[Tutorial] How to Create XMB Themes

[mutevict1m]

First of all, I dedicate this tutorial to all those people who want to learn, and take the time to create all the XMB’s that we have to this date, and future releases.

The reason why I’m writing this tutorial is help all those people who have great Ideas, concepts, designs, and want to create themes but have no one to turn to, and have blank answers on all the help threads that they have made in the past. The truth is that, we all were like that at a time. Luckily for me, Xander taught me many things and took the time to get me going on theme creating (So thank you Xander). So this is just a way for me to help out others.

First of all I want you guys to know, there may be different ways to make themes, but I’m going to show you MY WAY. This is a step by step process of how I make themes. So to start off, these are the tools that you need for this.

TOOLS

- Adobe Photoshop
- Latest CXMB Full
- 5.00 VSH Module Descrambler
- RCO Edit
- Hex Workshop
- 5.00 Offsets for PRX’s
- Sony Custom theme Converter
- Decrypted/Decompressed Rco and prx files


1. Okay to start off I like to have the idea, or vision of my theme as an actual picture. Here is where Photoshop comes in handy. Basically you make a new file ( 480 x 272 ) and design the theme here. Be sure to include everything that an actual theme does like the Icons, text, battery…etc. Make sure that everything looks great, and it looks how you want it to. Save the file as “Concept.PSD”.

Example: Concept –

2. After you have the concept of your theme ready you need to start with the icons for the theme. Since you already created them in your “concept” then basically all that is left is to crop them individually, and to save it as a .png. (I usually name them like… “Photo.png”, “Video.png”…etc. just to keep things organized.) You basically do that to any icon, or image that you are going to need like Subicons, boot logo image…etc. The only icon that is different is the Battery Icon. The difference with this is that you will need to make 4 different images and put them all into one image. You will separate these images by 3 pixels apart vertically. (look at my example of this.) The image at the very top will be the image when its battery is 100%, the one in the bottom will be when it reaches I think 10%

Example: Saving Icons –

Example: Battery Icon –

3. Now that you have made all the icons that you want to edit and saved them all separately, you can now get the Decompressed RCO’s and start switching the images from the Original Theme to the ones that you want. To do this you are going to open the Decompressed RCO file using RCOEdit. To know which RCO has a certain icon, you can test them by opening them with RCO Edit. The one that controls the main icons, shadows, subicons..etc. is called “Topmenu_icon.rco” When you open the up with RCO Edit, it will open on the “General Resource” tab. Under this tab it will give you a list on the Left side, and give you a preview of the icon on the right side followed by the Dimensions of the image. And gives you some buttons which will let you add your image, or extract the current image. Here you have to now replace the default icons with the ones that you made in Photoshop. Do that to all the RCO’s necessary until you have used all your icons that you made.

Example: RCO Edit in Action –

4. Now that we have the Images all ready and over with we can start with the Hex Editing. Most people get lost here since they don’t know anything on Hex Editing, well let me tell you this is quite easily made thanks to every one that hunts for the Offsets.
And specially thanks to “Bubbletune & Davee” that made Offset hunting possible for the 5.00 version with their “5.00 VSH Module Descrambler”. Okay so to start Hex Editing on CFW 5.00 you first get the Decompressed PRX’s (like Paf.prx, and Vshmain.prx) and Descramble them using the “5.00 VSH Module Descrambler”. To Do this you basically copy those PRX’s that you want to edit into the “Scramble” Folder which is located in the “5.00 VSH Module Descrambler” Folder, and run the program called “descramble.bat” This will open up the Command Prompt all you then have to do is type the name of the PRX that you want to Descramble, and press the ENTER key. Now that you descrambled the PRX’s you can now Hex Edit them. Using Hex Workshop you can open up the descrambled Prx, which should have been renamed into something like “paf.descrambled.prx” notice it says Descrambled. So you open it up on Hex workshop, and then open a Bookmark corresponding to the PRX file. On the Bookmark Section, a list of bookmarks will now show which can be easily edited by changing the value number. The List is Self Explanatory. Remember also that the psp runs on an X and Y Axis, so hopefully with that said you’ll know what to do with the values, and what to change them to. To save these files, I usually just click File> Save As> and save it as “Name of File.edit.bin” and scramble them back up instead of using the “descramble.bat” you will now use “scramble.bat” this will once again open up a command prompt and you type in “Name of File.edit.bin” and pres ENTER again. Repeat this with all the PRX’s that you edited. Once you scramble them the PRX’s that you first put in their will now be edited so those will be the ones that you use. DO NOT USE THE DESCRAMBLED ONES use the ones that are named (Name of File.prx). NOTICE: This Step is time consuming because it relies a lot on TEST/FAIL so whenever you test it if it isn’t how you want it to be then you go back, and edit the file and scramble it back together. Do this till it is how you want it to be by testing it out on your PSP. Some Things require you to change the location, and the dimensions in the RCO’s using RCO Edit. Just edit the values under the “Page Data” Tab, You can also change what the Text says by going on the “Text Data” tab.

