[Groop] Xbox 360 Theme images

[Tone]

Elie,
            I read every post from that link you posted to a forum
discussion on creating your own 360 Themes. Thanks for the link!
However, it does not have any information on it, which I did not already
know. The links I posted to Groo related images, which are appropriately
sized for a background image on an Xbox 360 connected to a 16:9 aspect
ratio widescreen TV, are exactly what is described in that link you
sent.
            Unfortunately there does not seem to be any way for an end
user to create their own COMPLETELY customized 360 theme (as in blade
color/patterns and four separate background images for each panel).
Apparently a fully developed 360 theme, like the Xbox Live Marketplace
downloadable ones, are based upon a proprietary file format only usable
on the Xbox 360, which Microsoft licenses out the ability to generate to
various gaming/marketing companies, etc. Obviously Microsoft probably
charges a fee or perhaps even a royalty for the creation license
otherwise millions of Photoshop-savvy Xbox 360 users would all be making
their own themes. That would result in Microsoft and those
gaming/marketing companies potentially loosing sales from end users not
buying up the current themes via Xbox Live Marketplace.
            Obviously that sucks for the creative and imaginative end
user, but it is something we have to deal with. Fortunately Microsoft
was at least kind enough to allow users to apply a single image to all
their 360 blade backgrounds. and that is what I created.
 
            In regards to Sergio and Mark being okay with people having
Groo themes, as I have always understood it they are usually cool with
Groo fans making their own fan art and sharing it for free as long as no
money is exchanged in the process. I definitely did not create the Xbox
360 background images I made in order to make a buck, so it should be
cool with them. Also, if Sergio ever did produce a complete Groo theme
for the Xbox 360 you better believe I would purchase and download it for
my 360. and it would be the only theme I would ever buy! :-) For now
though, I have to cope with my own single background image, and I have
no problem sharing them with the Groop. :-)
 
            Here are those links again:
http://www.moon-shine.net/groo/WhiteGrooMontage.jpg
http://www.moon-shine.net/groo/GrooFriendsGoodBye.jpg
http://www.moon-shine.net/groo/GrooGamingSanta.jpg
 
            Remember these backgrounds I made are for a 16:9 widescreen
format, so those you of you with 360s connected to standard 4:3 ratio
screen might find the image gets warped or cut off.
            There are a couple of ways to transfer the images to an Xbox
360. The easiest way I found is to connect my digital camera to my
computer using a USB cable, then transfer the image I made over to the
camera by treating it like it was an external USB flash drive (a USB
flash drive should work just as easily). Once the images are on your USB
camera/drive, then connect the camera to your Xbox 360. Go to the media
panel and go into pictures/photos. You should see the digital camera
option is now selectable. When you go into the camera selection you
should then see thumbnails of all the jpeg images on your
camera/flash-drive. Select the image you want as the background and
press either the X or Y button on your controller to apply the image as
your background. I forget exactly which button it is, but you should
notice a couple of button directions on the bottom of the screen to
guide you. Once you apply an image this way as your background it will
be copied to your 360's hard drive. You can then copy a bunch of images
to your Xbox 360's hard drive by applying them one at a time as your
background. Later on you can change your display options in the console
settings panel in order to switch between any of the background images
you saved to your 360 drive.
            For those of you, who do not have a USB digital camera or
flash-drive, I think it is also possible to burn a photo or data CD with
the images you want for your Xbox 360 background, then put that CD
directly into your 360 disc drive.
 
            I hope some of you find this useful, and just in case anyone
forgets or wants to know. my Xbox Live gamer-tag is "Tone 8". Feel free
to add me as a friend, just let me know you are from the Groop and not
some annoying stranger. You should always be able to remind yourself who
the heck I am on your friend's list because my Xbox Live gamer profile
specifically mentions Groo. :-)
 
Take care everyone,
_TONE_
 
 
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