Jump to content
LaunchBox Community Forums

Unified 1.2

   (40 reviews)
CriticalCid
 Share

7 Screenshots

About This File

This theme is a port of the HyperSpin Unified Widescreen Megatheme project, which was originally started by gibbawho and continued by many other talented artists over the years. It’s supposed to bring a unified look (hence the name) across all platforms while giving every platform it’s own individual touch.

I’ve tried to stay very close to the original look and feel but also took some creative freedom, especially when it comes to the new fading info panel at the bottom of the screen.
This theme was designed for 16:9 screens and display resolutions only. Big Box will automatically scale itself to a 16:9 aspect ratio when you use a different aspect ratio on your machine.

 

Features:

  • Individual Artwork for a lot of different platforms and playlists + some alternatives you can choose from
  • Matches with the Unified platform video set from EmuMovies
  • Fully animated wheel pointer
  • Spinning discs for disc-based platforms
  • Various other custom animations
  • Templates to build your own platform artwork are included as .psd files
  • Brings a small taste of the HyperSpin feeling to your Big Box setup

 

Currently featured Views:

  • Games Text List View: 3D Box
  • Games Vertical Wheel View 1: 3D Box
  • Games Vertical Wheel View 2: 3D Box + static cart/disc
  • Games Vertical Wheel View 3: 3D Box + rotating disc
  • Games Vertical Wheel View 4: Fullscreen video

 

  • Platform Vertical Wheel View 1: Fullscreen video + scrolling text
  • Platform Vertical Wheel View 2: Fullscreen video without scrolling text

More Views are planned, so stay tuned.

 

The theme includes artwork for the following 498 Platforms/Playlists:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

The theme will also display a default artwork for Platforms/Playlists which are not yet covered or wrongly named.

 

How to install:

This theme only works on LaunchBox version 9.4 or higher!

  1. Just download the archive and extract it to:  “..\LaunchBox\Themes\”
  2. Go to the “Plugins” folder inside of the extracted folder and right-click on the .dll file. Choose Properties -> Click on “Unblock” at the bottom of the window. Close the window. If the "Unblock" button isn't there than you are already good to go.
  3. Open the Options menu in Big Box -> go to “Views” and change the Theme to "Unified".
  4. Change the “Games List View” and “Platforms List View” to one of the currently featured Views that are listed above.
  5. Make sure that in the Big Box Options -> Views –> “Show Games List Title” is enabled.

Info: Never rename the theme folder! The theme folder has to be named exactly "Unified" or the theme won't work properly! (that's btw. an universal tip for all other themes as well)

 

Known issues:

The logo of the Platform/Playlist and the individual video border don't show up in the Game Details screen and the theme displays the generic Big Box logo and metallic video border instead when it gets opened through any other Games View than the Text List View.

 

Tips for tweaking your LaunchBox setup for this theme:

  • In LaunchBox: Tools -> Options -> Cart Front Priorities -> Select all Cart and Disc related entries, deselect everything else.
  • In Big Box: Options ->Transitions -> Change "Game Image/Video Transition” to “Fade”
  • In Big Box: To avoid spinning cart art go to: Options -> Views -> Make sure that „Remember separate View for each platform” is checked. Than go either to the Keyboard Mappings or the Controller Buttons settings and set up a key/button for “Switch View”. Now you can go back to your platforms and switch the games Views for each platform individually on the fly.
  • Use the Unified Platform videos from EmuMovies for an overall uniform look. You can either download them as free user from the EmuMovies website or if you are an EmuMovies premium user you can get them directly through LaunchBox under: Tools -> "Download Platform/Playlist Theme Videos".

 

Individual platform artwork not showing up?:

The media files that are inside the “..\LaunchBox\Themes\Unified\Images\Theme\..” folder have to be named exactly like your platforms inside LaunchBox. I've went with the HyperList/RocketLauncher naming conventions for the filenames in this package.

If Big Box doesn’t show any individual artwork for a system that is listed above you may need to manually rename the relevant files for that platform in all four sub-folders.

Also make sure that in the Big Box Options -> Views –> “Show Games List Title” is enabled!

 

Discs are not spinning / showing up?:

Make sure you have the right Games List View selected and Disc images in your Cart Image Priorities enabled (see the tips section of this download description).


