Improved Performance Mode for Image Grid

📋 Summary Add a faster rendering mode for the LaunchBox image grid that improves scrolling performance in large libraries, even if it uses a simpler and more uniform layout. ❗ Problem The image grid can become laggy with large libraries, especially during fast scrolling. A major reason for this is the current layout behavior, where LaunchBox performs heavy per-row calculations to: Find the tallest image in each visible row Resize the row to match that height Align text consistently across the row This creates a nicer looking layout, but it adds significant overhead while scrolling. The result is that: Scrollbar movement can lag behind user input Fast scrolling feels less responsive Large libraries become noticeably less smooth to browse 💡 Proposal Introduce an optional performance focused image grid mode that prioritizes responsiveness over perfect visual alignment. Possible approaches: Use fixed size containers for all grid items Or use a small number of predefined size buckets for different box shapes Reduce or remove per-row height calculations Let text sit directly beneath each image instead of forcing row-wide alignment This would allow much smoother one-to-one scrollbar movement and faster grid rendering. 📦 Benefits Dramatically improves scrolling performance in large libraries Makes the scrollbar feel more responsive and accurate Reduces lag when browsing image heavy platforms Gives users the choice between visual polish and speed 💡 Notes This could be an optional “Performance Mode” rather than replacing the current grid The main tradeoff is less consistent text alignment and potentially more whitespace A simplified but smooth image grid would likely be preferable for many users with very large collections

AstroBob About 4 hours ago

LaunchBox for Windows

Allow Alternative Sorting Options in Big Box

See @Show Sort Groupings in Big Box Views for a similar request, related to sorting groups in Big Box 📋 Summary Allow Big Box to sort game lists by fields other than Title, such as release date, star rating, or play count, even if this requires temporarily disabling the alphabetical index. ❗ Problem Big Box currently relies heavily on the alphanumeric index, which assumes lists are sorted by title. Because of this: Sorting by other fields (release date, rating, play count, etc.) is not supported Users cannot easily browse collections in ways that LaunchBox already allows Many users want alternative sorting methods for playlists or platform views For example, users may want to browse: Games by release date Games by star rating Games by play count or last played 💡 Proposal Allow flat sorting in Big Box by additional fields, such as: Release date Star rating Play count Last played Date added When a non-title sort is selected: The alphabetical index could be temporarily disabled Big Box could display a simple indicator showing the active sort field 📦 Benefits Brings Big Box sorting capabilities closer to LaunchBox Enables more meaningful ways to browse large libraries Supports playlist views such as “Top Rated” or “Most Played” Gives users greater flexibility in how their collections are explored 💡 Notes Grouped sorting (like LaunchBox’s category groupings) is a separate, more complex problem Initial scope focuses only on flat sorting of lists UI context indicators may be needed to avoid confusion when the alphabetical index is disabled

AstroBob About 4 hours ago

LaunchBox for Windows

Search Within LaunchBox Preferences

📋 Summary Add a search bar to LaunchBox preferences, allowing users to quickly locate specific settings without manually browsing through every category. ❗ Problem LaunchBox has a large and growing number of configuration options, but currently: Users must manually navigate through many tabs and categories to find a setting It can be difficult to remember where a specific option lives New users especially may struggle to locate certain preferences Many modern applications provide a search function in their settings to solve this problem. 💡 Proposal Add a search field at the top of the Options / Preferences window that: Filters settings based on keywords Highlights or jumps directly to matching options Shows results across all preference categories 📦 Benefits Makes settings much easier to discover and access Reduces time spent navigating through menus Improves usability for both new and experienced users Aligns LaunchBox with modern application UX patterns 💡 Notes Results could display as a filtered list or jump directly to the relevant section Should search setting names and possibly descriptions Existing navigation structure would remain unchanged

AstroBob About 5 hours ago

LaunchBox for Windows

List View Column Headers Missing After Restart

📌 Summary We’re aware of an issue where column headers in List View may appear blank after starting LaunchBox. This occurs if LaunchBox is closed while in List View. When reopening the application, the column headers at the top of the list may be empty, even though the rest of the view loads correctly. 🔎 How to Reproduce Switch LaunchBox to List View Close LaunchBox completely Reopen LaunchBox The column headers will appear blank. 🛠 Workaround Switch to Image View, then switch back to List View. This will refresh the view and restore the column headers. 🗓 Additional Notes This is a longstanding List View issue. While it does not impact core functionality, we understand it can be confusing or visually disruptive. We’re planning broader improvements to List View behaviour and performance, and this will be reviewed as part of that work.

