Skip to main content

Auto-Capture Gameplay Videos for Missing Media

šŸ“‹ Summary

Add an option in LaunchBox to automatically capture short gameplay clips for games that don’t already have a gameplay video. Similar to the SNES Classic’s replay feature, this would let users record and save a short video (e.g., the last 15–30 seconds of play) and automatically assign it as the game’s video within LaunchBox or Big Box.


šŸŽÆ Feature Overview

  • A configurable auto-capture system that records short gameplay segments for games without existing video media.

  • Key features include:

    • šŸŽ® Duration options (e.g., 15s, 30s, 60s).

    • āš™ļø Per-platform configuration to control which systems support recording.

    • šŸ’¾ Automatic saving to the correct Videos folder in the LaunchBox directory.

    • šŸ” Optional setting to overwrite captured videos when newer ones are available from sources like EmuMovies.

    • šŸ“¹ Integration with commonly used emulators that support background capture or quick recording.


šŸ›  Example Use Case

A user launches Chrono Trigger on SNES with no gameplay video in their library.

  • LaunchBox automatically records the last 20 seconds of gameplay.

  • The clip is saved under the game’s media folder as its gameplay video.

  • Later, when the user downloads an official EmuMovies video, LaunchBox can be set to automatically replace the captured clip.


šŸ“¦ Benefits

  • 🧩 Automatically fills gaps in users’ media libraries.

  • šŸŽ® Creates personalized gameplay previews reflecting each user’s actual experience.

  • šŸš€ Reduces dependency on external media downloads.

  • šŸ’¾ Keeps LaunchBox’s library visually consistent and complete.


šŸ’” Notes

This feature could tie into existing emulator integrations or third-party capture APIs, ensuring efficient background recording without major performance impact. Over time, this system could also enable custom highlight reels or personalized screensaver videos built from the user’s own gameplay.

Status: Open To Community2 comments

Log in to comment and vote

Comments2

  • AstroBob changed status to Open To Community
    Team•

    Oct 25, 2025

    Pinned

    Hi there!

    Thanks so much for submitting this request and for taking the time to explain your use case — that context is always super helpful.

    I’ve gone ahead and fleshed out the main idea using the info you provided, and I’m opening it up to the community for further discussion and feedback. Please let me know if this fleshed-out version doesn’t match your original intended request.

    Feel free to let me know if you have any extra thoughts, examples, or edge cases you think might be relevant!

    Cheers,
    The LaunchBox team

  • VodkaParalyzer

    •

    Oct 25, 2025

    Have Option to Capture Short Video of Your Gameplay, for Games with no Video

    Stealing this idea from things like the SNES Mini. For games where you don’t already have a gameplay video, have the option to auto-capture a short video of the last 15-30 seconds of your actual gameplay, and then save it to the correct spot. Make this configurable by Platform. Also have an option to overwrite these videos when updating from sources like EmuMovies.