Super DreamStation Theme

[KMetalMind]

This is incomplete and I won´t probably update it for long, so take what you like/need. You are free to use this on any build or to reuse any content on any layout.

Full pack with all layouts: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By8ytg-bhyr5bTFIWGd5WVYxcnM/view?usp=sharing

Super DreamStation

• The theme build is my build´s name, coming from "Super Nintendo", "Dreamcast" and "PlayStation". I tried to bring in more company names but I didn´t find a better name.
• The theme is for 3 level collections: Company, gaming machines, and games. When there´s not just a company, like Arcade or PC, I´ve decided to have just two of them.
• Currently there are 33 systems on my build, so I´ve done art for those systems only. The goal is having a layout per system, being really similar but having little small changes. They try to look and feel like art from that generation. That means no fancy layouts for old systems. If you read magazines from those days, or Retrogamer today, you know what I´m looking for.
• I have the 33 layouts done without properly animating everything.
• I will put here common art too for all the layouts.
• Originally I planned to release this with the original art resources and PSDs, but they take much space, so ask for them if you want them, as I keep them in case I end up changing anything.

Main layout (v1.0):

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5TXIzdzk5d0l0ZEU

The Main layout is a two level layout. It contains the company menu and the system menu.





As you can see, only some companies are actually featured. Look into the "collections/Main/medium_artwork" for companies, and into "collections/(company)"  for systems of that company. As I said, only Arcade and PC are two level: Entering that menu goes directly into the games of those systems.

Missing:

• Finish the bottom help menu. It´s currently WIP and I won´t finish as long as new features which need buttons are added. Feel free to change it or delete it from the XML (it´s exactly on the bottom for easy removal).
• Logos work fine on the second menu as long as you don´t come back from another layout. I´m still thinking on the way to go with this "bug".

Common art

This theme uses these kind of common arts, only on the game menus:
* ctrltype (v1.0): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5SFZDUUNidHBYMFk
* genre (v1.0): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5N1hfTTRpSFhTeFU
* manufacturer (v1.0): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5MXJMWjdhYVBzQmc
* modes (v1.0): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5dlVSbnhadVBKTDg
* numberPlayers (v1.0): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5eHRrY0RfSWRveFk
* rating (v1.0): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5dlB4WVhHekI0SU0

Missing:

• ctrlType will get custom icons per system. It needs custom XML though currently.
• modes currently don´t work as there cannot be custom labels on the XML. I plan to add which games are single player, coop multiplayer, or comp multiplayer.
• rating is heavily WIP. My goal is having all systems using the same rating system, as I personally don´t think having more than one is actually useful at all. As I´m in PAL, I use the PEGI system, but the idea is having similar iconsets for other regions.

And lastly, the system layouts. There´s some space reserved on the upper-right for future art for playlists, and some space reserved for the mode info (single player, coop, comp).

Sega Master System (v1.0):

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5czhOek1DZ09aUjA



Custom XML: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By8ytg-bhyr5c3R0ZTRmODZGcG8

[johnsaints]

Very nice theme.

You made the art with the game box and cartridge together ?

Looking foward on this. Good job.

[KMetalMind]

Nope, they were downloaded from different sources, that needs a lot less work and gives the choice of using different art per setting (although it could need some minor changes on the layout to look good).

I´m finishing the Atari 2600 one (currently working on the XML).

[Mark Norville]

I hope you do not mind me giving you negative feedback, I skin for my jukebox, and I am not a graphic designer or even an expert.

However, it is fantastic that you are learning how to skin, and if you like the skin that is more important than someone else liking the skin.

Myself personally, I would never use this, not on my cabinet, nor on my home cinema.

I can see where you are trying to go with the skin, but it is probably more aimed at the enthusiast rather than the gamer.

The third graphic of the Sega Master System, just seems far too cluttered with images, I counted 15 not including the background.

Asterix was not a major game for the system, then you have bubble bobble, then the case art for the game, plus the video, and then some weird rocket.

For myself, it just looks far too cluttered. I would also make the graphics for the age, and players be the same as the video box, but that is me personally.

I would also try and make the skin look as same as I could, you have dark background to start with, and then suddenly you get a totally different background when you get to the Sega Mastersystem screen.

It is like looking at night and day comparing the two, I understand that you want to replicate the box art etc etc, but for me personally, it kind of get's in your face.

I really hope you do not mind my critic, but if hundred people say that they love it, just to be nice, and no one gives feedback back, unless you like the skin, then people are just giving a false positive.

Regards

Mark

[dustind900]

I kind of agree with Mark about how cluttered the game layout is. I do however like what you have going on with the menu system. Thanks. Keep it up

[dustind900]

Double post  and a bump.

Are you still working on this theme? I really dig the three menu system.

[KMetalMind]

...

Don´t worry  I´m not a graphic designer either and I understand what you mean. I made the original layouts while using Mamewah, just because I didn´t like the ones I saw. I couldn´t use animations and when I started videos weren´t as used as today, so everything was too static and needed something to stand out. I just fast ported everything to retroFE because I didn´t want to lose around 3 years of making everything by hand (layouts, screenshots per game, etc). Now there´s plenty of good content out there, and I wouldn´t use all the time I used in making all this.

The real thing is I still miss more layouts centered on each system, but it takes too much time to do that and I can´t see many people trying it at all. You either make too generic layouts per system, or they will clash between them. I personally prefer them to clash rather than being too generic, but that´s my taste.

The reason for posting the content here is in case somebody else find this usable. You can use the layouts as they are, delete any content you dislike (delete the character images if you don´t like them, and the layout will keep working), or just reuse the content you find worthwhile in your own layout. Some of the assets used were hard to make or find, so if it helps anybody, I´m glad I posted it here instead of just using it on my build.

Double post  and a bump.

Are you still working on this theme? I really dig the three menu system.

Honestly, I´ve stopped working on it for months, and I just do minor changes just to have it usable when I add new systems. I didn´t have much time on the end of the last year, but on this one I´m using my free time to enjoy the games rather than building my system. I´ll post all the content I have just in case it´s useful to anybody, and sorry for the late reply.