » Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:26 am

Dragonbax196 wrote:I hope Drastic able to connect wifi, i'm able to link duel with my friend
The FAQ states that emulating the DS' wifi is difficult to impossible, so don't get your hopes up. If it ever comes (which it probably won't), it'll be a long while.
Last edited by darkaegis on Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

TimmyP
Posts:6
Joined:Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:45 am

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by TimmyP » Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:52 am

An extremely awesome, and highly necessary feature that probably wouldn't be too hard to add:

***Flip from landscape to portrait done automatically.***

Playing DQ9 (and other rpgs) where the battles require two screens, whereas simply walking about does not.

I wish I could turn my phone 90 degrees when I encounter a battle, and have it switch to the portrait, dual screen mode. Without having to go through the menu to change, or flip between screens.

When the battle is over, turn it back and it returns to full screen portrait, single screen mode.

Great emu btw, blows my mind!
Last edited by TimmyP on Wed Aug 14, 2013 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Jay Haru
Posts:1796
Joined:Sat Aug 10, 2013 1:10 pm
Location:Pasig, Philippines

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by Jay Haru » Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:56 am

TimmyP wrote:An extremely awesome, and highly necessary feature that probably wouldn't be too hard to add:

***Flip from landscape to portrait done automatically.***

Playing DQ9 (and other rpgs) where the battles require two screens, whereas simply walking about does not.

I wish I could turn my phone 90 degrees when I encounter a battle, and have it switch to the portrait, dual screen mode. Without having to go through the menu to change, or flip between screens.

When the battle is over, turn it back and it returns to full screen portrait, single screen mode.

Great emu btw, blows my mind!
I doubt what you want is 'simple'...
Behold my mighty
Image

niktey
Posts:3
Joined:Tue Aug 13, 2013 4:20 pm

Re: Potential new DraStic features?

Post by niktey » Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:01 pm

First an virtuel analog Stick like on PPSSPP(PSP Emulator) , because it is hard to move in Mario 64.
Finally to paste Freezer Codes when you are playing for Cheats.

Thank you for your App!!! It is the best Emulator.

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