[download v1.0] FLAT BLUE theme released

[tekn0]

Would love this optmized for the PI3 as well. I got it almost running on the the latest retropie by setting up hardware based video decoding using FFmpeg. I am using the higher quality 480p video snaps from emumoves.

I compiled FFmpeg on the pi3 (took about 30 mins) following this guide here: https://github.com/mickelson/attract/wiki/Compiling-on-the-Raspberry-Pi-%28Raspbian-Jessie%29

Then I recompiled Attract Mode from source using the Retropie Setup script in the experimental packages.

Then verified it with running "attract -v"
-
Attract-Mode v2.2.0 (Linux, SFML 2.3 +FontConfig +RPi +SWF)

Using FFmpeg for Audio and Video.
avcodec 57.67.100 / avformat 57.59.100 / swscale 4.3.101 / swresample 2.4.100

Shaders are not available.
-

Then I enabled MMAL in the video decoding options in the attract mode general settings, and restarted attract mode.

I kept the theme zipped, it would not run otherwise(Themes seem to run better unzipped) and disabled menu graphics and it is running at around 85%. The video plays and is a little jumpy, and the menu response is a tad slow but the audio is 100%. If i add menu snaps the crawls.

I am on a 1080p display at 16:9

[verion]

I kept the theme zipped, it would not run otherwise
I've heard that before - maybe it has something with the file structure (having subfolders)

Would love this optmized for the PI3 as well.
I'm afraid it has to rewritten for RPi - it is fairy simple theme, so it must be that underlying code overhead that makes it "responsible" to screen aspect and orientation.

I'm not sure how much RPi can handle - can you test my other theme NEVATO to check if it is working on RPi?
You can download it here - www.onyxarcade.com/nevato
It also has a flat structure (no subdirectories) - I wonder if it helps with zipped/unziped theme problem.

[tekn0]

I'm not sure how much RPi can handle - can you test my other theme NEVATO to check if it is working on RPi?
You can download it here - www.onyxarcade.com/nevato
It also has a flat structure (no subdirectories) - I wonder if it helps with zipped/unziped theme problem.

I have tested NEVATO. It works great with SQ lower quality videos from emumovies and screenshots.

I also tested FlatBlue with just screenshots and no videos. It does not seem to make much of a difference in the speed. I am not an attract mode advanced user but I do see a bunch of errors from attract mode saying assets are missing when loading the theme as well.


It's to bad as this theme would be a game changer for the PI3. Even with just screenshots I prefer it over anything else. It's very elegant and well done. Great Job!

I am more into consoles then arcade stuff and Flatblue or your other one velvet seem like perfect fits. I would love to help beta test Velvet as well on the pi3.

I wonder if it's not to much to ask, even some slight layout tweaks would be awesome for the PI:

Making the left side bar wider, and increasing the font size and the menu snap size. The reason is, a lot of the emumoves and snapshot/video preview art floating around is low quality 240p or 480p. If you enlarged the sidebar like it is in velvet, this would let the menu snaps/icons shine which look good on 1080p displays at that size or a little larger.

This would also make the right side video/snap preview smaller, making it look better on 1080p screens as you would not be stretching the already low quality 420p/240p video, like it is in the velvet previews. As the fonts and theme assets scale well I would think, but the rom art movies/snaps do not seem to. So these small tweaks would still keep the elegant design while hiding the art quality at the same time.

So it would effectively be like finessing a similar look you are getting from your arcade cabs where the design is more narrow, but it's designed for a wide 16:9 1080p television. So the column ratios would be similar.

[verion]

I totally agree that snap video quality is a (general) problem.
That's why we've introduced halation shader for snaps. It looks great - especially on big TV watched from the distance (even with small res videos). But it's no go for RPi.

Plus you should use high quality videos - because AM is not that great with upscaling videos. I know RPi chokes with HQ mp4, but you can always convert it to XviD that is MUCH less demanding.

====

And all your ideas are valid... and all this you can find addressed in VELVET theme - with all the "tricks" to make video preview smaller without looking like a postcard slapped on screen.

[tekn0]

Awesome news about velvet. I am excited for that one. I really think it will be amazing. If you need any Raspberry PI3 testers please let me know.

Also can you recommend a good free batch mp4 to xvid converter? Os does not matter, I will use what ever. Are the avi extensions supported? Looks like this one called freemake would do the trick: http://www.freemake.com/how_to/how_to_convert_mp4_to_avi_free

[verion]

On mac - Handbrake
But you have to download old version - 0.9.3 was the last that was supporting XviD (here: http://www.oldapps.com/mac/handbrake.php?old_handbrake=20)

[calle81]

The Pi3 can play up to 720P videos with a cap at 30FPS if you have compiled ffmpeg and attractmode with mmal. Here is a demo I made https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZlfS9Ol6gw

480P video snaps should be ok.

[verion]

Good news!

Chris (the guy behind all of the FB coding) just bought RPi - especially to see if he can optimize FLAT BLUE to work on RPi.

----

But we could use a little help - if someone can upload and share working RPi 3 image with fully configured and 100% working Attract Mode - that would be great. This way we could focus on FLAT BLUE itself instead of reinventing the wheel and instaling/compiling and configuring AM.

No need to share it publicly - just PM me with the details.

[tekn0]

I sent a PM, but for anyone else interested.

I absolutely know of an image with full working Attract mode hardware video support and it's hyperspin/hyperlist ready. It is available here, it's the image I use and it runs great with 240p videos stock from emumovies. No roms are included. https://mega.nz/#!MMcwTBiS!FNS95ap52HRjEdm7KKX63QsHCd4-Gs0cvHryS-kfNW4

Some info on the image is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pzxL7dKqUA&t=1151s

[tekn0]

The Pi3 can play up to 720P videos with a cap at 30FPS if you have compiled ffmpeg and attractmode with mmal. Here is a demo I made https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZlfS9Ol6gw

480P video snaps should be ok.

Interesting, 480p videos seems to skip around for me. I have not tried the xvid conversion yet. Just stock from emumovies.

[verion]

thanks tekn0

[michaelps100]

Hy guys, on raspberry pi 3, retropie ver4.0.2, flat blue doesn't work well, the images doesn't show, background video plays and the list its a simple list,  it's only with me or anymore have same problems?

[RandoCalrisian]

Verion, just wanted to take a moment to thank you and Chris for the beautiful theme.  I came across this wanting it for the rpi3 as the vertical layout was something I really wanted for a cocktail build I was doing for someone.  Alas, as it is, it's simply too much for the pi3 to handle.

However, having sat down at home on my nice windows box and bothering myself enough to setup a nice front end environment for my personal emulation (funny how much work i'll do for someone else's stuff, but I'll still bother to click around for me, lol), and using this theme, I'm very impressed and happy with it. 

Thanks fellas.

[verion]

thanks

[ilikecheese9000]

Great theme!

I can't get videos to play in the background for whatever reason. I have an old Optiplex running windows 10 with integrated graphics and have the videos listed under C:/mame/video and the reference path matching. At least, I think I do. I'm relatively new to this stuff. Could someone point me in the right direction of getting this fixed? Thanks!