Games in XBMC/Transparency, how to use?
#1
Hi,

Not sure if this actually is related to the skin, but I saw this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWrxVEv058w, and I want it! =)

What plugin/script is being used? Is there any support for games in XBMC (I heard there were some developing going on)?

I would mostly like support for old console games through emulators on Ubuntu.

Thanks in advance!
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#2
Since the folder he clicked on was called "xbox games" that video was probably taken from an Xbox running XBMC, which of course, supports Xbox games.
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#3
Ronie built in support for game fanart (see startpost of the Transparency topic).

Just put in a fanart.jpg in each game folder and the skin will show it Wink
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#4
yeah, it's fanart.jpg in the same folder as the game. I'm going to be doing all my games now. I found this post and the sites are pretty good so far for content.

Tuxie Wrote:MobyGames and AllGame have TONS and TONS of cover art, screenshots, descriptions and reviews for about every console and computer system there was so they should definitely have scrapers. Unfortunately MobyGames watermark their high resolution cover art (but not screenshots) and AllGame have somewhat limited resolutions on theirs, but it's a good start.

What we really need is a thetvdb.com type of site for games. Smile

Heck even the bing.com image search is pretty good too. Just set the image size to Large or Wallpaper and be sure to add the word "Xbox" or "game" if it's got a common name like "family guy" or "Deer Hunt"
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#5
Thanks for the replies!

So If I got it right this is currently only supported on the Xbox?
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#6
junk Wrote:Thanks for the replies!

So If I got it right this is currently only supported on the Xbox?

It's not just the Xbox. I just tested it out on my Windows version of XBMC and it worked. Just go to Programs and Add Source and select the folders that point to the games. Make sure at the bottom you choose to call this source "Games" without the quotes. By naming it Games, you automatically go to that source when you press the Games button on the home screen.

In each of the game folders, name the background that you want "fanart.jpg" and it will automatically show when you highlight that choice in XBMC.
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#7
nicoli_k Wrote:It's not just the Xbox. I just tested it out on my Windows version of XBMC and it worked. Just go to Programs and Add Source and select the folders that point to the games. Make sure at the bottom you choose to call this source "Games" without the quotes. By naming it Games, you automatically go to that source when you press the Games button on the home screen.

In each of the game folders, name the background that you want "fanart.jpg" and it will automatically show when you highlight that choice in XBMC.

Got it! Just one question: what do I put inside each game folder? A shortcut/link to the game executable? How do I do with emulators/roms?
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#8
junk Wrote:Got it! Just one question: what do I put inside each game folder? A shortcut/link to the game executable? How do I do with emulators/roms?

This is what you're looking for to run games: Launcher Program Plugin. Download that and copy the unzipped folder into plugins/programs in your default installation folder like you'd do any other plugin. There are better installation and usage instructions in the launcher thread.

Then go into Programs and Add Source and choose Browse and navigate to Program Plugins and then select Launcher. The top of the screen should look say plugin://programs/Launcher and the rest should be blank. Select OK and then under Enter a name for this media Source put Games so that it will launch when you select Games from the home screen.

Unfortunately, I can't get the fanart to work inside of the launcher plugin. I'm stuck with the pink background that says "Xbox" no matter which application I am hovered over at the time.

Is it possible to add the function of game fanart to the deeper view that's displayed when you launch a plugin - specifically the program plugin Launcher?

I know you could go and change the file Transparency!/images/backgrounds/background-games.jpg to whatever you want as long as you name your new picture background-games.jpg and overwrite it. But that's not the same as the fanart for each application or game.

Sorry for continuing to add to your growing list of feature suggestions. I'm still more than willing to bug hunt and answer some of the easier questions in a feeble attempt to ease your workload.
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#9
nicoli_k Wrote:Unfortunately, I can't get the fanart to work inside of the launcher plugin. I'm stuck with the pink background that says "Xbox" no matter which application I am hovered over at the time.

Is it possible to add the function of game fanart to the deeper view that's displayed when you launch a plugin - specifically the program plugin Launcher?

possible...yes, desirable...definitely not.
i've disabled fanart for all the plugin paths.

it may not be an issue for the launcher plugin, but it will certainly freak out a lot of other plugins. mainly the ones that fetch info on the web,
like youtube, apple movie trailers and so on. you really don't want Transparency! to go online and try to grab fanart.jpg images from youtube.com if you run that plugin.

early versions of Transparency! did support it, 'till one user mentioned thing were starting to act weird when selecting the last.fm plugin.
i did some debugging and found out the skin was hammering the last.fm site for fanart images when browsing through the list of last.fm channels.
i consider it to be the most stupid skinning mistake i've ever made.

nicoli_k Wrote:I'm still more than willing to bug hunt and answer some of the easier questions in a feeble attempt to ease your workload.

i noticed :-)
you and joebrady are doing a great job, it's much appreciated!
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#10
ahh, I didn't think about the repercussions from other plugins. I might have even been the user you're talking about for the last.fm plugin. I almost rescanned my whole database until I realized last.fm was the culprit causing the first black screen.
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Games in XBMC/Transparency, how to use?0