AstroBob 11 days ago

🐛

Bug Report

Shutdown Process Visibility When Closing LaunchBox

📋 Summary Add a visible shutdown progress window when closing LaunchBox or Big Box that clearly shows which background processes are being completed before the application fully exits. ❗ Problem Some users experience situations where: LaunchBox or Big Box appears to close, but remains running in Task Manager Relaunching triggers the “Another instance is already running” message Multiple hidden Big Box instances appear in Windows audio mixer Users must manually end processes in Task Manager While the app is often still writing data, creating backups, or finalizing operations, this is not visible to the user. From their perspective, the app has already closed — leading to confusion and frustration. 💡 Proposal When exiting LaunchBox or Big Box, display a small shutdown window that shows: Saving data Writing settings Creating backup (if enabled) Finalizing processes This window would: Prevent the app from appearing fully closed until cleanup is complete Show a progress indicator or step-by-step status Optionally allow users to cancel or force close (with warning) 📦 Benefits Makes background cleanup transparent and understandable Reduces confusion around the “Another instance is already running” message Prevents users from reopening the app before shutdown is complete Improves perceived stability and polish 💡 Notes Should only appear if shutdown takes longer than a short threshold (e.g., 1–2 seconds) Default behavior could remain silent for very fast exits Could help with troubleshooting by identifying which shutdown step is hanging

AstroBob 14 days ago

LaunchBox for Windows

Allow XAML theming for Manage Themes pages

Allow the following pages to be customized via the BigBox XAML theming system: Manage Themes Manage Startup Themes Manage Pause Themes Currently these views appear to be hardcoded and not overridable through Themes\[ThemeName]\Views\. As a theme creator, having control over these pages would improve visual consistency across BigBox.

light.sock6996 16 days ago

LaunchBox for Windows

Trackball / Spinner support for BigBox - Spin the wheel!

📋 Summary Add support for trackballs and spinners to control Big Box wheels, using up and down mouse style movement to navigate game and platform selection. ❗ Problem Big Box wheels are typically controlled via keyboard, gamepad, or joystick, but many arcade setups include a trackball or spinner that feels perfect for this type of navigation. Currently: Trackball and spinner movement does not map cleanly to wheel navigation Arcade cabinet users lose an intuitive, tactile way to browse This has been requested multiple times over the years, and similar front ends already support it 💡 Proposal Allow trackball and spinner input to control wheel scrolling: Map up and down movement to wheel navigation speed and direction Support both trackballs and spinners as mouse movement style input Add an input option in Big Box controls, for example: Enable Trackball or Spinner Wheel Control Sensitivity or acceleration setting Optional inertia smoothing for a natural spin feel 📦 Benefits Makes arcade cabinet navigation more authentic and fun Improves accessibility for setups that are built around these controls Reduces reliance on a separate joystick or d pad for browsing Brings Big Box closer to the experience offered by other arcade focused front ends

fursphere 18 days ago

2

LaunchBox for Windows

Close Notification Tray, After Clicking Clear All

In LaunchBox, if you click the ‘Clear All’ notification button, close the notification tray while you’re at it. Nothing left there to see, anyways :)

