Per System Sounds on Enter/Exit

[Boomerps2]

I was wondering if there is a feature included or in the works that lets you play a specific sound entering and exiting on each system? For example, in Hyperpin when you enter into the NES menu, you hear the collecting of a coin and upon exiting you hear the sound of mario losing a life. I see that there is only one default sound pack that you have to use for the entire setup. 

[Lordmonkus]

As far as I am aware of this is not a feature and not planned on anytime soon, I think this this is the first time I have seen anyone even mention it.

[Boomerps2]

It ties in to the frontend beautifuly. Every system has it's own sound. When entering into Arcade, you hear a quarter droping into the coin slot, Sega Genesis you hear sonic collecting a coin, Super Nintendo you hear the sound when Mario jumps onto Yoshi. I figure since we can do per system art with Unified Refried, this can be incorporated as well. Hopefuly something to look into. Here in download for the wheel sounds: Wheel Sounds

Edited December 2, 2018 by Boomerps2

[damageinc86]

Oh yeah, this can be kind of fun.  I had a DOS startup and disk sound back in my HS days,...it was fun to listen to when I went into that system. 

[Boomerps2]

6 hours ago, damageinc86 said:

Oh yeah, this can be kind of fun.  I had a DOS startup and disk sound back in my HS days,...it was fun to listen to when I went into that system. 

Going into the PC Games menu, I had the Windows 98 boot up sound. I do miss this feature.

[KRI$85]

On 12/2/2018 at 9:23 PM, Lordmonkus said:

As far as I am aware of this is not a feature and not planned on anytime soon, I think this this is the first time I have seen anyone even mention it.

Hello, has anything changed since then, or do 99% still not need this function?

[PadeMoNiuM Prods]

On 1/21/2026 at 11:37 AM, KRI$85 said:

Hello, has anything changed since then, or do 99% still not need this function?

In practice, you can already do a lot just by working with the audio files.

On the forum, when you download sound packs, you will often find (not always, but quite frequently) four types of sounds: back, move, select, and start.
The start sound is the most important one. It is the startup sound that plays when you enter a system or a playlist. It sets the atmosphere immediately.

The best approach is to check existing sound packs first. If you already have start sounds, you can reuse them or add new ones manually. If a license has a sound that fits well as a start sound, you can easily integrate it.

That’s what I did, for example, with Castlevania and Metroid. I added several custom sounds to reinforce the identity of each universe.

If you want to go even further, there is another option.
If you want a very specific sound when entering a menu or a playlist, you can integrate it directly into the view. When the view loads, the sound plays automatically.

Today, between sound packs and direct integration into views, almost anything is possible.

[Boomerps2]

We need to go more into detail with the instructions on how to do this

[KRI$85]

14 hours ago, PadeMoNiuM Prods said:

In practice, you can already do a lot just by working with the audio files.

On the forum, when you download sound packs, you will often find (not always, but quite frequently) four types of sounds: back, move, select, and start.
Dźwięk startu jest najważniejszy. Jest to dźwięk startowy odtwarzany po wejściu do systemu lub listy odtwarzania. Natychmiast nastawia atmosferę.

The best approach is to check existing sound packs first. If you already have start sounds, you can reuse them or add new ones manually. If a license has a sound that fits well as a start sound, you can easily integrate it.

That’s what I did, for example, with Castlevania and Metroid. I added several custom sounds to reinforce the identity of each universe.

If you want to go even further, there is another option.
If you want a very specific sound when entering a menu or a playlist, you can integrate it directly into the view. When the view loads, the sound plays automatically.

Today, between sound packs and direct integration into views, almost anything is possible.

I understand, but unfortunately I can't get Big Box to play sounds, for example:

From the sound folder (select, back, startup, etc.), if I create folders with the names of my wheels and drop files (mp3, wav) in them, it doesn't work. Only files from the default folders created by LaunchBox (select, back, etc.) play. I even tried creating folders for specific platforms in the default folders, but it doesn't work.

It's strange that there's no problem if I create a folder with the playlist name, and it plays select, back, etc. under a specific folder, e.g., racing, etc., although not always.

Platforms and categories don't work, hmm.

