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Special Layer Types

Choose a layer for the job: text for labels, video for clips, and metadata images for artwork which follows the selected game.

Text Layers​

Add text from the bottom toolbar. Select the layer and edit the Text field in the right panel.

The panel includes font, size, color, alignment, weight, italic style, letter spacing, line height, and word-wrap controls. Position, pivots, rotation, and opacity control placement.

Use a readable font and test against your background. Ordinary text stores your own content. Use the Metadata Guide for supported dynamic artwork.

Scrollable Text​

Use scrollable text for credits or longer passages. Edit the content in the right panel.

Scrolling controls include:

  • Direction: Vertical or Horizontal.
  • Box Width and Vertical Box Height.
  • Travel Time (s): seconds for the overflowing text to cross the visible area.
  • Start Delay (s) and End Delay (s).

Horizontal mode uses a single-line marquee. Vertical mode supports multiple lines. Test with your final text before publishing.

Video Layers​

Upload a video to the Library and add the clip to your theme. Regular video layers keep the chosen clip. The video panel exposes Loop, Muted, and Playback Rate from 0.1 to 2.

Use MP4 with H.264 for a practical starting point. Test playback in your target player and keep background audio muted when music already plays.

EmuMovies Video Layer​

Use this layer when the theme needs the selected game's video snap.

The EmuMovies Video layer is a dynamic video slot, not a streaming connection inside the theme. In HyperTheme, you place the slot where the video should appear. At runtime, HyperSpin swaps in the best matching local media for the game or system currently selected on the wheel.

How to add it:

  1. Click the film icon in the bottom toolbar.
  2. Move and scale it where the gameplay video should appear.
  3. Adjust rotation, pivot, stroke, perspective, and animations like any other visual layer.
  4. Test in HyperSpin with a game that has a video snap.

Where the runtime video comes from:

  • HyperSpin checks the matching Video Snaps override folder first. Custom videos you place there take priority.
  • If there is no override, it uses video snaps downloaded through the HyperHQ sync process.
  • The selected video quality is used when possible, with fallback to other available video snap qualities.
  • For system-level items, HyperSpin can use system video snaps or build a rotating sequence from that system's game video snaps.
  • If no video snap is available, the layer falls back to the regular snap/default placeholder used by the player.

What you do not need to set up:

  • Do not add EmuMovies credentials to the theme.
  • Do not expect the published theme to stream videos from EmuMovies at runtime.

Think of it as reserving the rectangle where HyperSpin should play the current game's local video snap. The sync process and override folders decide which file gets played.

Good uses:

  • Gameplay footage behind a detail panel
  • A smaller video window beside box art and metadata
  • System intro video areas
  • Background video with a dark overlay for readable text

Performance:

  • Video is resource-intensive
  • Limit to one playing video if possible
  • Test on target hardware
  • Consider static image alternative

Audio:

  • Usually mute background videos
  • Or very low volume
  • Avoid competing with theme music

Sprite Sheets​

Add a sprite sheet layer from the toolbar. In Properties, use Upload Image for the PNG and Upload Json for its frame data. The current panel uses the supplied JSON rather than a manual rows-and-columns editor.

After upload, adjust Speed, opacity, position, scale, and rotation. Preview the full frame sequence before saving.

Flip Books​

Add a flip book layer and use Upload Images in Properties to select your frames. Use numbered filenames such as frame_001.png and frame_002.png to keep the sequence clear.

Use Upload More Images to extend the sequence and the image-management controls to remove frames. Adjust Speed and preview the result. Keep frame dimensions consistent to avoid visible jumps.

Audio Layers​

Audio layers handle music and fixed sounds. Follow Audio Layers for the current playback controls.

Shapes​

The shape picker offers Rectangle, Circle, and Round Rect. Use shapes for panels, frames, and background accents. Adjust the controls shown for your selected shape, then preview any animations.

Tiling Sprites​

Use a seamless image for repeating backgrounds. Adjust the tile controls in Properties and preview movement before publishing. Check the image edges first, visible seams repeat across the whole area.

Before Publishing​

  • Preview text at your target resolution.
  • Check sprite and flip-book frame order.
  • Test video and audio together.
  • Test dynamic artwork with several games, including games with missing media.
  • Check performance on your arcade hardware.

Next Steps​