Shredder_guitar

GuideVault LaunchBox Connector v0.4.22 is now available. This update is the first release package for the GuideVault LaunchBox Connector. The plugin connects LaunchBox with a running GuideVault server so games can be matched to manuals, strategy guides, and magazines, then opened directly from LaunchBox. Recent additions include: Manual, strategy guide, and magazine sync support Sync selected or sync all options by content type Match review windows for checking matched content Badge/media asset support A cleaner LaunchBox-root install package Improved plugin status reporting Reduced background polling and lighter connection handling Compatibility with the newer GuideVault server-side connector authentication flow The download package is structured to match the LaunchBox root folder, so installation should be simple: extract the contents into the folder that contains LaunchBox.exe. A running GuideVault server is required. GuideVault server v0.9.260 or newer is recommended.

GuideVault LaunchBox Connector View File This package installs the GuideVault LaunchBox Connector plugin using a LaunchBox-root folder structure. Extract or drag the contents into the folder that contains LaunchBox.exe, and the included files will land in the correct LaunchBox plugin, third-party, and media asset folders. The connector links LaunchBox games with GuideVault manuals, strategy guides, and magazines. It supports library sync, scoped manual/strategy guide/magazine sync, match review, badge support, and opening matched GuideVault content directly from LaunchBox. Requires a running GuideVault server. GuideVault server v0.9.260 or newer is recommended. More info located here: https://guidevault.net https://buymeacoffee.com/andrewbuilds My other website: https://shreddergaming.com Submitter Shredder_guitar Submitted 06/28/2026 Category Third-party Apps and Plugins  

GuideVault has been moving fast since 0.9.200. What started as a focused reader/library app for manuals, strategy guides, and magazines has turned into a much more polished self-hosted platform. Recent updates include: ✅ Docker runtime improvements Poppler is now included in the Docker image so PDF-to-CBZ conversion works properly in published containers. ✅ Better manual metadata Manuals now support shared game metadata fields like game title, franchise/series, developer, game publisher, game release year, and genre. ✅ Cover loading and cache stability Several updates focused on making large libraries feel better: bounded cover loading queues, stale request cancellation, faster visible cover loading, and better recovery when files are renamed, moved, or replaced. ✅ Home Assistant integration GuideVault can now publish reader/library state into Home Assistant and accept commands back from automations. ✅ Reader control from Home Assistant Commands now support opening manuals, strategy guides, and magazines by content type, plus next page, previous page, page jump, zoom, overlay control, close reader, fullscreen, background changes, and brightness control. ✅ Magazine-specific targeting Magazine open commands can now target an issue number and optional volume, which is important when a series has multiple issues. ✅ Task/notification cleanup Integration messages, update notices, and running task counts now flow through the top Tasks menu instead of scattered inline messages or floating popups. ✅ Reader/cache bug fixes Recent fixes also improve how replaced or corrected files are handled so the library cover and reader pages stay in sync instead of showing stale pages. GuideVault is still a personal project, but it keeps getting closer to the thing I originally wanted: a clean, self-hosted way to organize, read, preserve, and automate access to game manuals, strategy guides, and gaming magazines. Still a lot to do, but this has been a solid stretch of progress. https://guidevault.net

Here is a sample of json data that would be stored with a manual/strategy guide/ magazine after data enrichment....which is infinitely better for storing relevant data to an object. This would replace comicinfo.xml. The idea is to bridge the gap between a guide/manual and the game title itself so a mixture of datapoints related both to the guide itself and the game title are stored together to make the bridge. guidevault-guide-metadata.json

Color scape can be applied to main menu's (optional) Local Stat Visual Polish Enhanced user section, added local/server based review area. OPDS extra-click issue resolved. Docker/GHCR package released successfully. New container package looks good so far. Source/repo icon mismatch is cleaned up. Bad nested docs/images/images folder was removed/moved correctly. Release pipeline is working again. BUNCH of visual improvements

You can use Kavita Reader for Comics, I want to get away from having to depend on comicrack for organizing cbz. I may support other things for video games in the future, for now it is specifically manuals, strategy guides and magazines. Regarding Metadata enrichment................... stay tuned.

Taking shape after getting metadata cleaned up a bit.

sounds expensive. Have fun with that. Cloud services are good....ish for transational data...transfers and such, but streaming....ehhhh it works, but.

general question.... big box runs in a browser, what about launching the games?

I’ve been working on a new project called Guidevault. It’s a self-hosted web reader and library manager for video game manuals, strategy guides, and gaming magazines. The idea is pretty simple: keep your own files where they are, scan them into a clean library, and read them through a browser-based interface. It supports things like manuals, strategy guides, magazines, local folder scanning, metadata editing, reader preferences, Docker deployment, and OPDS access for compatible readers. Still a work in progress, but it’s finally public on GitHub for anyone interested in checking it out: https://github.com/Shredder5262/Guidevault A bit more info https://guidevault.net

Without reading the prior conversation for context, I share roughly the same opinion...there is a lot of half-assed artworks that needed better labels than being considered official truths. But it is what it is... I only wanted to add that I imagine that the database on the backend needed to be split and wasn't and is now unmanageable because it's too big or not enough personelle policing it for validity. LB has clearly stated that it is Anti-DRM ...which is a weird topic to navigate when it comes to 'What is allowed...What is disallowed' because you can't play both sides of the fence on that. I think the peer review method was a good idea in the context of reviewing so complete trash is not uploaded... but it also facilitates that we are creating our own hell....OR we work together to figure it out...there is no gray area....there probably needs to be, but separately from 'official sources'....but also those 'official' sources should be disallowed to be monetized because I JUST KNOW some people would chomp at the bit to capitalize on that shit and that should never be permissible with communities like these...it's already destroyed HS (from my pov) I would hate to see that happen here as well.

Hi all, I shared this with a small audience and got some positive feedback so I thought i would share to a broader audience. I have made a Plugin the connects launchbox to Kavita reader to better store and utilize strategy guides. This is the first project I've ever made so no haters please, I'm really proud of it....constructive criticism, feature requests welcome. Release V1.0.3 Refined plugin branding and logo direction Improved visual consistency with Kavita Reader and LaunchBox themes Updated launcher flow for a smoother user experience Improved guide and magazine handling Refined cover matching and linked content behavior Improved menu navigation and overall usability Continued cleanup and internal project refinements for future updates https://github.com/Shredder5262/Kavita-Reader-LaunchBox-Plugin/releases/tag/Latest Release V1.0.1 Redesigned setup window Added searchable library selection Added About section with plugin branding Added Support for Multiple Strategy Guides Bound to a single Game Rework of backend authentication, now more reliable improved search engine reporting https://github.com/Shredder5262/Kavita-Reader-LaunchBox-Plugin/releases/tag/1.0.1

you can also use PDF's in kavita... i didn't mention it, but yes, it's a thing...it's basically plex for books. I use Kavita a self hosted docker image, and access it through a web browser so I have made it under the assumption that kavita is accessed through the web... if there is another way (local windows install) I'm not sure how that process works...so as long as you access it via web browser it would be fine. If things are stored in kavita you can also view those same things on a mobile app or tablet so it's a centralized place to store strategy guides. something on the horizon to deal with these things, I've got lots of stage maps and things also. Stay tuned. I don't know how long this other thing is going to take me though...programmatically speaking, playlists are evil. Question about this though.... what would an 'Official' term for these things be called?

@JoeViking245 @Tsik Thoughts?