Tech Tinkering on Glass Ball in a Plastic World

From Dune to Dune Rev: Expanding a Playnite Theme

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I have been using Playnite to manage my game library. Among its Desktop themes, Dune fits my taste especially well: spacious composition, rounded cards, clean visual hierarchy, and an unmistakable WinUI 3 / Fluent Design influence. Unfortunately, it is a relatively new theme, and its extension compatibility falls well short of more mature alternatives. Some extension pages rendered black text on black surfaces, while other extensions had nowhere to appear at all.

Over the course of a day, Codex and I gradually turned it into Dune Rev: a personal fork maintained by me that preserves the original visual language while adding extension integration and much more control over the layout.

Dune Rev's Details View; summary cards and extension content adapt to the available data

The Starting Point: A Beautiful Theme with an Incomplete Ecosystem

Dune originally advertised support for SuccessStory, HowLongToBeat, Extra Metadata Loader, and ScreenshotsVisualizer. That was a solid foundation, but my everyday setup uses far more extensions. As a reference, Mythic already offered mature integration for BackgroundChanger, DuplicateHider, GameActivity, Library Management, ThemeExtras, Steam news and reviews, ThemeModifier, and more.

The first visible problem was simply “the colors in extension settings are wrong.” Once I started inspecting the XAML, however, it became clear that adding a few brushes would not be enough. A Playnite theme does not only define appearance; it also hosts plugin controls and supplies resource dictionaries, visibility rules, and layout contracts. A missing resource key can make text unreadable. An incorrectly named ContentControl can prevent an extension from injecting anything. Two views sharing one playback state can even produce a bug that appears only after switching back and forth between them.

Making Extension Data Part of the Theme

I did not want to solve the problem by stacking every plugin panel at the bottom of the page. Extension data should look like a native part of Dune, so I reorganized the Details View summary area. Last played, total play time, completion status, achievements, activity, HowLongToBeat, and SystemChecker now share the same card language.

The cards follow a few rules:

A card disappears when its extension is unavailable or the selected game has no corresponding data.
The remaining cards wrap automatically instead of leaving empty holes.
Cards that open an extension view have a hover animation to communicate that they are interactive.
The HowLongToBeat card shows only Main Story, avoiding a cramped row of Main, Main+, and 100% values.
Full charts, progress bars, and lists remain available in dedicated tabs below the summary.

Playnite Achievements turned out to be a special case. It already includes its own theme migration system, so adding another explicit “native” host actually duplicated or conflicted with the migrated controls. The final solution lets the extension continue handling migration while the theme supplies the colors and control resources it expects. It was a useful reminder that extension support does not always mean writing more code; first, you need to understand what the extension already does.

Dune Rev currently covers these major integrations:

Feature	Extension
Achievements	SuccessStory and Playnite Achievements automatic migration
Alternative backgrounds	BackgroundChanger
Duplicate copies	DuplicateHider
Feature icons	Library Management
Favorites and completion status	ThemeExtras
Activity history	GameActivity
Completion estimates	HowLongToBeat
Logos and videos	Extra Metadata Loader
Screenshots	ScreenshotsVisualizer
Steam news and online players	Steam News and Players Viewer
Steam reviews	Review Viewer
System requirements	SystemChecker
Theme customization	ThemeModifier

The Hard Part Was State, Not Visibility

Extra Metadata Loader’s logo and video integration produced some representative problems. An early build showed a game icon instead of its logo in Details View. After fixing the control host, video playback exposed a more subtle state bug: switch from Details View to Grid-Details View and back, and the hero area could no longer resume the video, even though playback in Grid View continued to work.

Both views were using the cached standard player, the same RadioButton group name, and the extension’s global IsVideoPlaying state. The view changed, but the player host and state were not truly isolated. I ultimately gave each view an independently configured player instance and its own media-selection group, then bound its play button to that player’s state. This is a neat little WPF/XAML lesson: a control leaving the screen does not mean its state has disappeared, especially when an extension caches objects beyond the local name scope.

Details View and Grid-Details View Are Not the Same Layout

Width was the other recurring problem. Details View is naturally a widescreen composition: summary cards and extension tabs on the left, with developers, publishers, ratings, and features on the right. Grid-Details View is usually a narrow sidebar beside the cover grid. Treating both as one horizontal layout either lets the information column consume all available space or crushes every card into a narrow strip.

The two views therefore ended up with independent dimensions and composition rules:

Details View defaults to a 1760 px maximum content width and a 480 px information column.
Grid View defaults to a 640 px details pane.
Summary cards wrap in Grid View, with the information panel placed below them.
Logo, card, extension-panel, button, and top-bar sizes can all be adjusted independently.

Grid-Details View uses a purpose-built narrow-pane layout instead of compressing the widescreen page

These settings are exposed through ThemeModifier. Its theme-option format currently offers only one Description string rather than localized names, so I used consistent English / 简体中文 labels and grouped them into Global Layout, Details View, Grid View, Extension Panels, and Grid Cover sections. The final result contains 26 audited options that are genuinely consumed by the theme, rather than sliders that appear in the settings page without affecting anything.

Why Fluent Dim?

