Background images with MAME

[RoughDuck]

Hey reading over the wiki it says:

Bezel Background:

RocketLauncher will search for a background image to be drawn below the emulator window and the bezel image. This search is independent of the bezel image search, so you can have only one background defined to all your Nintendo DS games, and at the same time have different bezel images for each rom of the system.
RocketLauncher will search for any png image file beginning with the word Background to use as the bezel background. If more than one background file is found at the same folder, RocketLauncher will choose aleatory which one to use at each game section start
The folders order to be searched is the same as the bezel image locations explained before:

.\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\Super Mario\Background*.png
.\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\_Default\Vertical\Background*.png or .\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\_Default\Horizontal\Background*.png
.\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\_Default\Background*.png
.\Media\Bezels\_Default\Background*.png

//


So I've done that and the image is displaying correctly under the emulator but its hidden. Is there something in MAME you have to do to allow the background image to display correctly underneath? For example, people have games like space invaders running with a background like this but in mine the background is hidden:

 

[rfancella]

Hello and welcome to the forums!
Those are bezels. Not backgrounds.
RocketLauncher Bezels.
The way it works is this.
The background goes in the very back. Behind everything.
Then the emulator is drawn.
And on top of that is the bezel.

Thanks,
Ron

Hey reading over the wiki it says:

Bezel Background:

RocketLauncher will search for a background image to be drawn below the emulator window and the bezel image. This search is independent of the bezel image search, so you can have only one background defined to all your Nintendo DS games, and at the same time have different bezel images for each rom of the system.
RocketLauncher will search for any png image file beginning with the word Background to use as the bezel background. If more than one background file is found at the same folder, RocketLauncher will choose aleatory which one to use at each game section start
The folders order to be searched is the same as the bezel image locations explained before:

.\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\Super Mario\Background*.png
.\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\_Default\Vertical\Background*.png or .\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\_Default\Horizontal\Background*.png
.\Media\Bezels\Nintendo DS\_Default\Background*.png
.\Media\Bezels\_Default\Background*.png

//


So I've done that and the image is displaying correctly under the emulator but its hidden. Is there something in MAME you have to do to allow the background image to display correctly underneath? For example, people have games like space invaders running with a background like this but in mine the background is hidden:

View attachment 688

 

[RoughDuck]

Hello and welcome to the forums!
Those are bezels. Not backgrounds.
RocketLauncher Bezels.
The way it works is this.
The background goes in the very back. Behind everything.
Then the emulator is drawn.
And on top of that is the bezel.

Thanks,
Ron

Hi Ron!

Yes that much I understand in the image though you see the background behind the game. My game is just black i'd like to be able to see the background like in the image you see the cratered planet. So whats happening with me is the background comes up, emulator is drawn on top and hides it and then the bezel is lastly placed on top of everything.

 

[bondy]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but what RoughDuck is asking (i think) is what I am really keen for as well!

So far i don't think it's possible in RL (though I'd love to be corrected). But what i basically want is a custom background, then the emulator over the top, no bezel. So.. the background image looks and acts like a bezel, but you have the advantage in MAME of the games still going as widescreen as possible on a 16X9 monitor (ie fullscreen default).

 

[rfancella]

Hi,
I guess i'm still not understanding. What is the advantage to using a background instead of a bezel?
Use a bezel that is side bars only. That way, the bezel has nothing on the top and bottom, the game goes all the way to the top and bottom of the screen. The artwork is only on the sides and the game still runs in the correct aspect.
Please help me understand.

Thanks,
Ron

Sorry to hijack the thread, but what RoughDuck is asking (i think) is what I am really keen for as well!

So far i don't think it's possible in RL (though I'd love to be corrected). But what i basically want is a custom background, then the emulator over the top, no bezel. So.. the background image looks and acts like a bezel, but you have the advantage in MAME of the games still going as widescreen as possible on a 16X9 monitor (ie fullscreen default).

 

[RoughDuck]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but what RoughDuck is asking (i think) is what I am really keen for as well!

So far i don't think it's possible in RL (though I'd love to be corrected). But what i basically want is a custom background, then the emulator over the top, no bezel. So.. the background image looks and acts like a bezel, but you have the advantage in MAME of the games still going as widescreen as possible on a 16X9 monitor (ie fullscreen default).

Nah that's not what I was asking but I figured out the issue to my problem. The correct background image has to be set in MAME's artwork folder...the problem was the game was being squeezed into the bezel window settings so the aspect ratio was messed up. This is why I thought I had to put the background image into the Media/Bezel folders. The fix is to press tab in MAME > video options> view and switch it from full to cropped, problem solved and everything displays correctly. Doh! Such a simple fix.

 

[bondy]

Hi,
I guess i'm still not understanding. What is the advantage to using a background instead of a bezel?
Use a bezel that is side bars only. That way, the bezel has nothing on the top and bottom, the game goes all the way to the top and bottom of the screen. The artwork is only on the sides and the game still runs in the correct aspect.
Please help me understand.

Thanks,
Ron

Thanks Ron, the bezel legend!

Okay, so first of all i ONLY have MAME on my system. And I am on a 16X9 monitor.

