[A few questions about BigBox as Windows shell]

I am struggling a little bit with this one, so I have a few questions and issues that I hope someone can help me with:

1. How do you start other programs without them being launched on top of BigBox on startup (I.e. completely minimised, and also so that alt-tab doesn't display them)? this happens mainly with Steam but it's random. I tried to add -minimized as parameter in the startup apps options but it's not doing anything.

2. Is there a way to still have Windows features (or alternatives) like sound control or bringing up virtual keyboard (I have hotkeys created in reWASD for both doesn't work when BB is set as shell)?

3. Is there any performance benefits running BigBox as shell or any downsides maybe apart from what I described already?

[Siden Light Guns]

21 hours ago, rkrick99 said:

i recently bough a pair of siden light guns. I have read it may be best if you used 2 instances of retroarch so you don't run into any input issues. Do launch box support this and is there any good documentation to setup?

I run only 1 instance of Retroarch, you just need to setup your Gun inputs on port 1 and 2 correctly before anything else, then create content directory remaps for each core where you select the lightgun instead of the console gamepad as input, for that you just need to put your gun games under a subfolder in your platform rom folders (this also allows you to create content directory shaders with megabezel where you can enable the Sinden border on top the amazing CRT shader, removing the need to use the Sinden border shortcut manually):

Games/Mega Drive/not a gun game.zip

Games /Mega Drive/Light Gun Games/Gun Game.zip

For Input setup in Retroarch, this video helped me a lot (the Sinden wiki wasn't making a lot of sense to me  in some instances I am afraid), you can also use hotkeys in Retroarch as keyboard keys can be set as secondary hotkeys:

For Bigbox you have to use Enter and escape to confirm and go back, so you need to map those keys in the Sinden software, which also means that you need to ensure your gun inputs in each emulator take that into account. I also setup F12 as the hotkey to open the LB/BB Pause screen so that I can actually use it with both controllers and the gun (mapping it also in the Sinden software).

For other emulators like PCSX2, Super Model, Model 2, Dolphin etc, I had to create duplicate emulators mainly because of easier controls setup and for putting the Sinden border via Reshade, again eliminating the need to bring it up manually with the gun and freeing up a button on the gun.

Good luck, you're in for quite a few hours  I am still missing RPCS3 (where setting up gun controls looks absolutely crazy) and OG Xbox which I understand requires the CXBX-Reloaded emulator(Which I haven't yet looked at), but Retroarch has handled all other platforms for me regarding light gun games.

[Windows 9x games on Launchbox]

Hi is there a way to automate the launching of games that require those operating systems to be seemless like any other roms on other platforms? 

I'd like to use DosBox-Pure on Retroarch if possible, but obviously open to recommendations.

Thanks.

[Cannot start Launchbox anymore]

Nevermind I had somehow modified a date string in the Atari 5200 xml, added .52 in it. Crazy it broke everything

[Cannot start Launchbox anymore]

Please heIp, I was fiddling around with some platform xml to change the file extension of all games in Atari 5200 and Sega Mega Drive, somehow I broke something, I guess Launchbox didn't close properly, already did a backup resotre but not helping:

 

String '2022-09-18T17:18:21.a5276023+02:00' was not recognized as a valid DateTime.

App:     LaunchBox
Version: 13.21
Theme:   NOT SET
Type:    System.FormatException
Site:    System.DateTime Parse(System.ReadOnlySpan`1[System.Char], System.Globalization.DateTimeFormatInfo, System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles)
Source:  System.Private.CoreLib

   at System.DateTimeParse.Parse(ReadOnlySpan`1 s, DateTimeFormatInfo dtfi, DateTimeStyles styles)
   at System.DateTime.Parse(String s, IFormatProvider provider)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Data.Game.LoadFromReader(XmlReader reader)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Data.DataManager.GetMetaProcessor(String def)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Threading.<>c__DisplayClass13_1`1.ConcatMetaMock()
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)

Recent Log:

   23:41:34 Exception

[New PC setup]

1 minute ago, Bashyman said:

Thanks for the reply. Sorted it in launchbox and added emulators (completely forgot I had to do that)

Is there a quick way I can copy over my settings for Retorarch? Do I just copy cores folder and retorarch.cfg file.

At work atm so can't trial

If you still have access to your previous storage, just copy and paste the whole folder. I've only used the portable version of RA so I'm not sure what it's like on the installed version.

[New PC setup]

1 hour ago, Bashyman said:

Morning,

I setup my existing PC with Launchbox about 4 years ago.

Currently setting up a games room in the loft with a new PC and moved across all the files, gained an up to date licence from support and installed new version.

Did the same on my existing PC as hadn't played it for a couple of years and everything works exactly as it used to downstairs.

However, the machine in the games room looks the same, but any game I try to play it says emulator doesn't exist.