VodkaParalyzer 21 days ago

LaunchBox for Windows

Platform Specific Actions in Platform Context Menu

📋 Summary When browsing by Platform (or Platform Category) in LaunchBox, add platform specific actions to the right click context menu for a selected platform in the Side View. ❗ Problem Many useful platform level tools already exist, but they’re not discoverable or convenient when you’re actively browsing platforms: Users expect platform actions to be accessible directly from the platform they’re viewing Maintenance tasks require navigating through menus instead of acting on the selected platform This makes common workflows feel less intuitive, especially for new users 💡 Proposal Add platform specific actions to the platform right click menu in the Side View, such as: Scan for Added or Removed ROMs for selected platform Cleanup Media for selected platform Audit selected platform Scan platform for achievements These actions should operate only on the currently selected platform (and ideally reflect the current view context). 📦 Benefits Makes platform maintenance tools easier to find and faster to use Improves workflow when managing large libraries Reduces menu hunting by placing actions where users expect them 💡 Notes Should only appear when right clicking a platform item (not games) Default behavior unchanged if users prefer existing menus Could be expanded later to include other platform tools as needed

VodkaParalyzer 21 days ago

1

LaunchBox for Windows

Separate Image Category for AI-Generated Fanart

📋 Summary Introduce a separate image category for AI-generated fanart, allowing users to distinguish it from traditionally created fanart and optionally exclude it from their collections. ❗ Problem Some users prefer not to include AI-generated images in their libraries. Currently: AI-generated fanart is uploaded under existing fanart categories There is no clear distinction between AI-created and traditionally created artwork Users cannot easily filter out AI-generated content This makes it difficult for users with specific preferences to manage their media cleanly. 💡 Proposal Create a parallel set of image categories specifically for AI-generated content, such as: Fanart (AI) And other applicable fanart categories These would: Be clearly labeled as AI-generated Be filterable or optionally excluded from downloads and display Apply only to user-generated AI artwork If an official release uses AI artwork, it would remain in the standard image category. 📦 Benefits Gives users control over whether AI-generated art appears in their collection Maintains transparency in media sourcing Prevents mixing AI and non-AI artwork in the same category Supports both users who want AI artwork and those who prefer to avoid it 💡 Notes Should integrate with existing image filtering and download settings Labeling standards may need to be defined for uploads Default behavior could continue treating all images equally unless filtered

HanzJWeasel 22 days ago

2

LaunchBox Games Database

Epic Games account import returns “No new games were found” without showing game list.

I’m experiencing an issue when importing my Epic Games account in LaunchBox for Windows (version 13.25). When I go to: Tools → Import → Epic Games Store LaunchBox automatically authenticates (no login window appears), but immediately shows: “No new games were found to import.” The import wizard does not display the game selection screen at all. Important details: My Epic account contains new games that were not previously imported. Epic login appears to complete automatically. WebView2 Runtime is installed and was reinstalled as administrator. Settings.xml was checked and EpicToken was cleared. No Epic platform currently exists in my LaunchBox setup. All PC games are under the “Windows” platform. The issue persists after reinstalling WebView2 and restarting Windows. Previously, Epic account import worked correctly. It seems that the Epic API authentication succeeds, but the returned game list is empty. Please let me know if logs are needed and where I can provide them. Thank you.

david93ashes 24 days ago

3

LaunchBox for Windows

Add “Mod” as a Release Type in the Games Database

📋 Summary Add a “Mod” release type to the LaunchBox Games Database to better categorize PC game mods and similar content. ❗ Problem There are many high quality and historically significant PC mods, but currently: There is no dedicated “Mod” release type Mods are often forced into categories that don’t accurately describe them “ROM Hack” does not apply to non-ROM based projects This creates inconsistency and confusion in classification As the database grows, clearer categorization becomes more important. 💡 Proposal Introduce a new Release Type: Mod in the Games Database: Specifically for modifications of existing games Primarily aimed at PC mods, but flexible enough for other applicable cases Separate from: ROM Hacks Official Releases Homebrew This would allow mods to be properly identified and filtered. 📦 Benefits Improves database clarity and organization Prevents mislabeling of PC mods as ROM hacks Makes it easier for users to filter and search for modded content Better reflects the importance of modding in gaming history 💡 Notes Could later support subcategories (e.g., total conversion, overhaul, balance mod) Should not change how existing ROM Hack entries function Clear moderation guidelines may be needed for edge cases

