Random thoughts: The BYOAC Virtual Arcade

[alfonzotan]

Just browsing through the Project Announcements pages, it occurred to me that there are metric buttloads of DIY arcade games out there.  It'd be pretty cool to see all (or at least, many) of them in the same place.

Any ideas on neat ways to do that?  Yeah, somebody could recreate the old BYOAC projects web page, but that's so 1998.  Surely* there's a 21st-Century way to put together a visual "Virtual Arcade" with images of all these awesome (and less-than-awesome) projects.

Thoughts?


*Yes, I just called you Shirley.  Deal with it.

[Nephasth]

If everyone could make an accurate model of their build with Sketchup...

[GregD]

That would be cool.

[matsadona]

That would be really cool with a virtual "3D walk around" arcade with all projects made here. And for sure it is feasible, with Sketchup. The only catch is that it has to be done by someone...

[Nephasth]

I don't think it would be too hard if each individual model was made by each builder and one person imported each model into the virtual arcade. To help keep file size down, each model should be limited to only visible components. Maybe full models with interior components can be available to download individually for those curious to see the insides...

[drventure]

It'd be cool, but the 3d walkaround idea doesn't seem very realistic.

However, a gallery imageviewer type page where you could flip through photos of cabs and quickly zoom down to the ones you like could work.

There's a bunch of em out there. Piwigo is a free one I just turned up.

Here's an example

http://www.mathsaharry.com/photos/index.php?/category/17

The only real snag in that is that photo galleries are typically bandwidth pigs.

I just suspect most people won't want to bother with sketchup models unless they're just +really+ interested in sketchup.

[TopJimmyCooks]

by further extension, I've got a model of my evo style cab.  I can model any similar cab in a few minutes by changing the model, just need the pictures from the new cab to project onto it.  

Also, there's a lot of original models in the 3d warehouse that could be starting points for similar cabs.  

You could have a mile long bar for all the bartops.  

[saint]

I'd be happy to host such a beast if someone was willing to build such a beast and users had interest

[alfonzotan]

by further extension, I've got a model of my evo style cab.  I can model any similar cab in a few minutes by changing the model, just need the pictures from the new cab to project onto it.  

Also, there's a lot of original models in the 3d warehouse that could be starting points for similar cabs.  

You could have a mile long bar for all the bartops.  

Want to use my build as a guinea pig?

[Nephasth]

This thread motivated me to add photo textures from my build to Gozer's Cyberball sketchup model. We're under contract on a house and I took measurements of what is to be the game room to make sure everything is going to fit. The wife thinks I'm putting too much effort into the room she's sure to hate...

[JohnEDollar]

I think a "virtual arcade" would be a great idea!!

Perfect way to showcase all the great projects on the BYOAC site!

Let's do it!!!! 

- John

[TopJimmyCooks]

Want to use my build as a guinea pig?

Send pics (taken from as perpendicular to the surface as possible) of the art and maybe CP dimensons or anything else different.  Jpgs of any art would work instead of pics.  and a link to yr build thread. 

[alfonzotan]

Want to use my build as a guinea pig?

Send pics (taken from as perpendicular to the surface as possible) of the art and maybe CP dimensons or anything else different.  Jpgs of any art would work instead of pics.  and a link to yr build thread. 

Okay, I'll send you a PM later.  I leaned heavily on EvilNuff's sketchup model (I'll send a copy of that, too), so it should translate pretty well.

If this works out, maybe we can come up with a general guide for how to attach photos to a model for submission.  Wouldn't want Jimmy to be doing all the work here.

[SammyWI]

Interested.  But my cab is modeled in Solidworks.  A quick look at Sketchup doesn't seem to show any filetype I can export to.  Any idea if Sketchup will import some of the industry standards like IGS or STEP files?

[TopJimmyCooks]

It doesn't import any of those.  It's really a different thing than solidworks. For something as simple as an arcade cab, it's easier to redraw it the sketchup way than to clean up all the stuff that imports funny.   For anybody that has a cab that's Evo or woody based, or close to a Gozer model, an existing model can be modified well enough for a virtual arcade use in a matter of minutes. 

[SammyWI]

I really have no desire to learn yet another program.  I already have to switch back and forth from Solidworks to Autocad at work.     Oh well.

[TopJimmyCooks]

SU's curve is a 2, if autocad is a 10 and solidworks is a 17.  It's a different workflow and it doesn't require or reward precision.  It's def. not for everyone and I would rely on it less if my autocad skills weren't so rusty (& my solidworks so nonexistant).  It's 3d visualization for the masses. 

