Pac 30th anniversary cab- FINISHED!!!!- Now with video!

[Martijn]

So cute 

Does the blue of the side match the blue of the control panel?

[Louis Tully]

.

[Well Fed Games]

So cute 

Does the blue of the side match the blue of the control panel?

Thanks!

No, I actually put a different color blue on the side (as opposed to the CP blue) thinking it would be too close to the paint color (which ended up being more aqua anyway). I could have made them the same and it would have been fine.

That is one color change I would have made. I might have made the blue ghosts a little lighter on the front, as well (in case anyone else uses the artwork).

I was very pleased we got everything on straight... good to have a helper (and one you don't mind being very close to) when applying all the vinyl.

[AlienInferno]

That control panel looks great.  I like it.   

[Well Fed Games]

Got the back door on, so structurally, cabinet is finished. All that is left is software (specifically, trying to beat MAME into submission.. still trying to get certain games to play right) and wiring things up. May end up hacking a MS Sidewinder (joyport) pad for this cab, the sound card I put it had a port on it, so may as well use it. Sounds like it is a popular choice and I got one cheap from GGG a while back.

Decided to go simple for my front end- one game listed at a time, game name, year, and a blown up sprite from the game. Hope to get the whole thing on video when I am done.

I cannot wait to teach my 3 year old daughter to play Pac-Man!

[mgb]

nice attention to detail. even the back matches the sides. great job

[Well Fed Games]

nice attention to detail. even the back matches the sides. great job

Thanks! The cab had a back door, beat to hell. The most "woodworking" part of the project was using it as a pattern to make a new one out of MDF (learned to use a router). The top of the bottom back panel was structurally the worst part of the cabinet, so instead of repairing the tongue/groove area where the door connects I just bondo'd it up and went for the piano hinge.

[Well Fed Games]

Got the monitor in, test rig set up. Doing lots of MAME tweaks, monitor tweaks. Waiting for smoked plexi (should be here in a couple of days) to put bezel on. Will order some random coin door parts from Twisted Quarter today. Smart strip works great to turn everything on and off with the PC.

Currently working on making a custom intro video (just 5 seconds or so) and screensaver (maybe 10 images that will rotate through, with some game trivia and stuff) for MALA. Then I embark on a quest to learn to solder as I do the traditional Microsoft Sidewinder hack.

[Well Fed Games]

Hmm. Sorry to report that my CPO from gameongrafix has developed some cracking where it goes over the curve on my control panel. I am not the only one to experience this, I know, but I feel like I applied it well (slowly, warming it with a hair dryer, two people working at it, etc.). Took just over a week for the cracks to develop. Not a huge deal, but disappointing.

[mgb]

I'm sorry to hear about the cracking of your cpo.
Out of curiousity, where did you order you smoked plexi from? I need to order some for mine, but prices and shipping seem high.

[yotsuya]

Where's it cracking? On the sides or on the bend?

[Well Fed Games]

I'm sorry to hear about the cracking of your cpo.
Out of curiousity, where did you order you smoked plexi from? I need to order some for mine, but prices and shipping seem high.

I ended up going with tap plastics. Invoice attached below... looked ahead at all the projects I have in the queue and ordered all at once, to make shipping more reasonable. I just didn't want to deal with a glass place, and hardware stores only seem to carry the bronzed type around me.

Where's it cracking? On the sides or on the bend?

Right at the apex of the bend. Can't feel it but can see a narrow crack along the entire width.

[Well Fed Games]

My startup video- wanted to bring more of the cab art onto the screen. Intentionally very short, and pixellated.

[youtube][/youtube]

[yotsuya]

Nice job!

[mgb]

When you recieve your solar gray acrylic, please show it. I'm thinking about ordering some but I'm a little worried it may be a bit too dark.

[Well Fed Games]

When you recieve your solar gray acrylic, please show it. I'm thinking about ordering some but I'm a little worried it may be a bit too dark.

Will do... I am hoping they are ok, as I bought 4 sheets, but I'll get a comparison video up. I am using composite video for my current cab, not the best but the best I could find... I am hoping a nice tint will help the image "pop."