TheNewClassics 24 days ago

2

LaunchBox Games Database

Batch Add or Remove Startup Apps

📋 Summary Add an official way in LaunchBox to batch add and batch remove Startup Apps for multiple selected games. ❗ Problem Some users rely on Startup Apps for things like scripts, tools, overlays, bezels, or controller utilities. Currently: Startup Apps must be added or removed one game at a time A community plugin, “Bulk Run Before After”, previously helped, but no longer works in recent LaunchBox versions and only supported adding, not deleting Managing Startup Apps across large libraries becomes slow and error prone 💡 Proposal Add batch management tools for Startup Apps: Select multiple games, then choose: Batch add Startup App Batch remove Startup App Options for removal: Remove a specific Startup App by name or path Remove all Startup Apps from selected games Ideally available from right click context menus and or the Tools menu 📦 Benefits Saves significant time for users managing large libraries Reduces manual mistakes and inconsistencies Replaces reliance on outdated plugins Makes advanced workflows easier to maintain 💡 Notes Should include a confirmation prompt before bulk removal Could optionally support “replace” behavior (remove then add) for migration workflows

RVS1967 About 1 month ago

3

LaunchBox for Windows

Display Game Ratings as Percent or Other Formats

📋 Summary Add native options in LaunchBox and Big Box to display game ratings as a percentage (and optionally other formats), without changing how ratings are stored or entered. ❗ Problem LaunchBox currently displays ratings primarily as a 5 star value. This works well, but it limits theme creators and UI customization: Themes often need ratings shown as percent, out of 10, or text Converting star values inside XAML usually requires heavy triggers or visual hacks These conversions can add overhead in wheels and large lists, causing lag Plugins can solve it, but add complexity and reliability concerns for both creators and users Theme creators need a lightweight, native way to render ratings in different formats. 💡 Proposal Introduce display format options for ratings, handled by the core logic engine: Keep rating entry and storage unchanged Add new display outputs such as: Percent (0 to 100%) Out of 10 Optional text labels (e.g., Mixed, Good, Excellent) Expose these as theme friendly fields so creators can use them without custom conversion logic 📦 Benefits Gives theme creators more flexibility without hacks or plugins Reduces UI overhead from XAML conversions and triggers Improves performance in wheels and large views Keeps the existing rating system intact while expanding presentation options 💡 Notes Default behavior should remain 5 star display Mapping rules for text labels could be configurable or fixed Percent and out of 10 can be derived directly from the existing 0.1 to 5.0 rating value

SIMPLY AUSTIN About 1 month ago

2

LaunchBox for Windows

Command Line Options to Launch Games via LaunchBox

📋 Summary Add official command line arguments for LaunchBox.exe (and optionally BigBox.exe) to launch a specific game, platform, or playlist even when LaunchBox is not already running. ❗ Problem Some users want to trigger game launches from external tools (e.g., Stream Deck, scripts, shortcuts), but currently: Third party tools often require LaunchBox to already be running Directly launching emulators bypasses LaunchBox features such as: Play counts and play time tracking Startup and shutdown apps Pause screens and themes Loading screens and other launch flow features Users want a reliable way to launch through LaunchBox without needing to keep the app open. 💡 Proposal Add command line options that allow: Launch a game by title, ID, or database key Optionally filter by platform or playlist to resolve duplicates LaunchBox starts in the background, launches the game, and records play data as normal Example usage: LaunchBox.exe -launch "Game Name" LaunchBox.exe -platform "Nintendo 64" -launch "GoldenEye 007" LaunchBox.exe -playlist "Favourites" -launch "Game Name" 📦 Benefits Enables Stream Deck and automation workflows without plugins Preserves LaunchBox tracking and launch features Reduces scripting complexity and avoids emulator-specific launch logic Makes LaunchBox easier to integrate with external tools and front ends 💡 Notes Should work whether LaunchBox is running or not If multiple games match, return an error or log a list of candidates Consider an option to start minimized or hidden when launched via CLI

