Open PS2 Loader v0.7 - Themes & Icons

[jerrymh]

Yea, i have the same problem. Sometimes when you save, the app freezes, so i just restart the PS2 and it displays what i saved.

Please remember this app is a work in progress and is still under development, so it will take time to smooth out the issues.

oK, it is only a report from my testing.

[JNABK]

I put a little more effort into this one.......

[urbigbro]

I put a little more effort into this one.......

We are not worthy! I love how you have the Disc's Icon that looks like an actual game!

[djflexmaster79]

I agree with you on that. he truly is a PS2 GOD....LOL,

Great work bro............. Always something great to add to the scene.....

[dlanor]

Look, don't get me wrong now. I'm happy that things are developing at all in this area.

But I don't see why everyone seems to be so happy about a listing method capable of showing only one single game choice per screen. What is the point of that limitation ?

Personally I prefer by far the kind of game selection used by HDLoader or the original USBAdvance, where a whole page of game choices is directly visible, so the user can either find the correct entry by a single glance, or scroll to the next page etc.

Just imagine how cumbersome it will be to have a hundred different games installed, and having to effectively 'swap page' for evey single filename to be displayed. Such a method works fine for a very small number of games, but becomes unbearable as the number rises.

Best regards: dlanor

[JNABK]

But I don't see why everyone seems to be so happy about a listing method capable of showing only one single game choice per screen. What is the point of that limitation ?

I suppose its a matter of preference on if its better to view games one at a time or a full page listing.
This was 'modeled' after the PSP and PS3's XMB style and wouldnt be quite the same if a full page was displayed like the typical PS2 'standard' displays. It also might be a bit 'ugly' in the PS3 when viewing the list, as you'd want to keep it similar to how the rest of the PS3 displays things.

I'd agree it would be easier to view a full page when a lot of games are installed, but to me it dont matter as i still can only select 1 game at a time and the scrolling speed is just as fast as any other game list. I put mine in alphabetical order, so i pretty much know where the games are in my list. This can be done using the "sort" option in USBUtil 2.0.

[dlanor]

I suppose its a matter of preference on if its better to view games one at a time or a full page listing.
This was 'modeled' after the PSP and PS3's XMB style and wouldnt be quite the same if a full page was displayed like the typical PS2 'standard' displays. It also might be a bit 'ugly' in the PS3 when viewing the list, as you'd want to keep it similar to how the rest of the PS3 displays things.

So what ? If I have to choose between a few seconds of what you call 'ugliness', or several minutes of inconvenient step-by-step scrolling to find the game I want, I would without any doubt choose the former.

And personally I consider the PS3/PSP/XMB style to be both uglier and far less convenient than a well-ordered simple selection list (preferably with a nice skin of course).

I'd agree it would be easier to view a full page when a lot of games are installed, but to me it dont matter as i still can only select 1 game at a time and the scrolling speed is just as fast as any other game list. I put mine in alphabetical order, so i pretty much know where the games are in my list. This can be done using the "sort" option in USBUtil 2.0.

I don't understand your reasoning.

With a normal well-ordered game listing you can scan for your game among a large group with a single glance, and then press a single button once to get an entirely new page of game entries. The precise format may differ (title headers etc), but any reasonable format should be able to present 25 different titles per page, so that only 3 button presses will be needed to scan through a collection of 100 games. (of course a few more button presses will be needed to launch the found game, but these can be entered much more quickly with a visual 'fix' on the target line, which the XMB method does not provide)

This method can be improved even further by always starting the selection cursor in the middle of the alphabetically sorted collection, which effectively halves the search effort.

But with the PSP/XMB list method the same number of games may require up to 99 button presses to find the correct one, with an average number of button presses at half that amount.

In any measurement of efficiency, the PSP/XMB method will definitely place last, except when applied to a very small number of selectable objects.

Best regards: dlanor

[JNABK]

I don't understand your reasoning.

What i mean is, for me personally, it takes me the same amount of time to find my game in HDL, USBA, or ToxicOS as it does in USB Loader. Maybe a few seconds longer in USB Loader since i have to stop to see where im at in the list, but holding the down button is the same in any list ive ever used as far as speed to go from the top all the way to the last entry.

As i said, it doesnt matter to me either way, im adaptable to how newer consoles list their menus and this isnt a problem that needs to be over come.....but more a matter of personal preference.

There are many people who like the single entry style listing and you can see from the results of comments and excitment this is a preferable way to a large number of people to view a menu. I dont know about everyone else, but even if it took me an entire minute longer to scroll thru the list.....its not a big deal, but then im a patient type person , so starting my game a few seconds sooner isnt anything ive ever concerned myself with.

If we were to make this just like USB Advance's Game listing, it just wouldnt be the same to most of us who are anticipating using this app in our PS3 consoles.

[TnA]

So what ? If I have to choose between a few seconds of what you call 'ugliness', or several minutes of inconvenient step-by-step scrolling to find the game I want, I would without any doubt choose the former.

And personally I consider the PS3/PSP/XMB style to be both uglier and far less convenient than a well-ordered simple selection list (preferably with a nice skin of course).

I believe it would be good if Open USB-Loader has an option, which can be switched by CNF, to use the "new skin/style" and switch back to the normal listing-method.

I don't understand your reasoning.

With a normal well-ordered game listing you can scan for your game among a large group with a single glance, and then press a single button once to get an entirely new page of game entries. The precise format may differ (title headers etc), but any reasonable format should be able to present 25 different titles per page, so that only 3 button presses will be needed to scan through a collection of 100 games. (of course a few more button presses will be needed to launch the found game, but these can be entered much more quickly with a visual 'fix' on the target line, which the XMB method does not provide)

Hm,... I believe this "jumping" to the next page could also be implemented into the XMB-GUI, rather than holding a button to scroll the list, but of course in the XMB-Menu you will jump to the next defined item (value defined somewhere, be it in source or with a function and value in CNF) and won´t see, where you jump at.

This method can be improved even further by always starting the selection cursor in the middle of the alphabetically sorted collection, which effectively halves the search effort.

But with the PSP/XMB list method the same number of games may require up to 99 button presses to find the correct one, with an average number of button presses at half that amount.

I think the "jumping to next page" could also be implemented to the XMB-GUI in some way (be it pressing the shoulder-buttons, or something...), but it has one major-disadvantage.
You won´t see, which games you have skipped, if they are not atleast ordered in some way (alphabetical for example).

In any measurement of efficiency, the PSP/XMB method will definitely place last, except when applied to a very small number of selectable objects.

Best regards: dlanor

Well, the XMB was thought for multi-page-scrolling so... Multiple pages, for different sub-categories, where you have listed your content.
One page for videos, one for fotos, one for audio-files, one for games, one for internet-stuff and so on.
It makes the user-handling for multi-task, where you can pause a task and "jump back in" (like stopping audio-playback and jump to the last played frame after doing some other work in the XMB...) easier, but if it is optimal for our homebrew-usage,...

But there are a few. which want this moving and interacting Menus, rather than a static list, where only the selected/marked thing/item has another color, or is "blinking" for example.
Some just like the movement on TV (even if they themself don´t touch the PAD). ^^

It´s like the difference of a picture and a movie.
Some people like the (static) pictures in all it´s beauties and some want to see the movies ("moving pictures") with all their special effects.

[ifcaro]

If you see source code, you can see that loader is independent of inteface. So, anyone can create an alternative interface without affecting the compatibility of new versions and upgrades.