[download] NEVATO theme

[verion]

============
      UPDATE
============

FINALLY! The NEVATO theme is ready for download.
I hope you'll like it.



download
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
you can download the theme from a dedicated webpage:
www.ONYXarcade.com/nevato


a quick summary:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

• it works with 16:9, 16:10, 4:3, 5:4 aspects
• it does not work with vertical aspects

• it's hi-res, native resolution is 1920x1200, but of course it scales down and up

• led-style marquees for gaming platforms are included in download
• you can switch to that marquees in NEVATO layout options MARQUEE ARTWORK > emulator-name
• you can rename the marquees artwork to match your emulator name [ snes-marquee.jpg, mame-marquee.jpg, etc ]

• you can use your own marquee (if you have one) -  in NEVATO layout options choose MARQUEE ARTWORK > my-own and replace "my-own-marquee.jpg" file with your own.
• Default size is 400x123px, but it will stretch-to-fit, so any other resolution should be fine.

• if you are using FANART as a background artwork, be sure you have fanart path defined in settings GENERAL > EMULATORS > MAME > fanart > enter-the-path
• it's a good idea to add flyer path to fanart path, this way you'll see flyer artwork if you are missing fanart for a particular game

• the copy of a font "digital_7" is included in a download - you have to install it in your system if you want that LCD screen font to display correctly. This is free for personal use.

testing and reporting bugs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Please test it and report any issues.
It is working perfectly on my setup (i5, intel HD, OS X 10.10, AM v. 1.6.2), but it can be broken on yours - please let me know.

OTHER EMULATORS (than mame)
I was testing it only with mame, since I'm not using any other emulators.
So please test it with other emulators and let me know if it is ok.
The most problematic can be using flyers with different aspect than arcade ones - especially if emulator is using cd-covers or cartrige photos. This is because mame flyers are vertical rectangles and with horizontal or square artwork the background artwork coordinates may require some fixing.

USER FIXES AND CHANGES
If you'll come up with a fix or a change to this theme - please let me know so I can incorporate it in a theme. I would prefer to have one perfectly working theme than a bunch of forks fixing various issues.


4:3 (or 5:4) ASPECT
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I don't have 4:3 monitor - so I was testing theme in a window with fixed resolution. It should emulate 4:3 screen, buy I can't be sure. Please test it with 4:3 screen and let me know if it works or if something needs fixing








==========
initial #1 post archive below:

I'm working on a new theme.

main design goals:

• square snap placeholder, works equally good for vertical and horizontal snaps
• marquee on top (with the option to swap it for emulator logo)
• segment LCD display for various info - like played games count or emulator name or any info that AM can scrap
• gorgeous wheel list (by omegaman)
  
• fanart or flyer heavily styled background
  

The layout is for wide screens - mainly because I have a wide screen and we don't have that much of a widescreen layouts in AM. But when it will be finished - I can modify it to fit 4:3 screen.

[verion]

I'm thinking about ditching the idea of square snap window and making two separate (horizontal) layouts for verical and horizontal games. I can modify cab image and make two separate cabs - one with horizontal screen and one with vertical. And use each layout with the filtered view of either vertical or horizontal games.

Chime in and tell me what you think.

[Onkel_Tom]

Hi, I very much like the idea of having two separate cab images.
I always disliked the vertical images being cropped/resized into a square display.
Thanks, Tom

[omegaman]

Verion-

Nice theme, I like how you incorporated the rom info into the cab design. The scanline effect used on the background creates a nice texture for the backdrop, I like it. 

[verion]

The primary idea behind the backdrop styling was to fix the quality of some (well... a lot) of fanart/flyers with faded colors and low resolution.
Plus it adds some depth to the display and helps cab and wheel stand up more.

[Gryzor]

It looks really good - looking forward to giving it a go

[verion]

It will take a while - since I'm learning how to code it in a way that will make this theme aspect aware - at least for 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 aspects
I'm not sure if 4:3 will work (without coding a separate layout) - but I have semi-working 16:9 and 16/10 layout right now that keeps cab image aspect (i.e. no stretching).

[verion]

working prototype screenshots below

it is working out-of-the-box for 16:9 and 16:10 and keeps cab and backdrop aspect (no stretching) - without any config changes or .nut tweaks needed

There is some stretching with wheel list - but I can live with that.

----

I've decided to crop the cab and background from the bottom with 16:9 aspect.
I can just scale down the cab - but scaling down the cab will result in smaller snaps size and (maybe) too much of an artwork in the middle that would be hard to fill with vertical artwork (like posters).

Tell me what you think.

[Obiwantje]

I love the design of this theme! - Given that I am using a Taito Egret III with a 4:3 29" CRT - I am hoping I too will get to enjoy a 4:3 (horizontal) and 3:4 (vertical) version!

[verion]

here is a mockup (static, not coded) of 4:3 aspect

[verion]

Did you noticed? The same graphics looks somehow faded (less saturated) in AM.


   running AM (aspect 16:9 and 16:10) = less saturated

                               vs
   
   Photoshopped mockup (aspect 4:3) = more saturated


The same graphics are used in both cases.

[tipoto]

Maybe I'm wrong, but it's probably because of the color profile you use in Photoshop, I guess AM uses srgb or no profile at all while you maybe use by default your monitor profile. Try to play with the different color profiles or maybe create a new file with the basic srgb profile and duplicate all the layers of your layout onto it and see how it looks.

[verion]

Not really... we are talking about THE SAME file (like background.png) that has different color in AM and different when opened in plain image viewer.

PNG is exported as sRGB, but just for fun - I've saved that PNG with and without color profile embedded - it makes no difference.


Bellow you can see screenshot. The same orange file as background in AM vs the same file opened in image viewer. I've copied part of AM screenshot over the original file - so you can clearly see the difference.

[tipoto]

The working space profile in Photoshop can be different than the profile the file has itself, so Photoshop can change the way it displays the colors of an image without actually affecting the image.

[verion]

Yea, I know - that's why both (PS and file export) are set to DISPLAY profile with color managment disabled. Plus I'm saving that file WITHOUT color profile. Well... I'll just create a new file and reimport all graphics to new color space.

But it's not only my graphics - I've just overlayed DKong Jr Wheel graphics over THE SAME wheel graphics displayed in AM
Original graphics is on the left (little lighter) and AM screenshot is on the right.

---

It is an interesting issue to investigate further - I think it is worth having a separate topic.
omegaman - can you make it a separate topic?, please