shredder_guitarist About 1 month ago

2

LaunchBox for Windows

Keep Default Dimensions When Overriding 3D Model Settings

When overriding a game’s default 3D model settings, there should be an option to keep the platform’s default case dimensions. Right now, if I only want to change something small, like the spine or cover background color, LaunchBox stops using the default case dimensions and resizes the model based on the image unless I manually enter custom dimensions. For platforms like Sega Genesis, that means extra guesswork just to preserve the correct case shape. A “Keep default dimensions” option would make it much easier to customize small visual details without having to manually recreate the platform’s default measurements.

Snowboo About 1 month ago

2

LaunchBox for Windows

Sorting Options for Save Backups

📋 Summary Add sorting options for Save Backups in LaunchBox so users can sort saves alphabetically, by creation date, or manually. ❗ Problem Save Backups are currently not sortable, which makes ordered save sets hard to manage: Saves cannot be sorted alphabetically by name Users cannot choose to sort by creation date Naming conventions that rely on ordering become messy when saves are created out of sequence Example: a user names saves by stage number, but later creates an earlier stage save, causing the list order to appear incorrect. 💡 Proposal Add a sort feature in the Save Backups menu with options such as: Sort by Creation Date (newest first or oldest first) Sort Alphabetically by File Name Optional Manual Ordering (drag and drop or move up down) 📦 Benefits Keeps save backup lists organized and predictable Supports common naming conventions (e.g., numbered progression saves) Makes it easier to find the right save quickly Improves usability for games with multiple backup checkpoints 💡 Notes Default sorting could remain as is, with user selected sorting saved per game or globally Manual ordering could store an internal sort order without renaming files

Special-T About 1 month ago

2

LaunchBox for Windows

Advance to next game in Screensaver when gameplay Video ends

Have option in Screensaver mode to advance to next game after video finishes. If no video, then respect minimum and maximum time limits configured.

VodkaParalyzer About 1 month ago

LaunchBox for Windows

Section Sidebar Cannot Be Shown or Hidden

Status: Known Issue Affects: LaunchBox for Windows 13.25 Summary The section sidebar cannot be toggled on or off using the menu option or the Ctrl + S shortcut. Details In LaunchBox 13.25, the option to show or hide the section sidebar no longer responds when triggered via: The menu option The Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut As a result: Users who previously had the sidebar hidden are unable to turn it back on Users who always had the sidebar enabled may not notice the issue Other similar UI toggles (such as the Game Details pane) continue to work as expected The issue is reproducible on the 13.25 release and does not occur in 13.25 Beta 3. The root cause has been identified as an internal logic error introduced during code cleanup work prior to release. 🔧 Temporary Workaround (Advanced Users) If you are currently stuck without a sidebar, you can force it back on by manually editing the LaunchBox settings file. Close LaunchBox completely Navigate to your LaunchBox folder Open Settings.xml Locate the following line: false ensure it is set to true Save the file and relaunch LaunchBox ⚠️ Only edit this file if you’re comfortable making manual changes. We recommend backing up the file first. Next Steps The issue has already been fixed internally and is going through code review. The fix is planned to be included in the next hotfix or hotfix beta.

AstroBob About 1 month ago

3

Known Issue

🐛

Bug Report

Big Box Platform Wheel Not Rendering Until Scrolling

Status: Known Issue Affects: Big Box, LaunchBox 13.25 Workaround: Scrolling forces the wheel to render Summary In some Big Box themes, the platform wheel may not appear when entering Platform View and only becomes visible after scrolling. Details This issue: Only affects older vertical coverflow style wheels Does not affect horizontal wheels Does not affect the newer styled coverflow wheels The issue occurs during initial view load and impacts how these legacy wheel elements initialise. Next Steps We’re actively testing a fix and expect this issue to be resolved alongside the background image fix in an upcoming hotfix.

AstroBob About 1 month ago

2

Known Issue

🐛

Bug Report