Mission Control Project: 5 years on, what to do with the leftovers?

[jdjuggler]

I'm wondering what stain/paint you will use for the "brown/grey" part that is shown on the front below the CP and along the bottom front edges?
I've often struggled with the idea of stained cabinet as I haven't seen many that I've liked.  The entire cabinet stained the same color does not appeal to me.
Specifically, what I like about your color idea is that basically the sides are stained dark and the center portion (monitor, CP, coin area) is mostly black.  I think I like that idea!  And, it also appears to be a dark color stain...Nice!
Also, I'd love to steal some of those curves in your design whenever I get around to building my cab.
Great design.
JD

[ras2a]

OMFG!  You're cabinet design is absolutely STUNNING! - It looks truly beautiful!  I am now EXCEEDINLY jealous but would love to see how you're cab actually turns out.  Like other have said, it's inspirational and is by far the BEST design I've ever seen (thus far)

Please, I implore you...make it NOW

Craig

[Pixelhugger]

genericeric- I do have a number of pics of the new nav panel... but they are still just renderings and I'm close enough to having the real thing that I wanted to wait to post actual photos since I think people are going to start getting bored if I keep posting mockups!  

jdjuggler- I'm glad you like the different use of color across the cab.  To answer your questions about the stains...

The sides will be solid hardwood. The large side panels will be New Zealand Rosewood... a hardwood with a natural color similar to aged cherry or koa. I will most likely finish this with no stain, probably a water based urethane or hand rubbed oil. The smaller darker sides that flank the kick-panel (coin area) will be black walnut. I really wanted to go with ebony, but since it is actually priced by the OUNCE - (forget about board foot) - and generally only available in pieces the size of a toilet paper tube I decided against it. If the walnut doesn't finish dark enough without a stain I will probably mix a custom tinted aneline dye to get it closer to ebony.

ras2a-    I can't tell you how satisfying it is to hear words like "beautiful" and "stunning"
associated with an arcade cabinet. Construction was to begin tomorrow on the first portion. Now I am going out of town so it'll have to wait until next weekend. BLAST IT!!! My wife will be out of town with our kids for a week in august... so I'll hopefully be far enough along by then to make some big progress. It's such an overwhelming task with all the unusual details I plan on incorporating, that Im breaking the build down into sub projects...

Navigation panel
Marquee
Instruction panel (mini-marquee)
Cab frame
Metal side art(??)

[dema]

I still think your design is the best I've seen and I can't wait to see your progress. My wife and daughter left for about 5 days so that now gives me enough time to make some progress on my cabinet. I've drawn out the templates for my rotating control panel and I'm going to make a mockup of the sides of the cabinet. Hopefully I'll have them cut out and a general frame by the end of this weekend, but with this being my first project I know I'm going to be slow.

I love your idea of having console buttons but I'm going to stay with the Mamewah front end.

Keep us posted. I'm extremely interested in seeing what you accomplish.

[Pixelhugger]

OK I promised myself I wouldn't do this, but I really need feedback. I'm attaching what is perhaps the cheesiest cornball mockup I've done yet for this project...(I just can't bring myself to model any more stuff to do this right) The blue lines are placeholders for CCFL lights which will be placed beneath oval vent-like slots in the plexi. The black line is a placeholder for a slot load DVD combo drive. All plexi edges will be bullnosed and polished.

Anyway, please look past the bad perspective and overall cartoony composite of this pic.... I need to get opinions on whether I should keep or loose the PC Tach (it charts intensity of CPU operation)

PC Tach pros IMO:

Cool chrome
Cool instrumental feel, kind of makes the nav panel dashboard-like
Interesting gimmickery
Retro.. sort of

PC Tach cons IMO:

Too aftermarkety?
Too automotive?
Faceplate doesn't match the style of the rest of the cab artwork and detail (my biggest concern).
Too gimmicky?
Too "uh, dude, what is THAT doing there.... that's LAME!"

So what does everyone else think? I'm too close to this to be objective now.

[dema]

So what does everyone else think? I'm too close to this to be objective now.

