Suggestions on my design

[Joezero]

I've been browsing the boards for a while gathering ideas for a cabinet when I came across Ond's incredible retrofuture project and scrapped everything I had done and started working on this.  This is my first full cab design, so I'm sure I'm missing some obvious necessities.  I'm also fairly new to Sketchup, so you may have to use your imagination a little bit.  Any comments, criticisms, advice is appreciated.





The angled portion of the CP will be motorized and sit flat when the system is off and then rise up when activated. 

A few specific questions:

I'd like to use a projector for the marquee (like NickG did) and put a smaller screen in the angled panel to show instructions, button layout, etc.  can I output to three separate screens at the same time?  So far I've just seen projects that did one or the other.

Can I use the 2P joystick as a shifter for driving games?  My Fiancée wasn't on board with my building this until I showed her that Outrun could be emulated so at least that driving game is a must.  I doubt that she'll ever play the game in "manual" but I'd like to have the option, preferably without having to add a dedicated shifter.
 

[drventure]

Ah, so that's a steering wheel in the middle!

Looks good. I like the proportions. Going after Ond's build is ambitious indeed! All those curves will be fun.

I'd question the "rise up" cp. Instead, you might consider fixing it at an angle (or better yet curve it as well), and then figure a way to possibly create a mounting plate for a removable wheel rather than a fixed wheel (or if it's already removeable, never mind  )

You should be able to drive 3 screens. 2 definitely via video card, and you could use one of those small usb monitors as the 3'rd screen.

Finally, you might want to tilt the CP a little bit, having it board flat looks a tad uncomfortable to me, but maybe that's just me.

Cool ideas though.

Have you checked out the MAME ON A STICK build around here?

[syph007]

I'd lose the guy on the left... it would creep me out trying to play games with him looking right at me!

 

[Joezero]

I'd lose the guy on the left... it would creep me out trying to play games with him looking right at me!

 

When I was a kid my parents wouldn't let me get a game console, so I spent a good part of my youth watching my friends play their NES, SNES, etc, so I don't know that it'd feel right without a bored friend watching longingly wishing they could play

[Joezero]

I'd question the "rise up" cp. Instead, you might consider fixing it at an angle (or better yet curve it as well), and then figure a way to possibly create a mounting plate for a removable wheel rather than a fixed wheel (or if it's already removeable, never mind 

I'm not quite sure what you mean about having it at an angle? Do you mean have it extend past the base?

I'd given some thought to the steering wheel and to really complicate things had thought about mounting it on a motorized pedestal so that it would sink down into a compartment when not in use and then rise up into the alcove when playing a driving game. I'd like to keep it all self contained within the unit, much like your build, which I have been enthusiastically following BTW.

[apfelanni]

its an interesting design , indeed . though i would focus the planning on a reasonable mainscreen and panelsetup .  the cabinet base is huge and the monitor appears far 2 small .  imho it makes more sense to construct ur cab around screen and controls and not the other way round . the goal is 2 bring creativity and functionality in balance. and plz skip the racing wheel and the pedals. its dam ugly and not of much use. if ur such a racing fan consider building or buying a sitdown machine .

[TOK]

I think the flat front is going to cause problems... Your knees will constantly be bumping the coin door area, and more importantly, its going to make your lower back sore after an hour because of the way you will have to lean over it. If you look at them, nearly every arcade game ever made either has the panel come forward or recesses the cabinet below the controls for this reason.

It doesn't have to be much, just a couple of inches.

[drventure]

I think the flat front is going to cause problems...

That's what was bugging me! I couldn't put my finger on it before....

Yes, I'd definitely setup some kind of CP overhang in the front, else your knees (and toes likely) will curse your name.

About the angle comment. Maybe I missed what you were getting at.

The way I read it, it sounds like you are going to have that panel at the back of the CP (with the speakers on it), rise up from being flat to being tilted at an angle? Is that right?

If that's right, I was thinking you might be better off just building that speaker panel at a fixed angle, and spend the time with the mechanics elsewhere. It just doesn't seem like that'd be much in the way of functional and you could apply that effort elsewhere for more functionality.

But hey, I'm the guy that made a computer case out of hardboard and upholstered it in red pin-tuck taffeta, so I know +nothing+ about being purely functional 

[Joezero]

The way I read it, it sounds like you are going to have that panel at the back of the CP (with the speakers on it), rise up from being flat to being tilted at an angle? Is that right?

