Home Page Forums MAME MAME Can't see my vectrex overlays in mess

Greetings to all.
I am currently in the process of setting up an emulation cabinet and tinkering with software but seem to be unable to see my Vectrex overlay artwork.
I am using mess latest version (0.125)on windows xpsp2, and have loaded overlay files(png format) into the artwork directory and setup the path correctly(i think).
When I start any vectrex game, it loads up and plays fine but no overlay visible.
I have checked that the overlay option is selected but still no overlays!
I thought the names of the files may have been wrong but renamed everything to match - still no luck.
Anyone actual got this working and could offer any suggestions?
Thanks

0.125 Windows binary GUI
Vectrex driver
I need to mark in the Properties > Miscellaneous > Artwork options > Bezels to see the overlays.

Thanks for suggestion, didn't exactly work but when trying it out I found the MESS info file for vectrex which listed some additional info and led me to redownload my artwork files. (I didn't have a ".lay" file with the earlier pack.) anyway I have now managed to get my overlays/bezels to show up when playing games (Hooray!) although I still have to select manually each time via the Tab key menu. Still not sure how to have them be selected automatically but at least I can now play.

So far I know, only a selection by hand is possible.

Works using WIN32 mess.exe for me, but not under Linux with no explanation as to why -- you have to use the Video Options under the TAB menu options by hand. But from the DOS command-line, for example:

mess vectrex -cart mess/image/vectrex/'armor attack by gce (1982).bin' -view 'Armor Attack overlay'

Try latest SVN - -view is now a core option and is handled entirely in the core. So if it still doesn't work you're doing it wrong and/or have artwork turned off in your .ini. (Double quotes " instead of single ' would help depending on what shell you use).

To denote folders in Windows or DOS you do not use (/), you need to use (\). I am using Win XP SP2.

If I use this line (Just tested under 0.125):

D:\MESS>mess.exe vectrex -cart d:\mess\software\vectrex\armor.zip -view 'Armor Attack overlay'

I receive the error:
Error: unknown option: Attack


If I use this line:
D:\MESS>mess.exe vectrex -cart d:\mess\software\vectrex\armor.zip -view "Armor Attack overlay"

The correct game loads but the overlay does not. MESS brings up the last overlay I viewed. I have the vectrex.lay file inside vectrex.zip, along with all the correctly named *.png file, and the overlay is named "Armor Attack overlay" inside the lay file.

Thinking perhaps there is a problem if there are spaces, multiple and/or long names assigned to the overlay, I modified the information in the vectrex.lay file to read "Armor" instead of "Armor Attack overlay". This time I did not receive an error message if I use an apostrophes ('), as well as still not receiving an error message if I use quotes ("). However, as was the case when I received no error before, the artwork overlay does not change, but brings up the last overlay I viewed whether I used the apostrophes or quotes.

Manually selecting the overlay (Hitting 'Tab' key and navigating to Video Options) works perfectly. However, it still appears you cannot have MESS select the overlay automatically repecting the Vectrex driver (At least under Windows XP).

-Trebor

in principle simply using

-view Armor

with neither ' nor " (btw " is the correct thing to put if your filename or path contains spaces, in any shell not only with MAME/MESS) should pick up the closest match among the png. anyway I have no way to test this at the moment

It does not work. I tried it with having the armor.png file zipped within vectrex.zip as well as placing armor.png in the artwork folder. In both cases MESS brings up the last viewed overlay.

I also tried -view Armor.png. Same results.

MESS 0.125 Windows binary

If I use follwing parameters :
mess.exe vectrex -cart C:\Emulator\Mess\Software\Vectrex\Cartridge\Armor.zip -view "Armor Attack overlay"

It show me the right overlay.

mess.exe vectrex -cart C:\Emulator\Mess\Software\Vectrex\Cartridge\Armor.zip -view Armor

It show me not the selected overlay.

Edit: It seems, something was wrong in vectrex.ini file. After deleting, it works in both cases.

Deleting the configuration files for vectrex does allows the line to work. However, it appears if you change the overlay manually though the in-game configuration menu, it saves the setting to vectrex.cfg. Then that overlay will appear again, even if you use the -view command.

So, as it works right now, you need to delete all vectrex configuration files (vectrex.ini, vectrex.cfg), and use the -view command:

mess.exe vectrex -cart C:\Emulator\Mess\Software\Vectrex\Cartridge\Armor.zip -view "Armor Attack overlay"

However, do not change or select any overlay manually, or else that overlay is saved to the configuration file vectrex.cfg.

-Trebor

can anyone point me to the overlay download that includes the "lay" file? i have png's and 0 - 4 pcx files for each but no lay file.

can't for the life of me get vectrex overlays to appear.

many thanks

Get vectrex.zip from http://www.mameworld.net/mrdo/mess_artwork.html

i swear to you guys, i'm not this ignorant!

thank you for the link, files downloaded and moved to the artwork folder, still no overlays.

i'm running mess 122b on an arcade monitor with an ultimarc arcadeVGA under a newly installed XP environment if that makes any difference.

i tried mess 125b but when starting a vectrex rom, it says "system.img" not found when i clearly have the vectrex.zip (with system.img) in the bios folder.

what's a brother gotta do to get this working? my hands are officially thrown up

The bios folder is now called 'roms' - just like MAME.

for the longest time i thought this was some kind of conspiracy against me.

finally, mostly, got overlays to display via command line (thru mameWAH). some of the games display either minestorm or the last overlay that was loaded but others switch fine.

i know this has to do with naming so i think i'm finally putting this systems set up to rest.

thank you all for the help!

any tips on a performance boost? sans overlays, runs just fine. with an overlay displayed, sound hiccups a bit and it seems to be running just a tad bit slower.

for the first system i ever owned as a kid (and still do), it's been the trickiest to get up and running on my machine:)

Make sure you are running in OpenGL (or Direct3D on Windows) mode.

that did it! in fact, using direct3D 8 runs smoother than direct3D 9.

vectrex is DONE! thank you all