Might seem a silly question, but do I have to install each emulator separately on the new machine? The downstairs PC looks like it doesn't have them installed via windows as they're not showing in programs list under control panel, so thought copying emulator folder alongside the rest of the folders in Launchbox would work

 

Cheers

Emulators are executables and not installed. Just make sure you go to options-> manage emulators -> put the the right path where the exe is stored on your new machine.

Also try to start the emulators outside of Launchbox to make sure they work properly on their own if not.

[13.21 Installation of WMP failed during update]

Now only playback with VLC works but it is deprecated?

Codec install worked, but WMP install always would fail so I skipped it, but now how am I supposed to get it?

[Multi Disc Game Badge and .m3u]

16 minutes ago, W4rCh1ld said:

So i did it and got it working, the dll simply looks at the application path, see its ends with .m3u and adds the default Launchbox multi disk icon (which i renamed m3u multidisc, as im using the neon blue disc from the neon arcade set already instead) to the list... Pictures show the settings used, which unfortunately resulted in 2 yellow warnings (shown in picture2) during the compile (NU1904) which i neither know what they are or how to fix them to make the green "perfect" compile @jayjay says to get on his Custom Badges page as ive never used this application before or "really" know what im doing at all (if he would like to explain or fix my error that would be appreciated too). The 3rd picture shows a set up games, list of badges so that the "launching" specified file ends in .m3u so adds "my" lauchbox default light blue double disk at the bottom, has its discs in the additional apps so that lauchbox has added the neon arcade blue disk 2nd down as standard for multidisc games, and each of the disks were individual stories so the same game but disc 1 and 2 are not sequential, and named to differentiate between the discs, so also showing "multiple versions" - the purple square stack 3rd down. Thanks @JoeViking245 that was an interesting solution. Ive Included the .dll too.

 

@Kefka2b you may be interested in the file? You just need a Badge image called; m3u multidisc added into the images/badges folder and the dll below in the plugins folder and turn on the plugin badges in the settings and all the .m3u files will have a badge. 

 

Badge m3u multidisc.dll 9.5 kB · 0 downloads

Maybe I am all set with platforms that have multiple disc games though 😁

[Multi Disc Game Badge and .m3u]

1 hour ago, W4rCh1ld said:

Any way to manually tag games as "Multi Disc" for the Badge Indicator, or even better can Launchbox automatically identify .m3u as a multi disk file type and just show the badge?

I usually add the discs in additional apps manually as I like to name them in a clean way, disc 1 , 2 etc... or give them clearer names like for Final Fantasy Chronicles, 1 disc is called Chrono Trigger and the other FFIV etc..., and that works, but yeah it would be much easier if done directly when adding an m3u.

[LaunchBox 13.20 - Beta Thread]

Exciting updates just keep on coming !

[Please help with Sinden software auto start ( finish after close ) for Sega Model 2 running Demulshooter.]

Not an answer to your question but why not have the Sinden software start with windows as a background process?

[COLORFUL bigbox theme]

2 hours ago, SiriusVI said:

It's kind of a shame. COLORFUL is probably the cleanest and most consistent Theme out there. However, there are so many color mismatches that in its current state it's unusable for me. It also doesn't seem that fixing this this is a priority.

Yeah I think this is where LB BB is lagging behind, a few themes that are officially maintained and updated, especially themes that elevate the user experience like the Colorful theme, also considering that BigBox is the main paid feature.

[Thanks to the entire LaunchBox team]

Joining in on the congrats, I always had decent speed overall but things feel a lot snappier especially when starting LB, I used to have 10 seconds freeze after opening it and that's fixed.

[creating bezels for pcsx2 and duckstation]

There also another plugin to resize the rendered area in case the bezels have a top and bottom. I can't remember how it's called.

[creating bezels for pcsx2 and duckstation]

You can also use reshade and the stagedepth.fx effect, it is pretty easy to use. Just need to put the png in the texture folder and rename it Stage image.png and activate the plugin.

[Xbox controller mapping for N64 Retroarch]

Start Retroarch without any games and go to the input options, try to set everything up manually and save controller profile, then Save current retroarch configuration.

[COLORFUL bigbox theme]

12 hours ago, Milocinia said:

The theme is a dual development between viking and faeran - viking on assets and faeran on code. Viking has had a lot of stuff to do irl and I'm not sure about faeran but either way an official v3 is still in active development and not forgotten about. I just know when it does get released it will be worth every bit of the wait ☺️

Also very much looking forward to it!!! Just can't use anything but Colorful, it's just above everything else for me Ubertheme

[Xbox controller mapping for N64 Retroarch]

6 hours ago, Elmo80 said:

Hello, 

Hoping someone can share some screen shots of their xbox controller mapping for N64 on Retroarch?

In order for me to get any directional movement in N64 games via Retroarch, e.g. Mario Kart i've had to apply the analog left stick to the d-pad.

