Arcade overlays 4:3, 1600x1200

[apefray]

Hi Guys....

Absolute newbie to retropie here, and am in the middle of converting an Arcade1up cab to run retropie. I have replaced the original Arcade1up monitor with a Dell 2007fpb, and have retropie running on it.

This setup is working great for horizontal games, but I found the vertical games were lacking with the borders being shown, so did a search and came across these bezels which look like they will be ideal for filling in the blank borders. Great, I have downloaded the zip file and have all the files required, but, this is where i am getting lost:

The .cfg files in cfgs assume retroarch overlay folder is: /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/overlays/arcade-bezels/. If folder does not exist on your RetroPie, create it. If using a different folder, edit .cfg files accordingly.

Summarizing the steps:

SSH or FTP into Pi
Copy cfgs/romname.cfg into your configs/all/retroarch/config/MAME <version> (lr-mame) or configs/all/retroarch/config/FB Neo (lr-fbneo) folder
Copy PNG file and bezel-cfgs/romname.cfg into overlay folder. There is also a generic.png bezel for games without a dedicated one.

Ok, so I have created the folder: /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/overlays/arcade-bezels/

But the rest of the instructions are baffling me, bearing in mind this is a straight install of retropie im using with no mods or custom configs at all.

Firstly, it says to copy the contents of cfg/romname.cfg into your configs/all/retroarch/config/ MAME <version> (lr-mame) or configs/all/retroarch/config/FB Neo (lr-fbneo) folder, but these folders dont exist on my install. I guess I need to create these folders, but am a little confused as to where to create them. Would I be right in thinking /retropie-mount/roms/arcade, in this folder i have 3 other folders, Mame2003, Mame2003-plus & roms (yes, im using a usb drive for the roms hence the retropie-mount). I can see a cfg folder in both Mame2003 & Mame2003-plus folders, but again, they are empty folders, so they don't match the instructions?

I have another folder under roms named mame-libretro, but this folder only has roms in it?

Secondly, its the same with Copy PNG file and bezel-cfgs/romname.cfg into overlay folder. There is also a generic.png bezel for games without a dedicated one. Im guessing this is the folder I created earlier opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/overlays/arcade-bezels/ but the instructions say to copy the PNG file and bezel-cfgs/romname.cfg into the overlay folder. Would that be the overlays folder or arcade-bezels folder?

As I say, i have retropie up and running, but am a complete newbie when it comes to custom configs on retropie.

Cheers

[Ashpool]

@apefray Right, The image of desired resolution and the bezel-cfg/*.cfg goes into /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch/overlays/arcade-bezels (or via samba shares simply /config/all/...).
But there are multiple places the config from [GIT-Repo]/cfgs could be placed. The GIT-Repo doc/naming scheme assumes it to be a core specific game override (see: retroarch docs "per game override").
It can either (named as is romname.cfg) be placed into .../configs/all/retroarch/config/[CORE NAME] (e.g. for FBNeo: "FinalBurn Neo") [-> Those directories aren't created by default, if unsure what the proper core name is - just start a game and from the libretro menu go into core options -> manage core options -> save game options, this will create a romname.opt file together/within the proper cores folder in above config path (you can delete the .opt file afterwards)], or it can be placed next to the rom inside the rom folder, but then the config-file has to be renamed to match the full romname including its file extension (e.g. for amidar.7z it has to be named amidar.7z.cfg, for zaxxon.zip it will be zaxxon.zip.cfg).

[apefray]

@Ashpool cheers bud..... Will give it a go

[apefray]

@Ashpool

Im still struggling a bit with this after following your instructions.

I have copied all the *.cfg & *.png files as shown here:

However, when I go to a game, and go to the overlay settings, im following this video by the way:

Im not seeing any Bezels listed for me to select?

I also tried your other suggestion of starting a game friom the libretro menu, then going to core options -> manage core options -> save game options, but it didn't save a romname.opt file that I can see.

My worry is, that im running retropie off of a m2 ssd, but the roms are stored on an external hard drive, so not sure if theres anything different I should be doing.

[Ashpool]

@apefray Ok, i think we have a major conflict here between us (two non native english speakers i asume?) trying to understand each other ... I've tried to point out that there are various ways within the libretro/retroarch context to achieve/place overlays (but each one of it is different to the others and has to follow its own set of rules/you cannot mix guide(s/lines) here). And sorry, In Manual/Guide/RTFM context I am a big fan of still-images next to words and words must be IMHO readable and not be spoken over moving-pictures [1]. Have you tried to strictly follow one of the possibilities I've posted?
Most easily approach would be: keep the arcade-bezel folder and content at the location you've posted the image for. Then, within the rom folder, place the config file from [GIT-Repo]/cfgs but rename it (this is important) to romname.extension.cfg (and make sure/verify that the path set within this cfg file is matching the targeted cfg one within the arcade-bezel folder [reminder: upper/lowercase matching is important in posix based environments]).

If you can name me a single rom + emulator (path to (including romname) within the retropie romfolder) you want to have a bezel for, I could post my corresponding pathes/files for it as an example.

1: [personal rant] I really hate video tutorials - as speech is so much slower compared to reading and with reading i can easily skip forward/backward without any real delay, I can fast observe/scann/read an article to see if it may contain viable information or is just a waste of time and also i can reread passages without delayed seeking, etc. -> so please, if you link to a video based guide, use a timed-video-link that is skipping right to the scene you want to show as I really don't want to view a whole video and having to guess when/what is the major point for the context here (sorry again, i don't want to be/sound rude, but video tutorials are for me just PITAs i try to avoid).

[capcob]

Here's a frame I use for Missile Command. I believe the aspect ratio of the transparent area, 1.36:1 is right for this game ( 256:231 x 27:22 ).

Settings I use :

aspect_ratio_index = "23"
input_overlay_enable = "true"
input_overlay_enable_autopreferred = "true"
input_overlay_hide_in_menu = "true"
input_overlay_opacity = "1.000000"
input_overlay_scale_landscape = "1.000000"
input_overlay_scale_portrait = "1.000000"
input_overlay_show_inputs = "2"
input_overlay_show_mouse_cursor = "true"
custom_viewport_height = "1000"
custom_viewport_width = "1360"
custom_viewport_x = "120"
custom_viewport_y = "100"
input_player1_mouse_index = 1
input_player2_mouse_index = 1

[capcob]

A couple more...

aspect_ratio_index = "23"
custom_viewport_height = "1040"
custom_viewport_width = "1200"
custom_viewport_x = "200"
custom_viewport_y = "80"
input_overlay_enable = "true"
input_overlay_opacity = "0.600000"
input_overlay_scale = "1.000000"

[capcob]

Super Cobra

(Posted as a .jpg instead of the original 32-bit lossless .png to keep file size under 1024Kb)

[hankerde]

@capcob Hello!

Is there any place I can find your Super Cobra bezel with transparent parts?

Thanks in advance!

[hankerde]

Since I've never heard of @capcob I repaired and retouched his pc myself. Colors were taken from photos of the real bezel.

I sadly cannot upload it here in its full glory, but it will be available at my post in https://forums.libretro.com/t/bezels-for-vertical-games-with-4-3-horizontal-screens/48516

Here's a 1024x768 preview of my work: