Problem with any emulator is, are there enough left to care about it?
Gone are the days of 5 page release threads with thanks.
That depends how you look at it.
With Amber you can quite literally smash what MFME does. The only issue with Amber is that it requires a complete redesign of the DX. So you can take an MFME layout and convert it into Amber but that's really missing the point. MFME graphically is a load of old f*****g shit. And that's literal. It's not moved on in over ten years (that's going from looking at the pathetic video Chris uploaded). It's still got the same inner circle designers (who really aren't very good at it) designing tiny little layouts for it.
When Chris used to post his "What do you want from the next emulator?" threads he really ought to have f*****g listened. But Chris was never bothered about how the layouts looked because he did not design MPU34 to ever push any boundaries as to what you can see on screen, rather, him and his bum chum wanting the latest techs emulated so they could have an advantage. And no matter how many old techs he did add the premise of MPU34 was always so that him and his mate could empty machines.
So he didn't listen. The main difference with Amber is what it allows you to do. The only problem with that is that there are not any designers who actually want to use the f*****g thing. All I see (apart from Ploggy) is MFME layouts being converted into it. Shame really.
Right now I'm working with Guitar to improve the front end a little and make some proper layouts for it, as he intended them to be. Nice big machines, not tiny little things restricted by the height of the widescreen monitor (so about 1000 pixels high, no different to 2001).
I'm hoping that with Line Up Nick and I can create something totally new. Ploggy has already done a few great layouts for Amber but I'm trying to make it so that just designing and lamping the artwork is not the only thing you can do to create the experience. With Youtube and Youtube to MP3 you can actually rip exact sounds from the actual machine you are working on and then implement them. So now you're going past the visual experience (which in Amber shits on MFME all day long) and adding in the exact sounds the machine makes as you play it.
Whether you find that exciting mate? no idea really. But it's there if people want to use it.
Nick also listens to people. When Chris released MFME 3.2 he totally broke the hoppers in Maygay (this was why Retrofruit buggered off) and the problem with Chris was you could not ask him to fix it (ten minutes tops) and then release another emu. With Chris it was one emulator every three f*****g years.
If people actually bother and embrace Nick Amber will get better and better. AFAIK MPU3 is now fully working and working properly. There may be issues with BWBs and so on but that doesn't concern me as he will fix it and fix it quick.
It's just the same old story as 2001. Get out there and find machines and get resources for them.