[Theme] Art Book

[alphatoanant]

Hi Everyone, I started on a new theme and was hoping to get feedback from you.

The design is based on coffee table book layouts like this http://i.imgur.com/SLuEvOB.jpg

Full list of systems supported can be seen here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gzaP0klzaBaE5_oB1_hQwr46qOmQnacSvSU3o-p5Q7U/edit#gid=0
Also supports the new allgames, favorites and lastplayed collections added by @pjft

Please let me know what you think. Glad to make updates and fixes as they come in. Thank you!

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Download

• 16:9 resolutions: https://github.com/anthonycaccese/es-theme-art-book
• 4:3 resolutions: https://github.com/anthonycaccese/es-theme-art-book-4-3
• 5:4 resolutions: https://github.com/anthonycaccese/es-theme-art-book-5-4
• 320x240 resolution: https://github.com/anthonycaccese/es-theme-art-book-pocket
• 128x128 resolution: https://github.com/anthonycaccese/es-theme-art-book-micro

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Updates

10/10/2020

• 5:4 version uploaded to github

08/25/2017

• 4:3 version uploaded to github

08/12/2017

• Artbook is available to install from es-themes menu in retropie now
• added new systems: sfc, ti99, dragon32, saturn (see full list)
• added a bunch of custom themes (see full list)
• fixed colecovision theme (I had the folder named incorrectly)
• added details on how to scrape metadata to readme on github (link)
• launchingimages script is supported now
• Splashscreen added

07/28/2017

• Added more systems (full list)

07/24/2017

• I refactored my theme xml to make adding new systems easier
• and added the following systems: psx, atari2600, atari5200, atari7800, n64, sega32x, gb, gbc, gba, fds, virtualboy, retropie, ports, ngp, ngpc, gamegear, arcade, mame, fba

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Video Walkthrough

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Screenshots

Detailed View (NES)

Video View (NES)

Video View (SNES)

Basic View

System View

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Details

• Full list of supported systems: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gzaP0klzaBaE5_oB1_hQwr46qOmQnacSvSU3o-p5Q7U/edit#gid=0
• Has many custom themes as well - mario (Super Mario Bros), zelda (Legend of Zelda), megaman, etc... (see "custom themes" tab in the google doc above for the full list)
• System, basic, detailed and video views are supported
• Support for new "All Games", "Favorites", "Last Played" and "Custom Collections" features in latest version of EmulationStation
• Displays rating, description, # of players, genre, publish date & last played metadata on detailed and video views
• 16x9 resolutions only (tested at 1280x720 and 1920x1080)
• Layout designed to support hardware accelerated OMX player on video views
• Launching Images: When using launching images script you can leave all settings as default except "solid_bg_color". For that setting change it to "get from theme" (aka "Use the system color defined by the theme")

Acknowledgments

• Some game console logo graphics are modified from the Carbom theme by Eric Hettervik
• ChangaOne font by Eduardo Tunni
• Static.mp4 default video from OldRoom theme by Nismo (see: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/8019/oldroom-theme-w-i-p-new-1-9-beta-media-packs)

Thank you for checking this out and looking forward to your feedback

[pjft]

@alphatoanant this looks fantastic! Do you plan on adding more systems to it? Well done!

[alphatoanant]

Thank you @pjft!

Yes on more systems. Queued up right now are psx, mame, gb, gba and n64

I am following down the list of systems that @mattrixk polled for a few months back
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/8078/poll-what-systems-do-you-use/49

If you have one though that would help in your setup (for testing and/or playing) please let me know and I can take a look at adding it sooner =)

Thank you again for your work on ES helping new ideas in theming

[pjft]

@alphatoanant Thanks for the offer, and not at all. I'm glad you're pursuing more of them! :)

I think that list is quite sound.

Let us know if/how we can help!

[HurricaneFan]

This looks really well done. Great Job!

