• Using Retroplayer as launcher, roms wont launch first time, I select the rom and then core, it then goes back to a different view (icon list.) If I then select the game it will launch straight away after selecting the core again. (I have defined rom_extensions as retroplayer save states files are in the same dir).
  
• With the HL service running things get very rough, I get slowdowns until I restart kodi when moving through lists quickly and it's trying to load up background snaps. I also get some weird skin glitches in the systems list, I think its because I have no snaps defined for the emulators (dont want this).
  

(2016-01-29, 04:52)teeedubb Wrote: Hyper Launcher
A ROM launcher for Kodi that uses HyperSpin assets.



Features:

• Generates ROM lists from HyperList XML's.
  
• Configure fallback artwork for game icons and fanart.
  
• Background playback of trailer videos after a predefined idle time (requires service.hyper.launcher).
  
• Is a video addon so more view and artwork types are available (clearart, banner, thumbs, poster, media, fanart and trailers)
  
• Search all systems or individual systems.
  
• Set launcher script per system or per game or when starting a ROM.
  
• Sort lists by Name, Genre and Date, Rating and Studio.
  
• Automatically navigate to last browsed system on Kodi restart.(requires service.hyper.launcher)
  
• Attract mode when idle (requires service.hyper.launcher).
  
• Display associated game and system artwork (videos, music, images and PDF manuals) in Kodi (PDF's require additional software).
  
• RetroPlayer support (needs more testing with multi file roms)
  
• Select random item.
  
• Ability to launch game variants when selecting parent ROM.
  
• Option to display a 'All Games' main menu item.
  

Configuration:
The addon requires several files to be copied to the addon_data/plugin.hyper.launcher directory within your userdata folder before the addon is usable (necessary folders are created on the addon's first run):

• For each system, a HyperList XML file is required inside the systems folder. The name of the XML file is what will be displayed in Kodi and will used for system configs, system artwork and system videos.
  
• A system config file in the systems_config folder for each system. File is to be named the same as the corresponding HyperList file with '-config' appended to the end. Eg: a HyperList XML file named "Atari 2600.xml" will be displayed in Kodi as "Atari 2600" and will require a config file named "Atari 2600-config.xml". Example file here.
  
• A launcher script in the launcher_scripts folder, with the name of the launcher script contained within the system config file. To use RetroPlayer create an empty file called 'kodi_retroplayer' and use that as the launcher in the system-config.xml. Windows and Linux examples.
  Arguments that are passed to non RetroPlayer scripts are: %1 = system name , %2 = game name , %3 = full rom path (folder + file name + extension) , %4 = file name only , %5 = file extension.
  

Artwork:

• System artwork goes in the 'systems_artwork/SYSTEM NAME' folder and is automatically used if present. They are named in the same style as the system config file, Eg: Trailer is -trailer, logo is -logo, poster is -poster, icon is -icon, fanart is -fanart. Usable video file types are .flv, .avi and .mp4 and usable artwork types are .png, .jpg and .ico. Additional system artwork (PDF manual's, videos etc)can be placed in the 'systems_artwork/SYSTEM NAME' and can be viewed via the context menu option "View Artwork' (Additional artwork does not need a specific name).
  
• ROM artwork can be placed any where, with the paths defined in the system config file and will be automatically used if present. File name is to be the same as the ROM filename. For fanart and icons, you can configure a fallback artwork path to be used if the first choice is not found. Usable video file types are .flv, .avi and .mp4 and usable artwork types are .png, .jpg and .ico. Additional game artwork (PDF manual's, videos etc) within folder in the artwork base path can be viewed via the context menu option "View Artwork'.
  
• Automatic background playback of trailers when idle, attract mode and returning to the last opened Hyper Launcher folder after launching a ROM requires the service.hyper.launcher addon to be installed. Idle time before either is defined in service.hyper.launcher addon settings, with 0 to disable.
  
• For PDF files there are two options for viewing - Ghostscript and plugin.image.pdfreader. Ghost script is far more compatible and integrated, but needs a external program, can be slower and is not available on all platforms (Android). As a fallback plugin.image.pdfreader can be used and is available via my repo. Enable and configure via the addon's settings.
  

Additional configuration:
Alternate launchers:
You can set a alternate launcher for specific games via the system-config.xml. Example in the system-config.xml linked to above. The game name tag needs to be games filename. It is also possible to use a alternate launcher when running a ROM via the context menu.

Game variants:
The addon can be configured to display a list of game variants when selecting the parent game. Game variants need to be in a sub-folder in that systems rom directory and folder needs to be named the same as the game ROM (minus the file extension). Parent game file name also needs to be added to the system-config.xml, example in the system-config.xml linked to above. Alternate launchers can be configured for all the game variations or individual variants using the method above.

DOWNLOAD:
Install via my repo

plugin.hyper.launcher.systems.artwork
Contains icons, fanart, clear-logos and posters for many systems, which have been edited to suit Kodi. Is far from complete though, contributions are welcome. Guide for creating new artwork in archive.

Addon installation instructions can be found here.
Code can be found on GitHub.

Useful links:
RocketLauncher
HyperList
HyperSpin ROM tools
HyperSync
EmuMovies
EmuMovies DSU