[Dervacumen]

There was a MAME front end called 3D arcade that did something similar and allowed launching of games.  Maybe that engine could be applied to this project.

[alfonzotan]

TJC, PM sent.

[wp34]

The wife thinks I'm putting too much effort into the room she's sure to hate...

Classic.   

Even if we can't pull off something 3D it would be nice to have a section with pictures of completed projects broken down by year.  It would make it easier to find completed project threads to review for ideas.  Also if the annual award currently being discussed takes off it would make it a heck of a lot easier to go back and review potential nominees. 

[Le Chuck]

The wife thinks I'm putting too much effort into the room she's sure to hate...

Classic.   

Even if we can't pull off something 3D it would be nice to have a section with pictures of completed projects broken down by year.  It would make it easier to find completed project threads to review for ideas.  Also if the annual award currently being discussed takes off it would make it a heck of a lot easier to go back and review potential nominees. 

Takes off?  We're in full flight man.  You just need to drop in and actually do some nominating 

Is there going to be a $5 option to have someone put one's cab in the arcade if I, uh I mean someone, was too lazy/ignorant to make their own model?

[Nephasth]

Is there going to be a $5 option to have someone put one's cab in the arcade if I, uh I mean someone, was too lazy/ignorant to make their own model?

You'd still have to take all the measurements of your cab... and that's the hardest part!

[Le Chuck]

Is there going to be a $5 option to have someone put one's cab in the arcade if I, uh I mean someone, was too lazy/ignorant to make their own model?

You'd still have to take all the measurements of your cab... and that's the hardest part!

   so i'm forced to learn sketch-up.  Fantastic.  If you need me I'll be watching 4 months worth of how to videos on youtube. 

[Nephasth]

Is there going to be a $5 option to have someone put one's cab in the arcade if I, uh I mean someone, was too lazy/ignorant to make their own model?

You'd still have to take all the measurements of your cab... and that's the hardest part!

   so i'm forced to learn sketch-up.  Fantastic.  If you need me I'll be watching 4 months worth of how to videos on youtube. 

No... Send me your measurements, art, and $5.

...$20 if you want the guts modelled too.

[Le Chuck]

No... Send me your measurements, art, and $5.

...$20 if you want the guts modelled too.

  You should put up a shingle man, you'd have them lined around the block.  My next build gets close to done and you'll have mail... whether or not you were serious.   

[Nephasth]

Well I do work the night shift a lot...

[alfonzotan]

Well I do work the night shift a lot...

So how's that dualie cab of yours coming along?  One of my favorite projects-in-progress.

[Nephasth]

So how's that dualie cab of yours coming along?  One of my favorite projects-in-progress.

Thank you. Winter put a cold and abrupt halt on the progress on that one. However, it'll have a new heated and air conditioned home in a few weeks (game room sketchup a few posts back)... and with it finally getting a permanent, show worthy home, I'll be doing the body work much sooner than I expected (late summer/early fall maybe, as opposed to a few years from now).

[TopJimmyCooks]

No... Send me your measurements, art, and $5.

...$20 if you want the guts modelled too.

Uh, them duplex cabs pay double rent in the virt arcade.   So you better model a lot of cab guts.  I'm talking PCBs, wires, everything.   

[Nephasth]

No... Send me your measurements, art, and $5.

...$20 if you want the guts modelled too.

Uh, them duplex cabs pay double rent in the virt arcade.   So you better model a lot of cab guts.  I'm talking PCBs, wires, everything.   

Pfft... Better have it's own suite then...

[wp34]

Takes off?  We're in full flight man.  You just need to drop in and actually do some nominating 

I'm planning on it.  I've been looking through the Project forum trying to find ones I might have missed.  It is a PITA though trying to determine when  exactly (or if) a project was completed.  I think this particular en-devour would really help in future years. 

[EightBySix]

Part of my day job is designig and building virtual environments for meetings / client demos etc.

We would each have an avatar to visit an environment that could be built out as - say - a replica of an arcade. It would be quite cool to have events and meetups there. BYOAC awards ceremonies maybe? Cab completion parties with a 3D model of the project with pics and videos nearby?

There are a couple of options that spring to mind:

1) SecondLife.

We could club together to buy an island, or a portion of one. I used to rent a 1024m2 area for around $25/m. It's recently had 'mesh' imports added (collada format) which would allow us to upload models. Client software is free.

2) OpenQwaq

This is an open sourced version of a commercial (now defunct) product called teleplace. It's free, but would need someone to host a unix box for us. This is more focussed on collaboration (you can work on office documents on a wall with other avatars, for example)

[leapinlew]

Maybe this will help you get this 3d arcade thing out of your system

[kahlid74]

2) OpenQwaq

This is an open sourced version of a commercial (now defunct) product called teleplace. It's free, but would need someone to host a unix box for us. This is more focussed on collaboration (you can work on office documents on a wall with other avatars, for example)

What does OpenQwaq look like?

