Pac-Man Cocktail, Midway-Style [Finished]

[Gaaargh]

Alright, about 8 years ago I built an upright cabinet that vaguely resembled the Final Fight cabinets I played as a pre-teen, at the bowling alley. It's due for a refurb, but that is not what this thread is about.

Years before my Final Fight experience, my family went camping at a Jellystone Park resort. The main office had a bingo hall, and in that hall was a Pac-Man cocktail. Only 1 of the quarter slots worked, and I only had 2 or 3 quarters to feed it the whole week we were there, but I watched the attract-mode for hours, that was my 1st experience with any video games.

When I first learned of the MAME project, a play-EVERYTHING upright was my 1st thought, and I poured through BYOAC to learn all I could from the build logs. Other than Breakout, and Golden Tee, I hadn't really played any games that used a spinner or trackball, so I didn't include those. I wanted to be able to play Street Fighter, and planned a 2-player, 6-buttons-per control panel. I built that cabinet, and have been very happy with it, but as soon as it was finished, I knew I wanted a dedicated cocktail as well, one that would only play a selection of games meant for a cocktail, and more limited control set, but it was just something nice to think about.

My in-laws are console gamers, in their living room, they have 2 LCD TVs greater than 40", each TV has its own wii, and X-Box 360. My own 360 was a Christmas gift from them. We built a LuSiD-style cabinet and wrapped it in Batman comic images for my father-in-law last year for Christmas. This fall, they asked what I wanted for Christmas this year, and I told them I had everything I needed, but have always wanted to built a cocktail.

They are determined to help me make this happen. And we come to the start of the project.

The Goal:

A midway-style cocktail cabinet, with a limited romset, very closely resembling the Pac-man from Jellystone.

At a cursory glance it will look like a Pac-Man machine, it will willingly take your quarters, but closer inspection will reveal 2 buttons per control panel, and hitting 1P & 2P at the same time will take you to a menu - bordered with what looks like the bezel of an upright Pac-Man, and you'll be able to scroll up and down through a pictorial list of 30-odd games to play. Screenshots in the centre of the bezel, and a marquee at the top are all you will see of the game you'd like to play, no other names.

The Plan:

Modified control panel overlays that closely resemble the originals, with a few things moved around to accommodate 2, 30mm Sanwa pushbuttons each.
A red, ball-top Sanwa joystick, with a 4-way restrictor, and small Midway pushbuttons for 1P & 2P start.

A dark stained, glossy oak veneer cabinet, with working coin door, 19" LCD monitor for display, and Pac-Man reproduction overlay.

MaLa for a front end, themed like a Pac-Man upright's bezel, with screenshots (snaps) showing in the centre, and the marquee at the top, for selecting games.

The Method:

My wife's brother works at a sign printing shop, he printed the sideart, and a custom marquee for my Daredevil (by Alex Maleev) themed upright, as well as the full vinyl wrap for the Batman cabinet for his Dad, and the side art & 2-player cpo for a Gorf cab he redressed as a Donkey Kong.

He's printing the Pac-Man overlay on vinyl, and should be able to print the control panels directly into lucite.

My in-laws have offered to pay for the bulk of the price of a pre-cut cocktail cab from ArcadeDepot, which I would stain myself.

I Currently Have:

A non-midway coin door, it's the right shape, but the reject buttons are the coin slot, Link. It has one, non-working mech, and 2 working coin microswitches. I also have part of a silver bally coin door, with no mechs or microswitches, but it doesn't have the outer ring.

I have a 19" Princeton LCD, it's cheap but has a 170 degree viewing angle, perfect for a cocktail.

I have a computer, or rather parts to make several, capable of running the games I want.

I have my game list, I started with 39in1, added DK2, cocktail tetris, space invaders2, and hat trick hockey, and removed the 8-way games.


Stay tuned for actual building in the future.

[BobA]

Sounds like it will be a great looking cabinet.  Good luck with your build. 

[opt2not]

Looking forward to seeing the progress. Love cocktail cabinets!

If you have the budget, you should spring for a Phoenix Arcade silk-screened Pac-man glasstop, they look amazing.

[Gaaargh]

Wow, that's a nice looking product. I think my BIL has already printed the vinyl underlay, but if the cost of a screen-printed glass isn't much more than blank glass locally it'd be a nice upgrade.