[Well Fed Games]

OK, probably not the best before and after, but I took both pics with flash off before and after putting the acrylic on... no adjustments to room lighting or tv settings or anything. Hope that helps. I think it looks just right. Of course, after having the glass bezel on that I've had stored for months, I realize it has many flaws...  but is good enough... and original, which is kind of cool!

When you recieve your solar gray acrylic, please show it. I'm thinking about ordering some but I'm a little worried it may be a bit too dark.

[Nephasth]

Wow, that looks great!

[mgb]

Yeah that tint really sets the picture off nice. looks great. That settles it for me, I was gonna try my local glass place but it will cost just as much and I'm not crazy about the one gray tint they have available. I'm gonna order from Tap.
Quick question: if its a hair too wide, do you think it can easily be sanded and pollished on the edge for a tight fit?

[Well Fed Games]

Nothing too exciting, I am at the "padhack" phase which has somehow turned into the "remove vinyl from next project cabinet" phase. Need... to... focus...

Here are some videos of my front end and screen saver (in case I forget and leave the cab on), pretty minimalistic, of course. Some of the games you see will come off, and there is a second game list that I don't show (forgot to hit the button) with about 7 more games.

[youtube][youtube]

[youtube][youtube]

[Well Fed Games]

Yeah that tint really sets the picture off nice. looks great. That settles it for me, I was gonna try my local glass place but it will cost just as much and I'm not crazy about the one gray tint they have available. I'm gonna order from Tap.
Quick question: if its a hair too wide, do you think it can easily be sanded and pollished on the edge for a tight fit?

Sorry for the slow response... as far as sanding, it seems to be a similar consistency to the acrylic I used for my marquee (although that was thinner), which sanded well when I cut it too big... except I wasn't careful enough and scratched the surface a bit (probably good to leave the protective layer on as long as possible- the tap stuff comes with a brown paper that is stuck on good). So, yeah, I think it would sand fine.

[Well Fed Games]

Things have been slow, but I think I am in the last week of this build! I had a little bit of problems software-wise, my old PC did not like the drivers I had to install to use my HRAP PCB (maybe some sort of direct X related thing? It was weird), so I am back to using the sidewinder. Troubleshooting set me back a bit though.

I just have to:

-Attach kickplate (I will probably just use command adhesive or something)

-Re-assemble coin door (took it apart for cleaning/painting/new parts)

-padhack the Sidewinder and attach to barrier strip (I've got all the prep work done, just need to man up and start soldering).

-Wire PC swich to original top of cabinet switch

-secure all components inside cab

-misc. visual tweaks

ok, maybe I am in the last two weeks of the cab, but I have my neices and nephews visiting near the end of the month, and I should have it done by then!!!

[Well Fed Games]

Got a few things done... been a productive couple of days. A couple pics below, of me spicing into the PC power for various things, and a cheap-ass DIY weight I built for my turbotwist, with an old knob, some washers, and hot glue.

-Attach kickplate (I will probably just use command adhesive or something)

-Re-assemble coin door (took it apart for cleaning/painting/new parts)

-padhack the Sidewinder and attach to barrier strip (I've got all the prep work done, just need to man up and start soldering).

-Wire PC swich to original top of cabinet switch

-secure all components inside cab

-misc. visual tweaks

[Well Fed Games]

A bit of a delay... I am about an hour away from completion but realized that my coin door didn't cover the top left corner of the hole... time for more bondo and paint.... but I can see the promised land, and I won't let it get me down! 

[Well Fed Games]

Well, the cabinet is done. I am sure I will be making little tweaks to brightness and controls for a couple of weeks, but the thing is together and working 100%. The last steps were installing a fan in the back, shortening my joystick shaft (the Versa Ball one worked with the Ms. Pac stick, but was too long). Very excited. I hope to get some videos up sometime soon, as I think it came together nicely for my first time out, and I would love to talk about some of my design thoughts. For now, a far less exciting pic is below.

