LaunchBox 13.22 - Beta Thread

[Drybonz]

2 hours ago, faeran said:

It's essentially just another platform view. So, load up the Default theme, and in a root view when you open up the Switch View menu, you'll see it in there.

Is this a big box only thing?

[faeran]

3 hours ago, Drybonz said:

Is this a big box only thing?

Yes.

• New Feature: Added a new hybrid view in Big Box that combines platform and game views for smoother transitions and theming potential
   

[Ultra God Azgorath]

I hope we see this hybrid view implemented in more themes. So much quicker than other views.

[jevcleem]

Agree, this hybrid view is pretty nice. Hopefully, the hybrid view will get extended to the game view as well in the long term. It would be nice to have one seamless, cohesive, lag-free view.

[superrob3000]

Hybrid view isn't working correctly for me. If I exit out of game view into platform hybrid view, whatever game I had selected is now the only one that launches when I select any of the recently played games. See attached video where I had Omega Race selected, backed out to hybrid view, and then Omega Race gets launched for every recently played game I try to launch.

 

 

Edited May 31 by superrob3000

[hkr]

I'm experiencing a bug in adding a game in beta 2.

• Select "Scan for added games in platform" (in this case, it's Legend of Zelda Windwaker EU version)
• Process runs and finds the game. "Combine games" is selected in the import wizard
• 
• Process downloads media, finishes importing
• Version is not added to existing Wind Waker entry, does not get added as a new entry
• Debug logs shows 

• 2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM DataManager.SaveInternal started.
  2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM Saving InputBindings.xml...
  2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM Saving GameControllers.xml...
  2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM Saving ListCache.xml...
  2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM WARNING: IMPORT PROCESS: Returned game is NULL.
  2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM Saving Settings.xml...
  2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM Saving ImportBlacklist.xml...
  2025-06-02 07:54:37 PM Saving F:\LaunchBox\Data\Platforms\Nintendo GameCube.xml...

   

[8d6FireDamage]

Is the out of memory error still in scope to be addressed with this release?

[JoeViking245]

54 minutes ago, 8d6FireDamage said:

Is the out of memory error still in scope to be addressed with this release?

Yes.  Best efforts are being made to resolve the hybrid sleep "out of memory" error for this release.

[Jakatsu]

Using beta 2. Gameplay video keeps playing on top left after I go back from Games List to the Platform List. Using the Platform Hybrid View. Disabling "Use Platform Background Videos" helps, but then it gets replaced by the platform video itself, which plays on that small window instead.

Edit: Switching to VLC helps, gameplay video stays there for a second and then disappears. Codec issue? I've been using K-Lite Codec Pack Standard for a long time.

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:26 PM by Jakatsu
Added video

[JoeViking245]

2 hours ago, Jakatsu said:

Using beta 2. Gameplay video keeps playing on top left after I go back from Games List to the Platform List. Using the Platform Hybrid View. Disabling "Use Platform Background Videos" helps, but then it gets replaced by the platform video itself, which plays on that small window instead.

Edit: Switching to VLC helps, gameplay video stays there for a second and then disappears. Codec issue? I've been using K-Lite Codec Pack Standard for a long time.

Can confirm, I'm seeing this too. 

Using the Hybrid View 1, when returning from the Game View to Platform View, the last game viewed will have it's video playing in the upper left of the main section of the Platforms View.  Switching platforms, the same game-video continues to play.

Switching to use VLC - when exiting the Game View, the video still appears, but goes away after a second (maybe 2).

Windows 10  /  LB13.22-Beta-2 

[C-Beats]

On 5/31/2025 at 1:38 PM, superrob3000 said:

Hybrid view isn't working correctly for me. If I exit out of game view into platform hybrid view, whatever game I had selected is now the only one that launches when I select any of the recently played games. See attached video where I had Omega Race selected, backed out to hybrid view, and then Omega Race gets launched for every recently played game I try to launch.

IMG_3602.mov 51.52 MB · 10 downloads

 

 

I'm not able to produce this currently, but I have quite a large number of changes at this point compared to what's currently live so I can't say it wasn't a thing in this release. I've added it to my pre-release tests and will make sure I still can't before we release. Be interested if you can still do this once the next beta drops out. Thanks for the report either way.

[C-Beats]

17 hours ago, Jakatsu said:

Using beta 2. Gameplay video keeps playing on top left after I go back from Games List to the Platform List. Using the Platform Hybrid View. Disabling "Use Platform Background Videos" helps, but then it gets replaced by the platform video itself, which plays on that small window instead.

Edit: Switching to VLC helps, gameplay video stays there for a second and then disappears. Codec issue? I've been using K-Lite Codec Pack Standard for a long time.

 

Thanks for the report (and @JoeViking245 for the confirmation) is on the short list of things to get resolved so we can get the next version out.

[C-Beats]

Good news @superrob3000! Faeran was able to deduce how to rep it and it'll be resolved in next beta.