[Gaaargh]

Lo-res versions of the CP overlays I've mocked up.

[Gaaargh]

Here is the concept for my layout - the bezel from the upright PacMan, with only the screenshots & marquees showing.





I still have a fair bit of room, right now it's at both the top & bottom, on the bottom I'd like to show some pictograms that indicate using the joystick and one of the buttons to select different games.

Any ideas?

[Gaaargh]

What about these?
Note that the large yellow circle are so that a border will show around red (likely) push-buttons.

[Gaaargh]

Here are the panels with the background changed from grey, to black.

[LeedsFan]

I prefer the black background pics over the grey... but I would ditch the yellow bit round the buttons personally. Mainly due to the fact that if you don't get the buttons absolutely perfect then the ring will look off centre around the buttons. That's the sort of thing that would bug me.

You could get round this by making sure that the buttons have a little play in them so you can centre them before tightening the securing nut. However be warned that Sanwa buttons don't give as much play in this area than the Happs style buttons do. And if you are gonna use snap-in type buttons then you would need to get the hole position perfect first time.

[Gaaargh]

Good advice!

Luckily my brother-in-law works at a sign printing shop, so I can cut the holes in the metal control panel, and print test versions of the overlay, match the holes, and have any needed updates printed by the next day.

[Gaaargh]

Project Update:

I received an email from ArcadeDepot today, stating that my shipment was expected to be delivered tomorrow. I ordered an unstained, unassembled kit, as well as leg levellers & clasps.

The staining should begin on Boxing day.

I ordered the sanwa sticks & buttons from Arcade Spare Parts, that shipped from Hong Kong on the 9th, if previous experience from Hong Kong deliveries is anything to rely on, these should arrive late next week, or just after Boxing day. Perfect.

I also ordered Midway 1p & 2p start buttons from Mike's Arcade, and hope they'll arrive in about the same time.

I have been messaging people with Midway coins doors for sale on MAACA, CGCC, & here, and I think I finally have a lead on a frame.

 I have a midway coin door already, and upon closer inspection / more education, it's about the size of the Happ doors, and does indeed have mechs, counter, wiring etc, all in very nice order, though I requested 2 of the 'any coin' mechs from Arcade nut to use in it. The issue is that it is missing the frame, it's got a hinge, but not the frame the hinge attches to.

Would a coin door from a Killer Instinct be the same size?


In the meanwhile, I've been working on rehabbing my upright mame cab. I've got the plexi for the marquee, have the bezel art applied to plexi, and finished the build of the new control panel with printed alu-panel overlay. Next up is adding the bezel & marquee to the unit, and installing the happ-style coin door, most of which should happen this weekend.

[Gaaargh]

- Rehab of the Daredevil upright is done. see signature for a before pic (click)
   

- Many pieces have come in
     - Joysticks & 30mm pushbuttons are here
     - Wood is here
     - midway start buttons are here
     - i-pac^2 is here
- keychain paid for
- wood is stained, and drying right now, pics of it tomorrow

[Gaaargh]

1st

Buttons & Joysticks




Next, the wood, stained red walnut.

[Gaaargh]

Here's the wood after a light sanding, & 2nd coat of polyurethane.





It's taken a few days, as I had them in my insulated, but unheated garage - averaging about 40°F, there weren't curing. I was finally able to convince the wife to allow me to relocate them to the basement living-room for varnishing. The sanding is still done in the garage, so that is helping to keep the dust down.

[Gaaargh]

Polyurethane is done.

The hole is cut for the coin door, I was able to use the hole already in the Baby Pacman as a routing template.

Next is fitting the monitor to the top piece then painting it, and assembly of the main box.

[Gaaargh]

Glue-up of the cabinet.

[Gaaargh]

Progessing along

[Kangum]

the older style coin door like what you have looks so much better then a new one. i have a new coin door on my pacman coctail table from arcade depot and its just not the same feeling as a traditional door.

I wanted to ask if you ordered a custom cut top for the 19 inch lcd and is your 19 inch lcd widescreen. The standard top that ships with arcade depot is a ms pacman top which is slightly different then a pacman top and a pacman top overlay will not fit properly. Just something Ive read about before. I had them custom cut me a pacman top but not the actual monitor opening. it was for a standard cga 19 inch tube screen. after having to move it twice i took out the 75 pound monitor and replaced it with an 19 inch widescreen lcd but now the top there is space above and below the monitor. Ive almost given up on mine but your thread is inspiring me to push foward and fix it.

