Screens, Titles & Extras

Many front-ends are able to display many different kinds of media elements for all the games from each system (arcade, consoles, handhelds, computers, etc). Generally, most systems will have the basic elements of screens and titles. Certain systems will have different elements that other systems don't have and vice versa.

Element examples

Artwork

Bezel artwork for Ms. Pacman

Artwork is primarily used for arcade systems. Generally bezel overlays are the most common type of artwork, however some arcade games have artwork that is lit from behind that corresponds with game play (Gorf, Lunar Lander, etc).

Most of the time, a mask file will accompany the artwork. The mask is used by emulators to fuse the artwork in with the gameplay.

Front-ends generally don't use artwork, but some people like the option of showing this element. The mask file would most likely not be used in front-ends.

Boxes

Atari 2600 Asteriods box

Boxes are scans of game boxes from consoles, computers and handhelds. It can be another element added to the front-end layouts. It's rare to find used games that still come with the box. It's a rather unqiue element to add to front-end layouts as it can definately bring back forgotten nostalgic images from 'archive oblivion' that were simply thrown away after opening the game.

Cabinets

Simpsons arcade cabinet

Cabinets are pictures taken of arcade cabinets. It's a very common element in front-ends due to the popular synergy of not only playing the game itself but also witnessing the nostalgic looks of the machine some people once stood in front of for endless hours inserting countless quarters into.

Cartridges

Nintendo cartridge for Super Mario Bros. 2

Cartridges are scans of the front of console game cartridges, SMC, HuCards, etc. Cartridge scans can come in two flavors - some people prefer to have just the scans of label cropped from the rest of the cartridge, but more common the entire cartridge is scanned. The latter takes a purist perspective because, for example, while most cartridges for the NES were grey, there was the occasional cart like Zelda which had a gold chrome finish.

Control Panels

Donkey Kong arcade control panel

Control Panels (commonly referred to as cpanels) are pictures taken of control panels. Obviously, arcade cabinets will have control panels which can be a good item to display in front-end layouts to help remind the player what the controls looked like for the game-play.

Icons

Icons are front-end specific. Not all front-ends use them, and not ever systems has icons. MAME is the most common systems to have icons for a front-end.

Icons tend to be used for point and click GUI front-ends rather than ones with Windows hidden that use arcade controls to select games.

Manuals

Manuals are scans of manuals that came with the game. Most of the time, each page is scanned and merged into one seemless document, usually Adbobe PDFs. Not all systems have manuals, but it can be a nice addition to display them with external applications so the player can easily refresh his/her memory of the game-play.

Marquees

Centiped arcade marquee

Marquees are unique to arcade cabinets. When merged into layouts, it can be a very attractive combination of elements for bringing something special to game selection in the front-end.

Screens

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade screen shot

Screens (also known as"snapshots" or "screenshots") are screen captures of the actual game in play. Where Titles tend to only have on posible screen capture, Screens can be captured at any moment of the game. Ideally, the Screen will be taken at an addtractive moment in the game-play.

Screens are the most common of front-end elements.

Titles

Defender arcade title shot

Title screen captures are taken at the introduction screens of games. The Title generally shows the name of the game, some credits, "insert coin" or "select number of players" type of things. Almost every game has some sort of Title to capture. Some very early games did not have Titles and the game-play was all that was displayed.

Element combinations

Below are common combinations for screens, titles and extras of different systems. Other elements such as icons, samples, and information file are also available, but tend to be front-end or emulator specific.

Arcade

• Artwork
• Cabinets
• Control Panels
• Flyers
• Marquees
• Movies
• Screens
• Titles

Consoles

• Boxes
• Manuals
• Movies
• Cartriges
• Screens
• Titles

Handhelds

• Boxes
• Manuals
• Movies
• Cartriges
• Screens
• Titles

Computers

• Manuals
• Movies
• Screens
• Titles