While it is an interesting concept, I don't really think it's necessary. I don't see CPU usage information as being all that valuable. And I'm guessing for most games in MAME it'll be running around the 0 level, since they don't require much CPU power. I'd leave the tachometer off and maybe put a graphic there in its place, possibly your cabinet's logo, something related to the theme, or even your avatar.

[Santoro]

Your project as a whole is going to be so completely different from a retail arcade cab that I think you can get away with something funky like the tach without it looking out of place.

It is a little automotive though.  Can you dismantle it and create a new faceplate for it that more fits with your artwork?  Or maybe work a little chrome into the artwork elsewhere to complement the tach?

[Witchboard]

I agree.  The tach is a really cool idea, but I don't really think it fits.  It's a little too automotive, unless you can create an artwork and install it in there.  Then you can make it fit however you want.  You may want to consider putting a graphic there instead.  Either way you go, it will look nice.

[Pixelhugger]

Well, I don't actually have the Tach so I'm not sure if I can replace the faceplate... I'd have to get the needle off to avoid a seam in the artwork. Info online suggests it can be "disassembled" by a professional but cautions consumers against doing so.

That raises an additional con: I'd have to actually spend money on it. (Another reason I don't want to go forward on this without objective input).

[NIVO]

anychance of going with a real tiny lcd, and making the gauge digital readout? Worth a thought in my opinion, unless your goin for a particluar look there Mitch. Or get one of the colored led lit tachs, that all the ricer's think they gotta have.  

[Matt, GoC]

How about sticking a small VGA LCD screen there with a little program running on it that shows things such as the game's controls / playtime / tips / etc. on there?  That's what I'm planning for mine.  I was thinking of "camoflaging" it in the artwork so it looks like a simple backlit logo or something, but in reality it's something more sinister .  It could also have themed messages such as "T minus 10 seconds to game launch!" and "Entering communications blackout" when shutting down and so on.  Much more of a wow factor than a simple tach IMHO.  That's my 2

[)p(]

Emulaxian

While it currently doesn't support the assignment a keystroke to a specific gamelist, Peter - the FE's developer - has agreed to provide me with an exe that allows the assignment since he says it is an easy modification to make. WOO HOO! Of course it would be up to the user to create the list that the button would switch to. So in my case, I would create separate game lists for each console's ROMs and then assign each list to a keystroke.

it will be a no brainer as this functionality is already in there for the arcgate functions that allows you to cross jump to any gamelist in the hierarchy of the fe. I just have to bind it to the keyinputs too and at it to the cfg file to set it up.

tachometer..to gimmicky imho...remember Mies: "less is more" , even in a complex project..in the form that you ask yourself evert step of the way does it really contribute something to the organic whole...

update:

Faceplate doesn't match the style of the rest of the cab artwork and detail (my biggest concern).

I agree 100%....you spend so much time to get the feel ok across all artwork...


peter

[Magnet_Eye]

Your project is called "Mission Control" and I do NOT see how a tachometer fits into that theme. My vote is DON'T!

It looks like your mock "nav panel" (or whatever) is suddenly a classic car grill...This seems to have nothing to do with the "Mission Control" theme. I thought you were going for a more cool space theme, now you seem to want American Graffiti. Huh?

I would re-think/design  it.

[Hoopstar]

I loved the original look of the cabinet..  but I think you've lost that direction with that tacho and slot load set up...

The thing I loved about the original "theme" was that it was so slick that it could almost have been some original cabinet from some lost manufactuer - it was that slick..!!  I think you've gone down that "case modders" road where they just whack stuff everywhere and it ends up looking like it...

I think you need to try to make it look like it was some original proto-type and that means less = more..!!


In short: Make it looks near factoryl..!!

[dmsuchy]

I like it! The mock up looks cool and I feel it would only add to your already great design. Marquees are also not functional but they sure look cool on your cab, right?

[Aceldamor]

I would say no on the tach...while awsome in pocket's arcade...his is a driving cab.

The tach doesn't fit the "spacy" feel that your cab is themed.

I second the idea of a LCD screen.

The GBA screen idea or Howard's idea would be good there..that would fit the futuristic feel of your cab a little better.

[Pixelhugger]

Survey says... no tach.

