Main > Project Announcements
Game Grid -- *ALMOST FINISHED* Rotating panel and rotating monitor.
phildo77:
**************** UPDATE (3/1/2011) ********************
Moved and mostly settled. A few minor things and one major left to do.
1) MODERATE - Replace sensors on rotating optical joysticks (blown by incorrect wiring as I read the WRONG post on here somewhere)
2) EXTREMELY DIFFICULT - Complete fiberglass (or other material) covers for player 3 and 4 wings.
3) EASY - Install gun sensor and s/w setup.
4) MODERATE - Reinforce motor axle so chain slippage does not occur during rotate.
5) MODERATE - Sand and refinish lacquer sides due to damage done during move.
6) EASY (I think) - Procure and install Speaker Grates
7) UNKNOWN - Solve degauss problem on monitor rotate
Video's of attract mode:
Large:
Small:
***************************** UPDATE **************************************************************
Alright. So I started this beast in 2005 and never got past the first panel. You can see my original announcement here.
Here's what it looks like right now:
POS!! :banghead:
I made a TON of mistakes and quite a few bad decisions because I was so excited.
Here's a list of mistakes and bad decisions:
1) Plexi over glossy BOND printed artwork. Suggestions welcome here.
This is a huge problem as you can see from this picture. Beer and bond prints do not go well together.
Also poor placement of controls for comfortability. Man you'd get tired hands quick playing this thing. The controls need to be pushed back and raised.
I can't seem to figure out how the best way to keep spills off of the artwork without permanently sealing the panel.
2) Hasty wiring:
Nuff Said there.
3) Poor/No interior planning:
This can be easily fixed, but goes hand-in-hand with hasty wiring (see above).
4) Manual monitor rotation with shoddy mount craftsmanship:
This manual setup was horrendous and just DIDN'T work. The disc was not cut well and doesn't rotate smoothly let alone its about to fall apart. I've had to replace the TV twice now due to electrical failure due to poor mounting of the TV board. This last failure caused me to say "screw it" and move forward with the revamp.
5) Not following through. (Things never get done if you just play the damn thing!)
So this is to announce that I'm COMPLETELY redoing quite a bit of this machine and I'm going to follow it to the end.
First I'm going to redo the control panels (AND do ALL three of them at once) by cutting them by six inches (3" per top and bottom) and adding a permanent stationary deck just above the rotating panels (think TRON) with a black light shining on the panel and buttons. Completely new artwork and themeing but same name (including the marquee):
Panel 1 artwork:
Panel 2 artwork:
Side art logo and marquee:
I haven't completed the third panel artwork because I'm not sure what the heck I'm going to have on it yet. The main purpose is for a yoke and driving wheel. I just haven't found the best of either yet. Nor do I know how best to mount them! Suggestions welcome here. ;D
I've got all the components I need except for the Driving wheel and yoke. I also will be replacing ALL pushbuttons with GGG EICE2s and will be picking up a ton of LED controllers.
Some components I've got already and a new TV:
I've also decided to go with a motor for rotating monitor. I just tested it today with an ATX supply I hacked up that I'll be using to power it. I'll be using a bike chain around the outer part of the disc mount and a sprocket on the motor.
I plan to manually rotate with a momentary rotating switch (twist left/rebound to center/twist right). I swear I saw a video of someone on here that did the exact same thing with that switch but I can't find it again. I just want to know where he found that switch. Anyone know who did that?
Eventually (after I'm comfortable with the operation of the motor) I will be adding the automated rotation software and the electronics to handle it.
I'm also concerned about the magnetic field around the motor causing havoc with the TV colors. Anyone have any ideas on how close I can have this thing to the tube?
I'm going to try and document the rest of the process so maybe something I do will be helpful. This community is awesome and I'd like to give props to DaOld Man, psychotech and Richie Rich for their posts and contributions to the community as I wouldn't have taken the motor route without those posts. Props to RobbyMac for helping me figure out the best way to apply artwork (which I'm still worried about).
JustMichael:
Are you sure you want to redo the control panel first? When it is done. you will play instead of work on the thing.
solidteezme:
What kind of joysticks are those?
csa3d:
--- Quote from: phildo77 on April 08, 2010, 01:13:24 am ---I swear I saw a video of someone on here that did the exact same thing with that switch but I can't find it again. I just want to know where he found that switch. Anyone know who did that?
--- End quote ---
I believe the user your are looking for is psychotech and though I couldn't locate the video (which I know the one you're talking about) his main thread that started that is located here.
-csa
Epyx:
--- Quote ---I can't seem to figure out how the best way to keep spills off of the artwork without permanently sealing the panel.
--- End quote ---
My remedy? Don't drink at your panel! ;)
In all seriousness though...why do you have so many panels? I would make the CP cover as one piece of plexi...then route it and just use your buttons and T Molding to hold it in place...you really don't need the bolts/screws. Then use a thin strip of tape on the inner perimetre of the top of the button hole to seal the space between plexi and artwork. The button will still fit in.
Ideally, shrink the CP in towards the monitor more if you are concerned about working with a piece of plexi that large.