Game Tracking

Some games may not get picked up by GameBox's tracking system due to either taking too long to load, or dropping in and out of the active processes. Game launch dialogs (e.g. resolution/color depth confirmation dialogs) can also cause game tracking to be missed. This can usually be fixed by increasing the Tracking Offset under GameBox's Preferences. If game tracking still fails after increasing the Tracking Offset, you can click the "Stop Game" button after quitting a game, which will stop active tracking and save your session.

Virtual Discs

For System 7 - Mac OS 9, please use Virtual Auto Typer to convert .toast, .iso etc. images into a launchable format. You will also need to install Virtual CD Mounter to allow these images to mount. These can be obtained from the Extras tab within GameBox's Community window.

For OSX systems, you need to choose a mounting utility within GameBox's preferences, such as ToastMount (which can also be obtained from the Extras tab within GameBox's Community window) for auto-mounting virtual CDs.

Game Matching

Games can be removed from your library without deleting it's stats and metadata. This allows you to relocate games, or move your GameBox preferences/library to another computer while keeping tracked data. When adding a game that was previously removed, game matching may fail if you change the it's filename. If you're adding a game that was previously deleted, you must add the same game with the same filename if you want to restore it's metadata and tracking info. Games are matched by a constructed "bundle id" to match the UB build (e.g. com.scdh.simcity2000). Special characters, spaces and versions are removed from the bundle id, so "SimCity 2000® 1.2" becomes "simcity2000". This recorded bundle ID would match with another file named either "SimCity 2000® 1.2", "SimCity 2000" and so on.

Game Metadata

You can edit game metadata by selecting a game from your library, and pressing Command + E, or by clicking on the pencil button in the game details section.

You can submit and fetch game specific metadata to and from Manticore SW's game database. To fetch metadata for all available games, click Bulk fetch game metadata from the File menu. This will replace descriptions and categories for all games in your library with data from Manticore SW's game database.

Doing this will replace existing descriptions and category designations to games in your library.

If Manticore SW doesn't have metadata for the games in your library, please consider adding details yourself and submitting them (within the Edit Game window) to share with others.

Username & User Token

Your username and token are unique identifiers used to keep your library in sync across computers, and to separate you from users who may share the same display name/username in chat.

Changing either of these will result in your profile identity being lost and being unable to sync with other libraries using the previous username and token combination.

Do not share your token with other users. Use the same username and token on other computers to keep your profile in sync.

Use of offensive usernames will result in bans from online services.

Profile Syncing

Profiles are synced to Manticore SW servers so you can run GameBox on multiple computers, and keep your library in sync across all machines. Synced data includes play time, last played, game ratings and metadata.

Importing Profiles

Profiles can be imported from backups through the File menu. Profiles are automatically backed up after every session sync into GameBox's Preferences folder.

Under pre-OSX systems, profiles are located at HD:System Folder:Preferences:GameBox Profiles.

Under OSX Systems, profiles are located at HD/Users/User/Library/Preferences/GameBox Profiles.

Deleting Games

Deleting games from your library retains all game metadata and tracking info in case you need to add it back again. To permanently remove a game and all it's data, select the game you wish to remove and press Option + Delete.

Removing all games from the library

If you've imported a profile with invalid file path references for games, or need to remove all games from your library, click on any item in the games list and press Command + Option + Shift + Backspace. This will "soft-delete" all items in your library, which retains all game metadata and tracking info. If you add the same games again, their paths will be updated and metadata restored.

Chat & Lobby

GameBox chat and lobby are intended to be used for organisation of multiplayer games, and for general/game related chat. If you have children using GameBox, please ensure you have set a child lock password! The lobby is turned off by default, but you need to ensure your children don't have access to it.

When using GameBox chat or the lobby, you must adhere to the Terms of use found in the Legal folder. Any breaches of this agreement, or use of offensive names, or any forms of bullying or harassment will result in a permanent ban. This is a shared platform so please be conscious how your choices may affect others.

Child Lock

If you've forgotten your child lock password for accessing the chat lobby, hold Command + Option while clicking "Set Password".

Launch/Exit Scripts

Some games require specific resolutions, colour depths etc. to be set and often prompt you to do this manually, or ask for confirmation while launching. This can become cumbersome and an obstacle for younger players. GameBox can run scripts made by Script Maker to assign preset resolution/depth requirements for individual games, so these requirements are applied automatically on launch without prompting. See the documentation on Script Maker for more information.

Game Packs

You can install pre-built game collections into GameBox with Game Packs. See the documentation on Game Pack Creator for more information.

Debugger

Gamebox has built in debugging tools which can be accessed by clicking on the application build text of the main window (e.g. "Classic v1.0.0"), or by selecting Debugging Tools from the Apple/Application menu. Debug logs are only recorded if the debug window is opened. When investigating issues, leave the window open and either click the "Update logs" button after you've experienced the issue, or click the "Live feed" button.

Migrations

If you encounter DB (database) issues, you can try running a manual/forced migration. You shouldn't ever need to do this, and performing a forced migration may result in database corruption. Before forcing a migration, please backup GameBox's preferences and your user profiles.

To open the migration window, press Command + Shift + M while GameBox is open.