It seems i'm unable to use the analog control sticks on the xbox controller for any N64 games retroarch. I appreciate the N64 controller is very different but still seems odd when the orginal N64 controller has an analog stick. I never really played an N64 back then so not sure how much the analog stick was actually used across the portfolio of games. 

Thanks for any assistance. 

 

Hey @Elmo80 the default mapping should allow you to do that without any issue.

The left stick will be the N64 joystick and the DPad should be assigned to your DPad by default.

C-Buttons will be assigned to the right joystick.

Maybe you have an input remap already saved for either your core, content directory or game? Try to delete it either from the remaps folder or from the Quick menu directly when you have an N64 game open.

You may to want to update controller profiles from Retroarch also (open it without any game and save current configuration, then quit retroarch), and make sure the option to assign profiles automatically is enabled (it is normally is by default).

[Confused - multi controllers Retroarch]

2 minutes ago, Elmo80 said:

Thanks for the tip. That setting in reSWAD preferences was checked. I’m not sure why it didn’t recognise the ps4 controller as Xbox in Retroarch but perhaps I’m not understanding the program well enough. I’ve deleted reWASD and ds4windows. I’ll try reSWAD again. Do you set new game pad config as a new game? 
 

I did manage to get the Atari controller to work in Retroarch as a bluetooth game pad and save/configure the control. The trick was to set controls back to default so not to affect the other configured controllers. It worked alright but as there isn’t enough buttons to emulate the Xbox- controller for the various hot keys, so it’s not good for big box. Keyboard is needed. 

Fun to use a joystick again but feels like we did it harder back then when compared to modern game pads. 

Make sure the controller profile you created is added to slot 1 of your controller (you have 4 slots). Appart from that I'm not sure what else to do...

[Confused - multi controllers Retroarch]

Hmm I understand if the Atari controller is not recognised, it's quite uncommon. However I find it very strange that Retroarch wouldn't recognise your controller as Xbox360 controller, since it should be exactly the same as actually connecting a real 360 controller. Make sure this option is checked:

[Confused - multi controllers Retroarch]

4 hours ago, Elmo80 said:

Thanks for the response. 

Does reWASD need to be set up as an app within LaunchBox or is it a program that is installed and run in the background of Windows? 

Also, my experience is, Retroarch automatically detects the controller that is connected to Windows. Do you need to turn any settings off in Retroarch? What i'm thinking is if Retroacrh is running, when i turn the Nes30 Pro controller on, it will automatically utilise the auto settings rather than what reWASD would apply. 

 

 

reWASD is a software that runs in the background in Windows.

Retroarch will keep auto detecting but will recognise all your controllers as xbox360 controllers so button labels will remain consistent across all your controllers.

[Confused - multi controllers Retroarch]

I don't know about modifying config files, but Retroarch hotkeys don't remap when switching controllers indeed, so here's what I've done:

Emulate all my controllers as xbox360 controllers and remap button appropriately using reWASD (I used Ds4windows but it started to be too limited at some point). This way controller buttons in Retroarch will remain consistent across all my controllers. You can also autodetect programs running with reWASD if for example while CEMU is running, you want to switch to a Dualshock 4 profile automatically if you have a gyro capable controller and want to use motion controls.

On top of that it wiil also allow you to navigate through BigBox with all controllers consistently (as long as you have enough buttons on the controller, and you can also use an autodetect remap with reWASD if needes), this was also something important to me.

Here's my controller list and all work perfectly like this in any emulator (Retoarch hotkeys are consistent) and BigBox:

2 DualSense BT

1 8bitdo M30 BT

1 8bitdo Arcade Stick BT

1 Exlene GameCube BT

1 Brawler 64 BT

I also have a Sinden Light Gun where I could also map Retoarch hotkeys to keyboard inputs also mapped on the gun, as Retroarch allows for a controller and a keyboard input mapping for hotkeys. I also managed to find a way to achieve some basic Bigbox navigation 

The only controller I had to setup differently is my Dualshock 3 where I had to use the HidHideMini and Bluetooth drivers to be able to use pressure sensitive face buttons in PCSX2 and RPCS3 as it is the only way. I am not able to use BigBox with this one

 

[Vita3k auto-import, missing some games in LB 13.18]

Hi I have 100+ games installed in Vita3k, but Launchbox only imported about 80, is this expected? (The auto-import process is a bit annoying as it imports a lot of junk for the PS3 as well).

[COLORFUL resources]

On 1/20/2025 at 2:33 PM, vahacris said:

Hi Stevie,

 

Could You please upload this purple collections video alone? I would like to make my own collections video but i would like to change background color because i dont like the same background color in all the category videos (playlist, favorites, computers, arcade, etc.). I make my own videos with different background for categories and the collections is the only one i do not have.

thanks in advance

Hey mate any chance you could share those modified videos, I also don't like the sky blue background.

Thx