If Saint couldn't host it I could but I'd be interested in the raw amount of data OpenQwaq would be sending clients.  Would it be server side or client side rendered?

[EightBySix]

If you do a google image search for teleplace (same software) you'll get the idea. Mainly office environments, but that's due to its target market rather than capabilities.





It's client side rendered, so it's faily modest in terms of bandwidth requirement.

[alfonzotan]

So I guess that's the next question:  what's the platform for this thing?

TJC turned my crappy snapshots and borrowed Sketchup file into a pretty cool 3D model of my cab.  Now what?  Where (and how) do we take that and similar models and put them in a viewable page?

[Nephasth]

Crude Darkade model...

[Le Chuck]

It really doesn't get sexier than that.  Say what you will about the wee-cade but that little bugger is HOT.   

  Nephasth.  Once this game room thing gets rolling I'll send you the art package and five bones to finish'er up.

[Nephasth]

For the Dark Side... no charge.

[Gray_Area]

I'd be happy to host such a beast if someone was willing to build such a beast and users had interest

And update it.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Chuck, gotta say, that Mala layout is awesome and really caps off the bartop, Dog.  Good lookin' out.

[end Randy Jackson impression]

[Le Chuck]

Chuck, gotta say, that Mala layout is awesome and really caps off the bartop, Dog.  Good lookin' out.

[end Randy Jackson impression]

  Thanks bro.  I keep forgetting to get over to the MALA site and post the layout.  Gotta get that done this weakend.   

[kahlid74]

OpenQwaq looks pretty cool.  The server install is a ---smurfette--- but straight forward.  I'll stand up a CentOS box in the farm when I get home tonight and see if I can get it running. 

I could see a setup where there would be a hallway and two rooms.  The one on the left has the classics built by manufacturers so people could go back and look at them to get inspiration.  The room on the right would have all home built/reworked cabs.

Can you guys post some 3d drawings here or somewhere I can download them to see if I can import them in?  .KMZ export preferably as this looks to be the wanted export/import for OpenQwaq.

[alfonzotan]

OpenQwaq looks pretty cool.  The server install is a ---smurfette--- but straight forward.  I'll stand up a CentOS box in the farm when I get home tonight and see if I can get it running.  

I could see a setup where there would be a hallway and two rooms.  The one on the left has the classics built by manufacturers so people could go back and look at them to get inspiration.  The room on the right would have all home built/reworked cabs.

Can you guys post some 3d drawings here or somewhere I can download them to see if I can import them in?  .KMZ export preferably as this looks to be the wanted export/import for OpenQwaq.

Here ya go, and thanks:  http://www.mediafire.com/?tup5ef6f70q84i3

As the noted Western philosopher Butt-head often noted, "This is gonna be cool."

[05SRT4]

Just started reading, This would be a great idea!! Ill have to start sketching my cab.

[Uncle Monkey]

I'm down, does anyone have a UAII model for sketchup? That's all I need.....

[kahlid74]

Well, I lost time due to Mass Effect 3 but now that's finished so I installed OpenQwaq only to realize that I did the whole shindig on x64 which isn't supported.  Stupid entangled 32bit DSN libraries.  So reinstalling on 32bit.  Hopefully I'll have something up by end of the weekend.

[SammyWI]

Well, I've found at least a couple of possible free to try options to convert Solidworks to SketchUp so I'll have to update my Solidworks assembly to my as built condition. I'll report back if I get something to work. 

I've also seen some mentions that OpenQwaq supports PDF.  Any idea if it supports 3D PDFs?  Solidworks can directly export to that format.

[kahlid74]

Well, I've found at least a couple of possible free to try options to convert Solidworks to SketchUp so I'll have to update my Solidworks assembly to my as built condition. I'll report back if I get something to work. 

I've also seen some mentions that OpenQwaq supports PDF.  Any idea if it supports 3D PDFs?  Solidworks can directly export to that format.

Give me a link, I'll download them and import them, see if it works.

[kahlid74]

Alright so OpenQwaq is fully setup.  It's pretty cool but a lot to manage.  I imported alfonzotan's design and then I went on Sketchup's repository and grabbed two of Gozer's sketches.  I then converted them to KMZ.  They all imported pretty well.  Before I open up the bazillion firewalls and configure my loadbalancer, I've attached the video below.  Is this what we're looking for?  If it is I'll grant access and let you all log in to the system and add cabinets, experience it first hand.