Example: Hex Workshop In Action –

Example: Scramble In Action –

5. To test out the theme your making is quite easy. You install the Latest CXMB Full for 5.00 on your PSP. Once you do that you will have a CXMB Folder on the root of your PSP. Open It up, Put a PTF file here called “Default.PTF”. To make this you will need to use “Sony Custom Theme Converter” follow these instructions.
Requires:
-1. Sony Custom Theme Converter
-2. ptf wallpaper file in 480x272, 24Bit true color, BMP format
-3. ptf icon file in 16x16, 256 colors, PNG format
-4. ptf preview file in 300x170, 24Bit true color, BMP format

On the Info Tab just Type some info there. It really doesn’t matter much.
Then you go to the Wallpaper tab, where you put a wallpaper.
Next go to the “Other” tab where you just select the rest of the things you made.
Lastly you just Export it, and put the file in the CXMB Folder of your psp. Rename it to Default.PTF

After doing the PTF notice that there is a file called “Conf.txt” make it say – “/PSP/THEME/Default.ctf” and there will also be a “Support” Folder in the CXMB Folder of your psp. Here you will put the “Decrypted Official PRX’s” There should be a TXT file telling you which PRX’s. Once that is ready You will place the Font file you want to use here in a folder called “FONT”, and you then have to create a folder called “VSH” Both of these Folders will be inside the CXMB Folder. In the VSH folder there are going to be 2 other Folders named “Resource”, and “Module” In the Resource Folder you will put any of the RCO’s that you edited with RCO Edit. In the Module Folder you will put any of the PRX’s that you edited with Hex Workshop. Do not put any unnecessary PRX’s or RCO’s since it will only add space to the CTF file. Once you have that done with you can now Turn off your PSP, and activate the CXMB plugin using the Recovery Mode If you hadn’t done that before. Then you Restart the PSP, it should take a while since it is creating the CTF file as you restart so give it a minute. Hopefully if everything goes well you will see the things that you Edited on the PSP Screen, if not then go back and change your mistakes. When having to go back make sure you delete the Default.CTF file located in the THEME Folder of your PSP, Or else nothing will happen and it will look the same as before you edited it again. Once you have everything looking like your concept then you know your done!

Example: Sony Custom Theme Converter –

Example: Support Folder –

TIPS:

- If your running low on resources (Images are disappearing) then lower the quality of the image, or make it a bit smaller.
- Get these steps engraved on your brain since you will have to do them a lot.
- Mess around with settings, you might end up having a unique effect no one has seen.
- Don’t get stressed out In the end it will be worth it 
- If you still run into problems then contact me (Mutevict1m) or any other Theme creator. My MSN is Angelsendairwaves@hotmail.com just add me I could help.

Lastly I would like to thank all of the people who keep the PSP Scene Alive. Without you guys everyone’s PSP’s would just be plain stupid and boring

Credit:

- First of all me (Mutevict1m) for creating this tutorial, Anyone who made the programs we use, the PSP Scene, Dark Alex, and well anyone I forgot to mention.

DOWNLOAD INCLUDES

- 5.00 Offset bookmarks
- Sony Custom theme Converter
- Decrypted/Decompressed Rco and prx files
- Latest CXMB Full
- 5.00 VSH Module Descrambler
- RCO Edit

It Does Not Include Adobe Photoshop, or Hex Workshop. Download those items Elsewhere

HOPE THIS TUTORIAL HELPS ALL OF YOU GUYS!!!
DOWNLOAD THEME CREATING PACK HERE

[Bernardo91]

What a awesome tutorial! This thread should be sticky!

Off-topic! : By the way, Can you release this theme?

[mutevict1m]

thanks, actually Im working on that theme right now

[pspmodel1001]

Maybe I can come up with something.

[mutevict1m]

Originally Posted by pspmodel1001

Maybe I can come up with something.

you probably could, It isnt hard. Its just Time consuming

[22554000kt]

really cool tutorial on xmb them making i need some help on making a theme for my psp but i never have any patients for it or i just get tired and give up so give me some pointers because i am going to try again.


thanks 22554000KT now modbo

[mutevict1m]

Originally Posted by 22554000kt

really cool tutorial on xmb them making i need some help on making a theme for my psp but i never have any patients for it or i just get tired and give up so give me some pointers because i am going to try again.


thanks 22554000KT now modbo

well whatever you struggle with just either PM me or if you use MSN Messenger just hit me up there. I'll be able to help most likely.

[hax555]

Concept theme you did is really nice.

[Junya8971]

Nice tutorial!! Easy to read and follow. This may come in handy for alot of us who can`t make themes but want to get into it. Thanx and great work!! When I have time(whenever that will be...) I will use this tut to make my own theme. Keep it up

P.S.
Nice theme you workin` on there. Looks really sweet!!

[mutevict1m]

Originally Posted by Junya8971

Nice tutorial!! Easy to read and follow. This may come in handy for alot of us who can`t make themes but want to get into it. Thanx and great work!! When I have time(whenever that will be...) I will use this tut to make my own theme. Keep it up

P.S.
Nice theme you workin` on there. Looks really sweet!!

Thanks, Im glad It'll be helpful.
It took me forever to write it all down, and get everything organized