I'm really glad I posted this. I had hoped to get a perspective on whether the tach itself was a detraction from the design... but ended up getting a much more valuable perspective overall. The consensus seems to be to keep the entire panel simple. In thinking through the responses, I've decided I should probably simplify the button layout and nix the CCFL tubes as well.. unless they can be incorporated in to the artwork in a seamless and relevant way.

I had begun focusing so closely on this panel that I never even stepped back to look at the cab itself and envision how this thing would actually look in place. I loved the idea of the panel feeling dash-like as long as it did so with a retro sci-fi and NOT an automotive feel. The thing that bothered me most about the tach was the automotive look of the faceplate, but as Magnet points out... the whole design of the panel became automotive as a result of the tach being the focal point. American Graffiti! AAARGH! That is so true. Once again Magnet, you have nailed it. I can already hear the comments .... "those cabinet curves sure look like tail fins now you've put that tach in the middle"..."I love this cab, very 'Early Chevy"  *shudders*

)P( - thanks for the comments. I have the highest regard for your opinion as your sense of design and ability to "brand" a project like this are second to none.  Back to bauhaus for me! ... except of course for the curves on the sides!

Thanks for the input everyone. I'll be posting a simplified no-tach mockup for feedback soon since this was so helpful.

[)p(]

done :-) get the updated exe here:
http://echo.messageboard.nl/2243/viewtopic.php?t=1071

you can assign keys to any gamelist in the hierarchy...so you can also cross jump between the selsets...and you can even specify a game within the gamelist to jump to directly...

it works also with the onscreen buttons because you can assign virtual keystrokes to them ;-)

peter

[dema]

Hey Pixel, have you determined how you're going to cover the curved portions of your cabinet? I just cut my modified version of your cabinet design and I wanted to see if you had a great solution for that. I was planning on cutting some mdf so it can be set as close to the curve as possible, in order to give it support, and then I was going to ask at Home Depot what they recommended to hug the curves, for aesthetic purposes.

Before I did so I was wondering if you had an idea picked out.

[nipsmg]

Pixelhugger:

I think the tach was a good idea, just not the automotive one.

A tach display for CPU Usage (maybe one above and one below) in digital bar form would look GREAT on that cabinet I think..    

The problem with the tach the way it was, was that it looked like you took a clock from a 50's coffee shop and stuck it on a UFO.  I think it was one of the cooler ideas, just not that SPECIFIC kind of tach.

oh well *shrug*

Looks GREAT so far.  I'll keep checking back (of course)!


--NipsMG

[Pixelhugger]

I just cut my modified version of your cabinet design

HOLY CRAP! You've cut the sides already!?! *shakes with jealousy* ARRGH! I gotta get going or my cab is gonna be old news before I even start!!

have you determined how you're going to cover the curved portions of your cabinet?

Well, I'll be relying on interior framing for support (3/4" cabinet back) as well so the wood that follows the curves can be thin. I tested the thinnest sheets of plywood at Home Depot and they seem capable of bending to match the curves without too much force.

So I'll be routing a rabbet along the interior edge of the sides and recessing a thin sheet of finish/cabinet grade plywood along that. I imagine I'll need to clamp, nail, move clamp and repeat to get it to sit flush in the rabbet since there will be quite a bit of resistance. One 8' sheet will not cover the entire back, so I'll hide the seam (probably at the apex of the innermost curve) with a wide vent.



nipsmg-

I appreciate the feedback. While I was really interested in making the tach work in the design, I'm not sure I could incorporate a digital version. The software used to map CPU performance only works with certain analog gauges. Moreover... I've gone back to earlier layouts of the nav panel and really prefer the simplicity of my first layout (the one I posted was ver. 13 or 14 I think. I'll post another mockup for feedback.

[dema]

Don't be jealous whatsoever. I only have the sides and my control panel surfaces cut out. I wanted to get those out of the way so I can start perfecting the design of my rotating control panel. I was doing it all on paper and it wasn't answering all of the questions I had, so I figured it was time for me to do more cutting and less pontificating. I still have yet to cut out the other parts of the cabinet, nor do I have a theme, the rotating panels, the wiring, or the computer set up. My wife and 7 month old daughter were out of town the past 5 days, and get back tonight, so this was the first time I've had in months to actually start making some real progress.