[HurricaneFan]

@alphatoanant Don't forget the retropie menu. :)

[mediamogul]

@alphatoanant

The design is based on coffee table book layouts

A very original idea. I love these books. I had 'The Art of ATARI' open earlier this evening.

[JuL1Xxx]

Amazing Job, man!!! waiting for new systems to use as my main theme!!
Thanks!!

[Sashby]

It's..it's sooo...clean and beautiful!! I love it!
Even the attention to detail with SNES boxart and NES having completely different boxart.
Also the way you've done the on screen help icons were a nice touch to combat different controllers people might use.
Better start getting myself some HD boxarts :'D

[fabio78]

I find most themes to be overworked and a little tacky. Now this... This is very classy, and good at combining box art and video under the same view. I love it!

[herb_fargus]

@alphatoanant I really like this theme its very clean

[alphatoanant]

Thank you for your feedback everyone

Updates 07/24/2017:

• I refactored my theme xml to make adding new systems easier
• and added the following systems: psx, atari2600, atari5200, atari7800, n64, sega32x, gb, gbc, gba, fds, virtualboy, retropie, ports, ngp, ngpc, gamegear, arcade, mame, fba

Download latest: https://github.com/anthonycaccese/es-theme-art-book

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Notes:

Over the last few days I have been refactoring my theme xml to make adding new systems a bit easier. Basically... from the research I have been doing it looks boxart sizes seem to fit into 3 types - portrait, landscape and square.

So I created a template for each type and started categorizing each system against which boxart type it fit best.

For example:
Landscape for snes & n64
Portrait for nes, genesis
Square for gameboy, psx

Then I updated each system's theme file to reference is corresponding layout

Getting this sorted allowed me to add the following systems tonight:
psx, atari2600, atari5200, atari7800, n64, sega32x, gb, gbc, gba, fds, virtualboy, ports, ngp, ngpc, gamegear, arcade, mame, fba, retropie << heads up @HurricaneFan

Examples:

Video View (Gameboy - Square Layout)

Detailed View (Gameboy - Square Layout)

Video View (Atari2600 - Portrait Layout)

Detailed View (Atari2600 - Portrait Layout)

Whats Next:

• Continuing to add systems (i'll try to post a status list soon)
• Better documentation on recommend sizes to scrape for boxart (for now a box of 540x540 should do the trick)
• Once all that is complete I am aiming to do another run through of each to see if any system needs more direct customization (I can see maybe needing to manually tweak mame for example)

Hope this sounds good and looking forward to your feedback.

[HurricaneFan]

@alphatoanant Awesome Work! I'll test this in the morning. Your refactoring makes total sense and should help with new systems going forward.

[lilbud]

Now, this isn't a problem with your theme in particular, but I've noticed this with several themes. Do you know why this happens? @alphatoanant

[HurricaneFan]

@lilbud What build of EmulationStation are you using?

[lilbud]

@hurricanefan I'm using @pjft's Custom Collections build, but this also happens on normal ES.

[herb_fargus]

@alphatoanant another thing that you could consider is some people use screenshots which may be squares or may be the native resolution of the original game, so I don't know if there's any way to make it perfect, but its all looking good so far

[pjft]

@lilbud yeah that happens with some fonts and there are a few comments about it in the past.

I think someone had dug a bit into that but I can't recall much about it... @jdrassa Was it you who had dug into this and explained why this happens in these fonts (it's similar if not the same as in carbon)? Was it a memory thing? Resolution? I can't quite recall...

If I find something I'll post it here.

Great job - I'll try it out as well!

[HurricaneFan]

@alphatoanant I noticed when I was testing the Game Collections feature that the video gamelist looks different for the Collections than it does on the normal NES, SNES system pages.

Are you using the new DEFAULT theme feature? It would be awesome if unthemed systems look the same as your theme systems, minus the logo of the system of course. Is this possible?

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/EmulationStation-Advanced-Theming

NES Themed

Collection Un-themed

[JuL1Xxx]

Is possible put a screenshot instead of a video?