The Fieldhouse - Complete and ready for delivery

[misterbeeez]

Nice job... I like it a lot!

 

[Le Chuck]

Awesome choice on the joystick color.  The entire design works well with all the elements complementing each other.  Makes your eye find new stuff in the art and design.  Any easter eggs in the art?

What's the CPU in that thing?

AJ

No easter eggs per say, a few of the quotes are real gems tho so that's fun.  I need to do some Al Jaffee style art some time and hide all kinds of arcade related goodies.  The CPU is a dual core 1ghz intel - a dell laptop.  It peters out at Time Crisis and stutters through Strider 2 but all in all it runs everything that I have expected it to. 

---

Fixed the button reassignment issue.  Apparently it's a known issue with MAME and the GPWiz encoder.  Button16 gets reassigned to 15 because of an issue with the way MAME numbers inputs and well, honestly, I still don't exactly understand the issue so just soldered the lead onto a different key.  Works like a charm 

[kahlid74]

Looks great man.  Keep up the good work.  I'm with Nep on the seams, I saw it right away and went "ewww" but then I was like "well shoot, you're going to have seams somewhere.".  In a less lit bar it won't be as noticeable.

[Le Chuck]

Looks great man.  Keep up the good work.  I'm with Nep on the seams, I saw it right away and went "ewww" but then I was like "well shoot, you're going to have seams somewhere.".  In a less lit bar it won't be as noticeable.

It's all about trying new things. There are preferred methods for sure but it is nice to explore other avenues and see what one can make work.

[shogun0660]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread (Great build BTW)
but was wondering if you ever found a fix for you issue with the player 2 up button continually resetting?  I have been having an identical issue with my setup and have not figured out a way to fix it yet. I have tried deleting the cfg files like you did, and even reinstalled a new version of MAME, with the same problem happening.
Any input/advice is appreciated!
thanks!

The Fieldhouse is complete.  Client came over yesterday and checked it out.  We identified a few bugs doing some intense testing and a wrapped up all the loose ends this afternoon.  Just got done putting it through its paces and I'm pleased and confident. 





Also, I am excited to show off some new prototype hardware from Groovy Game Gear.  I would like to present the Omni2 ROBO!



The Omni2 ROBO is a great solution for those looking to automate their OMNI2 but were put off by or too busy for the servo mounting and actuating arm fabrication.  The two ROBOs came with servos and a Micro Maestro servo controller.  From there I just added a 6v power supply and used a super simple script in conjunction with DaOld Man's joychoose to automate the switch.  Ideally I'd say these would be mounted on a metal CP but you can see how I did on wood.  Hopefully long handles will be available so one could just do a super simple bottom mount with threaded inserts and call it good.  There is a slight overhang where the servo isn't covered by the mounting plate but this is a minor issue to a really fantastic solution. I have no clue if Randy is going to market these as a stand alone project or make them available as kits but he's got a really good product here and what's great is that the micro controller can run up to 6 of them at once. 

Here are the two scripts I used:

4 way

Code: [Select]

@echo off
usccmd --servo 0,8000
usccmd --servo 1,8000
sleep 2
usccmd --servo 0,0
usccmd --servo 1,0

8 way


Code: [Select]

@echo off
usccmd --servo 0,0001
usccmd --servo 1,0001
sleep 2
usccmd --servo 0,0
usccmd --servo 1,0
Here's a video with me narrating like a moron but you can check out the motion:

http://s479.photobucket.com/user/vonjett/media/Fieldhouse/316E3A99-E513-4DF3-95C9-C848B9005CF9-5083-00000E21566A6AD7_zps6b6169f4.mp4.html

Sorry it's not embedded.

Ran into a few issues.  The first is a heads up for anyone trying to shell their system and using XP.  The second is something I haven't heard of before which I'm still resolving.

1:  Pololu Micro Controller won't initiate properly if windows is completely shelled to MALA in XP.  There is some dependency that isn't getting started.  Rather than do a full shell I backed it out to a sort of soft shell.  Like a good taco.  No windows sounds, boot screens, or cursors, but there is a flash of the start bar right before MALA loads.  Call it a happy medium.  Noticed that Mala and Mame both ran a tad bit better out of the gate this way anyway.

2:  My player two up key keeps getting reset to one lower value.  Really bizarre.  I set up all the controls globally after deleting the contents of the cfg folder.  P2up is button 16, exit game, enter new game, check mapping and now it is button 15.  I fix, exit, re-enter, and same problem.  I'll have to do some research and see if I can figure out what the issue is.  All the other mappings don't get adjusted and there is no dual mapping for that key in any other setting.  Once you reset it the game plays fine but it won't stick and deleting all the cfgs and starting from scratch has produced the same problem.  Perhaps there is another setting of file that needs to be cleared out elsewhere. 

[mcseforsale]

MAN, that's a good looking cab!  Love it.

Good work.

AJ

[Le Chuck]

@shogun, the 15/16 input issue is a little bug that seems unique to the GGG encoder (wiz) and MAME. Has to do with how the hid driver labels buttons and how Mame does. They are conflicting at some level. My solution was to scrap that input. Sucks if you need all 40 but that has been the easiest. Had the same issue with the GOT build. Just went from 15 to 17 or whatever and it works fine. Iirc some others had the same issues and just had to bypass.

Thanks for the kudos guys!

[Rick]

This is amazing, and why wasn't I watching this before?

[yotsuya]

Looks great man.  Keep up the good work.  I'm with Nep on the seams, I saw it right away and went "ewww" but then I was like "well shoot, you're going to have seams somewhere.".  In a less lit bar it won't be as noticeable.

It's all about trying new things. There are preferred methods for sure but it is nice to explore other avenues and see what one can make work.

Looking back on this, I too didn't care for the way the control panel was mounted, but I think in hindsight, I know why... the part is the same color as the side, and the seam is very visible. I bet if you colored the exposed sides of the control panel itself the gold as the striping on the sides, the contrast might actually have looked pretty sharp.

Either way, I'm sure the owner loves it, and that's all that matters.

[Le Chuck]

Looks great man.  Keep up the good work.  I'm with Nep on the seams, I saw it right away and went "ewww" but then I was like "well shoot, you're going to have seams somewhere.".  In a less lit bar it won't be as noticeable.

It's all about trying new things. There are preferred methods for sure but it is nice to explore other avenues and see what one can make work.

Looking back on this, I too didn't care for the way the control panel was mounted, but I think in hindsight, I know why... the part is the same color as the side, and the seam is very visible. I bet if you colored the exposed sides of the control panel itself the gold as the striping on the sides, the contrast might actually have looked pretty sharp.

Either way, I'm sure the owner loves it, and that's all that matters.

That's great feedback!  I think that would have helped a lot.  Even just flat black would have probably softened it a lot.  It isn't in a row where it is (I actually went up to SC and visited this cab a year on, cool experience to see one of my builds in the "wild" so to speak) but when you approach it head on you don't even see the sides or seams, you just see that sweet 27" and that CP that goes all the way to the edges.  It's a nice effect but could have been done better.  Hell, I could have mitered it and then there would have been no seam at all but that would have taken waaaay too much doing. 

Glad to see this thread getting a little more love, I still really favor this build.  It was stupid fast but a lot of fun! 

[jdbailey1206]

I know I should ask Randy this question but any word on when the Omni2 Robos will become available to us regular schmos?

[Le Chuck]

I know I should ask Randy this question but any word on when the Omni2 Robos will become available to us regular schmos?

Pretty sure you can just email him the qty you need and he will burn them off for you.  Would be nice if they were regular catalog tho.