AstroBob

This is a very cool build! I love the simplicity of the artwork and the clean layout & cable management 🙌 What have you been mostly playing on it? And what's your Big Box theme of choice for it? Keep up the great work!

Hi @Johnathanthanks for reporting this and sorry to hear about the issues here. May I please confirm a few things to try and narrow this down: What version of LaunchBox did you upgrade from, and to? When you say the ROMs "don't work", can you please explain what is happening when you try to launch a game from LaunchBox. Are any errors displayed, or can you describe what is happening? Where are your ROMs stored? Are they in LaunchBox's default `LaunchBox > Games` directory, or somewhere else? If you edit the metadata for a game that isn't working, and go to `Launching > Application Path` can you let me know what is shown there? If you can confirm the above we'll hopefully be able to get you sorted.

Hi @Clads92 thanks for the feedback there. We don't have plans to add that sort of functionality currently, since the directory is already portable, it would just be creating another copy of that exact folder, which you can already copy from your SD card. I appreciate for those who may not be familiar with the Android filesystem it may seem daunting at first, but it's not something that we've heard requested from too many users at the moment. We really appreciate that you are putting a guide together for your channel, give us a shout if there's anything we can advise on or help you with there.

Yes, however that is only for when you are importing a game. If you have that ticked, it will let you import a game even if it already exists in your library. What I was referring to, is that there's no function such as (right click > duplicate entry). However you certainly can import a duplicate copy using the import wizard, and simply manually creating a new entry that uses the same LaunchBox DB ID, it will let you do that no problem.

Hey @Clads92, thanks for the question. If you use LaunchBox for Windows, we have an export wizard that will help you export your collection (or a subset of it) to your android device. We have a tutorial on this which I've attached below. If you're looking to copy between Android devices, assuming you have your games stored int he default `LaunchBox` directory, that is a portable directory that can simply be moved across to another Android device. Hopefully, this is what you were looking for, but give me a shout if you have any further questions about it

Thanks for the update, apologise I should have mentioned from the start, that yes you will need to scan your library for achievements if order for the badges and filters to pick up on them. I should note, you also need to re-run this scan for new games added to your collection since the last scan. All of your other settings look fine, so if there are still games not showing as achievements even though there are set, then it's likely the ROM hash doesn't match that that is required by retroachievements. Remember that it's not just the ROM filename, the actual hash of the ROM your using needs to match. Let me know how you get on, glad to see your getting closer to it working

Hey @jmandmc, thanks for the question. You may want to check out this plugin from one of our community members that lets you scrape media from the website, Steam Grid DB. It only scrapes posters, banners and clear logos, but if you like to view games by logo this could work well for you. The nice thing is that it doesn't care what platform your game is on, since Steam Grid DB has entries for most games across all platforms, and they have a very good selection of clear logos. Give it a whirl, sounds like it could suit your use case quite well. Happy to answer any further questions on it if needed

Good shout! I also recently discovered this. It's quite a hidden option but I've certainly pruned a few games from there that I know I'll never ever play. There is of course the option to just *hide* the game in steam, but it still shows up in places like LaunchBox imports, achievement trackers etc. And I like to keep that game count lean

Hi there, thanks for elaborating on the use case there, and makes sense. As far as I know, there isn't a dedicated *duplicate* option in LaunchBox, however, there is the `combine/split` function used for separating additional apps into their instances. Nothing technically stops you from having 2 copies of the same game. You probably won't be able to get it to appear with an import, since LaunchBox will think you've got it in your library already, however, you can manually create a new entry and link it up to the same LaunchBox DB ID (it will even use the same media). Of course, your audit section will flag it as a duplicate, but it should work as long as you don't mind.

No worries, glad you were able to resolve it. You can also look into using the `Sort Order` feature, if you want games with different naming conventions (like Gear 5) to appear alphabetically after previous games.

Agreed! Though interestingly, personally I think I started going in the opposite direction. I started off with a small collection of games that I owned or had experience with from my childhood, and then slowly filled out blanks in the collection based on series that I'm interested in, sequels, hacks of favourite games etc. But hey, there's no right way to get there, as long as what you end up with works for you 🙂 But thanks for the great insight folks! Love to hear how y'all and managing these. We plan to talk about this in a bit more detail on this weeks Halloween Stream 🙂 Keep the suggestions coming!

Hi @vic_vp, thanks for reporting this. A few things to try to narrow this down: - If you enable badges for retro achievements, do the same games that appear in your filter, show badges? - The games in your library need to be using the correct ROM file to match with RetroAchievements. I'm assuming you've checked this but just to be sure, for the example game (Asterix), si the ROM file the correct version as indicated on RetroAchievements site? - What is the `scape as` value set for that platform (GameBoy)? - Does this happen for any other platforms in your collection, or is it just for Game Boy? Let me know and we'll see if we can get you sorted

Hey @itsmeblake, what view are you looking at those games on in BigBox? A way to verify is to do a search for Gear 5 in BigBox. If it finds it, it indicates that the specific view or playlist you're looking at if filtering out the games, whereas if nothing is showing up, it indicates the game is specifically being hidden from Big Box. Let me know if a search brings anything back as that will point us in the right direction

Hi @Zaphod54 this sounds like a good use-case to use "Additional Apps", since you can have a single entry in LaunchBox, but then launch different versions, each of which can point to their own executable and have their own custom command line parameters. Was just curious if this is a workflow you've explored, or if you're use-case wouldn't work for additional apps?

