Pirate's Arcade - updated Control Panel Progress

[maffewl]

I like it!

+1

[dandro]

thanks guys,.. this was a tough one for me conceptually as there is so much one could do with this theme.. But yeah, I had a vision last night and was hoping I could translate that to image,.. beer time. 

[JDFan]

thanks guys,.. this was a tough one for me conceptually as there is so much one could do with this theme.. But yeah, I had a vision last night and was hoping I could translate that to image,.. beer time. 

Looks good --- One thing you might want to add a bit more of a border on the bottom and\or sides or bring the red outline in a bit - it looks like the bottom center of the red border will wind up very close to the edge of the CP and may get cut off or leave no border toward the bottom of the CP.   

[dandro]

yeah, I failed to measure the CP at home for exact measurements as I modified it from the initial cut (removed an additional 2"). So, I am going to print a 1:1 scale printout of this, take it home to see how it lines up and where to adjust. I got smarter this time and saved the image BEFORE adding the outlines! 

[JDFan]

yeah, I failed to measure the CP at home for exact measurements as I modified it from the initial cut (removed an additional 2"). So, I am going to print a 1:1 scale printout of this, take it home to see how it lines up and where to adjust. I got smarter this time and saved the image BEFORE adding the outlines! 

That or create the outlines on a seperate layer and save in a format that retains the layers. 

[Gamester]

That or create the outlines on a seperate layer and save in a format that retains the layers.

Yep.  Layers are your friend, big-time!

[dandro]

yeah, I'll be googling that... I am sort of Forrest Gumping my way through graphic arts 101 here.. LOL

[JDFan]

yeah, I'll be googling that... I am sort of Forrest Gumping my way through graphic arts 101 here.. LOL

Using layers is sort of like using transparent paper that you can lay on top of each other and makes it much easier on things like this since you can make changes to any layer without effecting the other layers. Once you learn to use them you'll wonder how you made it without them ! -- So for example in this case if you have the red outline on a seperate layer and change the size\location off the border all of the background is still in the other layer so when you move the border it uncovers the part that used to be covered and covers the new portion by the border rather than having to go back to an image without the border and start over adding the border - so you can play with the border size\placement and not have to make any changes to the background each time. (just like you could using transparencies instead of having to use an eraser and repair the background image in a drawing)

[Drnick]

I can tell you this, In the UK at the moment Layers are definitely the way to go   

[dandro]

yesterday before leaving work, I decided to real quick, mess around with a Bezel. The plan has been to just paint the glass  from behind and call it a day, but had to see what a printed bezel would look like. Here are the results of that experiment..





Not yet sure if I'll keep the artwork as is or modify it, but was thinking of doing a bezel and maybe incorporating some of the Aztec gold into it.. I'll have to play later, work to do, since I am at work.. LOL

[kahlid74]

okay, this is what I am liking so far,... can't seem to get the layout right for buttons etc, so not sure what I'll do with that, yet. I know I want 6 buttons for both players, 1P/2P, 8 way joys. I'll go investigate what else should be on here without cluttering it all up.

I like this one a lot.

[dandro]

Thanks Kahlid, I plan on working on it more, with the actual dimensions of the CP..

[dandro]

So here is the actual dimensions of the CP....




Would like to have the 8-way and button lay out something like this (couldn't get the 8 way to look right, nor the button area)

I am officially stumped on the control panel art... any thoughts from you creative geniuses? I keep tossing stuff together, but bleh,,... The control panel is 32w x 19h so it's a nice canvas sizem just can't get into the rhythm I had with the Marquee

Maybe something similar to this :

here is what I tried to make it look like..  I don't think I plan on getting a trackball this go around.. no money and would probably hold this project up another month or two..

[Le Chuck]

Your aspect ratio squash is kind of noticable as the skeletons look squat.  Might want to play with the image a bit and crop if necessary.

[JDFan]

Your aspect ratio squash is kind of noticable as the skeletons look squat.  Might want to play with the image a bit and crop if necessary.