[CWorley]

I completely agree with Kangum on the coin door.  I really wish I would have went with an older style door for the Pacman cabinet I'm currently working on.

Gaaargh, did you finalize your Mala layout?  You mentioned that you wanted to add some controls on the bottom.  Would you be willing to share your layout?  I love the simple design of yours, and it obviously fits my theme...

[Green Giant]

It's taken a few days, as I had them in my insulated, but unheated garage - averaging about 40°F, there weren't curing. I was finally able to convince the wife to allow me to relocate them to the basement living-room for varnishing. The sanding is still done in the garage, so that is helping to keep the dust down.

40 degrees.....awful chilly.

I guess being able to have my polyurethane cure in a few hours in my 100+ degree garage was the only perk to sweatin through the work.

[dekar24k]

- Rehab of the Daredevil upright is done. see signature for a before pic (click)
   

- Many pieces have come in
     - Joysticks & 30mm pushbuttons are here
     - Wood is here
     - midway start buttons are here
     - i-pac^2 is here
- keychain paid for
- wood is stained, and drying right now, pics of it tomorrow

Are you planning to rehab the cab in your signature with a Daredevil theme? I mean .. In your quoted post above you say "Rehab of the Daredevil upright is done", but in the picture it looks like the same cab with some Daredevil artwork photoshopped on it.

I'm just being curious ..

[elkameleon]

Alright, about 8 years ago I built an upright cabinet that vaguely resembled the Final Fight cabinets I played as a pre-teen, at the bowling alley. It's due for a refurb, but that is not what this thread is about.

Years before my Final Fight experience, my family went camping at a Jellystone Park resort. The main office had a bingo hall, and in that hall was a Pac-Man cocktail. Only 1 of the quarter slots worked, and I only had 2 or 3 quarters to feed it the whole week we were there, but I watched the attract-mode for hours, that was my 1st experience with any video games.

When I first learned of the MAME project, a play-EVERYTHING upright was my 1st thought, and I poured through BYOAC to learn all I could from the build logs. Other than Breakout, and Golden Tee, I hadn't really played any games that used a spinner or trackball, so I didn't include those. I wanted to be able to play Street Fighter, and planned a 2-player, 6-buttons-per control panel. I built that cabinet, and have been very happy with it, but as soon as it was finished, I knew I wanted a dedicated cocktail as well, one that would only play a selection of games meant for a cocktail, and more limited control set, but it was just something nice to think about.

My in-laws are console gamers, in their living room, they have 2 LCD TVs greater than 40", each TV has its own wii, and X-Box 360. My own 360 was a Christmas gift from them. We built a LuSiD-style cabinet and wrapped it in Batman comic images for my father-in-law last year for Christmas. This fall, they asked what I wanted for Christmas this year, and I told them I had everything I needed, but have always wanted to built a cocktail.

They are determined to help me make this happen. And we come to the start of the project.

The Goal:

A midway-style cocktail cabinet, with a limited romset, very closely resembling the Pac-man from Jellystone.

At a cursory glance it will look like a Pac-Man machine, it will willingly take your quarters, but closer inspection will reveal 2 buttons per control panel, and hitting 1P & 2P at the same time will take you to a menu - bordered with what looks like the bezel of an upright Pac-Man, and you'll be able to scroll up and down through a pictorial list of 30-odd games to play. Screenshots in the centre of the bezel, and a marquee at the top are all you will see of the game you'd like to play, no other names.

The Plan:

Modified control panel overlays that closely resemble the originals, with a few things moved around to accommodate 2, 30mm Sanwa pushbuttons each.
A red, ball-top Sanwa joystick, with a 4-way restrictor, and small Midway pushbuttons for 1P & 2P start.

A dark stained, glossy oak veneer cabinet, with working coin door, 19" LCD monitor for display, and Pac-Man reproduction overlay.

MaLa for a front end, themed like a Pac-Man upright's bezel, with screenshots (snaps) showing in the centre, and the marquee at the top, for selecting games.

