Big Box Navigation Sounds

Written By Brian Faeran

Last updated 29 days ago

This guide explains what Big Box navigation sounds are, how to use and customize them, how themes interact with them, and the deeper rules Big Box follows when deciding which sound to play.

What Are Navigation Sounds

Navigation sounds are Big Box specific audio cues that play while you move around the Big Box interface. They help give menus weight, feedback, and personality.

There are four sound types:

  • Startup
    Plays when Big Box first launches

  • Move
    Plays when you navigate to a new item

  • Select
    Plays when you enter into something

  • Back
    Plays when you back out of something

All navigation sounds live here:

LaunchBox\Sounds

Sounds must be .wav files.

Sound Pack Structures

Big Box supports two sound pack structures.

Single Sound Per Type

This is the older structure. Each sound type has exactly one file.

LaunchBox\Sounds\[Sound Pack Name]\
 Back.wav
 Move.wav
 Select.wav
 Startup.wav

With this structure, each sound type always plays the same file.

Multiple Sounds Per Type

This is the newer and more flexible structure. Each sound type becomes a folder.

LaunchBox\Sounds\[Sound Pack Name]\
 Back\
 *.wav
 Move\
 *.wav
 Select\
 *.wav
 Startup\
 *.wav

Key behavior:

  • You can place any number of wav files in each folder

  • File names do not matter

  • Each time a sound is needed, Big Box randomly selects one from the folder

This allows navigation to feel more dynamic, especially for Move sounds.

How To Use Navigation Sounds

Big Box ships with several sound packs by default.

Included Sound Packs

Older single sound structure:

  • Sci Fi Set 1 by Clavius

  • Sci Fi Set 2 by Clavius

  • Sci Fi Set 3 by Clavius

  • Sci Fi Set 4 by Clavius

  • Sci Fi Set 5 by Clavius

  • Sci Fi Set 6 by Clavius

  • Classic

Newer multi sound structure:

  • Multi Sound Default

Downloading More Sound Packs

Additional sound packs can be downloaded from the community forums:

https://forums.launchbox-app.com/files/category/3-sound-packs/

These are user created and usually already follow one of the supported structures. Many include install instructions in their descriptions.

To install:

  1. Extract the sound pack folder

  2. Place it inside:

LaunchBox\Sounds

Once placed there, Big Box will automatically detect it.

Selecting a Sound Pack

In Big Box, System Menu:

System Menu > Options > Sounds > Sound Pack

Choose the sound pack you want to use to apply globally across Big Box.

Apply a Sound Pack to a specific Theme in Big Box:

System Menu
 > Theme Specific Options
  > Select the theme you want to configure
   > Sounds
    > Sound Pack

The sound pack selected here will only be used while that specific theme is active.

Sound Settings

Big Box includes granular sound controls:

  • Play Startup Sound(s)

  • Play Select Sound(s)

  • Play Back Sound(s)

  • Play Navigation Sound(s)

  • Play Navigation Sound(s) While Directional Inputs are Held
    Controls whether Move sounds repeat while holding a direction

Volume controls:

  • Startup Sound Volume

  • Navigation Sound Volume

  • Select Sound Volume

  • Back Sound Volume

  • Idle Navigation Sound Volume
    Used during Attract Mode

How Themes Fit Into Navigation Sounds

Themes can include their own sound packs.

When a theme includes sounds, they override user selected sound packs while that theme is active.

Theme sounds must be placed here:

LaunchBox\Themes\[Theme Name]\Sounds

They follow the same sound pack structures described earlier.

This allows theme developers to tightly control the audio experience and match visuals, transitions, and animations.

Deeper Feature Details and Priority Rules

Platform Specific Sounds

Sound packs can define platform specific navigation sounds.

Example structure:

LaunchBox\Sounds\[Sound Pack Name]\[Platform Name]\Move\
 *.wav

This allows different sounds to play depending on the platform the user is browsing.

Platform Name Matching Logic

Big Box checks platform names in two steps:

  1. Exact platform name match

  2. Scrape As value match if no exact name match exists

Example:

  • Sound pack contains a platform folder named Sega Genesis

  • User library platform is named Sega Mega Drive

  • Scrape As value is Sega Genesis

Result:

  • Exact name match fails

  • Scrape As match succeeds

  • Sega Genesis sounds are played

This allows sound packs to work across regional platform naming differences.

Sound Pack Priority Order

When Big Box decides which sound to play, it follows this priority:

  1. Theme embedded sound pack

  2. User sound pack selected specifically for the active theme via theme specific settings

  3. User global sound pack setting

This ensures theme authors can fully control audio when needed, while still allowing user customization when they do not.

Summary

Navigation sounds are a powerful but often overlooked part of the Big Box experience. With support for randomization, platform specific sounds, theme overrides, and detailed volume controls, they offer a lot of room for personalization and polish.