+1 -- looks like you could scale up the men a bit to get them back into the correct aspect ratio by drawing a selection box just above their heads in the fog to the bottom of the CP and then transforming (Ctrl-T) and dragging the upper part of the selection box up till they look correct, then may need to draw another selection box in a small area where the fog and water meet in the adjusted area - deselect the red outline parts (if they are on a single layer with the background) and then adding a bit of a blur to keep it from being a sharp line where the fog meets the water sort of like this :

[dandro]

**Edited to add white middle and include a drop shadow to resemble the lettering on the Marquee, to further tie it in **

good catch guys, thanks! I made the modification,... looks better




Also, the T Molding as suppose to show up yesterday, but did not,.. which is weird because even the tracking said out ofr delivery,.. meh.. Anyway, I ordered black, but now wondering if red would be the way to go.. Wouldn't be a waste as I need to redo the molding on my Invasion cab anyhow....

[dandro]

got the t molding in yesterday,.. hmm, black is certainly a good color, but not sold on it for this cab based on the artwork..... 

How do you gurus out there, that pre-design your cabs with artwork, do this with the molding? In other words if I take a picture of the cab as it is today, do you normally just use photoshop and use colored lines? or do you find actual t molding images and overlay those onto the drawing? I would hate to go buy more molding (red) and then look at it, cringe and be out another $20.

[mcseforsale]

Red FTW.

You could probably offload the black on here in the FST section. 

AJ

[JDFan]

got the t molding in yesterday,.. hmm, black is certainly a good color, but not sold on it for this cab based on the artwork..... 

How do you gurus out there, that pre-design your cabs with artwork, do this with the molding? In other words if I take a picture of the cab as it is today, do you normally just use photoshop and use colored lines? or do you find actual t molding images and overlay those onto the drawing? I would hate to go buy more molding (red) and then look at it, cringe and be out another $20.

Tmolding.com ( http://www.t-molding.com/store/product.php?productid=28&cat=1&page=1 ) offers free samples - you just choose what color and size you want a sample of and they'll send it to you (just select one of each color you are thinking about)-- figure they do this so you can avoid doing exactly what you are thinking of  and will send you a few inches of each color to put on the cab and see what you think - and Hopefully when you do place the order you'll use them since they sent you the sample !!

[dandro]

got the t molding in yesterday,.. hmm, black is certainly a good color, but not sold on it for this cab based on the artwork..... 

How do you gurus out there, that pre-design your cabs with artwork, do this with the molding? In other words if I take a picture of the cab as it is today, do you normally just use photoshop and use colored lines? or do you find actual t molding images and overlay those onto the drawing? I would hate to go buy more molding (red) and then look at it, cringe and be out another $20.

Tmolding.com ( http://www.t-molding.com/store/product.php?productid=28&cat=1&page=1 ) offers free samples - you just choose what color and size you want a sample of and they'll send it to you (just select one of each color you are thinking about)-- figure they do this so you can avoid doing exactly what you are thinking of  and will send you a few inches of each color to put on the cab and see what you think - and Hopefully when you do place the order you'll use them since they sent you the sample !!

The sucky part about this, I HAD ordered and received red, green and black samples from T-MOlding.com. Turns out when I had a spare piece of MDF, that I painted and added my red sample too, got tossed out! DOH! LOL 

[JDFan]

The sucky part about this, I HAD ordered and received red, green and black samples from T-MOlding.com. Turns out when I had a spare piece of MDF, that I painted and added my red sample too, got tossed out! DOH! LOL 

  --- Isn't that the way it always goes !!! --- Game molding.com (http://www.gamemolding.com/products/112-t-molding-samples.aspx )  offers them also if you are too worried to order another sample from the same place or want to osee if there is a diffference in the color red !  

[dandro]

Ok cool, thank you for that. I did order my black molding from Preston, so makes sense to continue my business there as I am very pleased with his store/product and shipping. I was hoping to have this molding on by the end of the weekend, but I seriously think red would just be the right way to go.

[mcseforsale]

What part of the world are you in Dandro?

