Bezel Project! A custom bezel for every ROM!

[pofo14]

Quick question on the MAME bezels from the bezel project.  I am using RL for my bezel system - but wanted to see how others were handing clones/versions of the Roms that don’t match the bezel project.  

Some of the versions of Roms LB imports don’t match the folder in the bezel project (I.e rom in LB will have ‘u’ at the end).  I have played around prioritizing different regions but it happens for different rims no matter what.  

I am working on a rename utility - but didn’t know if anyone else tackled this before. 

[caste]

I'm hitting a snag not with the games that have bezels but the ones that do not. I'm using Retroarch for MAME and the games that don't have a match don't load any bezel. But in the Overlays folder there are the MAME-Horizontal and MAME-Vertical cfgs and pngs along with the line 

Quote

input_overlay = ":/overlays/MAME-Horizontal.cfg,MAME-Vertical.cfg"

in the mame_libretro.cfg. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but is it actually possible to list multiple overlay configs in Retroarch this way? I could have sworn this was originally working and the appropriate generic bezels were loading for both horizontal and vertical games that did not have a match in the config folder, but revisiting this and running games I know don't have a match are not loading any overlay at all. 

 

I've checked everything I could think of. Making sure it's set to save individual core configs instead of a global config, no save on exit, fresh install etc. But I'm starting to wonder if I'm chasing a ghost and this feature never actually functioned. 

 

Thanks

[dragon57]

1 hour ago, caste said:

I'm hitting a snag not with the games that have bezels but the ones that do not. I'm using Retroarch for MAME and the games that don't have a match don't load any bezel. But in the Overlays folder there are the MAME-Horizontal and MAME-Vertical cfgs and pngs along with the line 

in the mame_libretro.cfg. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but is it actually possible to list multiple overlay configs in Retroarch this way? I could have sworn this was originally working and the appropriate generic bezels were loading for both horizontal and vertical games that did not have a match in the config folder, but revisiting this and running games I know don't have a match are not loading any overlay at all. 

 

I've checked everything I could think of. Making sure it's set to save individual core configs instead of a global config, no save on exit, fresh install etc. But I'm starting to wonder if I'm chasing a ghost and this feature never actually functioned. 

 

Thanks

That edit which has two cfg file references looks incorrect. As far as I know, you can only point to one cfg file in Retroarch's cfg files. That is probably something that needs to be addressed in the installer.

I think the only way to do what you want is to have a horizontal.zip and vertical.zip in MAME's artwork folder. Inside those zips should be a default lay file that defines the default bezels (which are also in the zip files).

[Ateb]

23 hours ago, caste said:

I've checked everything I could think of. Making sure it's set to save individual core configs instead of a global config, no save on exit, fresh install etc. But I'm starting to wonder if I'm chasing a ghost and this feature never actually functioned.

 

Maybe check this link...   https://mrdo.mameworld.info/mame_artwork_generic.php

I know its speaking to stand alone MAME, but the core also supports most of these options in the core settings. 

Load up the core in RA, F1 and go to Options -> render alternate method  and Options -> MAME INI Paths

I use stand alone MAME so I haven't tried this myself, so maybe a dead end, but worth a look maybe?

 

[caste]

Thanks for the replies @dragon57 and @Ateb I appreciate the tips.

Shortly after posting this I thought about a shader based solution and realized something was already built into the CRT shader I was already using that detected aspect ratio. So instead of overlays my images are being loaded at the shader level.

If anyone is curious I'm using the crt-Mega Bezel Reflection shader posted over on the libretro forums (guest-dr venom variant to be exact). So the bezel reflections are applied over my overlays. I had originally made bezel-less versions and was about to batch my entire Bezel Project library in PS to open up the centers for use with the shader's generated bezel.

And if you want to use the system or themed bezels with a shader like this, that is totally the path. For simplicity and for use with a large pool of images like this, overlays are still the route to go. Make an action in PS and batch it on every png in your Arcade-Bezels folder to remove the raster bezel (you'll have to do horizontal and vertical separately unless you can figure out some real clever trick to separate them). The shader can either generate a sort of vector bezel or can just create the reflection as an opacity and drop it on top of a pre-defined background. So you would use your new bezel-less art as an overlay -- once the images are updated there's nothing else to do, the cfg's that Bezel Project adds will keep doing their thing -- and use the vector bezel generated by the shader in the center. 

