Ant2 - Sit down Arcade / Racing Simulator

[ant2]

I will modify this a bit more later, with more pictures etc, but this is a starting point.

Outset:
I wanted to play retro and PC arcade racers, so I was looking to buy a racing cabinet and modify it to play MAME. But I later started looking at the racing simulators, running 3 monitors and eyefinity and decided that i'd also like to incorporate this approach too.

If I was going to run 3 monitors i'd have to seriously hack the cabinet screen/dash etc in order to do this so I looked at other options.

Because this was going in my outhouse, I also had a limitation of only being able to fit materials through a standard sized door.

How it started:
There was a guy selling a wooden frame with an MR2 seat where he started to make one himself.

I bought this frame, as I suck at woodwork and began to start modifying it and tarting it up as it were.

Step 1.
When I picked this up, it was dismantled so I came home and started building and screwing this all back together. The seat is from an MR2 and is really comfy, it is on runners, so it can move forward and back. Even a 18 stone 6ft 2 man can fit.

Step2.
I put some extra wooden structural supports in across the front of the cabinet, to stiffen it up and use this to bolt in my tripple monitor mount.

Step3.

I bought http://www.amazon.co.uk/MDM07-Multi-Screen-Bracket-Monitor/dp/B001H2TOHK
A tripple monitor stand, I didn't use the center piece as the pole was far too long to stick any where.
So I used the arms and bolted it to the piece of wood that I put in, in step2, one on each side for the screens. I then had to readjust this and move the wood up and down about 3 times, before I was happy with the height

Step 4.
I bought a Logitech G27, this seemed like the best steering wheel for the job, I didn't want to buy an arcade steering wheel and have all the hassle of it not working properly with either the arcade games or pc games. I think it feels robust enough, the force feedback is good and it's very good value.
I bolted the pedals to the bottom of the cabinet, I didn't go with the reverse pedals mod, is it really worthwhile btw?
Bolted the steering wheel and gear stick etc in.

Step 5.
Bought 3X 24" G2420HD monitors and mounted them on the side stands, the middle monitor was bolted straight to a metal plate, which was bolted in to the wood at the front.
Used a creative inspire 5.1 speaker set up, bolted the front speakers to the piece of wood in step2, and behind the drivers seat.
I then placed the sub behind the drivers seat, in the "boot" area as it were.

Step 6.
Painted the front sides black, like the rest of the frame and installed that, to make it feel more enclosed at the front.
Added black foam to the top of the cabinet, resting on the monitors, to help enclose the cabinet a bit more, so you feel a bit more emersed. Being foam, if you hit it, it wont hurt

Step 7.
I bought two Clark Synthesis TST 209 Tactile transducers


And bolted them both to the seat, one of the support bar it connects to and one on the seat runners.
I powered these using a Dayton Audio SA240 subwoofer amplifier


I then bought a 10" car subwoofer and powered this off a second daytona audio SA240 amplifier, for a bit more kick.

Step 8.
I covered the chassis with Faux leather material and pinned this to the wood using panel or drawing pins (and colouring black)
I did this on the outside and inside to help cover the wires.

Step 9.
I built a PC running Windows 7 - I3 550 [1156], 8GB DDR3, 500W PSU, ATI 6950 2GB, 64GB SSD, 120GB secondary.

Step 10.
I started setting up hyperspin with all the emulators and games, this took a few months till completion, with all the videos etc

Hyperspin functionality:
Windows is almost completely hidden, but I still needed to access windows for some online games, so I couldnt hide it completely.
The desktop background is black, task bar is hidden, no windows sounds.
Hyperspin starts in windowed resolution (1920X1080) as full screen across all monitors, causes it to stretch. I also had to delay the starting of hyperspin by 4-5 seconds, otherwise the window would lose focus, I believe it was the logitech profiler causing this.


You select games using the paddle shifters, the steering wheels top left button selects, and top right goes back (if you continue to go back it will ask if you want to exit and this will also shut down the machine)

I ensured the videos being shown on the emulators, were of a driving game.
The selection noise is a custom "rev" sound

Video link


Games playable: (working from memory, this is incomplete)

PC:
Carmageddon
Crazy Taxi 3 (I have to use the clutch to accelerate, if anyone gets this working properly on the g27 let me know)
Dirt 3
NFS Shift 2 (playable online)
R Factor

MAME:
Ace Drvrw
Big run
Chase HQ
Cisco heat
Cruisin USA
Cruisin World
Drift Out
Drive edge
F1EN
Finalap
NeoDrift
Outrun
Over top
Side By Side 1 + 2
Virtua Racing 

Naomi:

Ridge Racer
Rave Racer

DreamCast:

Crazy Taxi
Hydro Thunder
San Francisco Rush

Super Nintendo:

Bike Mice From Mars
F1 Grand Prix 1,2,3
Fzero
F1 Pole Position 1 +2
F1 Race of Champions 1 +2
Micromachines 1+2
Nigel Mansells World Championship Racing
Street Race
Super mario Kart
Nintendo 64:

Carmageddon 64
Destruction Derby
Diddy Kong Racing
Extreme G
Fzero X
F1 Racing Championship
Mario Kart 64
Micro Machines 64
Off Road Challenge
Ridge Racer 64
San Francisco Extreme Racing + Rush 2049
South Park Rally
Wave Race 64
Wipeout 64

Nintendo Game Cube:
Fzero GX
Mario Kart Double Dash
Simpsons Road Rage

Nintendo Wii:
Mario Kart Wii

Sega Dreamcast:

Sega Genesis:
Lotus Turbo Challenge
Outrun 2019

Sega Model 2:
Daytona USA (playable online via hamatchi)
Indy 500
Sega Rally

Sega Model 3:
Daytona USA 2
SCUD Race
Sega Rally 2

Sony Playstation:

Gran Turismo 1 + 2

[ant2]

Was thinking if its worth getting side art. What you guys think?
If i went with art i think it would look good going completely down the sides and back. But its already covered in leather ?

My other idea was carbon fibre where the steering wheel sits and also covering the whole between screen and wheel.

Could i make the roof bit any neater or does it look okay?