Thanks for confirming that, sorry we weren't able to get to an actual root cause, but glad to hear it's working now. Don't forget you should be able to move your `Data` folder, and `Images`, `Videos`, `Music`, `Manuals` etc so that you don't need to re-import everything again. Please let me know how you get on with this instance and if the issues happens again.

If you delete game entry in LaunchBox, the metadata will be gone, however it doesn't delete the image unless you run the `cleanup media` option. So if you import it again, it will pick up the old media for you. If you have auto-import ROMs turned on, LaunchBox will import anything in your games folder. The only way to stop it is either turn off auto-import ROMs, or you can turn of auto-import for specific platforms (this is new in 13.17). However, it's probably better to clear up those hidden files from your ROMs directory. As I mentioned, I can't say for certain how they got there, but it sounds like those are temp files that could have been when you copied the instance over from your other computer. However, once you've cleaned them out, the LanchBox shouldn't re-import them.

Hi @duerra thanks for elaborating there. We've been continuing to discuss this internally and while this isn’t a super common problem, we think it may be related to some hardware-specific factors, such as your video card, driver setup, or even how some games handle fullscreen mode (especially if the game is running in exclusive fullscreen and changes resolution). We’ve seen similar problems in the past caused by specific Nvidia drivers or pre-installed software (like audio programs) on some systems that don’t play well with .NET or WPF applications like LaunchBox. I can't say for certain if this will help, but a few things that might be good to try, but if you’re using an Nvidia card, make sure you’re on the latest driver version. We’ve had issues in the past with certain Nvidia drivers causing LaunchBox to crash after exiting games, but these were later fixed in driver updates. Outside of this, could you elaborate on your specific hardware setup, (especially GPU, driver version, and any display-related software). We're scratching our heads a little bit since we're unable to replicate this after trying extensively, so trying to get a better picture of your specific setup might help us in our investigation

Hey @RolandofGilead, thanks for reporting this. Right off the bat, this sounds like LaunchBox is auto-importing some hidden files from your LaunchBox directory, given the fact that they are re-appearing once you delete them. Here's how you can verify that: - From the options menu, confirm if LaunchBox has Auto ROM imports enabled. You can turn that off if you don't want LaunchBox to auto import your games - If you want to leave it on, it's likely there are hidden files in your games directory. You'll need to enable hidden files in Windows explorer, and then check if your games folders if there are any temp files there. I can't say for certain but these may have been caused Let me know how you get on and if that is indeed the issue

I’ll kick us off. For me, I’m definitely more of a curator than a collector. I might collect games from series that I’m particularly fond of, but for the most part, games in my library are there for a reason. ROM hacks, homebrews, prototypes—it’s all fair game if I’m genuinely interested in playing them. However, I only keep one version of the released ROM and only one regional variation, except in cases where they are almost like separate games (e.g., the US and JP versions of Panel de Pon/Tetris Attack, or different versions of Donkey Konga that have different tracklists). The region I keep is mostly dictated by RetroAchievements, or whichever version I actually own. In terms of how the ROMs are organized, I use the default LaunchBox system with auto-imports (just drop each game into a platform folder). I also track games that aren’t playable directly from LaunchBox (e.g., subscription games that I’m interested in, and physical games from systems like the PS5). But what about y’all? There’s no right or wrong way—it’s whatever works for you 😊