The Method:

My wife's brother works at a sign printing shop, he printed the sideart, and a custom marquee for my Daredevil (by Alex Maleev) themed upright, as well as the full vinyl wrap for the Batman cabinet for his Dad, and the side art & 2-player cpo for a Gorf cab he redressed as a Donkey Kong.

He's printing the Pac-Man overlay on vinyl, and should be able to print the control panels directly into lucite.

My in-laws have offered to pay for the bulk of the price of a pre-cut cocktail cab from ArcadeDepot, which I would stain myself.

I Currently Have:

A non-midway coin door, it's the right shape, but the reject buttons are the coin slot, Link. It has one, non-working mech, and 2 working coin microswitches. I also have part of a silver bally coin door, with no mechs or microswitches, but it doesn't have the outer ring.

I have a 19" Princeton LCD, it's cheap but has a 170 degree viewing angle, perfect for a cocktail.

I have a computer, or rather parts to make several, capable of running the games I want.

I have my game list, I started with 39in1, added DK2, cocktail tetris, space invaders2, and hat trick hockey, and removed the 8-way games.


Stay tuned for actual building in the future.

Hold up, where was this jellystone park resort located? I can only think of one place... Shakopee, MN... but that's been gone for years.

[Gaaargh]

I completely agree with Kangum on the coin door.  I really wish I would have went with an older style door for the Pacman cabinet I'm currently working on.

Gaaargh, did you finalize your Mala layout?  You mentioned that you wanted to add some controls on the bottom.  Would you be willing to share your layout?  I love the simple design of yours, and it obviously fits my theme...

I've actually been making progress on the machine, but haven't gotten around to writing the updates.

Here is the finished layout image (in 3 resolutions)

1600*1200

1024*768

800*600

[Gaaargh]

stuff

Are you planning to rehab the cab in your signature with a Daredevil theme? I mean .. In your quoted post above you say "Rehab of the Daredevil upright is done", but in the picture it looks like the same cab with some Daredevil artwork photoshopped on it.

I'm just being curious ..

The picture is actually a poorly photoshopped composite of 2 pictures of the final product, one in the dark to show the lit marquee & screen, & one in the light to show the rest of the cab.

I should have set up my tripod, and taken nicer pics.

[Gaaargh]

Hold up, where was this jellystone park resort located? I can only think of one place... Shakopee, MN... but that's been gone for years.

It's a whole chain, sort of like KOA, the one I went to in Grand Bend, Ontario is no longer there either.

[elkameleon]

Hold up, where was this jellystone park resort located? I can only think of one place... Shakopee, MN... but that's been gone for years.

It's a whole chain, sort of like KOA, the one I went to in Grand Bend, Ontario is no longer there either.

Yeah, the one that I lived by as a child disappeared about 20 years ago... best part was that they had a 20 foot tall fiberglass yogi bear statue outside the park

[Gaaargh]

A photo update.

The monitor & coin door are mounted.


Fresh paint on the coin door, and a new lock.


Inside the coin door, showcasing ArcadeNut's "Any-Coin" mechs.


Look at that it works!

[Gaaargh]

Where I'm at now:

Hardware
cabinet assembly - check
monitor installation - check
coin box installation - check
coin door installation - check
coin door wiring - check
control panel installation - unfinished
     still need overlays & plexi before final install
control panel wiring - check
computer installation - check
speaker cover installation - check
speaker installation - unfinished
     still need to hook up the sub & mount the speakers
top glass - unfinished
     not ordered yet
glass clips - unfinished
     not ordered yet
t-molding - unfinished
     just ordered
Lighting - unfinished
     I haven't decided how to deal with this yet
Mount Smart Strip intergrally - unfinished
     I have the socket from a spare power supply, but the local Meijer, Super-K & Walmart were all (!!) out of the Smart Strip last week

Software
MAME installed - check
Marquees - check
Snaps - check
Roms - unfinished
     need to find/add masters for Galaga, Gaplus, Cyvern, and a few others, so they'll run
     need to re-map joysticks for Q-Bert, FHMC Q-Bert, Hattrick Hockey, & maybe Make Trax
MALA installed - check
MALA Layout finished - check

[CWorley]

I completely agree with Kangum on the coin door.  I really wish I would have went with an older style door for the Pacman cabinet I'm currently working on.

Gaaargh, did you finalize your Mala layout?  You mentioned that you wanted to add some controls on the bottom.  Would you be willing to share your layout?  I love the simple design of yours, and it obviously fits my theme...