Generally, it's strange that the developers didn't consider an additional slider option, like the volume % slider, like in the background music and video options. You can only prioritize audio (unless there's no video), so the audio plays, but it doesn't start at all.

It's similar in the Music folder and the so-called Background folder. Music works in the main Music folder, but it doesn't work when I try to match music files to a specific platform, category, or playlist. If you say it works, I'm doing something wrong. Could you describe the structure of the Sound, Music, and Background folders?

[PadeMoNiuM Prods]

55 minutes ago, KRI$85 said:

I understand, but unfortunately I can't get Big Box to play sounds, for example:

From the sound folder (select, back, startup, etc.), if I create folders with the names of my wheels and drop files (mp3, wav) in them, it doesn't work. Only files from the default folders created by LaunchBox (select, back, etc.) play. I even tried creating folders for specific platforms in the default folders, but it doesn't work.

It's strange that there's no problem if I create a folder with the playlist name, and it plays select, back, etc. under a specific folder, e.g., racing, etc., although not always.

Platforms and categories don't work, hmm.

Generally, it's strange that the developers didn't consider an additional slider option, like the volume % slider, like in the background music and video options. You can only prioritize audio (unless there's no video), so the audio plays, but it doesn't start at all.

It's similar in the Music folder and the so-called Background folder. Music works in the main Music folder, but it doesn't work when I try to match music files to a specific platform, category, or playlist. If you say it works, I'm doing something wrong. Could you describe the structure of the Sound, Music, and Background folders?

Adding sound packs is very simple.

1. Get your sound pack (back, move, start, select, etc.).

2. Go to the Themes folder in LaunchBox.

3. Open your theme’s folder.

4. Then open the Sounds folder inside the theme.

5. Simply drop your sound pack there.

6. Make sure you double-check the spelling of your files. It has to be exactly correct — for your music folder, for your sound folder, everything.

   Names must match perfectly. For example, in my Soul Calibur Collection, the spelling is identical to what’s set in LaunchBox. You must respect that, otherwise it won’t be detected. One wrong letter, one missing character, even a single capital letter off — and it’s dead. It won’t work.

   So:

7. Correct folder

8. Correct file names

9. Proper naming like back, select, move, and optionally start if you want to add one

10. Quick example: on my recent Soul Calibur Collection, I added the Dreamcast sound.
    Result? It fits perfectly and sounds amazing. 🎮✨

11.  

     

     

    Precision here isn’t optional it’s the difference between “why doesn’t it work?” and “wow, this feels official.”

    If everything is named properly and placed in the right folder, there’s no issue — it works flawlessly.

In your case, the path looks like this:

LetterHdd:\Launchbox\Themes\Name of your custom theme\Sounds

 

I also copy it directly into the folder. That way I’m sure the sound will always be there, because it can happen that sound packs get overwritten or disappear during updates.

So don’t hesitate to integrate it as well if you’re doing a bit of development in Community Theme Creator — put it directly in the Sounds folder.

It’s a simple precaution, but it avoids surprises later on.

Then, regarding the possibilities available to developers — for people using the site here — you can add a sound, choose exactly when it plays, and define at which moment it’s triggered. That’s all part of the settings.

You can mute a sound or keep it active, use background music or simple sound effects, and even re-parameterize a sound so it plays at a very specific moment. Basically, you can do a lot of things — there are plenty of possibilities.

The system supports MP3 and WAV files. You simply add your sound to your media during creation, directly through the site here.

But to really go further and unlock those capabilities, you need to use the site itself — that’s where the more advanced development options live.

[PadeMoNiuM Prods]

One more thing  I know a lot of people don’t work the way I do. I’ve always had a slightly different workflow.

Personally, I integrate everything directly into the background, because my backgrounds are animated. I include the sound logic inside the video itself. In other words, I plan and script the different sound events during editing, and I embed them straight into the video.

This way, I don’t need to rely on extra parameters or sound triggers in Big Box. To keep it simple: the sound file is already part of the background video. All sound events are handled there, as part of the global montage.

Of course, many people don’t work like this  and that’s totally fine. But for me, it’s cleaner, more controlled, and honestly much simpler in the long run.

