belucid Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 There are lots of nice graphics floating around on the Interwebs for controller inserts for games that never had them... but what's the best way to print them so they are as nice as possible? The inserts done by Atari all seem to be matte, but plasticy, not like paper, even card stock paper. And they of course have the cool dimpling. Getting something close to this would be ideal. It seems though maybe this is hard or expensive in small lots? Seems like a lot of the late years / 3rd party / homebrew inserts are more glossy/shiny, but still not like paper, again more of a plastic coating. My question is, how to best create inserts from graphics of the insert? Is there a particular brand of printer I need? What about the media? Or is this something that can't be done easily at home w/ home equipment, but I can go to a FedEx print center or Staples or something and ask for "Print this on X" and they'll know what I want and it'll be great? Any advice for cutting it out after the printing so it's as professional as possible? Looking for any and all advice on this. What have you done that's been best? What have you tried that sucks? Cheers! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Dangerous Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Lots of people would be interested in these if produced, the problem is they are cheap to do badly but probably expensive to do right. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serblander Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Great question belucid and something i've been thinking of more and more lately. Would be great to know. I could also do with a new printer so right now i'm looking at one that would print awesomely to disc, like akin to the quality of J.E.P. discs releases! That, combined with good material for new game/newly created fan overalys (WITH a way to recreate the dimpling) and 'She'll be Bonza!' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaztee Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 I have done the overlays for various games and it is not an easy process. I had them all done professionally die cut laminated and 'Bumped' to raise them for the buttons. They're still not like the ones Atari did, but they do the job I think. As I am now out of the Battlepshere ones I am looking at getting more made. I had issues with where the bumps were on the overlay compared to where the bumps were inserted on a couple of the overlays I do, so will hope to rectify for any that I produce going forward. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belucid Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 (edited) I have done the overlays for various games and it is not an easy process. I had them all done professionally die cut laminated and 'Bumped' to raise them for the buttons. They're still not like the ones Atari did, but they do the job I think. As I am now out of the Battlepshere ones I am looking at getting more made. I had issues with where the bumps were on the overlay compared to where the bumps were inserted on a couple of the overlays I do, so will hope to rectify for any that I produce going forward. That's great info! Thanks. Where did you have them professionally done? At a local print shop? An online print shop? What was the minimum quantity that was possible? The minimum quantity that was economically reasonable? How does professional die cutting work? Do they "know" the part of the graphic they printed vs. the part that was "background" and so the die cut is run straight off the image file, or are the die cut instructions a whole separate matter? Same question for the dimpling I guess. Edited March 31, 2016 by belucid 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaztee Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 The die has to be made to cut the overlays out of the printed material which I think was card. The card was laminated then taken to my friend who bumped the buttons. Not sure what machine he used to do this but it involved making a plate to press the bumps into the overlays. I use a printer I'm happy with for my box sets etc. We've now got to a point where all the issues have been ironed out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 There's a whole bunch of overlay designs out there that I'd love to have made. I've laser printed them on cardstock but it is just not the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaztee Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 There's a whole bunch of overlay designs out there that I'd love to have made. I've laser printed them on cardstock but it is just not the same. Let me know what they are. I'm having a print meeting in the near future and if I can make these available for people at a reasonable price I'd love to do that. I am also likely to finally get around to doing proper boxes for Brett Hull Hockey & Arena Football. I also hope to have manuals available for BHH for those that have the CD version too, just to complete it. I am also looking at re-runs of my Space War 2000 set with overlays and Barkley Shut up and Jam. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I'll put them together and PM you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Dangerous Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I'm down for any and all overlays produced. I actually find them very useful and wish I had one for all my jag games. MOST jaguar games (if not all) have at least a few features mapped to the number pad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serblander Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Let me know what they are. I'm having a print meeting in the near future and if I can make these available for people at a reasonable price I'd love to do that. I am also likely to finally get around to doing proper boxes for Brett Hull Hockey & Arena Football. I also hope to have manuals available for BHH for those that have the CD version too, just to complete it. I am also looking at re-runs of my Space War 2000 set with overlays and Barkley Shut up and Jam. HA! If you make 'em i'll take 'em ALL as i have none of what you have just mentioned! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belucid Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) +1 on purchasing whatever overlays, boxes you get made @Gaztee. FWIW, I also use to have some swanky Jaguar branded "dust cover" overlays. These were just blank essentially, except for pleasing Jaguar graphics, and were meant to be used on the controller when not in use, or when playing a game w/ no overlay/keypad use. They were super sexy. Wish I still had them (sold them years ago in a misguided Jaguar purge). I'd be done to purchase some of these too. Edited April 1, 2016 by belucid 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belucid Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 So... assembling together a bit of an answer to my original question from the responses, it seems the very best results come from: You print the overlay with a professional printer. They then laminate the overlay, after printing, in either glossy or matte lamination. They then die cut the overlay with a die made to match the standard overlay shape You can them dimple them with a press and custom made insert, for the true "original Atari overlay" effect So... continuing in the vein of the original question (though not to curtail the Gaztee production run discussion, which is very interesting and should continue), I think there are 2 interesting follow up questions: What's the cost of each step above, 1 to 4, at a typical printers, and at what quantity can it be done. Cost at quantity 1, 100, 1,000? What's the best way to simulate steps 1-4 at home w/ home equipment? Step 1 seems very doable. What about step 2? Are there lamination options anyone has experience with that are good for overlays? What about steps 3? Can you create a form/template/die and then cut around it w/ an exacto knife or something? Anyone every try to replicate Atari's dimpling by hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaztee Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 To answer your questions 1 It's not hard to do any of the printing at home, I would imagine to do all the steps at home would be a PITA. 2 lamination is an optional extra but does add to the cost and has given me lots of trouble over the years. It's extra difficult on overlays your going to bump as it tends to pull the lamination. 3 I believe there is a craft printer that could cut the overlays, not sure whether it's a better option than getting the die made? And trying to cut the notches that hold the overlays in the pad, well it's beyond my scissoring skills. 4 l have seen home made bumping. Think OMF did them with his original Painter release. He soon got fed up of it that much I do know! My printer won't let me do anything in quantities of less than 50. I might look at doing overlays with BSUJ as it would need 4 per set, not sure it would be practical for keeping the price down. Mind you the SW2K had 2 in each set, so it can't have had too much impact on price! The Battlesphere overlays sell for £3.50 which includes 50p per overlay going to Doug's diabetes charity fund. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Gaztee, I sent you the PM with the overlay designs that I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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