4cade
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a2-4am
Feature Request for Alternative Implementation of GAME SEARCH in Total Reply
The origin of this Feature Request began here: https://github.com/a2-4am/4cade/issues/557
Polling the Apple II community on FaceBook shows that the majority of Total Reply users who responded to the poll define game-search as being either Hit or Miss or Mostly a Miss. Only a minority said they get to their desired game every time. This behooves us to ponder an improved means of search.
In a comment under my FaceBook poll, Mitchell Spector suggests this: Best solution? Have an option for a POP-UP scrolling list of all games available (or even switch to an all text screen if necessary--allow us to select from an alphabeticalized listing).
I myself am thinking of something a little different, yet still somewhat similar to what is done now. For example, I propose you present the user with a new screen immediately upon detecting a key-press. On that new screen, show the key they typed, and continue to show any additional keys typed. Only begin search AFTER they hit Return. So long as the characters they type match a game's name, that should result in a perfect match every time.
If there could be a "text field overlay" atop whatever screen is currently displayed, that too would work, so long as it shows the user they characters they are typing, and so long as search does not begin until they type return. The reason to delay search until Return is pressed is to better ensure no typed characters are missed, which might happen if search commences WHILE characters are still being typed.
With that said, the exact method of improving search isn't so important so long as it mostly eliminates the hit or miss kind of searching that many people are experiencing now.
Lastly, this Feature Request should not be viewed in a negative light. It is not a complaint. Total Replay developers have done amazing work on Total Replay. It is truly fantastic, and shows how many hours of toil the creators have put into it. The aim of this Feature Request is merely intended to spark a discussion on to improve on an already great piece of software. Remember that good methods of SEARCH are all around us. Search is what led to Google becoming the behemoth it is today. The better any given search feature is for the end user, the happier and more productive that user can be.
I thought the screenshot that James Wages describe looks like the macOS Spotlight search. When user activate the spotlight search with the shortcut key of Command+Space Bar, a spotlight search pop-up in the middle of the screen and accept user input. Upon each keypress, the search narrow down and filter those objects that match with the text: and similar when the text were erased by backspace key, the search widen and filter those objects that match with the text.A full screen that pops up to show all the games for user to select it with up and down arrow keys is a bit overkill and consumes more storage spaces in the limited size of HDV file which I don’t recommend at all.Sent from my iPhone 12 Pro MaxOn Jan 5, 2024, at 22:38, James Wages @.***> wrote: The origin of this Feature Request beganhere: #557 Polling the Apple II community on FaceBook shows that the majority of Total Reply users who responded to the poll define game-search as being either Hit or Miss or Mostly a Miss. Only a minority said they get to their desired game every time. This behooves us to ponder an improved means of search. In a comment under my FaceBook poll, Mitchell Spector suggests this: Best solution? Have an option for a POP-UP scrolling list of all games available (or even switch to an all text screen if necessary--allow us to select from an alphabeticalized listing). I myself am thinking of something a little different, yet still somewhat similar to what is done now. For example, I propose you present the user with a new screen immediately upon detecting a key-press. On that new screen, show the key they typed, and continue to show any additional keys typed. Only begin search AFTER they hit Return. So long as the characters they type match a game's name, that should result in a perfect match every time. If there could be a "text field overlay" atop whatever screen is currently displayed, that too would work, so long as it shows the user they characters they are typing, and so long as search does not begin until they type return. The reason to delay search until Return is pressed is to better ensure no typed characters are missed, which might happen if search commences WHILE characters are still being typed. With that said, the exact method of improving search isn't so important so long as it mostly eliminates the hit or miss kind of searching that many people are experiencing now. Lastly, this Feature Request should not be viewed in a negative light. It is not a complaint. Total Replay developers have done amazing work on Total Replay. It is truly fantastic, and shows how many hours of toil the creators have put into it. The aim of this Feature Request is merely intended to spark a discussion on to improve on an already great piece of software. Remember that good methods of SEARCH are all around us. Search is what led to Google becoming the behemoth it is today. The better any given search feature is for the end user, the happier and more productive that user can be.
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If it suits to this thread, it would be great if we could browse games by hardware capbility (ie. only mockingboard compatible games, only IIe required) based on what is already know. Further down the road, if we could search by DHGR, HGR etc it would also be a great feature. Thanks!
If it suits to this thread, it would be great if we could browse games by hardware capbility (ie. only mockingboard compatible games...
I made a list of Mockingboard compatible games that are found on Total Reply....
- Berza!
- Bruce Lee
- G.I. Joe
- OidZone
- Pitfall II
- SkyFox
- The Spy Strikes Back
- Thunder Bombs
- WillyByte
- Zaxxon
These are more Mockingboard compatible games NOT on Total Reply...
- Airplane Simulator (Airsim-3): http://tinyurl.com/28zee8ky
- Angry Birds (may not be free): https://8bitshack.org/post/angrybirds/
- Attack of the Petscii Robots (“a2robots” — not free!): http://tinyurl.com/cxuh98ku
- Black Belt
- Nox Archaist (not free!) https://6502workshop.com/
- Popeye
- Ultima III, IV & V