Setting up the bezels are fine for horizontal and vertical games. I have done the INI coordinates and so on in the past with no problems.

I understand that bezels are set (drawn) and then the game screen is populated, making the game in 4:3 or 3:4 respectively with the bezel on the sides. But, what i want is for games that are able to go wider than 4:3 to go wider. This is for games such as Capcom games like all Streetfighter games, Midway games like Mortal Kombat series and NBA Hangtime. So, i kinda want the screen to go OVER the bezel in cases like this, rather than have the bezel defined first and the game fit in the window.

I thought maybe having a background with no bezels defined would make this work. Maybe i just need to understand better.

Thanks for your help

 

[rfancella]

LOL... Thanks for the compliment for sure.

Here is what you are looking for, I think.
I am having a hard time making it show a transparent bezel, but this is what the feature is for. Mine still shows black for the background.

Be sure Bezels are enabled in the Settings -> Bezel tabs.
Also be sure Fullscreen Bezel is set to true. This is supposed to create a transparent bezel with the game (in correct aspect) as large as it will fit on the screen.

Now on to the module settings. These are all theoretical settings as I cannot seem to make it work as expected.
If someone would chime in as to what I am doing wrong, I would be grateful.

BezelMode to Use HyperLaunch Bezels.
In your .../RocketLauncher/Media/Bezels/MAME/_Default folder you should have no bezels but your background files should begin with Background to be found and used.

I know this doesn't help, but maybe someone else has it working. And can provide the missing step.
I believe this should show the emulator without borders, fit to screen with transparent areas around the emulator window. Showing the background behind it.
Is this what you are looking for?

Thanks,
Ron

Thanks Ron, the bezel legend!

Okay, so first of all i ONLY have MAME on my system. And I am on a 16X9 monitor.

Setting up the bezels are fine for horizontal and vertical games. I have done the INI coordinates and so on in the past with no problems.

I understand that bezels are set (drawn) and then the game screen is populated, making the game in 4:3 or 3:4 respectively with the bezel on the sides. But, what i want is for games that are able to go wider than 4:3 to go wider. This is for games such as Capcom games like all Streetfighter games, Midway games like Mortal Kombat series and NBA Hangtime. So, i kinda want the screen to go OVER the bezel in cases like this, rather than have the bezel defined first and the game fit in the window.

I thought maybe having a background with no bezels defined would make this work. Maybe i just need to understand better.

Thanks for your help

 

[sonicjihad]

You can look at GiGapigs Video (always very helpfull ) at about 13 minutes he mentions how to enable the backgrounds. I did it with his guide and it worked fine for me Thanks again GIGA Good luck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkmZBCWdrw0

 

[bleasby]

Ron, the Fullscreen Bezel will resize your emulator to fill the entire screen, so no background should be visible behind it.
What is exactly not working with it?

bondy, I don't get exactly what do you want.

You just want that 16:9 or other orientation games (not 4:3) to show as big as possible?

Just add to their bezel game folders a bezel with the correct aspect ratio for them (ex. RocketLauncher\Bezel\MAME\GAMENAME\bezel.png).​

If you have games that are 16:9 and your monitor is 16:9

Don't use any default bezel, and only use bezel images on the game folders that you want the bezels to show.
The game will run in fullscreen if there are no bezels simultaneously on:

• the bezel game folder (RocketLauncher\Bezel\_Default\MAME\GAMENAME\bezel.png)
• the bezel default system folder (RocketLauncher\Bezel\MAME\_Default\bezel.png)
• the bezel default folder (RocketLauncher\Bezel\_Default\bezel.png)

 

[rfancella]

Ahhh. Understood. I just read the description and it says a transparent bezel. I figured, based on that description, it would be transparent outside the emulator window.

Thanks,
Ron

Ron, the Fullscreen Bezel will resize your emulator to fill the entire screen, so no background should be visible behind it.
What is exactly not working with it?

...snip...

 

[bondy]

Ron, the Fullscreen Bezel will resize your emulator to fill the entire screen, so no background should be visible behind it.
What is exactly not working with it?

bondy, I don't get exactly what do you want.

You just want that 16:9 or other orientation games (not 4:3) to show as big as possible?

Just add to their bezel game folders a bezel with the correct aspect ratio for them (ex. RocketLauncher\Bezel\MAME\GAMENAME\bezel.png).​

If you have games that are 16:9 and your monitor is 16:9

Don't use any default bezel, and only use bezel images on the game folders that you want the bezels to show.
The game will run in fullscreen if there are no bezels simultaneously on:

• the bezel game folder (RocketLauncher\Bezel\_Default\MAME\GAMENAME\bezel.png)
• the bezel default system folder (RocketLauncher\Bezel\MAME\_Default\bezel.png)
• the bezel default folder (RocketLauncher\Bezel\_Default\bezel.png)

Thanks bleasby, you are also a bezel legend!

It sounds like what I'm after is possible, it will just need to be on a per game basis using the conventions you've outlined.

 

[bondy]

Ahhh. Understood. I just read the description and it says a transparent bezel. I figured, based on that description, it would be transparent outside the emulator window.

Thanks,
Ron

This was the kind of thing I was hoping for - something simple that I was missing! But, it wasn't to be. Thanks anyway, Ron.