If that's right, I was thinking you might be better off just building that speaker panel at a fixed angle, and spend the time with the mechanics elsewhere. It just doesn't seem like that'd be much in the way of functional and you could apply that effort elsewhere for more functionality.

But hey, I'm the guy that made a computer case out of hardboard and upholstered it in red pin-tuck taffeta, so I know +nothing+ about being purely functional 

Ah, ok I see what you're talking about now. Yeah, it has no level of function whatsoever  Initially I had the central support for the monitor and marquee kind of "curve" into the base. Once I started modeling it in 3d I saw how much space I had and decided to add that part to fill in some of that space.  Then it occurred to me that I could have the panel move which would let the cab look a little cleaner/less cluttered when it was off.  I was inspired by this design with whatever the device is in the back. This cab is going to sit opposite my 1960's Rock-Ola jukebox, so I'd like to carry a little of that style over. One of the things I love about the whole retrofuture thing is that while the abilities of technology were incredible, the interfaces were based off of tech at the time, so there's lots of mechanical buttons, etc.which I thought this reference image captured.

I'm working on a revision that incorporates a slightly different rear CP and addresses the flat front issue.

Thanks for all the input guys!

[drventure]

I love that picture! You definitely need some old 50's chrome on that thing. There's an antique store near my house that has tons of old hubcaps, hood ornaments, mirrors, etc from that period. really cool stuff for the right cab. Wouldn't work on mine though, even brass plated 

[Joezero]

I love that picture! You definitely need some old 50's chrome on that thing. There's an antique store near my house that has tons of old hubcaps, hood ornaments, mirrors, etc from that period. really cool stuff for the right cab. Wouldn't work on mine though, even brass plated 

Yes!!! I need to go back and integrate some chrome into the design, especially to match the Rock-Ola!

[Ond]

Coool!  it's always nice to see I've inspired someone.  Some nice lines, the marquee design actually made me think of the bubble top on the robot from Lost In Space.  I never could work in a satisfying marquee on my cab because no shape seemed to work well with the hemisphere below it.  On your design however that part works.  I agree with most comments so far, you will need to consider the functional side of the design and allow for comfortable game play.  Looking forward to the revision, I might play with the shapes a bit myself in the old renderscope

 

Ond

[Hawkweber]

Add some Wurlitzer glass bubble tubing - will complement the Rock-Ola jukebox.

[Joezero]

Add some Wurlitzer glass bubble tubing - will complement the Rock-Ola jukebox.

Sadly the Rock-Ola doesn't have any bubblers. Here's a couple pics. I was thinking of, as cheap as it sounds, getting some plastic corner protectors, heat it and bend to the curved portion and then paint it chrome. If anyone has any chrome suggestions I'd love to hear them as I'm not real thrilled with doing it that way.

[Joezero]

Ok, here's the partially revised design.  The steering wheel isn't shown while I figure out a mechanism for it.  You can see the new controls on the left while the ones on the right are still in the original location.

[HaRuMaN]

Player 2 controls seem too far back to be comfortable...

[Joezero]

Player 2 controls seem too far back to be comfortable...

That's where they were originally before I extended the CP. I left them there for reference to evaluate the revision. If the placement of 1P works then I'll adjust the right side accordingly.

[Joezero]

So here's my initial concept for the steering wheel mechanics, 10% function 90% appearance.  Basically the wheel would be flush-mounted into the alcove on the front of the cabinet and electro-mechanically moved into playable position for driving games.





I wish I had better 3D software so that I could fully model it installed in the cab and test the functionality, but how's how I *think* it'll work:

The wheel/spinner will stay recessed behind the small lip on the ramp.  When activated, a solenoid under the spinner housing will pop it above the lip.  A pneumatic shock will push the unit forward up the ramp and out of the cabinet.  The bracket attached to the top of the spinner housing will allow the unit to move forward a few inches and then restrict further movement of the top.  This will cause the housing to pivot on this point as the shock continues its travel moving the wheel into its fully extended and angled position.  A small lip on the rear of the housing will align with a slot in the ramp helping to "lock" the spinner housing in place.

To return the wheel you would lift up slightly and then push back until the spinner housing cleared the rear of the ramp.  It would then drop into place.

I know the shock should probably be mounted to the lower portion of the housing, but I couldn't get Sketchup to move it to the right location.

Thoughts?