Thanks and Credits:

 

What's New in Version 1.2   See changelog

Released

v1.2 - 02.13.2019 - requires LB v9.4 or higher
- General: The Add-on package was merged with the main theme. All media is now included in a single package
- Removed: The weather plugin by @Grila was removed as it's being broken at the moment
- Removed: The HelperControl plugin was removed as its functions are now integrated in Big Box itself
- Updated: The theme was updated and tested for the new theming engine changes in LB v9.4
- Updated: All backgrounds were converted to maximum-quality JPEGs; reducing their size drastically (thanks @JasonCarr for the tip)
    If you have added and/or renamed some background images before you have to convert them to JPEG as well! Sorry for the inconvinience
- Updated: Some backgrounds were replaced with new ones (the old ones were moved to the "Alt" folder) (thanks @RetroHumanoid)
- Updated: The TextList Games View now uses the normal Game Boxes element, which means that you can now switch there between the Image Types (and probably have to if you want to use 3D Boxes)
    -Fixed: Due to the above change does the "Flip Box" function now work again in the Games Details screen if you have "2D Boxes" selected as your current Image Type
- Updated: The Main Menu and Option Views now feature custom artwork + there is finally a logo for the theme (in the style of the HyperSpin logo). Thanks @dragon57
- Updated: The size and position of the wheel was changed a bit. It's now farther away from the pointer and therefore it's not overlapping it all the time. Also it fades away more smothly now.
- Updated: All Clear Logos, Boxart, Carts and Discs now have a slight Drop Shadow (thanks @Jason Carr)
- Updated: The sizes of the Box and Cart/Disc Art were slightly changed throughout all Views
- Fixed: Top bar modified to prevent triangle corner overlap issues (thanks @JasonCarr)
- Fixed: The TextList list is now over the Platform/Playlist logo and doesn't get covered from very wide logos anymore.
- Fixed: The Cart and Disc art now appears in higher quality
- Fixed: The theme didn’t showed the proper artwork for playlists in some cases
- Added: A bunch of new icons were added/replaced (thanks @ bmonomad)
        - Replaced the icon for favorite games
        - New icon for completed games
        - The rating was replaced with star icons
- Added: Logos and backgrounds for 3 new playlists were added. (thanks @RetroHumanoid)
        - Ball & Paddle Games
        - Maze Games
        - Multigame

 

Add-on package v1.1 - 05.05.2018
- Artwork for 200(!) new collections created by @RetroHumanoid were added to the Add-On package

 

v1.1.1 - 04.15.2018 - requires LB v8.2 or higher
- Fixed: The video in the Text List Games View was off-centered in all display resolutions besides 1920x1080.


v1.1 - 04.15.2018 - requires LB v8.2 or higher
- General: Introducing the first release of the official Unified Add-on package. It features complete artwork for 95 Playlists; all created by @RetroHumanoid
- Updated: The TextList for the whole theme was revamped
- Updated: The Clear Logos in the wheels are now slanted for a more authentic HyperSpin feeling
- Updated: The "Vertical Wheel 4" View and all Platforms Views are now stretching the videos to fill the whole screen for a more authentic HyperSpin feeling
- Updated: The timings for switching between the game title and additional game metadata were slightly reduced for the "Vertical Wheel 4" View
- Updated: The year of release in the Games Views was moved behind the game title
- Added: The community rating was added to the additional game metadata line
- Added: A new Games View was added: Text List
- Added: The changelog was added as .txt file inside the theme folder
- Added: A guide for setting up the weather plugin was added as .pdf file inside the theme folder
- Added: Pointers were added for all platforms that were previously missing them. All platforms now have a complete artwork set
- Added: An alternative background and logo for the Commodore Amiga CD32 was added (by @reaper595)
- Added: Artwork for 14 new platforms was added. The theme now includes artwork for 198 platforms total!
        - Big Fish Games
        - Commodore PET
        - Creatronic Mega Duck
        - GOG
        - HBMAME
        - Java Games
        - Nintendo Super Game Boy
        - OUYA
        - Origin
        - Pinball Arcade
        - Sony PlayStation Minis
        - Steam
        - Uplay
        - Visual Pinball

            
v1.0 - 04.01.2018 - requires LB v8.0 or higher
- Initial release

  • Like 51
  • Thanks 26
 Share
Previous File CriticalZone / CriticalZone - BlueBox
Next File Aeon MQ7 [Preview Version]

User Feedback

Recommended Comments



MarianS3

MarianS3 75

Posted (edited)

  On 4/7/2018 at 11:25 AM, Shizzlemydiddle said:

Well I’m stumped, I’ve reset big box settings and downloaded the theme again.