[andyco47]

got error exiting mame games in big box

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

App:     Big Box
Version: 13.22-beta-2
Theme:   Retro Console Theme Anim V2-center videos
Type:    System.NullReferenceException
Site:    Boolean ValidateTypeAttribute(System.Object, System.Object, Boolean)
Source:  Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows

   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Integrations.MAME.MameHighScores.ValidateTypeAttribute(Object asset, Object caller, Boolean countfilter)
   at PredicatePoolStrategy.FindTransactionalOrder(String asset, String caller, Boolean countfilter, PredicatePoolStrategy)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.Integrations.MAME.MameHighScores.<>c__DisplayClass20_0.RestartTypeDescriptor(Object sender, EventArgs args)
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.RaiseOnExited()
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.CompletionCallback(Object waitHandleContext, Boolean wasSignaled)
   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)
   at System.Threading.RegisteredWaitHandle.PerformCallback(Boolean timedOut)
   at System.Threading.ThreadPoolWorkQueue.Dispatch()
   at System.Threading.PortableThreadPool.WorkerThread.WorkerThreadStart()

Recent Log:

   08:46:31 PM Exception

but in 13.20 its ok no problems in using windows 10 so i cant update to 13.21 have to stay on 13.20

Edited Wednesday at 07:58 PM by andyco47

[faeran]

Beta 3 is out with the following changes:

• New Feature: Game Progress now supports customizable Categories and Values (e.g., "Active / In Progress"). Default options are included, with the ability for users to create their own
• New Feature: A new Progress badge is available under Badges > Game Attributes > Progress, visually changing based on a game’s progress value (e.g., a "Done / Beaten" game shows a flag). These badges are included in the Nostalgic, White - Filled, and White - Outline sets (update white badges under Tools > Manage > LaunchBox Themes & Media...)
• New Feature: A new Game Progress Priorities page is now available under Tools > Options > Data > Game Progress Priorities. This page lets users sort progress categories and values, and add or remove unused ones. It’s also accessible via a gear icon next to the Progress field in the Add/Edit Game page
• New Feature: A new Game Progress options page has been added under Tools > Options > Data > Game Progress, introducing optional automated progress. Users can define rules (e.g., "Over 'x' minutes played" sets status to "Active / In Progress"), toggle the system on/off, and customize their values
• Improvement: The Progress On-the-fly Filter button options are now grouped by category, with values listed underneath. Clicking a category filters by all its values. Sort order reflects the settings from the Priorities page
• Improvement: The Progress dropdown in the Add/Edit Game interface now follows the custom sort order from the Priorities page
• Improvement: Auto-populate filters can now be created using the new Progress field. A new "Starts With" comparison type has been added for filter creation
• Improvement: The Progress sidebar filter section now displays Categories and Values in a tree structure, sorted according to the Priorities page
• Improvement: The following mappings are now fully functional in Hybrid View: Set Star Rating, Page Up/Down, Show Achievements, Show High Scores, Show Game Details, View Images, View Model, Play Music, and Random Game
• Improvement: Videos using the WMP Video Playback engine are now properly centered in Hybrid View, matching other views
• Fixed: Playing a game directly from the thumbnail lists in Hybrid View now correctly launches the intended game
• Fixed: Resolved an issue in Hybrid View where background platform videos and foreground game videos could play simultaneously, causing playback conflicts
• Fixed: You can no longer enter a Game's section in Hybrid View before bindings are loaded. Previously, this resulted in an empty section that stayed blank until exited

 

💡For people wanting to help test more Hybrid Views, there's a new theme for users on the beta called Aetherial, and should be available for download from the Theme Manager inside of Big Box.

 

With Beta 3, the new Game Progress system is now considered feature complete, and there are a few things existing Beta 1 and 2 users will need to do to make sure everything migrates properly.

1. Open LaunchBox, go to your All Games section.

2. Select all games, open the Bulk Editor, and set Progress to blank (ie. empty).

3. Close LaunchBox and wait for the background save process to finish completely.

4. Navigate to:
   LaunchBox\Data\Settings.xml
   Open the file in a text editor and delete any of the following lines if they exist:
   <HasMigratedToProgress>
<HasSetAutoProgressDefaultValues>

5. Now reopen LaunchBox. It should migrate your data again with the new default structure correctly in place.

 

 

If you're signed into RetroAchievements but your games aren’t showing a "Done / Beaten" progress status, you’ll need to:

• Go to Tools > RetroAchievements > Scan for Achievements

• Scan all your games

Why? This triggers a rescan to pull in the new "Beaten" status, which the Progress system now uses.

 

 

Not Seeing Any Progress Badges?

This likely means you’re using a badge set that doesn’t include the new Progress badge designs.

The Nostalgic pack (included with the update) contains all the new badges.

The White - Filled and White - Outline packs need to be updated or downloaded to include the new Progress badges.

• To update or install badge sets, go to:
  Tools > Manage > LaunchBox Themes and Media...

Beta 4 will address this by falling back to the Nostalgic pack when no badge exist in your current pack

 

 

If you would like to learn more about the new Game Progress feature, you can find details here: https://feedback.launchbox.gg/help/articles/6612691-game-progress-tracking-feature

[Drybonz]

How does the automatic game progress work?  How does it know the stage you are at in the game?

[JoeViking245]

8 minutes ago, Drybonz said:

How does the automatic game progress work?  How does it know the stage you are at in the game?

Look under Default Rules and Values in the link provided.