I bet you anything you'll be done well before I am. Since I'm a newb to arcade building and woodworking I move at a snails pace.

[Pixelhugger]

I move at a snails pace.

"....Here they come...."
"...they're rounding the corner...."
"...it's neck and neck, folks, No! Wait! .... Ladies and gentlemen this looks like.... a huge upset.... Snail's pulling ahead.... he's.... he's... rounding the inside....."

"AND IT'S THE SNAIL BY A FURLONG!!!"

[dema]

Well, I'll be relying on interior framing for support (3/4" cabinet back) as well so the wood that follows the curves can be thin. I tested the thinnest sheets of plywood at Home Depot and they seem capable of bending to match the curves without too much force.

So I'll be routing a rabbet along the interior edge of the sides and recessing a thin sheet of finish/cabinet grade plywood along that. I imagine I'll need to clamp, nail, move clamp and repeat to get it to sit flush in the rabbet since there will be quite a bit of resistance. One 8' sheet will not cover the entire back, so I'll hide the seam (probably at the apex of the innermost curve) with a wide vent.

I was thinking of a thin plywood as well. I love your ideas with the rabbet and the vent as well. You really have this design well thought out. Your design and artwork are things of beauty.

[Witchboard]

...it was time for me to do more cutting and less pontificating.

Ewww.. oh, wait.

[Pixelhugger]

OK here is the revised nav panel layout sans tachometer. I really liked Dema's suggestion of replacing it with the cabinets logo, so I'm taking the opportunity to reveal that as well.

Once again, the blue lines are placeholders for CCFL lights and hopefully they'll be further integrated into the design once I have artwork on this. Buttons on the left are for FE navigation, those on the right are for direct emulator selection... thanks again to )P(. The button graphics are a work in progress. The emulator buttons will have graphics added to represent the various consoles, or their controllers.

[dema]

OK here is the revised nav panel layout sans tachometer.

I love the look of that layout! I think it does a much better job of maintaining the theme of the cabinet, and the logo itself looks awesome.

What you are doing with your cabinet is turning the process of building your own arcade cabinets on its head. I think it looks amazing and is really starting to get people thinking outside of the box. Amazing work.

[F1r3f1ght3r]

Stylish yet simplistic....

Very Nice!!!

[Witchboard]

I like it better than the tach.  I like how you have the rocket in.. a.. sprocket? LOL

[Zakk]

Would you just build the damn thing already!!!!  

If you don't I'm just going to build it myself this week, and claim that you stole the whole idea from me  

[Pixelhugger]

hehe - Guilty - I knew I was asking for it by posting more mockups before cutting any wood.

[patrickl]

Yeah really. Everytime I see a new post here I think "OMG he finally built it!" and then of course it's just another photoshop thingy (granted, they look cool too)

This is a 3 page thread and there was not one tree hurt in the proces! We want to see dead trees not pixels!  

[DrewKaree]

The sides will be solid hardwood. The large side panels will be New Zealand Rosewood... a hardwood with a natural color similar to aged cherry or koa.

If I am reading this correctly, you will not be using ply or veneer for this...so you'll be jointing and edge joining boards to make up the side panels?!  How thick will the sides be?

I will most likely finish this with no stain, probably a water based urethane or hand rubbed oil.

You are gonna LOVE a hand rubbed oil on that, but won't it be easier (not needing re-application periodically, scratches show easier, etc) to go the urethane route?  I know very little about New Zealand Rosewood, but I like the rosewood figure and look...I'm betting it'll be so much nicer than anyone can picture!

The smaller darker sides that flank the kick-panel (coin area) will be black walnut. I really wanted to go with ebony, but since it is actually priced by the OUNCE - (forget about board foot) - and generally only available in pieces the size of a toilet paper tube I decided against it. If the walnut doesn't finish dark enough without a stain I will probably mix a custom tinted aneline dye to get it closer to ebony.

Just go with the dye.  I drove myself nuts wondering "Is that black enough?!"  I wish I had learned about dyes BEFORE that point  

I can't tell you how satisfying it is to hear words like "beautiful" and "stunning"
associated with an arcade cabinet.