AJ

[dandro]

I am in Mountain House, between Livermore and Tracy. Northern California. On a larger scale West of San Francisco and south of Sacramento.

[CoryBee]

I am in Mountain House, between Livermore and Tracy. Northern California. On a larger scale West of San Francisco and south of Sacramento.

Huh??

[dandro]

I live in California, U.S.

[yotsuya]

How much black do you have, Dandro? I need to order some black molding soon.

[dandro]

How much black do you have, Dandro? I need to order some black molding soon.

I have a 20' roll of it black. Sorry, weekends stink for me on replies, usually pretty busy working in the yard and hanging with the kids.

[dandro]

just got word that the red sample of molding went out on Saturday... so as soon as I see how that will look, it's a waiting game. In the meantime I really need to get cracking on the CP. I am pretty much researching what people are using for joy's and buttons and wondering if LED lit buttons are the way to go, no go, etc.. I have about $100 budget right now, which if I went with the Ultimarc way, is just enough for to 4-8 way MagStickPlus .. but still trying to decide.

[yotsuya]

Dandro, LED buttons are fun, but they'll eat up most of that $100 budget. I'd build without initially, but save up for eventually. It's not that hard transitioning over to them.

[mcseforsale]

Yep.  16 GGG EI2 buttons cost me more than a C-note.  Plus, they play lighter than the others I've tried.  Their ClassX buttons are awesome with the standard microswitch and at 2 duckets a pop, they're a great value.  Of course, I've used Happ, too and they can't be beat either.

AJ

Dandro, LED buttons are fun, but they'll eat up most of that $100 budget. I'd build without initially, but save up for eventually. It's not that hard transitioning over to them.

[KnightofTruth]

I am officially stumped on the control panel art... any thoughts from you creative geniuses? I keep tossing stuff together, but bleh,,... The control panel is 32w x 19h so it's a nice canvas sizem just can't get into the rhythm I had with the Marquee

Maybe something similar to this :

The saddest thing about CPs that look like this is the placing of the joystick... definitely have a Pinocchio-looking female on the right there if you had gone with this one

[dandro]

Good call guys, I am all about saving the $$ I'll have more $$ in a few weeks for this, but I still need some more MDF to finish the back end, tools for hole drilling and a flush router bit for the detail work.

[Seith]

Control Panel artwork is coming along nicely.

Are you happy with that tinted lexan over your monitor?  It seems to have a matte finish from what I can see in the pics.  I spent the extra $$$ and went with tinted glass on the advice of the board here, just wondering how the lexan looks in person.

[dandro]

it looks matte simply because I have the protective film on it. I wanted glass, budget said otherwise. I plan on putting a bezel on it rather than painting the back side, because it just seems to pop, being the cab is all black, needs some color. So far I am really happy with the idea and overall look.

[Seith]

it looks matte simply because I have the protective film on it. I wanted glass, budget said otherwise. I plan on putting a bezel on it rather than painting the back side, because it just seems to pop, being the cab is all black, needs some color. So far I am really happy with the idea and overall look.

Ah okay!  I was wondering why it looked like it did.  And I agree, a graphical bezel would really kick this project up a notch.  Watching for updates.

[dandro]

Update: no update, I am still around, just ran into Mothers Day stuff, etc.. so funds are being redirected to operation "Keep myself married"...lol 

[Sshado]

Hey, it is June, where are the updates???

[dandro]

Yeah no joke right!? My son is bugging the hell out of me to get this thing moving. I need to get some parts. I think I hit the brick wall when it came to the control panel and t molding. After receiving the red tmolding sample after weeks, I am very much digging the red. So, with that being said, I need to order 20' of that and get moving on this thing. As you know it will be getting hot this summer, so might be slow going working on this in the garage....

I have a huge list of parts needed which will further slow progress. Family took a medical/IRS bill ass kicking so funds are not quite there yet for this... 

[dandro]

OMG progress....

just placed an order for:

• 2 Red Joys
  1 and 2 player buttons
  16 Red buttons
  Nova Matrix LED Marquee Lights
  Red TMolding