goldenegg Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I was wondering if anyone happens to make reproduction overlays. I have a few games which are missing the overlays and it would be great to have a full set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sqoon Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 There's a guy from England who sells repro INTV overlays on ebay all the time. Maybe you could contact him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleconut Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I was wondering if anyone happens to make reproduction overlays. I have a few games which are missing the overlays and it would be great to have a full set. The idea has been tossed around a bit here by a few members but there were some concerns with making a good product at a fair price and the time and effort involved to do so. I was going to run with it for a while but had challenges due to my schedule so put it on permanent hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardhat Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 If someone prepared the artwork, I could try to make a prototype and see if I have a suitable technology to make overlays. I've actually been thinking of making a game that uses overlays, so I'd very much like to find out what is involved and if I have the appropriate production capabilities. I guess the traditional ones are silk screened most likely. I haven't looked at one in a while. I think for a reproduction I'd probably make it colour laser printer based with a protective coating. It wouldn't be the same process but it would keep the production costs reasonable for small quantities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenegg Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Scans for the overlays are available on multiple sites. I've been thinking about trying to print a couple out on printable transparency sheets. These wouldn't be a sellable product, but (if successful) it would make a relatively easy way for people to print their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 James Carter and PixelBoy have created a lot of overlays over the years. Here are a couple files James Carter made available: - Overlays - How to Print.txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 The problem with doing homebrew overlays is the actual printing process selected. The first-generation overlays (Mouse Trap, essentially) had printing that was invulnerable to the abuse of inserting and removing the overlay repeatedly, and they really were the best available. But they must have been rather expensive to produce, because later Coleco made overlays via a cheaper printing process (thin mylar-like, similar to what eColeco offered for a while, but of better quality). You can feel the difference just by rubbing your finger around a Mouse Trap overlay and a War Games overlay. The point here is that homebrew overlays need to resist to extreme abuse. Flimsy printing will easely peel off along the edges when inserting the overlay into a Coleco controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardhat Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Well my brother's sign shop has a process for putting the image under the plastic surface. So if it's not too thick, it would certainly withstand the rigors of repeated insertion at least, but it might have a seam at the edge so I'll have to think about it more I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 The problem with doing homebrew overlays is the actual printing process selected. The first-generation overlays (Mouse Trap, essentially) had printing that was invulnerable to the abuse of inserting and removing the overlay repeatedly, and they really were the best available. But they must have been rather expensive to produce, because later Coleco made overlays via a cheaper printing process (thin mylar-like, similar to what eColeco offered for a while, but of better quality). You can feel the difference just by rubbing your finger around a Mouse Trap overlay and a War Games overlay. The point here is that homebrew overlays need to resist to extreme abuse. Flimsy printing will easely peel off along the edges when inserting the overlay into a Coleco controller. Agree, but I think I might have a solution. I'm testing a method of making them now (DIY) and I'm doing the whole "put the overlay in take it out, put it back in" thing right now. If I get good results, I just might be able to offer overlays for those that need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Agree, but I think I might have a solution. I'm testing a method of making them now (DIY) and I'm doing the whole "put the overlay in take it out, put it back in" thing right now. If I get good results, I just might be able to offer overlays for those that need them. Now that would be a huge chunk of good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Agree, but I think I might have a solution. I'm testing a method of making them now (DIY) and I'm doing the whole "put the overlay in take it out, put it back in" thing right now. If I get good results, I just might be able to offer overlays for those that need them. Now that would be a huge chunk of good news. I just want to clarify that I'm working on overlays for the standard ColecoVision controller. Not the Super Action controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblenkle Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 I've made my own overlays using a heat laminator and small plastic laminating pouches. Printed the overlay on regular paper on my inkjet and then laminated it. Trimmed it down to size and it works quite well. I was wondering if anyone happens to make reproduction overlays. I have a few games which are missing the overlays and it would be great to have a full set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Yurkie Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 I did a thread on how I made these for my Mario Bros. Controller set. I found it by searching overlays. http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/163276-make-you-own-colecovision-overlays/page__p__2016184__hl__overlay__fromsearch__1#entry2016184 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I did a thread on how I made these for my Mario Bros. Controller set. I found it by searching overlays. http://www.atariage...._1#entry2016184 Good thread. I forgot about that one. On side note, what is the total count of released (not including homebrew games or super action) overlays? I'm counting twelve: - 2010 - Blackjack Poker - CPK Picture Show - Dam Busters - Dr Suess - Facemaker - Fortune Builder - Mouse Trap - Smurf Paint 'n' Play - Spy Hunter - War Games - War Room Did I miss any? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 On side note, what is the total count of released (not including homebrew games or super action) overlays? I'm counting twelve: - 2010 - Blackjack Poker - CPK Picture Show - Dam Busters - Dr Suess - Facemaker - Fortune Builder - Mouse Trap - Smurf Paint 'n' Play - Spy Hunter - War Games - War Room Did I miss any? Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoDan Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 you didn't miss any but what everyone would probably want if you are going to make reproductions is for you to make reproductions of all the overlays that were made by people for games that should of had an overlay but didn't or ones that were redone better like. 2010 Gateway to Apshai Quest for Quintana Roo Aquaattack Miner 2049er Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 you didn't miss any but what everyone would probably want if you are going to make reproductions is for you to make reproductions of all the overlays that were made by people for games that should of had an overlay but didn't or ones that were redone better like. 2010 Gateway to Apshai Quest for Quintana Roo Aquaattack Miner 2049er I guess I could do those as well, but those are going to take some time. I never actually owned any of the games with overlays (except MouseTrap). I'll need to go over the manuals of those games and play them on the emulators to get a good feel for what the overlay should look like. On another side note, My test overlay seems to have pasted my testing. I put the overlay in the controller, pressed all the buttons, and then removed the overlay from the controller. That is one cycle. I've done that 120 times and the overlay looks great. The printed image in totally intact and the there is no separation of the overlay. There are minor scuffs on the surface of the laminate from putting the overlay in the controller and then taking it out again, but it is only visible if the light hits it just right. Looking straight on the overlay, you can not see the scuff marks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoDan Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [ I guess I could do those as well, but those are going to take some time. I never actually owned any of the games with overlays (except MouseTrap). I'll need to go over the manuals of those games and play them on the emulators to get a good feel for what the overlay should look like. On another side note, My test overlay seems to have pasted my testing. I put the overlay in the controller, pressed all the buttons, and then removed the overlay from the controller. That is one cycle. I've done that 120 times and the overlay looks great. The printed image in totally intact and the there is no separation of the overlay. There are minor scuffs on the surface of the laminate from putting the overlay in the controller and then taking it out again, but it is only visible if the light hits it just right. Looking straight on the overlay, you can not see the scuff marks. Here is some help for the one I was talking about http://home.comcast.net/~mycoleco/overlays.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 you didn't miss any but what everyone would probably want if you are going to make reproductions is for you to make reproductions of all the overlays that were made by people for games that should of had an overlay but didn't or ones that were redone better like. 2010 Gateway to Apshai Quest for Quintana Roo Aquaattack Miner 2049er I guess I could do those as well, but those are going to take some time. I never actually owned any of the games with overlays (except MouseTrap). I'll need to go over the manuals of those games and play them on the emulators to get a good feel for what the overlay should look like. On another side note, My test overlay seems to have pasted my testing. I put the overlay in the controller, pressed all the buttons, and then removed the overlay from the controller. That is one cycle. I've done that 120 times and the overlay looks great. The printed image in totally intact and the there is no separation of the overlay. There are minor scuffs on the surface of the laminate from putting the overlay in the controller and then taking it out again, but it is only visible if the light hits it just right. Looking straight on the overlay, you can not see the scuff marks. Now this is BIG news! 2010 already has an overlay, but it's not terribly good looking, which prompted others to do homebrew version of the overlay for that game. As for the homebrew overlays, I still have all my templates, and hopefully you could print them as-is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikrananka Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 As for the homebrew overlays, I still have all my templates, and hopefully you could print them as-is. Pixelboy's templates are awesome and I would love to be able to buy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 (edited) You know, this piece of news combined with the disassembly and analysis of Utopia by intvnut makes me think that perhaps I should have a set of Utopia overlays produced. Not that all this will prompt me to do a CV version of Utopia any earlier than I had planned (I do still want to do BasicVision first) but with this disassembly now available, I'd say the odds of me doing Utopia some day has greatly increased. So I could have the overlays done right now, in preparation... Edited April 30, 2012 by Pixelboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Darrin9999 Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 I`m in for a set of overlays when done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I just realized I never showed a picture of my test label. Here is the label I made for the above testing: BTW, this is a picture of label taken after the testing. If you look closely you should be able to see some minor marks on the surface of the label (yet the image is undamaged). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Very nice! So what are the dimensions of the image template you're using? Just curious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten-four Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Very nice label you made Phil. I will definitely buy some of them eg, Miner 2049'er, Boulder Dash and a few more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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