unixdude Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Just as the subject says: Has anyone ever tried laser printing your own overlays? My color laser printer will take up to 32-pound paper, so I thought of getting a ream and trying it. Or, printing some on regular paper and then laminating that. I should probably just buy an overlay set, but before I spend $125 (for a single set, not 2 per game) I figured I'd try printing some of my own. Also, where's the best place to download them? I think I saw about 20 overlays here on AA. Was there not an overlay for every game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 No, not every game came with overlays. I actually did make some of my own nearly 20 years ago. What I did back then was print a mirror reversed image of the overlay onto transparency film at the exact size of the overlay. I would then cut it out and apply a coat of white enamel paint over the printed side. Looked pretty good for the time! Doing it this way gave me almost the same feel of the actual overlay and since it was reversed printed, it was right side facing when flipped over so all the printing was on the backside. The white paint was applied to bring out the colors more and replace the transparent text portions with the white needed for lettering etc. Overtime and use, the paint would begin to flake off on the back but it was a pretty durable method I used for about a decade until I started to get boxed versions of most of the games I was playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unixdude Posted March 10, 2020 Author Share Posted March 10, 2020 Cool idea - thanks! But, maybe I should just buy the $2/ ones for the games I'm really going to play and that need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 18 minutes ago, unixdude said: Cool idea - thanks! But, maybe I should just buy the $2/ ones for the games I'm really going to play and that need it. Absolutely! Again this was 20 years ago and there wasn't a source for remade overlays then as there is now LOL. Most games don't really need them as they use the same buttons for the same thing. Like # and * for difficulty and number of players. I think I only really needed the overlays for Space Shuttle, Fractalus, and of course...Star Raiders! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr. kwack Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 I made a ton of overlays for my Ultimate ColecoVision/Intellivision Flashback. I did the reverse print on transparency sheets as well. Then I placed them on the sticky side of a white shipping label and cut them out. They have held up pretty well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlepaddle Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Also useful for Mouse Trap and Miner 2049er, two games I love. If I was in the market, even though you don't need one, I might also buy one for Pepper II, just 'cause I like the game so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unixdude Posted March 17, 2020 Author Share Posted March 17, 2020 Thanks for all the info, everyone. I'll just buy the ones I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8bitAndy Posted November 3, 2020 Share Posted November 3, 2020 On 3/10/2020 at 1:06 PM, unixdude said: Cool idea - thanks! But, maybe I should just buy the $2/ ones for the games I'm really going to play and that need it. Does anyone have a link for the $2 overlays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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