Also, this DOES require a client from everything I can see.  So I don't think it's as easy and browsing a webpage.

[alfonzotan]

That's pretty cool.  Of course, to get the proper arcade ambiance, it'll need lower lights and a soundtrack by, say, The Cars...

What kind of client would be needed for viewing?  Something OS-independent, hopefully...

[Uncle Monkey]

And of course background noise from Arcade Ambience http://arcade.hofle.com/

[kahlid74]

That's pretty cool.  Of course, to get the proper arcade ambiance, it'll need lower lights and a soundtrack by, say, The Cars...

What kind of client would be needed for viewing?  Something OS-independent, hopefully...

Client appears to be for Windows, Linux and Mac, so it's all golden there. - http://code.google.com/p/openqwaq/downloads/list

[TopJimmyCooks]

Kahlid74:
At one point alfonzotan's Tron had more photo textures than just the marquee.  did something happen with quak or did you get the model that way?  just curious. 

[kahlid74]

Kahlid74:
At one point alfonzotan's Tron had more photo textures than just the marquee.  did something happen with quak or did you get the model that way?  just curious. 

Great question.  That I assume was the import process from OpenQwaq.  I looked originally at the inner-workings of the import process because I wanted to understand it but I couldn't really find any documentation.

The import process is really just a point and click.  So maybe there's a client side setting that lets me see more?  Or maybe there's an advanced Import process.  I've yet to find any really good documentation on the OpenQwaq system aside from the server install instructions which are well detailed.

[EightBySix]

I might be able to help here, I've built some open qwaq environments before.
Success of kmz imports can depend on how the setup was built, using logical groups of components helps.
You can explode the models after import into those components and set properties etc.


We're not limited to the template environments supplied, we could make our own arcade building. Anyone got a sketch up mOdell of something that would do? Maybe we could tweak something from google warehouse...

Pm me if I can help at all...

[TopJimmyCooks]

I didn't do any cleanup on that model, like make the textured surfaces components, or make the whole thing a component.  I'm surprised that one texture came through but not others.  Might need some experimentation to figure out what needs to be done for a clean export.


on modeling the arcade building, easy enough to do.  I've modeled plenty more buildings than arcade machines.  we could even model the outside so you could go outside and loiter!  We could use google earth to locate the model in Saint's backyard.  many possibilities. 

[alfonzotan]

I might be able to help here, I've built some open qwaq environments before.
Success of kmz imports can depend on how the setup was built, using logical groups of components helps.
You can explode the models after import into those components and set properties etc.


We're not limited to the template environments supplied, we could make our own arcade building. Anyone got a sketch up mOdell of something that would do? Maybe we could tweak something from google warehouse...

Pm me if I can help at all...

This is one obvious choice, of course...

[kahlid74]

Well here's the question, is this what we want?  If it is, I'll create the environment and get it up and then I'll get you access EightBySix and everyone else and you can start experimenting with it.  My video was really just a "Is this what we want before I spend my time opening up my five firewalls and creating my loadbalancer environment because I'm stupid crazy when it comes to my home network"question.

[alfonzotan]

Kahlid74:
At one point alfonzotan's Tron had more photo textures than just the marquee.  did something happen with quak or did you get the model that way?  just curious. 

I think saving as a .kmz may have wiped out some of the detailed texturing.  Can't quite tell one way or the other, but I'll tinker with it a bit.

[EightBySix]

Well here's the question, is this what we want?  If it is, I'll create the environment and get it up and then I'll get you access EightBySix and everyone else and you can start experimenting with it.  My video was really just a "Is this what we want before I spend my time opening up my five firewalls and creating my loadbalancer environment because I'm stupid crazy when it comes to my home network"question.

It's pretty network friendly - everything goes over a single connection on an http port. That's why we ended up using it. Products such as second life need allsorts of stuff opening in both directions, which is why it never flew in a corporate environment (well - one of the reasons anyway)

Kudos to you Kahlid for setting this up so far.

btw, look what I found on google sketchup warehouse... Just saying....

[kahlid74]

I started brainstorming about this last night and I'm not sure I want to set it up in my farm locally just because of the amount of traffic we may see.  So instead, I'll look to stand it up in my rack at the hosting company.  I'll provision a machine for this and get it up for the next few days. 

Once it's up I'll get you guys access and you can start building an environment and testing the import process.  Then you can get a feel for whether it makes sense long time.

I've got some hurdles to cross Server wise because the install instructions allow for a large reach of security than I feel comfortable with this user.  I also want to build a backup script so that as this Virtual BYOAC grows, if disaster occurs, we can bring it back with a minimal amount of work.