[THEME] Time Machine v1.0

[rtkiii]

Hello everyone I have decided to make a custom Theme for my cabinet. I have debated started a new theme because it seems like a daunting task but I think I have the time to start playing around with this BUT sweet CRAP I don't even know where to start.

REQUIRED FONT - I think it looks best with this font installed but I guess that is the users choice.

Zero Hour

PROGRESS

Main background throughout theme. 12/12/2013

v1.2 Time Machine Theme - Added 12/31/2013

[rtkiii]

Question 2: So what is the path of how the menus work. I think If I have an understanding of how the theme progress through GameEx it might help

startbak is the image that loads when you power on GameEx?

Startbak remains the image until you select an option from a menu?

At that point if I choose to go to Mame what file is the background now - BAK?

[rtkiii]

Question #3: Are the boxes(Date, time, weather, title) just a constant? Meaning if I set them up in one arrangement for the startbak menu it will be the same layout for other screen, like bak?

Or am I doing something wrong?

[Draco1962]

Question #3: Are the boxes(Date, time, weather, title) just a constant? Meaning if I set them up in one arrangement for the startbak menu it will be the same layout for other screen, like bak?

Or am I doing something wrong?

They are static in their layout across all backgrounds. You may want to take a look at my Sins of a Solar Empire theme as an example of a theme that has differing backgrounds for different selections/emulators/functional areas of GameEx.

[Draco1962]

Question 2: So what is the path of how the menus work. I think If I have an understanding of how the theme progress through GameEx it might help

startbak is the image that loads when you power on GameEx?

Startbak remains the image until you select an option from a menu?

At that point if I choose to go to Mame what file is the background now - BAK?

Startbak will be the default if you are using the built-in MAME support until you change to one of the sub-options within MAME. Then, it will likely be MAMEbak.

[Draco1962]

Hello everyone I have decided to make a custom Theme for my cabinet. I have debated started a new theme because it seems like a daunting task but I think I have the time to start p;laying around with this BUT sweet CRAP I don't even know where to start.

I get the idea of using Photoshop to create the buttons, background, foregrounds, icons, logos, etc...I get it. BUT WHAT THE HECK DO YOU INSIDE OF THEME EDITOR?

I have looked this program over a couple time sand all the normal functionality I would think would be in place does not appear to be. Like just changing the main background for the "Start" page to a custom image. I read somewhere it is "drag and drop" - Which I cannot seem to figure out even how to load in new pictures. I think I am PC saavy but holy crap I'm just stumped. If someone can explain that 1st function I will run from there.

There will be a hell of a lot of questions to come.

Thanks,

Rich

Think of Theme Editor as the application for theme element placement (buttons, menu text, lists, images such as video or game snaps, logos, marquees - these tend to be reused depending on where you are at within GameEx). Most of your creation will be outside of it in the graphics editing program(s) of your choice.

[rtkiii]

Thanks for the answers DRAC...starting make a little more sense. I like obviously the customization outside of GAMEEX Theme Editor but there is a lot of stuff lacking in Customization inside...at least as far as I can tell as of now. Making progress though.

[rtkiii]

Question #4 - What is the text orientation with the standard options? It doesn't appear to be left oriented...maybe center. If I work with "TITLE" it looks good for smaller words like "Mame" but the longer the wording gets the more it shifts. t is a pain to setup my boxes when the text moves. Anyway I can set the alignment of the text as a whole?

[Draco1962]

Title is the only one that can have mods made to the justification which is Right Justified. Otherwise, all texts should show left justified by default.

[rtkiii]

Title is the only one that can have mods made to the justification which is Right Justified. Otherwise, all texts should show left justified by default.

How do I get the Title to Left Justified?

[Draco1962]

Uncheck Right Justify Title under the options - not at my machine to tell you specifically where and if that is how it is presented, but the setting is in there.

[rtkiii]

Got it Drac...thanks! More Questions to come LOL

[rtkiii]

I think is the primary layout thus far. Thanks for getting me started, Drac!

[rtkiii]

Question 5: In my screencap above that is one picture. I used this for startbak and bak. Is it possible to make the "space" portion image move at all while keeping the display windows static(that is where the text will go from GameEx)

Question 6: How do I take a screenshot inside of gameEx - I just get a black screen.

[Tempest]

Ahhh, Time Machine. Now I get it. Great Idea! There needs to be a way to change the '1984' to the published date of the game.

And no, I don't think that wouldn't be possible at this time.

[GimmeClassics]

Question 6: How do I take a screenshot inside of gameEx - I just get a black screen.

You could try and use Fraps I use it for exactly that purpose.

[Adultery]

Or run it in windowed mode instead of full screen. ;-)

[nullPointer]

I think is the primary layout thus far. Thanks for getting me started, Drac!

This mock-up is looking great rtkiii! I'll be eagerly following the development on this one!

[rtkiii]

Ahhh, Time Machine. Now I get it. Great Idea! There needs to be a way to change the '1984' to the published date of the game.

And no, I don't think that wouldn't be possible at this time.

I agree 100% - but I figured it was not possible so I picked a date in my child hood when I felt like I played the most arcade games.

[rtkiii]

Question 7: I put in a movie to test something out but I want to remove it now and I cannot seem to figure out how. Any ideas?

EDIT: I figured this out. Had to remove the files in windows explore of the video file. Seems ok now.

[rtkiii]

Question 8: What is the purpose of "Foreground" and "Backgrounds?" - I get what they are but I do understand why they are there if the text/menu portions of GameEx are always on top anyway. Am I missing something?

[Draco1962]

There is a setting in the Theme Editor options that allows you to place the foreground images topmost. This allows for the foreground to act as bezel over images below (logos and video snaps, stills, and the background image). That is why, in some themes, the foreground images appear to have "cut outs" in them for some of the menu or other items.

[rtkiii]

AVI and mpg...boooo. Why not mp4? Great quality, small sizes. Disappointed with those options a little bit.

[rtkiii]

Question 9: I put a movie in startbak and it plays as expected but it loops. I did not see an option not to loop. I was hoping once the movie finished it would just leave the last video frame up as that looks my background for startbak and bak. Are there any video settings in the theme editor I am missing?

NOTE: When I exported it out as AVI the 5 secons clip is like 800MB, so I can not add frames to this file without it being super-huge. Mpg keeps wanting me to change my resolution from 1600x1200 to 780x480. So AVI seems like my only option unless a Tom Spears guy wants to add mp4 support to GameEx...WHICH WOULD BE AMAZING!

[Draco1962]

Any enhancement or feature requests involving the graphics engine and theme editor for the current version of GameEx, other than bug fixes, will likely not be addressed until the much alluded to but yet to be announced new engine is released. I would recommend placing your feature request for mp4 support for background images in the pinned topic. Thanks!