aesthetic.computer / core
Monorepo for Aesthetic.Computer aesthetic.computer
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AestheticComputer
AestheticComputer.sln
README.md
deploy-xbox.fish
README.md

Aesthetic Computer Xbox App#

A UWP/WinUI3 app that wraps aesthetic.computer for Xbox and Windows Store.

Prerequisites#

  • Windows 10/11
  • Visual Studio 2022 with:
    • .NET Desktop Development workload
    • Universal Windows Platform development workload
    • Windows 10/11 SDK (10.0.22621.0 or later)
  • Xbox in Developer Mode ($19 one-time fee at partner.microsoft.com)

Setup#

1. Open in Visual Studio#

Open xbox/AestheticComputer.sln in Visual Studio 2022

2. Generate Assets#

You'll need these icon sizes in Assets/:

  • StoreLogo.png - 50x50
  • Square44x44Logo.png - 44x44
  • Square71x71Logo.png - 71x71 (SmallTile)
  • Square150x150Logo.png - 150x150
  • Square310x310Logo.png - 310x310
  • Wide310x150Logo.png - 310x150
  • SplashScreen.png - 620x300

Use your purple pal logo. VS can also auto-generate these from a single source.

3. Configure Signing#

For testing:

  • Right-click project → Properties → Package → Create test certificate

For Store:

  • Associate with your Partner Center app
  • Project → Publish → Associate App with the Store

Deploy to Xbox#

Enable Xbox Dev Mode#

  1. On Xbox: Settings → System → Console info
  2. Activate Developer mode (needs Partner Center registration)
  3. Xbox restarts into Dev Mode

Find Xbox IP#

Settings → General → Network settings → Advanced settings

Deploy from Visual Studio#

  1. Debug → Remote Machine
  2. Enter Xbox IP address
  3. First time: enter PIN shown on Xbox Dev Home
  4. Press F5 to deploy and run

Deploy via Device Portal#

  1. Open https://<xbox-ip>:11443 in browser
  2. Accept certificate warning
  3. Go to My games & apps → Add
  4. Upload the .msix package

Command Line Deploy#

# Build first, then:
WinAppDeployCmd install -file "AestheticComputer.msix" -ip <xbox-ip> -pin <pin>

Store Submission#

1. Partner Center Setup#

  1. Go to partner.microsoft.com
  2. Create new app: "Aesthetic Computer"
  3. Reserve the name

2. Associate App#

In Visual Studio:

  • Project → Publish → Associate App with the Store
  • Sign in and select your app

3. Create Package#

  • Project → Publish → Create App Packages
  • Select "Microsoft Store (new app)"
  • Choose x64 and ARM64 architectures
  • Upload .msixupload to Partner Center

4. Xbox Certification#

For Xbox, your app must:

  • ✅ Work with gamepad only (no mouse required)
  • ✅ Support 1080p and 4K
  • ✅ Handle TV safe zones
  • ✅ Pass Xbox Requirements Tests (XR)

Run Windows App Cert Kit before submitting.

Gamepad Support#

The app injects window.isXboxApp = true into the page.

In aesthetic.computer, you can check this:

if (window.isXboxApp) {
  // Xbox-specific UI adjustments
}

Standard gamepad API works - Xbox controller maps to browser Gamepad API.

Troubleshooting#

"Cannot connect to remote machine"#

  • Ensure Xbox and PC are on same network
  • Check Xbox IP in Dev Home app
  • Disable any VPN

"Package deployment failed"#

  • Match package architecture to Xbox (usually x64)
  • Check certificate is valid
  • Ensure Xbox has enough storage

WebView2 issues#

  • Xbox includes Edge WebView2 runtime
  • If issues, check Xbox OS is updated

Architecture#

xbox/
├── AestheticComputer.sln          # Solution file
├── AestheticComputer/
│   ├── AestheticComputer.csproj   # Project file
│   ├── Package.appxmanifest       # App manifest (icons, capabilities)
│   ├── App.xaml(.cs)              # App entry point
│   ├── MainWindow.xaml(.cs)       # WebView2 window
│   ├── app.manifest               # Windows manifest
│   └── Assets/                    # Icons and splash screens
└── README.md