Artwork4DMD

Artwork4DMD is a C# application for both Windows and Linux to create artwork for DMD (Dot Matrix Display) by

• Fetching artwork from the Launchbox Game Database
• Converting local GIFs to a format suitable for a DMD

This artwork can be used for example by DOF2DMD to display game marquees on a DMD.

Converting LaunchBox Game Database Clear Logos

• Original (3973x1268 pixels)

  

• 128x32

  

• 256x64

  

Converting local GIF images to fit or fill DMD

• Original

  

• 128x32 Fit

  

• 128x32 Fill

  

• 256x64 Fit

  

• 256x64 Fill

  

Description

This application can process game information from Launchbox's Metadata.xml file, downloads game "clear logos", and converts them into a format suitable for use with DMD displays. It also supports converting local GIF files to DMD-compatible formats. It's particularly useful for arcade and retro gaming enthusiasts who want to enhance their gaming setup with custom artwork.

Features

For Launchbox game database:

• Parses Metadata.xml file from Launchbox Game Database
• Downloads game logos for specified platforms
• Converts images to a suitable format for DMD displays (128x32 or 256x64 or anything else, high contrast, black background, centered)
• Supports all gaming platforms from Launchbox (configurable)

For local GIF folder:

• Converts local GIF files to a suitable format for DMD displays (128x32 or 256x64 or anything else, high contrast, black background, centered)

Installation

• Windows

  1. Install .NET 8 "Runtime desktop" from Microsoft: Download .NET 8 Runtime
  2. Download the Windows binary (artwork4dmd-windows.zip) from the Release section
  3. Extract the ZIP file to your desired location

• Linux

  1. Install .NET 8 for Linux:

     wget https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sh
     chmod +x ./dotnet-install.sh
     ./dotnet-install.sh --channel 8.
     

  2. Download the Linux binary (artwork4dmd-linux.zip) from the Release section

  3. Extract the ZIP file: unzip artwork4dmd-linux.zip -d artwork4dmd

Configuration

The application uses a settings.ini file for configuration. You can specify:

• Platforms to include (Platforms)
• Output directory (OutputFolder)
• Output sizes (for 128x32 DMD and 256x64 DMD for example)
• Whether to download and convert from LaunchBox game DB (ConvertOnlineLaunchboxGamesDB)
• Whether to convert local GIF files (ConvertLocalGifFiles)
• The number of colors for GIF files (GifColors)
• Whether to fit the image inside the dimensions of the DMD or fill the DMD and crop (GifScaleMode=fill|fit)
• The background color for marquees (BackgroundColor=#000000, defaults to black)

[Settings]
ConvertOnlineLaunchboxGamesDB=true
Platforms=Arcade
;Platforms=Arcade,Amstrad CPC,Commodore Amiga,Commodore 64,Atari ST
OutputFolder=.
Overwrite=false
OutputSizes=128x32,256x64
ConvertLocalGifFiles=false
LocalGifFolder=C:\path\to\your\gif\folder
GifColors=128
; GifScaleMode=fill or fit
GifScaleMode=fill
BackgroundColor=#000000

Usage

• Windows

  • Configure your settings.ini file with desired parameters.
  • Double-click the artwork4dmd.exe file or run it from the command line: .\artwork4dmd.exe

• Linux

  • Configure your settings.ini file with desired parameters.
  • Make the application executable: chmod +x artwork4dmd
  • Run the application: ./artwork4dmd

To display a list of all available platforms, run in a terminal:

artwork4dmd --list-platforms

The program will parse the Metadata.xml file and print a list of unique platform names to the console. Add them to your settings.ini as needed.

To date, the list of available platforms are:

<details>

• 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
• Aamber Pegasus
• Acorn Archimedes
• Acorn Atom
• Acorn Electron
• Amstrad CPC
• Amstrad GX4000
• Android
• APF Imagination Machine
• Apogee BK-01
• Apple II
• Apple IIGS
• Apple iOS
• Apple Mac OS
• Arcade
• Atari 2600
• Atari 5200
• Atari 7800
• Atari 800
• Atari Jaguar
• Atari Jaguar CD
• Atari Lynx
• Atari ST
• Atari XEGS
• Bally Astrocade
• BBC Microcomputer System
• Camputers Lynx
• Casio Loopy
• Casio PV-1000
• Coleco ADAM
• ColecoVision
• Commodore 128
• Commodore 64
• Commodore Amiga
• Commodore Amiga CD32
• Commodore CDTV
• Commodore MAX Machine
• Commodore PET
• Commodore Plus 4
• Commodore VIC-20
• Dragon 32/64
• EACA EG2000 Colour Genie
• Elektronika BK
• Emerson Arcadia 2001
• Enterprise
• Entex Adventure Vision
• Epoch Game Pocket Computer
• Epoch Super Cassette Vision
• Exelvision EXL 100
• Exidy Sorcerer
• Fairchild Channel F
• Fujitsu FM Towns Marty
• Fujitsu FM-7
• Funtech Super Acan
• Game Wave Family Entertainment System
• GamePark GP32
• GameWave
• GCE Vectrex
• Hartung Game Master
• Hector HRX
• Interton VC 4000
• Jupiter Ace
• Linux
• Magnavox Odyssey
• Magnavox Odyssey 2
• Matra and Hachette Alice
• Mattel Aquarius
• Mattel HyperScan
• Mattel Intellivision
• Mega Duck
• Memotech MTX512
• Microsoft MSX
• Microsoft MSX2
• Microsoft MSX2+
• Microsoft Xbox
• Microsoft Xbox 360
• Microsoft Xbox One
• Microsoft Xbox Series X/S
• MS-DOS
• MUGEN
• Namco System 22
• NEC PC-8801
• NEC PC-9801
• NEC PC-FX
• NEC TurboGrafx-16
• NEC TurboGrafx-CD
• Nintendo 3DS
• Nintendo 64
• Nintendo 64DD
• Nintendo DS
• Nintendo Entertainment System
• Nintendo Famicom Disk System
• Nintendo Game & Watch
• Nintendo Game Boy
• Nintendo Game Boy Advance
• Nintendo Game Boy Color
• Nintendo GameCube
• Nintendo Pokemon Mini
• Nintendo Satellaview
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Virtual Boy
• Nintendo Wii
• Nintendo Wii U
• Nokia N-Gage
• Nuon
• OpenBOR
• Oric Atmos
• Othello Multivision
• Ouya
• PC Engine SuperGrafx
• Philips CD-i
• Philips VG 5000
• Philips Videopac+
• PICO-8
• Pinball
• RCA Studio II
• SAM Coupé
• Sammy Atomiswave
• ScummVM
• Sega 32X
• Sega CD
• Sega CD 32X
• Sega Dreamcast
• Sega Dreamcast VMU
• Sega Game Gear
• Sega Genesis
• Sega Hikaru
• Sega Master System
• Sega Model 1
• Sega Model 2
• Sega Model 3
• Sega Naomi
• Sega Naomi 2
• Sega Pico
• Sega Saturn
• Sega SC-3000
• Sega SG-1000
• Sega ST-V
• Sega System 16
• Sega System 32
• Sega Triforce
• Sharp MZ-2500
• Sharp X1
• Sharp X68000
• Sinclair ZX Spectrum
• Sinclair ZX-81
• SNK Neo Geo AES
• SNK Neo Geo CD
• SNK Neo Geo MVS
• SNK Neo Geo Pocket
• SNK Neo Geo Pocket Color
• Sony Playstation
• Sony Playstation 2
• Sony Playstation 3
• Sony Playstation 4
• Sony Playstation 5
• Sony Playstation Vita
• Sony PocketStation
• Sony PSP
• Sony PSP Minis
• Sord M5
• Spectravideo
• Super Nintendo Entertainment System
• Taito Type X
• Tandy TRS-80
• Tapwave Zodiac
• Texas Instruments TI 99/4A
• Tiger Game.com
• Tomy Tutor
• TRS-80 Color Computer
• Vector-06C
• VTech CreatiVision
• VTech Socrates
• VTech V.Smile
• Watara Supervision
• Web Browser
• Windows
• Windows 3.X
• WonderSwan
• WonderSwan Color
• WoW Action Max
• XaviXPORT
• ZiNc

</details>

Building

To build the application as a single file:

• Windows

  dotnet publish -r win-x64 -c Release /p:PublishSingleFile=true /p:IncludeNativeLibrariesForSelfExtract=true
  

• Linux

  dotnet publish -r linux-x64 -c Release /p:PublishSingleFile=true /p:IncludeNativeLibrariesForSelfExtract=true
  

License

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

Acknowledgments

• Launchbox Game Database for providing the game metadata and artwork.