First Launch & Onboarding

The Vault's onboarding flow guides you through setting up your first platform in three simple steps.

Welcome Screen

When you first launch The Vault, you'll see a welcome screen with a "Get Started" button. This begins the three-step platform setup process:

  1. Choose a Platform (e.g., PlayStation 2, Nintendo 64)
  2. Select an Emulator (auto-detected or manually added)
  3. Add ROM Folders (optional - can skip and add later)
welcome-screen.png - Welcome screen with "Get Started" button (1440x900)

Step 1: Choose a Platform

The platform picker displays all 50 supported platforms with beautiful SVG icons. Platforms are organized by manufacturer:

  • Nintendo - NES, SNES, N64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, Switch, Game Boy family, DS, 3DS
  • Sony - PlayStation 1/2/3, PSP
  • Sega - Genesis, Dreamcast, Master System, Game Gear, Sega CD, 32X, Saturn
  • Microsoft - Xbox
  • Atari - 2600, 5200, 7800, Jaguar, Lynx, 800, ST
  • Other - Arcade, 3DO, Neo Geo, MSX, and more
onboarding-platform-picker.png - Platform selection grid with SVG icons (1440x900)

💡 Custom Platforms

Don't see your platform? Click "Custom Platform" to create your own with a custom name, manufacturer, and file extensions.

Step 2: Select an Emulator

The Vault automatically scans your system for installed emulators in common locations:

  • /Applications/
  • ~/Applications/
  • ~/.emulators/

Detected emulators appear with their icons and version numbers. Select one to use as the default for this platform.

onboarding-emulator-picker.png - Emulator auto-detection with icons (1440x900)

⚠️ No Emulators Found?

If no emulators are detected, click "Add Manually" to browse for the emulator's .app bundle. You can also skip this step and add emulators later in Settings.

Step 3: Add ROM Folders (Optional)

Choose one or more folders containing your ROM files. The Vault will:

  1. Enumerate all files in the folder
  2. Filter by supported extensions (e.g., .iso, .nsp, .cue)
  3. Calculate MD5 checksums
  4. Create security-scoped bookmarks (files stay in place!)
  5. Add games to your library
onboarding-rom-folder.png - ROM folder selection dialog (1440x900)

You can skip this step! ROM folders can be added anytime from the platform detail view (Library → Platform → "Add ROM Folder").

Understanding the Basics

Before diving in, it helps to understand The Vault's conceptual model:

The Hierarchy

  1. Collections - Groups of platforms (e.g., "Nintendo Consoles", "Sony Handhelds")
  2. Platforms - Gaming systems (e.g., PlayStation 2, Nintendo Switch)
  3. Games - Individual ROM files with metadata and artwork
  4. Emulators - Software that runs your games (e.g., ARMSX2, Ryujinx)

After Onboarding

Once you complete the onboarding flow, you'll land in the main interface with:

  • Sidebar - Navigate between platforms and collections
  • Game Library - Grid or list view of your games
  • Inspector Panel - Detailed game information and artwork

Continue to Interface Overview to learn how to navigate The Vault, or jump to ROM Import to add more games to your library.