[THEME] (XBMC) Aeon Inspiriat - Now Released!

[Crylen]

Download Link

http://www.gameex.com/themes/Aeon%20Inspirat.zip

Video Preview - Thanks to Celly for putting this together!




As of this writing I've currently created customized layouts for the following systems:


Main Menu - GameEx, Jukebox
Arcade - AAE, American Laser Games, Daphne, DICE, Triforce, MAME, Taito Type X, Atomiswave, Zinc, HBMame (Formerly Misfit Mame), NeoGeo, Cave, ST-V, Model 2, Model 3, Raine, WinKawaks, Final Burn Alpha
Atari - 800, ST, 2600, 5200, 7800, Jaguar, Jaguar CD, Lynx, Atari XE
Commodore - Vic-20, Amiga, 64, CDTV, MAX, 16
Nintendo - NES, Famicom, Famicom Disk System, SNES, Super Famicom, Stellaview, N64, Gamecube, Wii, GB, GBC, GBA, Virtual Boy, DS and Game&Watch.
NEC - PCFX, SuperGrafx, PCE, PCE CD, TG16, TGCD
Sega - SG1000, SMS, Mega Drive, Genesis, 32x, CD, Saturn, DC Blue, DC Orange, Naomi, Game Gear
SNK - Neo Geo CD, Neo Geo AES, NGP, NPG Color
Sony - PSX, PS2, PSP
Misc Portable - Bandai Wonderswan, Bandai Wonderswan Color, Watara Supervision, Tiger Game.com, Gamepark GP32, Creatonic Mega Duck, Pokemon Mini
Misc Console - Amstrad GX4000, Amstrad CPC, Philips VG-5000, Sharp X68000, TI99/4A, Imagination Machine, Super Cassette Vision, MSX, MSX2, Odyssey, Odyssey 2, Intellivision, CDi, ZX Spectrum, WoW ActionMax, CreatiVision, RCA Studio II, 3D0, Mattell Aquarius, GCE Vectrex, FM Towns, Fiarchild Channel F, Adventurevision, Arcadia 2001, Colecovision, Casio PV-1000, Casio PV-2000, Apple 2, Bally Astrocade, Mamotech MTX, Apple PipPin, Casio Loopy, Tangerine Oric, Microsoft Xbox
Pinball + Other - Future Pinball, Visual Pinball, Fruit Machines, PinMAME
Software Based - Big Fish Games, Adobe Flash, Touhou Project, PC Games (GFW Live), Mugen, Steam, ScummVM, OpenBOR, PopCap, Gog.com, MSDOS

Special thanks to KRC for letting me use his cleaned up logos!

In the interest of time and space I've decided to host everything on my Dropbox account rather than posting each variation on the forums.

Previews - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0d7d9yd1twuehjj/syqaVvylaJ

This link is purely to be used as a preview. Keep in mind the video border is missing since these files will be directly pasted into the theme file. Just image its there for the time being =)
I'll will be releasing a completed theme package once I get most of the menu files done.

Heya,

Before I begin, here's what I used for reference. This is XBMC Aeon with a list style that is (IMO) best suited towards emulators.


I took a close look at the numerous themes available in GameEx and mimicked functionality that already existed in them. I've never actually created a GameEx skin, but I spent some time messing around in the theme editor and it seems pretty robust. Here's the concept for the Aeon inspired GameEx theme...



I'm hoping to get some feedback from the community. I'll also use this spot to post updates as the theme (hopefully) come to fruition.
Also feel free to let me know if this concept is impossible to achieve with the current GameEx =)

[Crylen]

Quick update...

I decided to actually take this into the theme manager and see what came out. The results are... mostly good.

Here's the modified concept art for comparison

- I had to swap the top bar since its justified to the right and I can't seem to change it.

- Select/highlight box for the text isn't finished (or even started).

- Still have to mess around with the video/title border since they aren't perfectly sized up yet

- GameEx makes fonts look pixelated.. Doesn't seem to be much I can do about that.

- Still trying to find the best looking font size.. smaller seems to hide more flaws

I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone with more experience in theme creation can assist with...

1) Is there anyway to change the white outline for the description/star ranking? It's currently white (as you can see in the image)

2) I'm guessing it's not possible to show three types of art on the system screen? I currently have title + snap/video and would like to add boxart. Is such a thing possible? If not I'll have to rework the space.

So far I'm pretty happy with the results.. Still has a long way to go though.

[Tempest]

You have no images in your posts. Chazz started a Confluence theme but I don't think he ever finished it.

XBMC themes are always a good addition to GameEx.

[Crylen]

You have no images in your posts. Chazz started a Confluence theme but I don't think he ever finished it.

XBMC themes are always a good addition to GameEx.

