PlayStation 3 Theme (P3T)
Description
Themes can be created by Sony's official PlayStation 3 theme creator software or by theme compilers from third-party developers. PlayStation 3 themes are able to store images and sounds in order for users to customize their system's XMB
There is a basic introduction to themes in manuals.playstation.net - Theme Settings manual
- Installation methods
- Downloaded from PSN (SEN) store
- Downloaded from web pages using the PS3 web browser (hosted in the server as: application/x-ps3-theme MIMEtype, and p3t file extension)
- USB, CF, SD, MS, external storage from path: device:/PS3/THEME/Theme Name.p3t
- Game discs extras icons (see: Creating Discs)
- Games main menu (the installation of the theme can be unlocked after completing some requirements inside the game)
- Install packages (.pkg containing an .edat)
- Adding themes manually in the default install path: dev_hdd0/theme/Theme Name.p3t
- Replacing the preinstalled theme that comes with the firmware in path: dev_flash/vsh/resource/theme/01.p3t
- Added in firmware 1.90
- Background setting can use an image from internall HDD. In Theme settings/Background/Wallpaper (then, copied and converted into user profile, hdd0/home/0000000x/theme/wallpaper.png)
- Added in firmware 2.00
- Static Themes support. Allows the use of custom themes that change the icons, wallpaper, color, font, and the click sounds. In Theme settings/Theme
- Color setting. In Theme settings/Color (original: changes with the month, or the 12 colors predefined for each month)
- Brightness setting. In Theme settings/Background/Brighness (normal, -1, -2, -3, -4. -5)
- Font setting. In Theme settings/Font (original, rounded, pop)
- Added in firmware 3.00
- Dynamic Themes support. Allows the user to install animated themes. These themes may feature animated backgrounds which change throughout the day or respond to user input
- Dynamic brightness. XMB now change color depending on the time of day.
- The default theme has been changed to an updated version of the 'Original' waves theme (the original theme has been renamed 'Classic').
- An animated sparkle effect has been added to the "original" theme
- Night time black theme has the current month color as a basis instead of white. ?
Theme Tools
Tools to compile, extract, or manage themes
P3Tcompiler
P3Tcompiler is made by sony and can be downloaded from: Playstation 3 custom theme guidelines v2.00. For a basic guide creating themes with p3tcompiler read: us.playstation.com/support - How do I create my own theme for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system?
With the program there is a sample theme ready to compile, you can separate the program folder and the sample folder to any path in your pc, and compile the sample theme just by "drag-and-drop" the simple.xml over ps3compiler.exe (or create a "direct access icon" and drag-and-drop over it). The compiled simple.pt3 is created in the same folder of the source simple.xml + lot of temporal .gim files (this conversion from .png--->.gim is a previous step before compiling, but after compilation the .gim files are not erased)
Or use the command line:
Usage : p3tcompiler.exe [-o] [output file(*.p3t)] [input file(*.xml)] C:\PS3 Theme Compiler>p3tcompiler.exe -o "C:\PS3 Compiled Themes\Theme Name.p3t" "C:\PS3 Themes Files\Theme Name.xml"
P3Textractor
Made by codelogic in ps2dev forum, is from 2007 and advised in an alpha stage, can be downloaded from: p3textractor
This program extract the contents of a Theme.p3t and it works too by the "drag-and-drop" method, but the files are extracted to the same folder of the program, in a subfolder named like the original Theme.pt3 preceded by a "extracted"
Or by command line:
Usage: p3textractor <input theme file> [destination path] C:\PS3 Theme Extractor>p3textractor.exe "C:\PS3 Compiled Themes\Theme Name.p3t" "C:\PS3 Themes Files\Theme Name\"
Playstation 3 Theme Builder
Xross Media Simulator
Rich Apparence Maker
http://r.a.m.games-hack.fr/index.php
guide http://r.a.m.games-hack.fr/doc/Rich%20Appearance%20Maker%20-%20Quick%20Start%20Guide.pdf
Other tools
Imageviewer with lot of supported formats [Irfanview] (there is a plugin for .DDS)
Theme Contents
Theme Name (.XML)
This is the settings file of the theme, needed by the compiler to build the theme, it contains information about the theme and the author, and lists all the files that composes the theme.
