Embedded Files
I created these to get a "retro" experience without shaders. By retro, I mean containing the artifacts from the display devices of the era: low resolution, interlaced TVs/ arcade monitors, and low-density LCD panels. While shaders are a better, more advanced way of doing this, they often can cause performance issues on a Raspberry Pi.
The following overlays all use grids and scanlines to mimic those artifacts. Click the images to view the full-size sample file. Click the name to download the overlay. Most of the overlays include "non-grid" versions labeled "-clear". For best results, follow the instructions included in each zip.
I update this often, as I get new ideas, and think of improvement for the old ones.
All of these use one of the following patterns. I also include "clear versions" for those who prefer it that way.
4x grill for CRT systems (with "smoothing)
6X grid for handhelds
4X grid for handhelds
70's Pattern
70's Pattern
Download entire set HERE:
- This is a pack of overlays includes:
- generic 4:3 ratio viewport (can be used for any console / horizontal arcade game)
- generic 3:4 ratio viewport (for vertical arcade games)
- gameboy / color / game gear (in both 4x and 6x varieties)
- gameboy advance (in both 4x and 6x varieties)
- separate 4x overlays designed for specific console resolutions - I highly recommend these
- NES (256x240)
- SNES/PCE/SMS (256x224)
- GEN/NEO (320x224)
Examples
Wood Grain
Wood Grain
Download entire set HERE:
This is a pack of overlays includes:
- generic 4:3 ratio viewport (can be used for any console / horizontal arcade game)
- generic 3:4 ratio viewport (for vertical arcade games)
- gameboy / color / game gear (in both 4x and 6x varieties)
- gameboy advance (in both 4x and 6x varieties)
- separate 4x overlays designed for specific console resolutions - I highly recommend these
- NES (256x240)
- SNES/PCE/SMS (256x224)
- GEN/NEO (320x224)
Examples
Crimson Wallpaper
Crimson Wallpaper
Download entire set HERE:
This is a pack of overlays includes:
- generic 4:3 ratio viewport (can be used for any console / horizontal arcade game)
- generic 3:4 ratio viewport (for vertical arcade games)
- gameboy / color / game gear (in both 4x and 6x varieties)
- gameboy advance (in both 4x and 6x varieties)
- separate 4x overlays designed for specific console resolutions - I highly recommend these
- NES (256x240)
- SNES/PCE/SMS (256x224)
- GEN/NEO (320x224)
TV's
TV's
Uses 4x width and 3x height. It's a little wide, but closer to the intended look of NES games than standard aspect ratio
uses 5x width and 4x height. Creates a perfect 4:3 screen - but I test my overlays on an 80" TV and find NES just looks bad that big.
4x width and 4x height - creates this craziness. But it actually doesn't look bad in action. I prefer it to the large one above, which looks too blocky on a huge tv
I sized this assuming a 320x240 resolution - but I know PSX is all over the map, as far as resolutions go. I think it looks fine on any resolution.
Decided against any attempt to 4:3-ify the SNES. Too many games seem to be built for its native aspect ratio, and the ones that don't look pretty good anyhow.
Arcade
Arcade
These use grilles and viewports similar to the above and are an effective all-in-one arcade overlay (for those not wanting per-game overlays), in terms of passing the eye test. Yes, because of some resolution differences, things such as the ladders in Burger Time, might not be as crisp. But those are exceptions.
I have a fairly simple solution for "forcing" vertical MAME games to use a particular video setup. Click here to download a tiny zip file, and follow the directions in the readme.txt file.
Arcade double-width (for 2-screen games like Darius 2)
Arcade double-width (for 2-screen games like Darius 2)
Nintendo Handhelds
Nintendo Handhelds
These all use precise maths to create grids between the pixels. Note - the screen shots below will are not native resolution (limitation of google sites. Weird patterns show up in these pictures that are not part of the image. To see what it really looks like, download the zip file - each of which contains a full-res copy of the sample image).
I know it's not "canon" but I think it looks better - especially with (also not canon) greyscale emulator output (disable color in the retroarch options)
Other Handhelds
Other Handhelds
Google Sites
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