 

all I get is my platform video 

6A04E6D1-7348-4CD4-A437-CABF552BA92F.jpeg

Expand  

You could try updating the images so that the Unified ones appear, in this way: in BigBox go to Options -> Image Cache and Update all the images, it's just a suggestion that you could try

Edited by MarianS3
CriticalCid

CriticalCid 1,039

Posted

Unfortunately no, the Unfied Artwork isn't related to the image cache, so refreshing that won't work.

How does it look for you when you enter the platform?

 

Shizzlemydiddle

Shizzlemydiddle 3

Posted

  On 4/7/2018 at 11:42 AM, CriticalCid said:

Unfortunately no, the Unfied Artwork isn't related to the image cache, so refreshing that won't work.

How does it look for you when you enter the platform?

 

Expand  

Not getting the theme in the platforms either 

CriticalCid

CriticalCid 1,039

Posted

What do you mean with either? Your platform view looks exactly like it is supposed to look like. It shows the platform video in fullscreen. If you want the matching platform video for the theme you’ll have to download the Unified platform videos from EmuMovies like I’ve described it in the tips section of the download description. They don't come with the theme itself.

Regarding your Games Views. I have the feeling that you still have the TextList View selected. Is that the case? Because when you look at the featured Views list you'll see that this one isn’t themed at the moment. You’ll have to switch the View to one of the Vertical Wheel Views. All described in the download description how you do that.

Shizzlemydiddle

Shizzlemydiddle 3

Posted

Sorry feel like a complete dumb ass, I didn’t have the emu themed videos. I thought the surrounds to the platforms were backgrounds and you could choose which video you wanted in the platforms preview video.

Thanks for your help and hard work on this theme  

Shizzlemydiddle

Shizzlemydiddle 3

Posted

  On 4/7/2018 at 11:52 AM, CriticalCid said:

What do you mean with either? Your platform view looks exactly like it is supposed to look like. It shows the platform video in fullscreen. If you want the matching platform video for the theme you’ll have to download the Unified platform videos from EmuMovies like I’ve described it in the tips section of the download description. They don't come with the theme itself.

Regarding your Games Views. I have the feeling that you still have the TextList View selected. Is that the case? Because when you look at the featured Views list you'll see that this one isn’t themed at the moment. You’ll have to switch the View to one of the Vertical Wheel Views. All described in the download description how you do that.

Expand  

Got the platform video correct but the games view isn’t, I have it on one of the vertical views but still not right 

BF5EC4BF-EA7D-4249-9318-6E9787B58863.jpeg

CriticalCid

CriticalCid 1,039

Posted

That is the TextList View and not a Wheel View. Try to change it with a button/key like I've described in in the tips section.

neil9000

neil9000 2,695

Posted

  On 4/7/2018 at 12:22 PM, Shizzlemydiddle said:

Got the platform video correct but the games view isn’t, I have it on one of the vertical views but still not right 

BF5EC4BF-EA7D-4249-9318-6E9787B58863.jpeg

Expand  

That's the text list view you need to switch it.

Shizzlemydiddle

Shizzlemydiddle 3

Posted

  On 4/7/2018 at 12:25 PM, neil9000 said:

That's the text list view you need to switch it.

Expand  

I’m in vertical view but oddly some platforms show correct others don’t and are still in list view 

neil9000

neil9000 2,695

Posted

  On 4/7/2018 at 12:28 PM, Shizzlemydiddle said:

I’m in vertical view but oddly some platforms show correct others don’t and are still in list view 

Expand  

There is a checkbox in options/views to have different views for different platforms, uncheck it then switch to the correct one and they should all be the same now.

Shizzlemydiddle

Shizzlemydiddle 3

Posted

  On 4/7/2018 at 12:30 PM, neil9000 said:

There is a checkbox in options/views to have different views for different platforms, uncheck it then switch to the correct one and they should all be the same now.

Expand  

Finally there, thanks all

neil9000

neil9000 2,695

Posted

Glad you got it all working now, in future though actually read the description for a theme if there is one as everything you have asked in here is already covered by @CriticalCid in the description, or the Tips for Tweaking section at the top of this page. :) 

  • Like 1
Shizzlemydiddle

Shizzlemydiddle 3

Posted

  On 4/7/2018 at 12:41 PM, neil9000 said:

Glad you got it all working now, in future though actually read the description for a theme if there is one as everything you have asked in here is already covered by @CriticalCid in the description, or the Tips for Tweaking section at the top of this page. :) 

Expand  

Sorry ?