Code Sample
- Localized info
Is posible to add translations for different languages for some contents of <info> by using <localizedinfo> (XMB replaces contents in the <info> by the contents of <localizedinfo>), each language is identifyed with a "letter code" listed in this table: Content_Information_Files#Languages
Localized info texts are only displayed when the XMB is configured in the same language than the "letter code"
If the theme doesnt contains <localizedinfo> the default texts from <info> are used , so <localizedinfo> is not mandatory, and sometimes is not needed (e.g: the name of the theme doesnt need to be translated in most cases)
Code Sample
Themeicon and Authoricon (.PNG)
icon = theme icon (64x64, 32-bit PNG)
authoricon = author icon(64x64, 32-bit PNG)
Theme Preview (.PNG)
preview = preview icon of the theme (480x270, 24-bit PNG)
XMB Icons (.PNG)
All icons are 128x128, 32-bit PNG, except the ones in the next table
File | Image type | Notes |
---|---|---|
All the other XMB icons | 128x128, 32-bit .PNG | |
icon_photo_default | 170x128, 32-bit .PNG | |
icon_photo_album_default | 170x128, 32-bit .PNG | |
icon_video_default | 228x128, 32-bit .PNG | |
icon_video_album_default | 228x128, 32-bit .PNG |
- Default icons
icon_default_h (default icon for horizontal row) and icon_default_v (default icon for vertical columns) are displayed in XMB when the theme doesnt have newest icons required by the firmware. E.g: when installing a theme made in 2008 in a firmware released in 2013
- Missing icons in newer firmwares ?... like PSvita ?
- Missing icons in the example ? (but supported by the compilers)
Notification window (.PNG)
Background image that appears at top-right corner of XMB for system messages
This image has transparent rounded corners, and is stretched by XMB depending of the lenght of the texts displayed, this stretching is made in the center of the image (not in the corners) to prevent deformation of the rounded corners
Mouse Pointers (.PNG)
Sound effects as PlayStation Compressed Sound File.
-Total sound data under 256 KB.
- Stereo Sounds (same sound used in left and right channels)
Code Sample
- Stereo Sounds (separated sounds for left and right channels)
Code Sample
Background (.JPG .RAF)
Themes can include up to 24 background images.
File | File type | File max size | Group max items | Group max size |
---|---|---|---|---|
bg_sd_**.jpg | 640x480 JPEG 24bits (4:3 aspect ratio) | 2mb | 24 | ?? |
bg_hd_**.jpg | 1920x1080 JPEG 24bits (16:9 aspect ratio) | 2mb | 24 | ?? |
anim_**.raf | ? | ? | 24 | ?? |
Static Background (.JPG)
The basic entry for 1 background in two resolutions. Is highly recommended to add both resolutions for compatibility with all TV's
Code Sample
The next methods using static backgrounds are variations of this entry, and uses a system function (system time) to select the background that is displayed
Backgrounds linked to PS3 time (seconds)
This works simply by including multiple backgrounds, the PS3 will select them sequencially starting from the first of the list.
Every time the PS3 boots or every time the theme is applyed, the system time is readed (seconds) the number of backgrounds is counted starting from top of the list and one of them is selected based in the number of seconds in ps3 time. E.g. if the theme contains 24 images and is applyed at time 23:58:00 the first background is displayed, if the theme is applyed at 23:58:23 the last background is displayed, after the last background it loops to the first background of the list
Code Sample
Backgrounds linked to PS3 time (hours of the day)
Note the maximun number of background images supported is 24. You can link them to the 24 hours of the day. Or you can divide the day in 3 periods of 8 hours and use 3 backgrounds for "morning" "evening" and "night"
Code Sample
Backgrounds linked to PS3 time (days of months)
Usefull for special days of special months: a birthday, christmas, etc... The background is visible the same days of all years because the year is not specifyed
Code Sample
Backgrounds linked to PS3 time (days of years)
Useful for special days of special years: the next olympic games, the next apocalypse, etc... it can be used for restrictions too, in the example the image is visible for a period of 1 year (from 31 december 2012, until 31 december 2013)
Code Sample
Dynamic Background (.RAF)
In this themes the "background scene" (compiled in .RAF format but renamed to anim_1.jpg by the compiler) is composed by: 3d geometry models and 3d light models (.dae), textures (.dds), a script (.js), and a scene setting file (.xml)
This is the entry that links to the .RAF from the main Theme Scene.XML file. Note inside the .RAF there is another RAF Scene.XML that is very different
Code Sample
RAF contents
RAF (rich appearance format) is considered an "image format", themes can contain a raf file that is used as the background of the theme. This same format is used for the coldboot.raf animation when PS3 boots.