You an read more about the shader here:

https://forums.libretro.com/t/hsm-mega-bezel-reflection-shader-feedback-and-updates/25512

Hopefully this is helpful to anyone trying to accomplish something similar. Sorry if that was a wall of gibberish.

[bsweet0us]

Just a couple quick questions (that may have already been answered, but couldn't find it via search), I'm in the process of setting up a cab with a rotatable 19" 16:9 LCD and was curious if the bezels will still appear on the sides if the monitor is in the vertical/portrait orientation?

If so, how much of my already narrow screen horizontally will I lose?  is it recommended to keep the bezels when in portrait mode?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer or pointers for me with this endeavor!

[dragon57]

3 hours ago, bsweet0us said:

Just a couple quick questions (that may have already been answered, but couldn't find it via search), I'm in the process of setting up a cab with a rotatable 19" 16:9 LCD and was curious if the bezels will still appear on the sides if the monitor is in the vertical/portrait orientation?

If so, how much of my already narrow screen horizontally will I lose?  is it recommended to keep the bezels when in portrait mode?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer or pointers for me with this endeavor!

Yes, you will still display the bezels. The bezels are built for 16:9 landscape mode, so I would disable/remove them if you plan on using portrait mode.

[scheerce]

Good day very smart people.  I have built a new arcade, running BigBox, Mame.  All is working just fine.  I implemented the Bezel Project files based on the standard installation and it works fine.  However, for some reason I cannot figure out yet, the bezels show up properly for each game, but I have a horizontal "bar" that scrolls up in the bezel, both sides.  I can turn off the Bezel and I don't see the bar.  The bar is "transparent" not a full black bar.  it is about an inch tall, inch and a half tall.  The best way to describe is way back in the old days when you would see a monitor on a TV show/movie,  you could see the refresh, same kind of bars scrolling up on the screen.  it is not on my game, just on the side bezels.  It is an HP PC about 3  years old, I think Intel 4600.  it is a brand new BENQ 27" monitor.  All is working 100% except these bars scrolling up in the bezel.  Driving me crazy.  FYI, i have read every thread in this topic and google searched for hours, can't find anything.  I have also posted in some other boards here.  nothing yet.

Edited June 22, 2020 by scheerce

[dragon57]

12 hours ago, scheerce said:

Good day very smart people.  I have built a new arcade, running BigBox, Mame.  All is working just fine.  I implemented the Bezel Project files based on the standard installation and it works fine.  However, for some reason I cannot figure out yet, the bezels show up properly for each game, but I have a horizontal "bar" that scrolls up in the bezel, both sides.  I can turn off the Bezel and I don't see the bar.  The bar is "transparent" not a full black bar.  it is about an inch tall, inch and a half tall.  The best way to describe is way back in the old days when you would see a monitor on a TV show/movie,  you could see the refresh, same kind of bars scrolling up on the screen.  it is not on my game, just on the side bezels.  It is an HP PC about 3  years old, I think Intel 4600.  it is a brand new BENQ 27" monitor.  All is working 100% except these bars scrolling up in the bezel.  Driving me crazy.  FYI, i have read every thread in this topic and google searched for hours, can't find anything.  I have also posted in some other boards here.  nothing yet.

Is your BenQ monitor aspect ration 4:3? If so, that is your issue. The bezels are made for a 16:9 ratio on wide screen monitors only.

[scheerce]

It is a 16:9 monitor.  Oddly enough, after 2 months of trying to figure it out, I finally figured it out right after I made this post.  I truly search and try everything before reaching out.  I read somewhere about mame and refresh sync issues.  I saw someone mention triple filtering (or something like that).  I ran the mame64.exe outside Bigbox to get into the actual guts of mame and found the triple option in the video settings.  I enabled it, which solved my issue.  Now, I don't know if that will cause other issues, but on a few games i tested, nothing seemed abnormal.  

[Zozio]

How to apply a console bezel when no game bezel are found and apply a game bezel when the game is found ?

