Vectrex Overlay Artwork

[d8thstar]

@mediamogul

I don't think there are any. I was hoping that vec overlays would be easier to implement under mess, the way they are on the pc.

From what I've read on overlays with vecx, each game needs its own config file and to be honest, I don't think I'm that smart :)

[mediamogul]

@d8thstar

If you want to use the pre-made files I posted above, it's pretty easy. All you have to do is:

• Unzip the file
• Put all the resulting config files and 'overlays' folder in /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/vectrex/.
• Rename the config files to match your rom names. For example, if your the rom is named 'scramble.zip', your config file would be named 'scramble.zip.cfg'.

[d8thstar]

Wow thanks! Been a while and I've forgotten how to switch the emu back to vecx. That said, your overlays work just fine under mess, nothing special done, just dropped everything into the rom folder as instructed.

I did have one question, the hyperchase overlay doesn't look to be opaque at all, nine of the game graphics come up. I also duplicated all files to make a dark tower overlay but the same thing, no opaqueness. Wondering what setting / cfg file needs to be edited to make these opaque.

Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction!

[mediamogul]

@d8thstar

The opacity setting for 'Hyperchase' is located in the .cfg at /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/vectrex/ and should look like the following to match the others:

input_overlay = /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/vectrex/overlays/hyperchase.cfg
input_overlay_enable = true
input_overlay_opacity = 0.375000
input_overlay_scale = 1.000000

custom_viewport_width = "846"
custom_viewport_height = "1080"
custom_viewport_x = "0"
custom_viewport_y = "0"

aspect_ratio_index = "22"

video_scale_integer = true

To duplicate one of the existing overlays for 'Dark Tower', you'll need to obtain the image file and resize it to 1920x1080. Next, name it 'darktower.png' and place it in the /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/vectrex/overlays folder. While you're in the 'overlays' folder, duplicate one of the other .cfg files, name it 'darktower.cfg' and edit it to the following:

overlays = 1

overlay0_overlay = darktower.png

overlay0_full_screen = false

overlay0_descs = 0

Now, duplicate one of the existing .cfg files in the /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/vectrex/ folder and rename it to match the name of your rom file. Finally, edit the .cfg to the following:

input_overlay = /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/vectrex/overlays/darktower.cfg
input_overlay_enable = true
input_overlay_opacity = 0.375000
input_overlay_scale = 1.000000

custom_viewport_width = "846"
custom_viewport_height = "1080"
custom_viewport_x = "0"
custom_viewport_y = "0"

aspect_ratio_index = "22"

video_scale_integer = true

Edit: As you are using these for 'lr-mess', you'll likely need to change all the relevant paths accordingly. I can't really advise further than that, as I am not familiar with those variables. Seeing as how you've said there's no benefit to running these games in 'lr-mess', you can always change back to the default and make things easier.

[d8thstar]

thank you, i'm all set back on vecX and all is good with the overlays.

I would be willing to help make packs for the home-brew games but i can't seem to find any overlays that are of a high enough resolution. i know i can resize but then things look pixelated.

if anyone has any resources, i will get he bundles made up ASAP.

thanks again for all of the help!

[vert]

Hey!

I used to own a vectrex and am now happy to have my Picade (Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, 8" Screen, RetroPie 4.1) working. Using this post I got the overlays working (Thanks!) but I have trouble to find the right viewport settings.

If I do not change mediamoguls settings overlay and vector graphics are blown up, I only see the center of the image.

The Picade's 8" screen seems to habe a native resolution of 800x600 so I adjusted viewport settings to:

custom_viewport_width = "482"
custom_viewport_height = "600"

hoping to keep the correct aspect ratio and use all of the screens height for all of the vector graphics and overlay artwork.

Alas, I seem to be unable to shrink the picture enough. When going smaller the picture size stops changing. I can always change the overlay artwork size by adjusting

input_overlay_scale = 1.00000

but I do not seem to get the correct values to display all of the overlay and have the right vector graphics size to match the overlay.

Do you have any input on how to find the correct values?

Thanks,

vert

[sphiend]

@mediamogul ,

I know this thread is a bit dated. Is the link to your overlay graphics and config files still active / working? I installed the MEGA browser plugin but it just seems to hang. Do I need an account on MEGA?

-sphiend

[mediamogul]

@sphiend

It's still active. I didn't think you needed to be a member to use the links, but maybe you do.

[HurricaneFan]

@sphiend You should be able to download it just fine in Firefox.

[sphiend]

@mediamogul , @HurricaneFan

Thanks. Seems the Mega service is out of a country that my firewall's Geoblock was set to drop. I bypassed and obtained the file. Thanks again!

-sphiend

[backstander]

@mediamogul @HurricaneFan @sphiend
Did I miss something? I don't see this download link? I looked up and down this and couldn't find it :(

[HurricaneFan]

@backstander It's hard to see in the original post above as it was only linked to the word "here".

Here you go: https://mega.nz/#!no8wkQwT!bLJTcXSs338Pa24Uvl-dEdhU2xFv-kVi2E-GYF-wwpg

[backstander]

Thanks @HurricaneFan !

[mediamogul]

@HurricaneFan

Thanks indeed. I also made the link more prevalent in the original post as well.

[Fruitybit]

@mediamogul This is superb!) I loved Vectrex games, still do, and even more so now! Revisiting my youth this morning- thanks for the hard work here:))

[rkoster]

I just set this up, but the opacity setting doesn't seem to do anything. I have it all the way down at

input_overlay_opacity = 0.05000

And it is still pretty opaque -- too opaque for playability, even. Anyone know if something broke?

[mediamogul]

@rkoster

I'll look at mine later tonight.

[rkoster]

Oh phooey... looks like I had started this process once previously, and had set up a different path for the config. :P I was following the instructions here and set up everything in the roms folder, but

Entering the RetroArch config screen, and going to

Settings > Onscreen Display > Onscreen Overlay

and adjusting the opacity there worked. That also showed me where the actual config it was reading was, which turnewd out to be ~/.config/retroarch./overlay. Whoops.

[mediamogul]

@rkoster

Whoops.

No problem. Glad it's working.

[rkoster]

Full solution:

• in ~/.config/retroarch/config/ make sure you don't have custom .cfg's per game.
• in that same directory, you can edit the input_overlay_opacity field and set it at 0.375000 (or use the Retroarch GUI to do it while in the emulator, and then save Core Overrides, but that only gives 1 digit of precision, so 0.4).
• in ~/RetroPie/roms/vectrex set up the various files as described on this thread. Those cfg's are still read, and they point to the correct overlays. They just don't seem to override VecX.cfg's opacity value.

Maybe VecX.cfg needs to not have input_overlay_opacity set at all? I could experiment, but it's working now so I am going to leave it. :)