It must comply with these restrictions :
-Textures size max: 15 mb -Geometry & script size max: 1mb -Actor size max: 1.20mb -Actor number max: 128 -Cameras: 1 -Lights: 2 (ambient + point) -Scripts: 1 -Models: 64 (with 8 animations each model)
RAF Scene (.XML)
Models (.DAE)
DAE (digital asset exchange) is an XML file that contains COLLADA content. COLLADA is an open standard created by sony for interactive 3D applications. Is used to export and import files from 3-D authoring applications (Maya, SoftImage, and 3ds max) in .dae format https://collada.org/
There is a collada plugin for [Blender] (link is at bottom of page). Both blender and the collada plugin are free and open source projects
Models can be geometric 3D objects, or 3D light points
- Typical objects and names used:
- bg.dae
- ambient_light.dae
- point_light.dae
Models files contains references to the libraryes that was used by the 3D app that buid the object
- Typical entries found in models (3d objects)
- <asset>
- <library_physics_scenes>
- <library_images>
- <library_materials>
- <library_effects>
- <library_geometries>
- <library_visual_scenes>
- <scene>
- Typical entries found in models (3d lights)
- <asset>
- <library_physics_scenes>
- <library_lights>
- <library_visual_scenes>
- <scene>
Textures (.DDS)
Script (.JS)
.js (playstation javascript derivate, also known as PSJS)
script.js
Combined background methods
When using combinations of background methods is needed to avoid "collisions", this happens when 2 different background "wants" to be displayed at the same time (e.g: when using backgrounds linked to time and 2 backgrounds matches with the time)
The opposite to this collisions is when there is no background that matches the time (but there are backgrounds in the list)... in this case the first background of the list is displayed as a "failsafe" meassure
- Collisions
Example: Use the basic background entry (not linked to time from the previous examples) to be displayed permanently and configure some special hours with a specific background like "vampire time", "kids time", etc... (im not sure if this combination is posible --Sandungas 15:40, 14 February 2013 (MSK) not tested) <---- this looks like a collision (not tested yet)
Static and Dynamic backgrounds linked to PS3 time (seconds)
This combines static (.jpg images), and dynamic (.raf animations) backgrounds, selected based on seconds
Code Sample
XMB color schemes
The XMB's by default changes his color depending on the current month of the year and brightness depending on the time of day. The color can be configured to "default" (changes every month) or one of the 12 color preconfigured for months, in XMB Settings column ---> Theme settings ---> Color
This change of color affects waves, background, all the icons, and other images like the "side menu", the color is applyed to the originall images like a "color filter" layer over them (note originall icons are semitransparent white to improve this effect)
The background image changes acordingly with the month. The file lines.qrc contains 24 textures_month_bg_*.dds images of 64x32 pixels. Each day has 2 different images for "day" and "night". See QGL_modding
- Speculation
This color setting to apply as a "filter" needs to be stored somewhere :P and probably brightness is stored with it, this is the only code reference we will find to know the exact values used (but the method to apply brighness can be more complicated). At some point it was possible to change the font color in PSP firmwares (this is another "color filter" using the same technique) so is posible similar settings can be used in PS3... the candidate to contain all this easter eggs is lines.qrc, good hunting :) --Sandungas 07:38, 13 February 2013 (MSK)
Until somebody finds this values... the next tables are not accurate !
Month | All | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Color code | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Day background (diagonal degrade) |
Varies | ||||||||||||
Night background (vertical degrade) |
Varies | ||||||||||||
Color filter | MonthTime | ||||||||||||
??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |
- Notes
Brighness filters are only used in "original" and "classic" themes, and only when selecting "defaul color" (color changes every month). Is posible to change the brightness of this themes in XMB Settings/Theme settings/Background/Brighness (normal, -1, -2, -3, -4. -5)
If you apply a theme that contains a background image, and then select "original" or "classic" for the background setting of this theme (to only keep the icons visibles) the background brigness settings are not used
The background images for "night" are inverted vertically (or inverted when displaying in XMB) the .dds images has the dark area at bottom but in ps3 is at top of screen
Brightness changes starts from: 03:00---until--->17:00 (day time) and 18:00---until--->02:00 (night time)
Time | DayTime | NightTime | NightBrightness | NightDayBlend | Alpha |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
override_*_HDR.mnu ? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |
Etc... | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |
from wikipedia, too speculative
Major color changes occur on the three days before the 15th and 24th of each month, while the color gradually changes between those dates.
Date | Jan 15 | Jan 24 | Feb 15 | Feb 24 | Mar 15 | Mar 24 | Apr 15 | Apr 24 | May 15 | May 24 | Jun 15 | Jun 24 | Jul 15 | Jul 24 | Aug 15 | Aug 24 | Sep 15 | Sep 24 | Oct 15 | Oct 24 | Nov 15 | Nov 24 | Dec 15 | Dec 24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Color |
Time | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Value |
Tutorials & Tools Links
Others:
- Resources&tools, tutorials (Slide Show etc..): http://www.ps3-themes.com/
- MFW : PS3MFW_Builder
- Interesting info about Animations/3D support in themes http://www.ps3hax.net/showthread.php?t=28426
- See also: QGL page
- DDS tools
- GIMP plug-in (not mandatory to use DDS for Slide Show Pro if picture compiled directly to RAF) http://code.google.com/p/gimp-dds/
- NVIDIA DDS Plug-in for Adobe Photoshop https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop
- NVIDIA DDS Plug-in for 3ds Max https://developer.nvidia.com/content/3ds-max-dds-plugin-1008271100
- NVIDIA DDS Thumbnail Viewer fospan title = "August15">Aug 15r windows explorer https://developer.nvidia.com/sites/default/files/akamai/tools/files/DDS_viewer.exe
- NVIDIA Legacy Texture Tools (includes a command line converter) https://developer.nvidia.com/sites/default/files/akamai/tools/files/DDS_Utilities_8.31.1127.1645.exe
- DAE tools
- COLLADA plugin for Blender http://colladablender.illusoft.com/ http://sourceforge.net/projects/colladablender/