Backdrops in mame2003-plus

Riverstorm

@UDb23 - That's great news! I suppose refreshing the whole screen, since RA Video displays it as 1918 x 1080, is taxing the Pi.

I thought I read somewhere you need to alter existing overlays. Can you explain why backdrops with overlays is a challenge? If you create an overlay that has a transparent section for the game. Shouldn't the backdrop just need to fit that transparent section only?

UDb23

@Riverstorm said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

Can you explain why backdrops with overlays is a challenge? If you create an overlay that has a transparent section for the game. Shouldn't the backdrop just need to fit that transparent section only?

No challenge actually. Yes transparent game area as usual with overlays.
Sometimes the "window" that shows backdrop(was the actual bezel in the original arcade game) is wider than the gaming area. This happens for SI where backdrop is bigger.
That "exceeding backdrop " area must be included in the RA overlay.

Riverstorm

Sorry I read it several times and I'm still not quite understanding. In my head I think of it like this. Game area is 810 x 1080 so make back drop of 810 x 1080 (with the new information you figured out with the issue). Then make overlay 1920 x 1080 with a 810 x 1080 window if that makes sense. Yeah I remember the real arcade plexi-glass bezels, we used to lift them on some games and reach inside to add credits! =\

UDb23

Issue with Omega Race (omegrace.zip).
Backdrop will not load ! I tried all I could think of but it doesn't show any image.

Tried MrDo's .ART backdrop, tried mine @1080p and finally a config for just the game area (0,0,1,1). No way :-(
Screen resolution is usual 1440x1080 (core provided) so there should be no res issue.
Anybody wanting to test ?
File's here.

Armor Attack (also vector and same res) works fine with those settings (game area only).

Riverstorm

I will test in a bit. I just started an update from source.

UDb23

@Riverstorm said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

Sorry I read it several times and I'm still not quite understanding. In my head I think of it like this. Game area is 810 x 1080 so make back drop of 810 x 1080 (with the new information you figured out with the issue). Then make overlay 1920 x 1080 with a 810 x 1080 window if that makes sense

Correct: that overlay will contain bezel graphics and (e.g. SI) some part of the "carton backdrop" (left & right of the game area). If someone uses just that overlay without the backdrop art for the game area it will look wrong as game are will have black background.

As said no issue, just some overlay must be adapted and should be used with specific overlay.
I will create the SI one soon so you'll se what I mean.

I'm vectoring a high res (but worn out) image of Taito SI bezel; I'm not happy with the quality of bezel/overlay images used so far ;-)

Clyde

@UDb23 Your zip file works fine on my Retropie. See for yourself:

alt text

Clyde

@UDb23 FYI, I'm running mame2003-plus 644b581.

UDb23

@Clyde

My lr mame 2003 plus: 8678668
Updated from source last weekend.
???

Glad to know it works. When did you update?

Riverstorm

@UDb23 @Clyde - Sorry I'm slow to respond. I am rebuilding my Pi. I had a G.Skill card that I think was giving some grief. I'm trying out a Samsung EVO that's ok but slow CDM Benchmarks come in around 50MB/s.

Anyway I am on commit 1d4e820 and it works good here too! Nice snap Clyde I'm digging the shader! ;)

Riverstorm

I also tested an older backdrop with an overlay (I think Mr. Do, I downloaded it a long time ago) and that worked also. It's not centered at all and need some adjustments but it does work too.

Riverstorm

@Clyde - Could you by chance share your vector settings? I don't think I have my tweaked to look that good. It looks sharp.

UDb23

@Riverstorm Is that the latest ? Did you update from source today?
Hope just updating will solve. I did not change any 2003plus settings.

Btw:I got a 64GB evo plus and works fine as SD.

UDb23

This post is deleted!

Riverstorm

@UDb23 said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

Is that the latest ? Did you update from source today?

Yeah that was current as of 3 or 4 hours ago so an update and you should be set.

Riverstorm

@UDb23 said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

Btw:I got a 64GB evo plus and works fine as SD.

Yeah shoot I wish It was the Plus version but they had a big ol' sale on the regular so I grabbed one. Local retailers in the area mainly carry SanDisk Plus and SanDisk Extreme that are really Rock solid in the Pi and benchmark over 100MB/s.

UDb23

@Riverstorm said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

SanDisk Extreme

They are the top but pretty expensive ! I use those with my DSLR.
I don't think transfer rate impacts Retropie that much; especially considering Arcade games.

grant2258

the pi sdcard reader isint the best you wont see great transfare rates on it regardless of the card you use. I hope that is something they work on in future revisions

Clyde

@UDb23 said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

@Clyde
Glad to know it works. When did you update?

According to the timestamps of the core, it's from Dez 21, 09:39.

Did you update yet, and did that fix your problem?

Although @Riverstorm says it works with the latest build, I'm now hesitant to update my running system. ;)

@Riverstorm said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

Nice snap Clyde I'm digging the shader! ;)

Thanks, although it isn't authentic for vector games, I think, because vector monitors didn't have a raster but "painted" the graphics with their electron beam. Right?

@Riverstorm said in Backdrops in mame2003-plus:

@Clyde - Could you by chance share your vector settings? I don't think I have my tweaked to look that good. It looks sharp.

Gladly. They are just the ones I liked when the vector options were implemented in mame2003-plus.

mame2003-plus_vector_antialias = "enabled"
mame2003-plus_vector_beam_width = "2"
mame2003-plus_vector_flicker = "20"
mame2003-plus_vector_intensity = "1.5"
mame2003-plus_vector_resolution_multiplier = "3"
mame2003-plus_vector_translucency = "enabled"

@UDb23 @Riverstorm As for SD cards, I have a Toshiba Exceria Pro 401 (32GB) in my Pi. It also had good test results and it was slightly cheaper than the Sandisc Extreme Plus when I bought it. My roms are on a Samsung Evo 250 SSD anyway. :)

But like @UDb23 and @grant2258, I don't think that the upper end of transfer speeds matters much in a Pi running Retropie.

UDb23

@Clyde @Riverstorm Updated right now and...

it works, thanks!

Pull request for full screen (1080p) backdrop made.
Backdrop is available here meanwhile.

Actually final res is: 1912x1080. Still need to find out if we can "trick" the .art system to provide right calculations.