Dune already warned that its dark mode could have problems. The deeper issue is that Playnite 10 does not provide extension-injected controls with one reliable, shared light/dark state. The theme’s own controls may switch correctly while a migrated or injected extension page does not. The result is often light text on a light background or black text on a dark one.

Instead of maintaining two palettes that would always be partially broken, I settled on a single Fluent Dim palette. It is more comfortable at night than a conventional light theme without becoming a high-contrast pure-black theme. Dark blue-gray surfaces, softer white text, and translucent Fluent layers keep the appearance subdued. Giving up the mode switch buys much more consistent rendering across the main window, settings dialogs, and extension content.

Turning a Local Modification into a Publishable Fork

As the changes grew, it no longer made sense to treat the project as a local patch. I named it Dune Rev, generated a new GUID, updated its theme identity, author, and repository links, and prepared a README, CHANGELOG, .gitignore, licenses, and Playnite Add-on and Installer manifests.

The original project uses the MIT License, which permits forking and redistribution as long as the original copyright and license notice remain. Dune Rev retains sakasakiking’s copyright notice and adds my copyright for the modifications.

The release candidate also went through several layers of validation:

XML parsing for every XAML file.
Resource-dictionary loading in the real order using Playnite’s 32-bit assemblies.
A Release build with no compilation errors.
.pthm packaging with Playnite Toolbox followed by a package-content check.
Cross-checking ThemeModifier options, manifests, screenshots, and download URLs.

The 1.0.0 package is now ready. The remaining release steps are to create a GitHub Release and submit the Add-on manifest to the official PlayniteAddonDatabase, which is how a theme enters Playnite’s built-in add-on browser.

Conclusion

This work began as an attempt to fix the colors on a few extension pages and ended as a complete review of the theme’s layouts, plugin data, state management, and release process. It also demonstrates an interesting part of Playnite theme development: XAML is not merely a skin. It is a user-interface protocol between the core application and a collection of independently developed extensions.

Dune Rev still looks like the Dune theme I liked in the first place, but it now feels much more like a complete theme I can use long-term. More importantly, it has evolved from a collection of modifications on my computer into an open-source project with its own identity—one that can be validated, updated, and published for others to use.

This post was co-written by GPT-5.6 Sol High and me.

Documenting an Old PC Upgrade

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Recently, I’ve been feeling that my old desktop computer has fallen seriously behind the times, so I decided to give it a series of upgrades.

This is an experiment in tinkering with an old platform, not a recommendation for a mainstream modern build.

Platform Configuration

My original configuration was as follows:

Component	Details
CPU	Intel Xeon E5 1607 v2 (4C/4T @ 3.0GHz)
Motherboard	Generic / Unbranded X79
Memory	16GB Micron DDR3 1333MHz
Storage 1	1TB Western Digital WD1003FZEX (HDD)
Storage 2	1TB Western Digital WD10EZEX (HDD)
Graphics Card	AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT 4GB
Network Card	TP-Link TL-WDN5280 (RTL8821AE, WiFi 5)
Monitor	HP L2245w
OS	Windows 11 Pro 24H2

To put it charitably, this setup is like a tableau of computing history: a monitor from 2008, a CPU from 2013, old Western Digital Black and Blue hard drives, and a graphics card from 2022. Anyone with a bit of experience can spot the issues: a weak CPU, a mechanical hard drive struggling to run Windows 11, limited GPU performance, and an ancient single-antenna network card.

Upgrade Strategy

The most pressing issue with this build was the terrible experience of running Windows 11 on a mechanical hard drive—long boot times and pervasive stuttering. This had to be addressed first by adding an SSD.

Secondly, the CPU’s performance was no longer satisfactory. The E5-1607 v2 is the weakest model in its Ivy Bridge E5 family, featuring only four cores at 3.0GHz, a locked multiplier, and no Hyper-Threading.

The Xeon E5 1607 v2 CPU

CPU-Z info and benchmark scores for the E5 1607 v2

Furthermore, the outdated single-antenna network card performed very poorly in today’s network environment, making it another necessary upgrade.

The issue of the X79 platform only supporting PCI-E 3.0, which prevents the RX 6500 XT from reaching its full potential, was temporarily ignored as the performance difference isn’t particularly significant.

CPU Upgrade: E5 1650 v2 - ¥45 (approx. $6 USD)

Selection

Among the available CPUs for the X79 platform, the E5 1650 v2 is a real standout. With six cores, twelve threads, and a 3.5GHz base frequency, its specifications are very close to the legendary Core i7-4960X Extreme Edition. Its unlocked multiplier also means it can be overclocked to further boost performance. At its current price of ¥45, it’s an incredible value.

The Xeon E5 1650 v2 CPU

Review

Running a CPU with an unlocked multiplier at stock speeds would be a waste. After installing it, I immediately pushed the all-core multiplier to 39 and checked the CPU-Z scores.

CPU-Z info and benchmark scores for the E5 1650 v2 @ 3.9GHz

My particular chip seems to be of excellent quality (a “golden sample”), running at 3.5GHz on just 0.864V. After a brief stress test, it handled the load with ease. So, I pushed the overclock further to an all-core 4.0GHz and saw another performance bump.

CPU-Z benchmark scores, temperature, and voltage for the E5 1650 v2 @ 4.0GHz

Note: I noticed that the voltage reported by Core Temp always seems to be about 0.1V higher than what CPU-Z shows.

Pushing the overclock to an all-core 4.2GHz resulted in a boot failure. I also found that even at 4.0GHz, the CPU would automatically downclock after a while under a stress test, despite normal temperatures and voltages. I suspect the motherboard’s power delivery was overheating and couldn’t keep up—after all, you can’t expect too much from a generic, unbranded motherboard.

Therefore, I decided to keep the frequency at a stable all-core 3.9GHz. Compared to the 1607 v2, this provides a substantial performance uplift: a 32.9% increase in single-core performance and an incredible 153.6% increase in multi-core performance.

Results

CPU-Z Benchmark Result

Benchmark	E5 1607 v2 (4C/4T) @ 3.0Ghz	E5 1650 v2 (6C/12T) @ 3.9GHz	Improvement
Single-Thread	284.4	377.9	+32.9%
Multi-Thread	1078.2	2723.9	+153.6%

Storage Upgrade: Acer RE100 256GB SSD - ¥115 (approx. $16 USD)

Selection

Since this computer is mainly for playing less demanding games and won’t store important data, I opted for a non-first-party SATA SSD: the Acer RE100 256GB. This drive uses TLC NAND, comes with a 5-year warranty, and the 256GB model has a rated endurance of 140 TBW. At ¥115, the price is quite reasonable. If it fails, I’ll just get it replaced under warranty.

Unboxing

Acer RE100 Unboxing

The packaging is a simple cardboard box containing the drive itself, a manual, and screws. The back of the box clearly states that the drive is manufactured by Biwin, which isn’t surprising since Biwin is the company behind Acer’s storage products. The drive features a black aluminum alloy casing that feels quite nice.

Review

Components

Using the FlashID utility, you can identify the drive’s controller and NAND flash.

Acer RE100 controller and NAND information

My specific drive uses a Maxio MAS1102 controller and Micron’s 232-layer TLC NAND in a DRAM-less design. This configuration is appropriate for its price point.

Performance

A CrystalDiskMark test shows performance typical for a low-end SSD.

CrystalDiskMark Test Results

Using the “Baiyan” testing software (developed by a Chinese developer at epcdiy.org) to perform a full-disk write test, the speed initially holds at around 500 MB/s. After about 40GB of data is written, the simulated SLC cache is exhausted, and the speed drops to approximately 50 MB/s.

"Baiyan" Test Results

Software

The official software provided is Biwin’s own drive management tool, Biwin Intelligence, which offers features like performance testing, data migration, and secure erase.

Biwin Intelligence Software Interface

Network Card Upgrade: RTL8852BE - Kit for ¥28 (approx. $4 USD)

Selection and Installation

I happened to have a spare RTL8852BE wireless card salvaged from a laptop. This card is primarily shipped to OEMs and supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3. However, its 5GHz bandwidth is limited to 80MHz, and early drivers had issues, giving it a poor reputation. But since I already had it, there was no need to buy a new one.

I purchased an M.2 to PCI-E adapter board along with external extension antennas for a total of ¥28. This setup also makes it easy to upgrade to something like an Intel AX210 in the future.

RTL8852BE, M.2 to PCI-E adapter board, and accompanying antennas

I removed the old card, installed the new one, connected the Bluetooth cable to a motherboard USB 2.0 header, attached the antennas, and the job was done.

Drivers

Perhaps because it’s an OEM part, I couldn’t find a driver download link on the Realtek website. Attempts to install OEM drivers or use driver utility software resulted in errors.

Ultimately, I found a working driver on DriverPack, and after downloading and installing it, the card worked perfectly.

Other Upgrades: Mijia Smart Power-On Card - ¥15 (approx. $2 USD)

I also bought a Mijia Smart Power-On Card, which is essentially a Bluetooth Mesh switch. You connect the case’s power switch (PWR) cable to the card, then connect the card’s PWR cable to the motherboard. Plug the card into a PCI-E slot, power it on, and add it to the Mijia (Xiaomi Home) app. This allows you to control the computer’s power state through the app.

Requires a Bluetooth Mesh Gateway.

The Mijia Power-On Card

The interface in the Mijia app is identical to other Bluetooth Mesh switches

Conclusion

The total cost of this upgrade was about ¥200 (approx. $28 USD). The main improvements were to the CPU, storage, and networking, breathing new life into this old platform and making it ready to last another five years!

Aspect	Before Upgrade	After Upgrade
Storage	Slow boot times, very laggy system response.	With an SSD as the system drive, boot-up takes only seconds, and the system is silky smooth.
CPU	Four cores and four threads, rather weak performance.	Performance more than doubled.
Network	Single-antenna WiFi 5 card, poor signal, no built-in Bluetooth.	WiFi 6 card with double the speed, a stable connection, and built-in Bluetooth.
Smart Features	-	Integrated with Mijia for voice or remote power control and supports home automation.