  • Haha 1
JCSRT05

JCSRT05 8

Posted

Top notch work! Seriously, a huge contribution to the community and now my favorite theme. Simply awesome.

  • Like 1
bundangdon

bundangdon 455

Posted (edited)

This is a really great theme! But is there any way to change the wheel into a vertical (not round) one? I grew tired of Hyperspin's 'flashy' round wheel several years ago :) Or, it would be nice to have the text-list with the same background as the wheels view

Edited by bundangdon
CriticalCid

CriticalCid 1,039

Posted

  On 4/8/2018 at 6:11 AM, bundangdon said:

This is a really great theme! But is there any way to change the wheel into a vertical (not round) one? I grew tired of Hyperspin's 'flashy' round wheel several years ago :)

Expand  

Maybe in the future when I’ve added all the Views that I’ve planned and I consider this theme complete. It’s just too much unnecessary work for me to support various versions of it while it’s still in development.

 

  On 4/8/2018 at 6:11 AM, bundangdon said:

Or, it would be nice to have the text-list with the same background as the wheels view

Expand  

Coming!

  • Thanks 1
bundangdon

bundangdon 455

Posted

  On 4/8/2018 at 10:21 AM, CriticalCid said:

Maybe in the future when I’ve added all the Views that I’ve planned and I consider this theme complete. It’s just too much unnecessary work for me to support various versions of it while it’s still in development.

 

 

Coming!

Expand  

Sounds good! I tried to change the XAML myself but was completely lostxD Anyways, thanks for the response and keep up the good work!

Mr.Laor

Mr.Laor 149

Posted

This is hands-down my favorite theme. It's great!

One thing I wish was different - and let me know if I'm in the minority - I wish the gameplay / video game theme boxes were a little bigger. It seems okay when just viewing gameplay footage, but it seems pretty small for the game theme videos.

32f342f

32f342f 0

Posted

i'm on version 7.15, will this theme works?

DOS76

DOS76 1,559

Posted

No it will not says so right in the description.

CriticalCid

CriticalCid 1,039

Posted

  On 4/8/2018 at 1:28 PM, Mr.Laor said:

This is hands-down my favorite theme. It's great!

One thing I wish was different - and let me know if I'm in the minority - I wish the gameplay / video game theme boxes were a little bigger. It seems okay when just viewing gameplay footage, but it seems pretty small for the game theme videos.

Expand  

I heard about that the first time, so yeah, I'm guessing you're in a minority. The Vertical Wheel 4 View is supposed to be used with game themes and the upcoming v1.1 release will also stretch these videos to fullscreen in this View like HyperSpin does, for a more authentic feeling. The video size in the other Views won't change anytime soon, sorry for that.

Birdhermes

Birdhermes 0

Posted (edited)

Hi all,

I need some help with getting this skin to fully work. I've followed the installation steps, but I've encountered a problem on the platform view.
I see a completely black screen, with on the right side, the platform wheel section and the unified pointer.

I've chosen the Platform Vertical Wheel View 2: Fullscreen video without scrolling text option in the View options menu.

And all the other settings are just like they should be, because I followed the installation steps.

When I click on one of the platform, I can see the Games Vertical Wheel View 2: 3D Box + static cart/disc correctly. 

Did I miss a step or did I do something wrong? 
I hope someone can help me, because I really love this theme!

Edited by Birdhermes
neil9000

neil9000 2,695

Posted

  On 4/10/2018 at 10:10 PM, Birdhermes said:

Hi all,

I need some help with getting this skin to fully work. I've followed the installation steps, but I've encountered a problem on the platform view.
I see a completely black screen, with on the right side, the platform wheel section and the unified pointer.

When I click on one of the platform, I can see the Games Vertical Wheel View 2: 3D Box + static cart/disc correctly. 

Did I miss a step or did I do something wrong? 
I hope someone can help me, because I really love this theme!

Expand  

Sounds like you don't have any platform videos, the platform view uses full screen videos as the background.

Birdhermes

Birdhermes 0

Posted

  On 4/10/2018 at 10:12 PM, neil9000 said:

Sounds like you don't have any platform videos, the platform view uses full screen videos as the background.

Expand  

Okay I'm feeling a bit stupid now... 
Seems like you're right, because I don't have any videos in the 2 folder locations below.

Should I store the platform videos in the following location:
D:\LaunchBox\Themes\Unified\Videos\Platforms

Or here (taken the 3DS as example): 
D:\LaunchBox\Videos\Nintendo 3DS\Theme

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
×
  • Create New...