Whoops, thanks Tempest. I originally attached the images using standard BB code. I switched them to using the image upload feature of the forums.

In other news, after some more experimentation I think this theme is going on the back burner. The popup description works fairly well but is kind of slow to load. The white outline boxes also makes it stand out far too much within the context of the theme. I'm also fairly convinced there's no way to attach box art to the system page.

So I went back to the drawing board and came up with something entirely different that better fits the GameEx environment. It's no longer based on XBMC. infact, it's probably more inspired by 'Pure GameEx' by vsilvalopes (one of my favorite GameEx themes)

Here's the concept art...

It should be pretty easy to implement. I'll try to make it an actual theme tonight and see how it looks.

[KRC]

Looks good, looking forward to how this turns out.

[Crylen]

Turning my second concept into a theme was much more successful.

• Had to double the size of the bottom bar to accommodate the game name and extra info. I couldn't find a way to hide just the game name portion. The end result isn't too bad though.
• Some spacing issues here and there. Need to move the list down a bit, maybe the counter icon up a bit
• I need to come up with a different solution for the selector. It seems like GameEx leaves a gap which makes the gradient look awkward.
• Maybe mess around with a couple of different fonts, this one is a little 'chunky'

Overall I'm much happier with this version over the Aeon concept. While the Aeon concept looked great in Photoshop, it didn't translate all that well to GameEx. This one looks great in both.

[KRC]

Very clean indeed, keep up the good work !

[Crylen]

Thanks!

Think I got the layout finalized.. I changed the selector to something simpler, messed with the font and fixed up the general placement of items.

Now I've started sampling the system menus. Pretty happy with how it looks so far.

I should probably come up with a new name for this... too bad I'm awful at names, heh.

[hansolo77]

I actually liked the way the original designs were coming, but still the new layout looks awesome too. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[Crylen]

I actually liked the way the original designs were coming, but still the new layout looks awesome too. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Yeah the original wasn't bad, but I was stuck at a stand still. Since I can't display three images at the game select screen (correct me if I'm wrong), I'd have to do something about the empty box in the bottom left. The easiest solution would've probably just been extending the game select area, but it'd be a lot of wasted space.

Additionally, the popup game info display works well in a limited scope. Certain systems don't display any metadata and regular menus (such as the main menu) were left empty as well. So while it looked great when selecting games, it looked pretty awful in the main menu or during the system select. Lastly, the white border produced by the popup info bugged me and stood out.

I've read some rumblings on the forums about a potential redesigned theme system in the works. I might attempt returning to the original concept when that's made available. However, with the current limitations of the theme-ing system, I don't that layout is possible without making it overly clunky and awkward.

[Tempest]

Additionally, the popup game info display works well in a limited scope. Certain systems don't display any metadata and regular menus (such as the main menu) were left empty as well. So while it looked great when selecting games, it looked pretty awful in the main menu or during the system select. Lastly, the white border produced by the popup info bugged me and stood out.

I'm not sure if these will help or not, But I have these System Biographies that may help to fill in the dead space when on an emulator selection screen. I actually don't know if the theme will allow this sort of thing, or if this kind of info is already available in GameEx. I just thought I would throw them out there in case somebody might find them useful.

System Biography.7z

This may seem odd, but I don't have any emulators setup, and therefor have no reason to run GameEx. I do try to help out where I can, but if I say things like 'I don't know if this kind of info is already available in GameEx' that is the reason why.

[Crylen]

Thanks Tempest, I'll have to mess around with the attached files and see what comes of it. I'm fairly new to GameEx, so I'm learning as I go along.

Few small changes.. Added opacity to the background, moved the counter up to make room for long titles (as seen in the image), tweaked shadows around the title/snap and came up with a better system for dealing with the foreground image.

Does anyone know where I can find a high quality version of the GameEx logo? Preferably transparent? I'd like to incorporate it into the main menu.

[u-man]

looks very clean and nice indeed. i like the design and colors you choose.

you can find good quality GameEx Logos here: http://www.gameex.com/Download/MediaandImages.aspx

maybe you could help me and tell me what happen to your counter if you move it completely to the left side.... i.e. if you put it where the game-screens are. my counter dissappears completely, i need to put it below (or on top) of my gamelist, to actually see it. i am wondering, if this happens to others too. you would help me a lot, by telling me your experience with the counter.

[KRC]

There's also a 3D logo I made here.

http://www.gameex.info/forums/topic/12241-logos-artwork-random-stuff/?p=98024

[Crylen]

Thanks for the GameEx logo guys.

As for the counter, I think it depends on how your theme is structured. It only defaults to going behind artwork and your foreground. On this theme my foreground is just the two frames for titles/snaps so I could move it anywhere on the left side and it'd be fine (where the console logos are).

