Ideas and suggestions for future GameShell

GameShell
21
  • Make USB internet and network access user friendly (in case of bad or no Wi-Fi).
2 Likes
22
  • Easy shortcut/icon creation

Create game/applications shortcuts somehow from within the GS launcher. For now it is quite advanced for many novice users to create shortcuts and icons through bash. Plus it creates extra burden to developers and porters to write instructions every time on how to launch their game/app through the GS launcher.

1 Like
23

Thanks to remind me that.

This is something we can do on the current model: change how the SD card is partitionned, so unlike now where there is

??: /boot
ext4: /

We have a third partition using FAT32:

?? : /boot
ext4: /
FAT32: /home

The idea is simple, when the USB get plugged, we unmount /home and show it on the USB as a mass storage device.

The other advantage is that the third partition is not created in the binary file, and created on the first boot using all the remaining space of the SD card, so no more manipulation of changing the size of the root file system.

Also that would allow to put the root file system in readonly mode by default

3 Likes
24

Would love the light key to either be triggers that are set at 30 degrees off the back of the case for more comfort or an accessory for the current light key that makes the told adjustable to be better for ergonomics. I might try and 3D print one.

25

Easier access to the battery so it can be swapped when you’re out the house easily and without having to take the case apart and take each part out and put it all back together.

Battery could be embedded into the back of the case in it’s own compartment.

2 Likes
26

Would love a hyper pixel in this bad boy.

1 Like
27

RE: GPU acceleration

GPU-accelerated OpenGL ES rendering should be possible using Allwinner’s public binary blobs for the Mali 400. The blobs are available at:
https://github.com/mripard/sunxi-mali
Where Maxime Ripard has kindly provided instructions on how to compile and install the kernel module and UM blobs. This assumes a DRM driver is already provided with the current GS kernel build.

In addition, accelerated video decoding (using the Mali 400 VPU) is also possible, but it is not yet usable from any video player other than Kodi. Information is available here:
https://bootlin.com/blog/final-weekly-status-update-allwinner-vpu-support/
and also:
https://linux-sunxi.org/Sunxi-Cedrus#2018.07_Release

I haven’t yet tried building the ES driver but I will do so when I find some time.

5 Likes
28

Other cosmetic things:

Making a proper fluorescent back (not glow in the dark, even if it could be fun, but UV reactive colour)

In that case you could add a couple of low power UVA LEDs in the case and make your Gameshell to shine :smiley:

29

Screen lid of scratch resistant.

9 Likes
30
  • The gamepad module should hold the buttons and the directional pad. Now whenever you open the case the buttons fall off
3 Likes
31

GBA-SP horizontal layout, incl. triggers.

2 Likes
32

Honestly I’d love to see a better case for the screen module. The plastic in front of the screen is already scratched up a bit on mine

7 Likes
33

Higher resolution screen (640x480 as suggested, or even a Retina-style high-resolution screen whose pixels are invisible to the naked eye). It’d make a big difference for content that’s scaled to fit.

3 Likes
34

I had the chance to check and unfortunately the current GS image ships with an FBDEV driver only, so this procedure cannot be used until we have a DRM driver instead.

35

GBA Style with L and R button

36

Better D-Pad which:

  1. Doesn’t register diagonal presses (try playing something like Zelda for GB and you will see what I mean - it is very hard to move in the straight line).
  2. Properly register perfect diagonals (it seems counter intuative based on #1, but if you press a perfect 45 deg diagonal, it does not seem to trigger. again play zelda or any game with 8 directional movement, and I think you will see what I mean).
2 Likes
37

Lower profile buttons with move spring (just make it exactly like SNES :slight_smile:)

1 Like
38

Make 6 buttons standard (4 face buttons + 2 shoulder buttons)

3 Likes
39

Make hitting Menu less destructive.

I often press Menu by accident (thinking I am hitting Start or Select), which in some cases is very significant (in an emulator it can send you back to the OS loosing all game progress).

Some ideas:

  1. Make the Menu button flush with the surface. (think XBOX Home button)
  2. Put the Menu button in a less central location (maybe above the screen or something)
  3. Enforce a confirmation window on destructive actions like exiting an emulator or game.
3 Likes
40

Make menu open retroarch instead of quit.

Use SHIFT MENU to quit.

As for the movement issues… I play Zelda on here all the time. No issue. You just gotta get used to the controller that’s all. There’s definitely a curve

5 Likes