A big thanks to all on the forum here who helped me directly, sold me stuff, asked questions I learned from, told me when I had a bad idea, etc. I think my family will have a lot of fun with this, and I am looking forward to my 3-year old growing up with the same games I grew up with (and not console ports-lucky kid!).

Remember, all the artwork is available for download http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112832.msg1197773#msg1197773 if anyone can put it to use or improve on it!

My next cab is currently in the garage getting some wood work done on it... look for another project announcement thread soon...

[Nephasth]

  Awesome job! Enjoy it for many years to come!

[drventure]

Nice job! Truly Classic.

[Well Fed Games]

[youtube][youtube]

[youtube][youtube]

[Bender]

Wow! that came out really nice!
Love The Artwork and the professional look!

[dandare]

It did come out nice.  love the colours and artwork!

The mala layout looks amazing too, simple but stylish. a lovely job and definitely one of my favorite projects.
look forward to your next!

[nitz]

I know I'm jumping in pretty late on this...but AWESOME JOB! This is pretty much exactly the kind of cab I want.

And I'll be honest, I'm considering stealing your front end idea.

[Well Fed Games]

I know I'm jumping in pretty late on this...but AWESOME JOB! This is pretty much exactly the kind of cab I want.

And I'll be honest, I'm considering stealing your front end idea.

Thanks for the feedback! After having it finished for awhile, I am pleased with it and how it is getting played by my family. It was definitely a learning process, I am trying to put some of that knowledge into my next projects. For the front end, I kept trying to cram a bunch of info on the screen, but it always felt better to strip it back to the minimum in the end.

Steal away! 

[nitz]

Yeah, I'll bet you guys are having fun with that machine. I think a nice clean classic machine like that is more fun to play than a cab that tries to do everything. Less is more.

I've made a few "busy" front end layouts myself, but then I see layouts like yours and like them better. Again, less is more.

 

[Well Fed Games]

Just wanted to add to this thread to say thanks for the nomination in this year's user choice awards. There were some incredible projects finished last year, so having my simple build/restore mentioned alongside them is really neat.

Since I'm bumping the project thread anyway, I will give a bit of an update... several months in, and the cabinet is holding up good. I need to go in and take a few roms out that never get played. My wife has really liked Anteater, Jr. Pac, and Burgertime, and I am still loving Mr. TNT and the Gee Bee/Bomb Bee/Cutie Q trilogy.

I'll attach a pic of the cab in action. I've got a couple more upright projects in the works that I hope to make progress on now that is is nice outside again, and I am headed to an auction tomorrow... 

[tkeahi]

I love the layout you came up with. I'm trying to do something similar - can I ask what resolution you're running on the layout? And what font is that? I have downloaded a lot of "arcade-looking" fonts but none of them seem as close to the midway "ms pacman" font as I would like.

[Well Fed Games]

I love the layout you came up with. I'm trying to do something similar - can I ask what resolution you're running on the layout? And what font is that? I have downloaded a lot of "arcade-looking" fonts but none of them seem as close to the midway "ms pacman" font as I would like.

Thanks. The layout is just 640x480, and the font is called emulator... not a perfect match but I found it didn't look too far off from the in-game fonts.  http://www.dafont.com/emulator-jaynz.font

[eldiau]

Being new in the forum I got to see this project just because of the bump. Great project! Love the way in which all pieces get together in a true '80ish look.

[Well Fed Games]

A little update... instead of working on my (4, sigh) other projects, I spent the day replacing the 4-way on this cabinet to an 8-way LS-56 w/ octagonal gate, which seems to work well enough for Pac Man, etc., and opens my game list to some 8-way classics. Took off a bunch of games we never played (Pooyan, DK II hack, Pop Flamer, Guzzler, Roc & Rope, etc.) and added several (Gaplus, Gyruss, Time Pilot, Q*Bert, Exerion, Juno First, Bomb Jack, Kangaroo, Xevious). Easy part was drilling mounting holes for the LS-56 on the Ms. Pac stick mounting plate (plenty of room). Hard part was remembering how MALA and InstantSheller were set up.

Happy to say the cab is holding up well after 2+ years!