[nullPointer]

Hi saterium

I hadn't yet taken the opportunity to express my enthusiasm for this theme. Everything is looking fantastic. Well done!

[vsilvalopes]

Hi Guys !

@saterium.

Amazing theme !

Loved the color scheme that you used.

If I were you, I would drop the "list numbers" and the "Manufacter Text"

But the overall is simply amazing. I love clean themes, and yours are one of these!

[u-man]

Thanks for the GameEx logo guys.

As for the counter, I think it depends on how your theme is structured. It only defaults to going behind artwork and your foreground. On this theme my foreground is just the two frames for titles/snaps so I could move it anywhere on the left side and it'd be fine (where the console logos are).

ok, i did keep that in mind, that some art or foreground is maybe "covering" my counter, but i checked this more than twice. so you actually testet it, to put your counter somewhere on the left side (where it is not covered by something off course) and it worked for you? you see that counter?

thanks in advance, u-man

[Crylen]

ok, i did keep that in mind, that some art or foreground is maybe "covering" my counter, but i checked this more than twice. so you actually testet it, to put your counter somewhere on the left side (where it is not covered by something off course) and it worked for you? you see that counter?

thanks in advance, u-man

Yep I tried moving it all the way on the left side and it still displays. I'm fairly confident something has to be covering it, either a foreground, video, snap or something else.

As for this theme... I went back to the drawing table for a third time. Sorry if anyone was eagerly anticipating the versions posted above. If you'd like I can release an unfinished version and the PSD files if someone wants to complete it. Sorry again, but that's why this thread is still titled concept =)

The new version goes back to the Aeon look. I originally wanted to make something that matched my HTPC setup and veered a little off track from that original concept.

Here's advance launcher working Aeon Nox (a variation of Aeon for XBMC)

And here's where I'm at so far.

• I switched from using a title and snap to just a snap/video since having both seemed a little redundant.
• The top bar will probably be used for menu bar. I may split it off to display counter as well since the original has that.
• The list will be difficult to replicate because of how the selector works but I'll try my best to come up with something similar.
• Lastly, I'm still trying to figure out a place for line 1 and 2.. Maybe extend the border the top or bottom of the video and add it in there? Maybe omit it all together? Not sure yet.

As per usual, taking suggestions and whatnot.

[Crylen]

And here it is in GameEx... Really like how this turned out and I'm glad it still maintains the XBMC look which was set as an original goal of the project. I'm still not entirely happy with the video border/fade in so that'll probably get switched.

Can't do much about the weird gap between the selected text and unselected line. GameEx leaves a bit of a space between items by default. It's not too awkward though.

[Draco1962]

You may want to watch your spacing between the Date and Time objects due to long month names to avoid overlap. Also, if you have transparency enabled in your theme options, you can play with varying degrees of transparency in your selector bar or keep it static but less solid looking.

[Crylen]

You may want to watch your spacing between the Date and Time objects due to long month names to avoid overlap. Also, if you have transparency enabled in your theme options, you can play with varying degrees of transparency in your selector bar or keep it static but less solid looking.

Doh, I didn't even consider the date thing but it's so obvious. I might have to scrap the date and maybe replace it with a GameEx logo or something - I'll think about it. There's no hidden way to change the justification of select items within the theme editor, right?

Thanks for the suggestion about transparency on the selector bar. I added a bit of opacity and it looks more uniform.

[Draco1962]

No justification of text other than Right Justify option for Title text in this version of theme editor. You could move the date & time to the bottom right but that would mess things up a little.

[u-man]

you need to make the "unselected.png" file transparent / opaque to get rid of the "in-between" lines. make your own "unselected" picture, like a gradient i.e. as a foreground layer and put that instead over your list and you are good to go.

IMHO i liked your first version more.... but that is just a opinion.

[Crylen]

No justification of text other than Right Justify option for Title text in this version of theme editor. You could move the date & time to the bottom right but that would mess things up a little.

Yeah it would go over the reflections and whatnot. I think it's easiest just to leave the time/date out for now and maybe update it if such a feature gets added.

you need to make the "unselected.png" file transparent / opaque to get rid of the "in-between" lines. make your own "unselected" picture, like a gradient i.e. as a foreground layer and put that instead over your list and you are good to go.

IMHO i liked your first version more.... but that is just a opinion.

The current unselected.png is just a 2 pixel semitransparent white line that creates the separator seen between items. My minor gripe is the minor gap between each item that GameEx has (It can be best seen on the default theme). I can't really do much about it, and it honestly doesn't detract too much.

I think I'm pretty much done with the design here outside of some minor touchups. I replaced that ugly border with a glass-style reflective overlay and completely redid the borders for the item selection (although its barely noticeable).

I promise I'll stick with this one =). I've now started going through the long process of creating pages for each theme. Here's a small sampling...