Less setup, fewer dependencies, full creative control.:)

[KRI$85]

1 hour ago, PadeMoNiuM Prods said:

Adding sound packs is very simple.

1. Get your sound pack (back, move, start, select, etc.).

2. Go to the Themes folder in LaunchBox.

3. Open your theme’s folder.

4. Then open the Sounds folder inside the theme.

5. Simply drop your sound pack there.

6. Make sure you double-check the spelling of your files. It has to be exactly correct — for your music folder, for your sound folder, everything.

   Names must match perfectly. For example, in my Soul Calibur Collection, the spelling is identical to what’s set in LaunchBox. You must respect that, otherwise it won’t be detected. One wrong letter, one missing character, even a single capital letter off — and it’s dead. It won’t work.

   So:

7. Correct folder

8. Correct file names

9. Proper naming like back, select, move, and optionally start if you want to add one

10. Quick example: on my recent Soul Calibur Collection, I added the Dreamcast sound.
    Result? It fits perfectly and sounds amazing. 🎮✨

11.  

     

     

     

    Precision here isn’t optional it’s the difference between “why doesn’t it work?” and “wow, this feels official.”

    If everything is named properly and placed in the right folder, there’s no issue — it works flawlessly.

W twoim przypadku ścieżka wygląda następująco.

LetterHdd:\Launchbox\Themes\Name of your custom theme\Sounds

 

I also copy it directly into the folder. That way I’m sure the sound will always be there, because it can happen that sound packs get overwritten or disappear during updates.

So don’t hesitate to integrate it as well if you’re doing a bit of development in Community Theme Creator — put it directly in the Sounds folder.

It’s a simple precaution, but it avoids surprises later on.

Then, regarding the possibilities available to developers — for people using the site here — you can add a sound, choose exactly when it plays, and define at which moment it’s triggered. That’s all part of the settings.

You can mute a sound or keep it active, use background music or simple sound effects, and even re-parameterize a sound so it plays at a very specific moment. Basically, you can do a lot of things — there are plenty of possibilities.

The system supports MP3 and WAV files. You simply add your sound to your media during creation, directly through the site here.

But to really go further and unlock those capabilities, you need to use the site itself — that’s where the more advanced development options live.

Oh, so you're uploading audio files to a specific theme, not to Launchbox\music\Mame (music, audio file with the game name) or \Launchbox\background: The audio file works in every wheel (no need to change the file name). There are also folders: Platform Category - nothing works here. Platform - Playlist\Mame - works here. If there's no video, or you select music over video in the options, then any file with the exact game name launches under the game name.
The Launchbox\sound\Mine folder (I created a folder here and changed the path to this in BB). Despite the correct folder and file names, Audio select, back, etc., only works for playlist folders, e.g., LaunchBox\Sounds\MY\Racing. If I create a folder, e.g., Arcade, Sony PlayStation, and drop the select, back, etc. files there, then the default files from the select, back, etc. folders play.
Too bad, I thought that if I named the folder correctly, If I upload the files, it will work ;( What you showed in the video only works for me in playlists like Tekken Collection, Soul Calibur Collection, etc. in Category, Platform.
It doesn't work for a specific game, and that's what I need ;( My problem is this: - For now, I'm checking the themes I like and trying to match them to the platform, etc. Hmm, I'm testing 120 different themes :D. As for removing them, I noticed this problem after updating the theme (you have to remember to make a copy of the theme before updating it - I don't know how to create my own themes yet (it's a bit of a nightmare), haha.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 02:00 AM by KRI$85

[PadeMoNiuM Prods]

15 minutes ago, KRI$85 said:

Oh, so you're uploading audio files to a specific theme, not to Launchbox\music\Mame (music, audio file with the game name) or \Launchbox\background: The audio file works in every wheel (no need to change the file name). There are also folders: Platform Category - nothing works here. Platform - Playlist\Mame - works here. If there's no video, or you select music over video in the options, then any file with the exact game name launches under the game name.
The Launchbox\sound\Mine folder (I created a folder here and changed the path to this in BB). Despite the correct folder and file names, Audio select, back, etc., only works for playlist folders, e.g., LaunchBox\Sounds\MY\Racing. If I create a folder, e.g., Arcade, Sony PlayStation, and drop the select, back, etc. files there, then the default files from the select, back, etc. folders play.
Too bad, I thought that if I named the folder correctly, If I upload the files, it will work ;( What you showed in the video only works for me in playlists like Tekken Collection, Soul Calibur Collection, etc. in Category, Platform.
It doesn't work for a specific game, and that's what I need ;( My problem is this: - For now, I'm checking the themes I like and trying to match them to the platform, etc. Hmm, I'm testing 120 different themes :D. As for removing them, I noticed this problem after updating the theme (you have to remember to make a copy of the theme before updating it - I don't know how to create my own themes yet (it's a bit of a nightmare), haha.

 

 

 

 

 

A specific sound triggered only when you select a particular game, natively? No:

or LaunchBox/BigBox doesn't provide any triggers for individual game audio.

At least, not in a clean, declarative, or documented way.

Personally, in years of tinkering, I've never seen or used this kind of mechanic.

What is possible (and proven):

 Sounds per system

PlayStation, SNES, Mega Drive, etc.

Navigation sounds, start, select, back, move

Perfect for recreating a "historical" identity (PS1, PS2, etc.)

 Sounds per playlist/collection

Widely used

Ideal for setting the mood for a franchise (Castlevania, Zelda, Metroid, etc.)

Now that's solid. Clean. Well-executed.

What you imagine (sound per game)

Here, we're going beyond the usual approach.

It's unusual, but not completely impossible… provided you cheat cleverly 😏

Option 1  Use video (the most realistic)

You create a theme video for the game

You add sound at the very beginning of the video

The sound plays automatically when the video starts or 

Option 2  Integrating sound directly into the view

Technically possible

But again:

not conditional

not contextual

not customizable per game without creating multiple specific views And that quickly becomes a complex system.😶😅

[KRI$85]

50 minutes ago, PadeMoNiuM Prods said:

A specific sound triggered only when you select a particular game, natively? No:

or LaunchBox/BigBox doesn't provide any triggers for individual game audio.

At least, not in a clean, declarative, or documented way.

Personally, in years of tinkering, I've never seen or used this kind of mechanic.

What is possible (and proven):

 Sounds per system

PlayStation, SNES, Mega Drive, etc.

Navigation sounds, start, select, back, move

Perfect for recreating a "historical" identity (PS1, PS2, etc.)

 Sounds per playlist/collection

Widely used

Ideal for setting the mood for a franchise (Castlevania, Zelda, Metroid, etc.)

Now that's solid. Clean. Well-executed.

What you imagine (sound per game)

Here, we're going beyond the usual approach.

It's unusual, but not completely impossible… provided you cheat cleverly 😏

Option 1  Use video (the most realistic)

You create a theme video for the game

You add sound at the very beginning of the video

The sound plays automatically when the video starts or 

Option 2  Integrating sound directly into the view

Technically possible

But again:

not conditional

not contextual

not customizable per game without creating multiple specific views And that quickly becomes a complex system.😶😅

That's why I'm surprised it doesn't work for me on a per-system basis (PlayStation, SNES, Mega Drive) (unless, as you say, it's per-theme).
Navigation sounds, start, select, back, and move, only work for me in playlists. If I put them in the default start, select, back, and move folders, they always play randomly, no matter which platform I go to.

Sound per-game works:
LaunchBox\Music\Sony PlayStation\Tekken 3 then shows the song title and a small icon in the right corner, provided there's no video or the theme is set to wall (no video).
As for creating a per-game theme, well, there's a solution, but with such a collection, it would take decades, just like putting audio before the video, so well.
I thought Launchbox would have these options as standard, like in other frontends.

As I mentioned earlier, playing music for a given game works as long as the files are named after the game's name, but it doesn't work for platform categories, platforms, well.

I thought the same thing. With audio, the information on the fade-in/out screen will work just like in RL.
- Game time
- Number of starts, etc.
Audio Start, exit game, etc.
And it works fine, but only by:
- RL
- Creating and editing a given theme and adding these options, so everything would probably reset after the update, so you'll have to fight the windmills.