In other words : 

- Defaut bezel is game bezel

- If not exist => console bezel automatically.

[dragon57]

10 hours ago, Zozio said:

How to apply a console bezel when no game bezel are found and apply a game bezel when the game is found ?

In other words : 

- Defaut bezel is game bezel

- If not exist => console bezel automatically.

The Windows app tries to edit any existing core cfg files under ...\retroarch\config to do exactly what you asked. If for some reason that isn't working, you can manually use the Retroarch gui to set this. Start Retroarch with a game running for the console you want to affect. Hit F1 to return to the gui, then make sure you are in "Quick Settings", scroll down to "Onscreen Overlay" and select it, scroll down to "Overlay Preset" and select it. You can then navigate to the overlays directory under the Retroarch installation directory. You should have cfg files there you can select to set a default bezel.

[Headrush69]

These are my preferred bezels, but one thing I miss is some of the features of the built in MAME layouts, like color overlays and lamp support.

Many of these are trivial to add so you have both the bezel and these features, Color overlays only require changes to the layout file, but lamp support requires additional images as well.

I've done several myself. curious if there a way to submit these changes other than setting up github and using pull requests? (At least for adding color overlays which requires no other files)

[dragon57]

6 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

These are my preferred bezels, but one thing I miss is some of the features of the built in MAME layouts, like color overlays and lamp support.

Many of these are trivial to add so you have both the bezel and these features, Color overlays only require changes to the layout file, but lamp support requires additional images as well.

I've done several myself. curious if there a way to submit these changes other than setting up github and using pull requests? (At least for adding color overlays which requires no other files)

The bezel packs the project creates is first and foremost for Retroarch on a Raspberry Pi. My Windows app adapts those files for different platforms like Native MAME. I don't see the project supporting native MAME features like lamp images in the near future, but down the line, who knows? So never say never.

[Headrush69]

20 hours ago, dragon57 said:

The bezel packs the project creates is first and foremost for Retroarch on a Raspberry Pi. My Windows app adapts those files for different platforms like Native MAME. I don't see the project supporting native MAME features like lamp images in the near future, but down the line, who knows? So never say never.

Ah, so you're just grabbing the bezel png and auto generating a basic layout file for native MAME that just points to that image. Makes sense.

Will the installer over write existing bezels for native MAME? 

[dragon57]

The installer will make a backup of the artwork under the MAME install directory. If you have run the installer more than once for MAME, and the backup directory exists, it will prompt to overwrite.

[supes123]

Hi, I'm trying to switch my LB/BB mame away from RL in order to use mame high scores. Therefore need to set up bezels in native mame, without RL or retroarch. Using mame 0.199. I downloaded the bezel project and its created a subfolder in mame/artwork for each Rom. Each containing a bezel.png and default.lay. Bezels are activated in Mame.ini. HOWEVER, when launching mame games in lb, some games show bezels, but most don't. My files are following standard naming conventions. Any ideas?

Thanks 

[dragon57]

6 hours ago, supes123 said:

Hi, I'm trying to switch my LB/BB mame away from RL in order to use mame high scores. Therefore need to set up bezels in native mame, without RL or retroarch. Using mame 0.199. I downloaded the bezel project and its created a subfolder in mame/artwork for each Rom. Each containing a bezel.png and default.lay. Bezels are activated in Mame.ini. HOWEVER, when launching mame games in lb, some games show bezels, but most don't. My files are following standard naming conventions. Any ideas?

Thanks 

Some MAME rom names change over time, so it is possible the names used in our MAME bezel pack don't actually match the rom set you are using.

Have you manually checked a few rom names with the files/directories the installer put in your artwork directory?

[supes123]

 @dragon57   in the meantime I managed to get it working. Thanks! Now I get to enjoy high scores and bezels☺️

[slickrickstyles]

so I have a native mame (.165) install with a full romset and a bezel pack from emumovies' ftp that works fine under my artwork folder (just not the greatest quality and no structure between roms. Allin zip files) but once the bezel project is installed (these are moved to the bpsave folder) no game will launch. Mame just hangs with a black screen. If the artwork folder is renamed all games work again. Any suggestions please?