I've actually been making progress on the machine, but haven't gotten around to writing the updates.

Here is the finished layout image (in 3 resolutions)

1600*1200

1024*768

800*600

Thanks Gaaargh!

[Kangum]

any updates to the cocktail? its coming along nicely. I cant wait to see it finished. you did a great job staining it and mounting the screen.

[Gaaargh]

I heading across the border tomorrow to pick up the T-Molding, and I should have the control panel overlays this weekend too.

I have the plexi I'm usingon the control panels, but I still need to cut & drill it.

[Gaaargh]

I am having the glass cut locally, and have a few questions about size.

I have the standard ArcadeDepot kit. The sizing I have for replacement Ms. Pac-Man glass is 22"x32", with corners cut to a 3-1/2" radius.

Measuring my top, it comes in arounf 21-1/2" x 31-1/2", even with the t-molding installed i don't think I'll hit 22"x32".

Is 22"x32" still the appropriate size for the glass?

[CWorley]

I completely agree with Kangum on the coin door.  I really wish I would have went with an older style door for the Pacman cabinet I'm currently working on.

Gaaargh, did you finalize your Mala layout?  You mentioned that you wanted to add some controls on the bottom.  Would you be willing to share your layout?  I love the simple design of yours, and it obviously fits my theme...

I've actually been making progress on the machine, but haven't gotten around to writing the updates.

Here is the finished layout image (in 3 resolutions)

1600*1200

1024*768

800*600

Gaaargh, did you find a way to use both player 1 and player 2 start buttons to select a game from the mala menu?  I ask because your mala layout shows both buttons, but I haven't been able to find a way.

[Gaaargh]

After bit of a break (once the control panels were wired, the building stopped)

- CW, I did not find a way.

I ended up ordering the glass from Twisted Quarter, none of the local glass shops do their own tempering, so i would have had to pay their retail cost plus shipping. Thumbs down to that.

[Gaaargh]

I made a bit of progess, and was doing the final mount of the bezel & tinted glass, when I dropped an extension cord on the monitor. It was turned off, and I didn't see any damage, so continued to install. When I powered back up, I could see a spider-web crack in the tinted glass layer of the monitor.

I couldn't find any 2nd hand locally, but luckily a 22" TV came with a new dining table set, and I was able to sub that in for the 19" LCD from my parents' place.


Here's where I'm at now. Pics to follow.


Hardware
cabinet assembly - check
monitor installation - check
coin box installation - check
coin door installation - check
coin door wiring - check
control panel installation - check
control panel wiring - check
computer installation - check
speaker cover installation - check
speaker installation - unfinished
     still need to hook up the sub & mount the speakers
top glass - check
glass clips - check
t-molding - check
Lighting - unfinished
     I haven't decided how to deal with this yet -I'm thinking cold cathode, like PC modders use
Mount Smart Strip intergrally - check

Software
MAME installed - check
Marquees - check
Snaps - check
Roms - unfinished
     need to find/add masters for Galaga, Gaplus, Cyvern, and a few others, so they'll run
     need to re-map joysticks for Q-Bert check, FHMC Q-Bert check, Hattrick Hockey, & maybe Make Trax
MALA installed - check
MALA Layout finished - check

[CWorley]

You can use autohotkey so both start buttons can select games in Mala:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=118562.0

[Gaaargh]

Pics.

Realised I completely forgot about the the bezel.

[Woodshop Flunky]

Looks great!  Love the stained wood with black molding! 

[Unstupid]

Looks good..... Why is the second button running away?  Also there is a block of wood where the CP backlight is supposed to go. 

[Gaaargh]

Looks good..... Why is the second button running away?  Also there is a block of wood where the CP backlight is supposed to go. 

Thanks!
The buttons are mis-aligned because Mike's Arcade sent me the wrong control panel blanks. I ordered un-punched, and they sent the universal set. I didn't send them, because to save on shipping from some places, I had them sent to an american mail depot, and drive across from Canada to pick stuff up. Including bridge tolls, I paid $12 in fees to get them, and instead of returning them and paying that extra another 2x, I kept them, and made do.

As for the wood, that's from the arm that holds the monitor, it doesn't quite stick out, but does cast a shadow (as you will see shortly)