simple game launcher experiment in go

Goal is to have a “port” of the command line or desktop that is usable by a controller. You are encouraged to do setup via mouse and keyboard, FTP, SSH, config files, etc, but then do your actual game launching/controller/wifi/sound/power, etc with your controller. There will ideally be little to zero config files other than controller mappings and “last opened”.

Basically: easy for users, easy for (linux) masters, no in between.

• Implemented
  • Launch macOS/linux programs from $PATH based on your file structure and naming.
    • i.e. ares.system_name/Game Boy/Pokemon - Blue.gb => ares —system_name “Game Boy”
    • Able to chain multiple arguments, allowing additional content to be loaded
      • i.e. woof.iwad/doom.file/SIGIL (v1.21).zip => woof -iwad doom -file “SIGIL (v1.21).zip”
• TODO
  • Get auto/ dirs working with smooth doom or a similar global doom mod
  • Rework the controls
    • Left/Right to nav folders in addition to A/B (enter/backspace)
    • Add START (or spacebar) as a command, don’t have it do anything yet (just print something).
      • Plan is to have it launch at any level of the path hierarchy.
        • ares.system_name/ => ares
        • woof.iwad/doom.file => woof -iwad doom
  • Ideally, if the first half of a folder name (“Pokemon Blue.alt/”) matches a filename in the same directory I want it to:
    • Implement an extension ignore list before anything (mostly savefiles like .rom)
    • Show as the file (Pokemon Blue.zip) to the user.
    • If you press start, it simply starts the zip as if nothing is unusual.
    • If the user presses right, it opens the matching folder
    • If it is a child/chained directory and NO matching file is found, start it anyway but cut out the second half
      • i.e. woof.iwad/doom.files => woof -iwad doom
  • Begin filtering the (visual) names in the frontend and implementing the 3-column/pane layout
    • Past 3 levels, the fourth will open a smaller “window” or modal with its contents
  • Controller mapping implementation
    • Check if an xboxdrv mapping exists for the given controller’s GUID upon and prompt the user to create one if not.
      • The mapper is planned to be a separate program entirely so that other devices can use it, retro handhelds come to mind.
  • Find some way to abstract resolution/refresh/max res handling
    • gamescope is an option but i'd rather avoid it if i can (very x86 and AMD focused). This may be the one thing i'd need some kind of config file mapping for.