Starting my first MAME cabinet, ideas on my cabinet design thus far?

[Alexinedh]

Okay. I'm ---smurfy--- with mspaint and don't own a copy of photoshop. So this photos I have are very broad and not even close to being complete. I'll need to hire the help of some designers and artists to get the side art and monitor frame and front banner to finish the project. I'm open to suggestions to help make this a badass cabinet!

album link: http://imgur.com/a/7TpCp
Trying to go for a complete fallout theme. Fallout logo for banner, pipboy screen for monitor frame, and something special for the buttons. Not totally set on an idea yet, maybe all of them red with "Nuka Cola" on it. I have a friend that can make custom billiard balls, so I was thinking a blue striped billiard ball numbered 101 for the track ball. I have no fancy ideas for the bats. The side art I want to be some of the cool advertising and images of vault boy. I only really found one that works, though. Kinda want it to be faded to show some age.

Cabinet is a centipede cabinet. The one in the photos aren't mine, i'm still waiting to get my cabinet (tomorrow).

[J2383]

I like the idea, so long as what's in that picture is just the rough cut
It's definitely a cool idea, makes me think of this: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,129010.0.html

[KnightofTruth]

This is an awesome idea! I like the mock-ups thus far too.  With custom layouts/themes it'll really pop.  You could use the Fallout "Please Stand By" for the loading screen etc. Also, depending on how crazy you want to go, there are a lot of "steam-punk"-type custom ideas that I've seen around that you could add to the cabinet for aesthetics.

I think the biggest thing will be your control panel - you'll really want to hammer that design down.  FWIW, personally I'm not sold on the billiard ball as it doesn't cry "Fallout" (though it does match the old-thyme look).  You could use the "O with the lightning bolt in it" from "Fallout", or the nuclear fallout symbol (if you chose not to use them for the buttons), or even the orange glow of the pipboy buttons as just a few that come readily to mind. 

I'll definitely be tracking this project as it seems like a great one! Keep up posted!