Text-to-Speech for Platforms and Games in Big Box

📋 Summary

Introduce optional text-to-speech functionality in Big Box to audibly announce selected platforms, games, and their descriptions

🎯 Feature Overview

When navigating Big Box, have the system read aloud:

• The name of the selected platform (e.g. “Nintendo 64” or a custom label like “My Favorites”)

• The title of the highlighted game

• Optional: A short description of the game or platform, pulled from metadata

Support for using built-in Windows voices or allowing users to configure their preferred voice engine.

🛠 Example Use Case

• As a user scrolls through platforms, Big Box reads “Sega Genesis.”

• On selecting a game, it reads “Sonic the Hedgehog 2 — Released 1992. A fast-paced platformer starring Sonic and Tails.”

• This replicates the immersive, arcade-like experience of voice-narrated frontend navigation, and aids accessibility for users with visual impairments.

📦 Benefits

• Enhances immersion, especially in arcade/living room setups.

• Provides improved accessibility for users with vision limitations.

• Offers nostalgia for users familiar with older voice-narration plugins from Hyperspin.

• Adds flair to custom setups and themes.

💡 Notes

Voice behavior could be toggled on/off in settings, with separate options for platform names, game titles, and descriptions. Could leverage the Windows Speech API or integrate with third-party TTS engines for custom voice support.