Arcade Public Play Box

[Tithis]

This might as well be my introduction thread. I posted a bit many years ago when I wanted to build a cabinet, but I doubt anyone would remember me. Regardless I first dreamed of building an arcade cabinet many years ago when I was fresh out of highschool and starting college. Due to various circumstances it was not meant to be and I had to give the project up Well much has changed now, I'm done with college, a full time young professional, and have a girlfriend that got me into Doctor Who.

All of which lead me to this project idea. A smallish classically styled & built arcade cabinet themed after the Tardis. I know if I had one I'd totally hit up some 1980's arcades (and probably steal a few mint cabinets)





Everything is in fairly early stages at this point, really just finishing the cab plans and waiting for warmer weather here in New England. Only equipment I currently have is nice high resolution Philips CRT computer monitor that looks amazing with hlsl. After I finalize my plans I'll start ordering control parts and I'd like to start construction in early April.

So yeah, until then I probably won't update this too much since all I'll be working on are the plans, but I should start designing and incorporating side art and bezel art into the model soon.

[yotsuya]

Make sure you put a light on top! 

[Tithis]

I'm on the lookout for a suitable topper. If I can't find one I'm just gotta drill a hole for a lamp socket in the top and later on I'll build one.

[Vigo]

I'm sure that the outdoor lighting section of most hardware stores would have something good enough that you can paint blue.   

[Brutick]

Not that I want to complicate your build, but I really think it would be cool to recess "windows" in the side of your cabinet to give it a nice 3D effect! You could even paint the doctor inside the box as if you were peering through the windows!

Just an idea

[gabrielmtl]

Not that I want to complicate your build, but I really think it would be cool to recess "windows" in the side of your cabinet to give it a nice 3D effect! You could even paint the doctor inside the box as if you were peering through the windows!

Just an idea

Yeah that would be cool, and not terribly complicated to do, either. The windows could be made of the same material as the marquee, and be lit from the inside.

Question : which mint cabinet would you bring back from the 80s?

Good luck with your build.

[Tithis]

Not that I want to complicate your build, but I really think it would be cool to recess "windows" in the side of your cabinet to give it a nice 3D effect! You could even paint the doctor inside the box as if you were peering through the windows!

Just an idea

I might do something like that. Early on I was trying to think of a way to have the windows glow from the inside, but I don't think I could place the windows in a good looking location and not be cutting into recessed area in the front for the monitor & bezel or marquee. To do it I'd either have to think of a solution I could do that was contained within the 3/4 thick plywood or reduce or eliminate the monitor angle. Short of those OLED thin light panels becoming cheap overnight I don't think it will happen. Simply recessing them though might still make good a good effect.

Answer: Probably a BurgerTime. I've never actually played a real one, but I loved the NES port when I was a kid and I think the cab is gorgeous.

[Tithis]

Not much new to report. I'm going to be ordering the controls for the cabinet fairly soon. It's going to be a tight fit as I'm putting 2 joysticks, 7 buttons per player and a trackball in an area possibly as small as 22 inches, that is actually why I have the CP extending past the sides of the cab slightly. The buttons are pretty much perfectly placed for my hands and my gf has child hands so it shouldn’t be uncomfortable for her to use.

2 player games will no doubt be a bit cramped, but unless I find a 21inch CRT computer monitor for a decent price that's the best it will be. I'm thinking of letting 1 player games allow the use of the 2nd players buttons so the player can stay centred instead of being stuck to one half of the machine.


In other news my gf will be screen printing the marquee, which should look much better than the paper or vinyl one I was going to have made.  Now I'm debating if I want to do some screen printed bezel art too.