Hey everyone! 👋 When it comes to organizing ROMs, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Here at LaunchBox, we have a default system—just drop your ROMs into the LaunchBox\Games folder, and you’re good to go. But, let’s be honest—everyone has their own unique way of organizing their collection, and we’re curious to hear your approach! Some users like to dive deep into subfolders, regional sorting, or even more creative systems. Here are some examples we've heard from folks over the years: Regional Folders: US, EU, Japan etc A popular method we've seen is sorting ROMs by region. Whether it’s separating out ROMs for US, EU & JP versions of the game, this method keeps everything tidy based on where the games were released. Do you do this, or do you prefer to keep everything together? Alphabetical Folders: A Different Way to Tidy Up For those who like things in strict order, alphabetically sorted folders might be the way to go. It might seem a bit unconventional, but it’s a method that can help quickly locate a game if you have a huge collection. Is anyone else using this system, or do you think it’s too much work for something a simple search could handle? Filtering Your ROMs: Do You Use 1G1R or Keep Multiple Versions? If you’re a fan of no-intro sets, how do you handle multiple versions of the same game? Some people go with the 1G1R (1 Game 1 ROM) method, where you only keep one version of each game, but that can lead to tough decisions—especially when there are multiple revisions, demos, or even region-locked titles. Do you prefer to have a “complete” collection that includes different revisions (Rev 1, Rev 2, etc.) and special versions, or do you streamline it to keep things tidy? And what about Demos, Prototypes, or Unreleased Games? Do they have a place in your collection, or do you stick to officially released titles? Official vs. Aftermarket Games: Where Do You Draw the Line? There’s also the question of Aftermarket Games (games released by homebrew developers, indie studios, or through fan projects). Do you include these in your collection, or do you only stick with official games released during the console’s active lifecycle? Hacks, mods, and fan translations are another point to consider—do you embrace them, or keep things strictly original? Playable VS Potentially Playable: Installed locally, or your entire collection While LaunchBox is primarily used to track games that are immediately playable, there’s nothing technically stopping you from tracking games from non-playable platforms. For example, maybe you like to track games from the most recent console generation (PS5, Xbox Series, etc.), or perhaps you prefer to track games available on services like Apple Arcade, Game Pass, or Amazon Luna. Do you only track games that are installed locally, or do you include your entire collection, even those available via subscription services? Curated or Complete Collection? Last but not least, are you a curator or a collector? Some people prefer to keep a small, curated list of their favorite games, while others want to maintain a comprehensive archive of every game released for a platform. Are you selective about what stays in your collection, or is your philosophy “the more, the merrier”? Conclusion There’s no right or wrong way to organize your ROM collection—it all comes down to personal preference and what works best for you. Whether you’re a fan of neatly organized folders, filters, or keeping everything in one giant library, we’d love to hear how you manage your ROMs! So, how do YOU like to organise your games? Take part in our poll and share your methods in the comments, and let’s learn from each other’s approaches! 👾📁

Hey @TheNewClassics Sorry to hear about the issues here, but thanks for reporting it. May I confirm a few things to try and narrow this down: - What version of LaunchBox are you currently using? Did you recently upgrade? - How long have you been able to consistently reproduce this crash, is it something that's only started happening recently, or it's been happening for a while. Did you notice it started with any version update? - How many games are in your library? Let us know and we'll see if we can uncover anything

Hi @stevaside, thanks for reporting this. I've merged these thread together and we'll try and get you sorted. I'm wondering I can confirm a few bits to try and narrow things down: - What gamepad are you using that doesn't work when scrolling the wheel? - Is it just selecting games that isn't working with your gamepad, or does that gamepad not work for any other functions inside of Big Box? - What version of LaunchBox are you currently using? - I'm assuming you have, but just to confirm do you have that controller mapped in Big Box's options? - Can you elaborate on when you say "scroll the wheel", I'm assuming you mean on of the Big Box views, but does selecting games view another view in Big Box also not work? Let me know on the above and we'll try and get you sorted

Hi there, thanks for trying that. We've looked into this with the team and have some theories about what might be happening. The error message you're seeing is actually a Windows error message, which suggests that something outside of LaunchBox is preventing those files from running correctly. Weirdly, LaunchBox should re-create those plugin directories if they don't exist, so the fact it doesn't also point that there is something else that has a lock on that directory. Can you post what exactly that error message was? Here are a few things to try: 1. Check for Security Software Conflicts: Sometimes, Windows Defender or third-party security software can block certain files, especially if they think they are suspicious. Even if you checked the properties and didn’t see the files explicitly blocked, there could still be background processes preventing them from working. It might be worth temporarily disabling any security software and seeing if that resolves the issue. If that works, you’ll need to whitelist the LaunchBox folder or those specific DLL files. 2. Test Reinstalling LaunchBox in a New Folder: If the issue persists, it might be worth installing a fresh instance of LaunchBox into a new folder (same directory but different LaunchBox folder) and see if you get that error. Sometimes starting fresh can help avoid whatever is causing the block in your current directory, and that could help us uncover the cause. 3. Test with new Plugins: If that does work, you could try copying over the plugin directories from the new build to your existing setup. Since the plugin's directory should auto-fill when missing, the fact that it didn’t in your case suggests there’s something preventing that part of LaunchBox from functioning properly. Please let me know how you get on, would be interested to hear if any of those suggestions yield any discoveries.

Thanks for the great mock-up there, I totally agree it would be great to group together similar sections so that you can hone in on those specific playlists if necessary. I'm not 100% if something like that would be possible to implement with themes since the game Discovery Center is able to be modified for themes. That said, it's relatively new, so not a lot of the theme creators support them yet. Either way, really appreciate the feedback there, we want to continue to improve the Game Discovery Center's default them so we'll certainly keep this in mind.

Great, okay so if you un-check that preference, for the one that is remaining, if you right click on it, do you have any option to edit or delete it? I'm curious if that is a playlist that has been created rather than the one that is automatically created based on the `Show All` checkbox