Decorations (bezels)
Most of the TVs and computer screens in the 80s and 90s were 4:3. When you run them today on a 16:9 format monitor, there will be empty space on both sides.
The remaining space on the left and right side of the game can be filled with decorations (bezels).
Retrobat offers 3 types of decorations:
Decorations
The Bezel Project
Mega-Bezels
It is also possible for some systems to enable "tattoos", which are overlays that show the control layout for the emulated machine.
Decorations
Standard decorations are the simplest way to fill the left and right space.
They can be enabled from the MAIN MENU (Game Settings > Decorations), from the VIEW OPTIONS (Advanced System Options > Decorations) or from the GAME OPTIONS (Advanced Game Options > Decorations).
The following options are available:
| Setting | Remark |
|---|---|
AUTO | |
NONE | No decoration |
AMBIANCE BROADCAST | |
AMBIANCE GAMEROOM | |
AMBIANCE MONITOR 1084S | |
AMBIANCE NIGHT | |
AMBIANCE VINTAGE TV | |
ARCADE 1980S | |
ARCADE 1980S VERTICAL | |
ARCADE VERTICAL DEFAULT | |
DEFAULT CURVE | |
DEFAULT CURVE NIGHT | |
DEFAULT NOCURVE | |
DEFAULT NOCURVE NIGHT | |
DEFAULT UNGLAZED | |
THEBEZELPROJECT | See The Bezel Project section |
Here is an example of the AUTO setting for Super Nintendo:
Default search logic:
retrobat\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<system>\<rom>.png
retrobat\system\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<system>\<rom>.png
retrobat\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<rom>.png
retrobat\system\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<rom>.png
retrobat\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<system>\<indexedRomName>.png
retrobat\system\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<system>\<indexedRomName>.png
retrobat\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<indexedRomName>.png
retrobat\system\decorations\<bezel type>\games\<indexedRomName>.png
retrobat\decorations\<bezel type>\<system>\<system>.png
retrobat\system\decorations\<bezel type>\<system>\<system>.png
retrobat\decorations\<bezel type>\default.png
retrobat\system\decorations\<bezel type>\default.png
retrobat\decorations\default_unglazed\<system>\<system>.png
retrobat\system\decorations\default_unglazed\<system>\<system>.png
retrobat\decorations\default\<system>\<system>.png
retrobat\system\decorations\default\<system>\<system>.png
The Bezel Project
The Bezel Project provides personalized bezels per gaming system, and for many of them even personalized bezels per game.
Downloading Bezels
You can download the bezels from the UPDATES & DOWNLOADS menu
Select THE BEZEL PROJECT and choose the system for which you want to download bezels.
The download starts
Wait until completion of the installation
The downloaded Bezels are stored in the \decorations\thebezelproject\games folder:
Enabling Bezels
See the Decorations section.
Set the decoration option to THEBEZELPROJECT
Example of decoration from The Bezel Project:
To use per game Bezels, the rom file needs to have the exact same name as the bezel in the \decorations\thebezelproject\games folder.
Mega Bezels
The MegaBezel pack combines both Shaders and Bezels, it adds dynamic reflections on the bezel.
Mega Bezels can only be used with Libretro cores, it does not work with standalone emulators.
Downloading a MegaBezel pack
From the CONTENT DOWNLOADER, select Megabezels
The pack is downloaded in the \emulators\retroarch\shaders folder
Enabling Mega Bezels
Mega Bezels can be enabled from the MAIN MENU (Game Settings > Shader Set), from the VIEW OPTIONS (Advanced System Options > Shader Set) or from the GAME OPTIONS (Advanced Game Options > Shader Set)
There are multiple options available for each pack.
In addition, set DECORATIONS to NONE and GAME ASPECT RATIO to FULL
You can leave GAME ASPECT RATIO on "AUTO" if you are using a 4/3 screen.
Last but not least, Mega Bezels only work with VULKAN video driver, so ensure it is set properly in the Advanced Settings > Drivers menu
Here are some examples of Mega Bezel:
Customize Mega-bezels
Refer to section "Customize Mega-bezels"
Tattoos
Tattoos are a bezel overlay that can help with identifying the controls for the emulated system:
To enable tattoos,open the MAIN MENU > GAME SETTINGS:
then GLOBAL OPTIONS > TATTOO:
It is possible to configure the corner in which the tattoo will be displayed.
Tattoos will only work in combination with bezels : no bezels, no tattoos.
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