The color combinations and the wood will surpass words.


For any metal accents you are contemplating, might I suggest brushed aluminum?

And lastly, how are you going about doing the three-sided marquee?  I saw you say you're gonna bend the plexi (so you can soothe the backlightaholic in you), but can you get angles that sharp by bending it?  I'll borrow you my heatgun if you come over and build me a replica  

[Pixelhugger]

If I am reading this correctly, you will not be using ply or veneer for this...so you'll be jointing and edge joining boards to make up the side panels?!  How thick will the sides be?

You are correct sir! 3/4" solid stock, edge joined panels about 3'x7' The NZ Rosewood alone will be over $200.

You are gonna LOVE a hand rubbed oil on that, but won't it be easier ... to go the urethane route?

I do like the idea of urethane for durability. The woodworker in me wants to do the hand rubbed oil. Undecided

Just go with the dye.  I drove myself nuts wondering "Is that black enough?!"

That's exactly what I've been fearing! So.... VERY valuable info!  

For any metal accents you are contemplating, might I suggest brushed aluminum?

I'm very interested in that. My company just had a water jet cut aluminum sign installed and I've got serious project envy over it. I want to cut the rocket-sprocket logo out of aluminum for the side art, but I'm unsure if I could do so smoothly enough to have it look good. I tested some cuts with my crappy jig saw on mild steel and couldn't decide if I'd get good results on a larger scale with (the softer) aluminum.

And lastly, how are you going about doing the three-sided marquee?....but can you get angles that sharp by bending it?

 

It requires a 3 dimensional jig in the shape of the marquee's face. Bending the plexi at the required angles shouldn't be a problem since I've bent plexi at right angles for aquariums, so this should be easier than that. Of course the bent edges will be smooth/rounded and not sharp.

I'll borrow you my heatgun if you come over and build me a replica  

WHAT?!?!? And skip the FIRE!?
 

[Nannuu]

There is also a brushed metal sign vinyl that you can use.  It actually looks pretty nice.  Just an option the help cost  

[mikroman]

Wow!

This is one of the best cabinet designs I have seen. I hope you show some construction photos soon, this is one to watch.  

[danny_galaga]

i agree. that is a beautifully curvy beast!! it totally looks the part, especially with dragons lair. your front end etc make the whole thing homogenous.
wow!

you realise that a few of us might just copy that shape...

[danny_galaga]

ok, so are you finished yet?

(",)

[Pixelhugger]

Must.... resist... urge.... to.... post... update.... without.... construction photos....

I just can't keep this to myself any longer. I've tried but I can't.

Thanks to a couple of the most generous BYOACer's I've ever come across (you know who you are), the metal side art is a GO!! ITS A FREAKING GO!!!!!

Materials have been ordered and computer controlled plasma cutting should begin as early as next week... (if this post doesn't jinx it!!) I can't stress enough how unbelievably generous some of the members are here. After testing cuts with my jigsaw, it was clear that the metal artwork would be impossible to create as I had in mind and then BAM!! out of the blue a couple of BYOACers I had done some art for come swooping to my rescue (roll John Williams soundtrack) with a full industrial machine / metal shop riding in toe. I'll let them identify themselves if they want, otherwise I'll protect their privacy since I'm sure they would be immediately overrun with requests. They pulled favors from multiple sources at the shop to get this done... and it makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside I sometimes think I'll explode in a flaming ball of fuzz.

So check back in a week or two for photos. The art will be cut from 1/4" thick aluminum (I think) and will be based on the rocketsprocket logo seen in the center of the nav panel. The full diameter of the gear will probably be about 20" and I'm toying with the idea of floating it slightly off the surface and backlighting it.

WOO HOO!!!  WOO HOO!!! WOO HOO!!! WOO HOO!!!  

[ras2a]

I think I speak for most of us when I say this is going to be one of, if not 'the' most amazing looking cab's ever!  You have obviously put an incredible amount of prep/research/thought into your cab and I'm certain this will be reflected in the finished article.  Copious amounts of kudos be bestowed upon thee.  Kneel Pixelhugger, rise Sir Pix'alot

Can't wait