Overlay graphics are the most common item in an automation playlist. You can add any graphic from your game plan's theme, such as a match ident, team lists, a scoreline or a lower third. You then tell the playlist when to show it and for how long.
[VIDEO PLACEHOLDER: Automation_07_Add_an_Overlay_Graphic_v1.0.mp4]
Before you start
Automation needs the Graphics module, because the graphics come from your theme.
You need an Automated Game Plan in the Automation tab with at least one playlist. This could be a pre or post playlist, a break playlist or an in-game playlist.
The graphics you can pick come from the theme linked to the game plan. If a graphic you expect is missing, check which theme the game plan uses.
Add an overlay graphic
Open your game plan in the Automation tab and expand the playlist you want to work on. Click the arrow on its card to show its timeline.
Click Add Item to Sequence at the bottom of the timeline.
Choose Add Overlay Graphic from the item types.
Pick a graphic from your theme. Each graphic shows how many variables it has, which tells you how much you can customise it once it's added.
Click Continue.
In Details, set the start time and the number of seconds the graphic stays on screen.
Turn on Loop if you want the graphic to keep running for as long as the playlist runs.
Click Add Graphic. The graphic is added to the playlist's timeline.
Choosing a graphic
The variable count on each graphic is a useful guide. A graphic with several variables, like a team list or match stats, lets you choose what it shows. For example, you might pick Team 1 (home) or Team 2 (away) on a team list, or set which stats appear in each row on a match stats graphic. A graphic with few or no variables simply shows its standard content.
Pick the graphic that matches the moment. For a pre-match playlist in Harbour City (HCF) v Ridgeview (RVR), you might start with a match ident, then the home team list, then the away team list.
Timing: start time, duration and Loop
Start time is when the graphic appears, measured from the start of the playlist, not from kick-off. A start time of 0 means it shows as soon as the playlist begins.
Duration is how many seconds the graphic stays on before it goes off.
Loop keeps the graphic on for as long as the playlist is running. Use it for something that should stay up the whole time, such as a pre-game match ident.
Items play in order of their start time. They can overlap when you want two things on screen together, such as the scorebug and a lower third.
After you add it
Drag the graphic along the timeline to change when it starts. Drag its edges to make it longer or shorter.
Use the zoom slider above the timeline to see short items in more detail.
Click the graphic on the timeline to open its settings panel. Here you can change its variables, timing or position.
Each graphic item can either replace what's on screen or be added on top of it (Update). Use Update when the scorebug should stay on while another graphic appears. When you save, LIGR may suggest changing an item to Update. Follow the suggestion unless you want the graphics to show one after another.
When you're done, click Save playlist. Items are saved in order of their start time.
Tips and common mistakes
Leave a gap. Graphics animate in and out, so back-to-back timings can cut an animation short. Leave 1 or 2 seconds between graphics.
Watch your loops. A looping graphic stays on until the playlist ends. Don't turn on Loop for graphics that should only appear briefly.
Refresh the overlay. Changes to a game plan don't reach an overlay that's already loaded. Refresh the overlay after saving.
Check the theme. If the graphic list looks wrong, the game plan may be linked to a different theme from the one your overlay uses.