What game would you build?

[myntik1]

My neighbor and I are going to combine forces on a couple of builds.  We originally started looking at building 2 of the same game, but the more I think about it we might build 4.  My thought it that if we go with 4 and sell 2, it will help offset the cost.  If you had to build 4 of the same or 2 and 2 which games would you choose? 

The goal is to keep cost low (low, not dirt cheap).  With that in mind usually finding working Galaga pcbs for under 200 is tough, and to get a hold of Pac or Ms Pac stencils is about 175/each, on top of ~100 each for the pcb is probably not going to happen.

So keeping pcb, bezel, cpo, stencils.stickers, etc in mind what game would you scratch build?

[Generic Eric]

What game?  Donkey Kong, or a 4 slot neo geo

[SavannahLion]

Why bother building a replica? Build a Woody or four and call it a day. 

[Generic Eric]

Why bother building a replica? Build a Woody or four and call it a day. 

I had 4 paragraphs and an appendix initially.  I think they want to build a game from scratch, not MAME.

[Le Chuck]

Whatever you build if you're doing multiple I encourage you to do them the same.  It will be much faster and easier.  If you want variety have two have horizontal monitors and two vertical. 

[Fast351]

If it's going to be a single game, go for the classics.  Personally if I was going to build a replica, it'd be a Centipede machine.  That said, the trackball cabinet doesn't lend itself well to other games if you want to convert it to a mame machine down the road. 

Donkey Kong would be a good one.  Same with PacMan.

Are you looking to build a replicate including the guts, or just a machine that looks as close to an original as possible but uses modern guts?   

If you're keeping it yourself, ask yourself what game you REALLY enjoy.  For me, the classics are the only ones I keep coming back to time after time...

[nitrogen_widget]

Are you going with arcade monitors / TVs with component, scart in, or LCD panels?

[yotsuya]

If I were building replicas, I'd definitely go Pac-Man Midway style for vertical games.

For horizontals, I'd do Moon Patrol.

[myntik1]

I don't really post on this site anymore.  I started here with mame and then got into dedicated cabs.  I have a couple of machines, right now on my wish list are 720, Moon Patrol, 10 yard fight and Paperboy.

720 and Paperboy are out, they are just too expensive to build from scratch

My gut instinct is to make 4 Moon Patrols.  2 as close to original as possible, 1 mame for him and 1 multi.  The pcbs can be had for 70- 85 bucks, the stencils are 75 and I could probably get someone to make me a cpo, bezel and marquee for around 175.

I have 3 capped monitors sitting on a shelf along with 3 wired setups (power supplies, iso's and jamma harnesses) .  I just don't know if MP is worth anything in a sale to offset the cost of this build or to finance the next one.  My neighbor doesn't care, as long as he has a mint arcade game in his house he's happy.

[yotsuya]

If you're building to flip, Pac cabs have the best recognition factor.

[Fast351]

Moon Patrol would not be too bad.  There is a plethora of information about that Williams cabinet, parts are available, etc.

As for value, there are quite a few around so it's not rare by any means.  And I don't know how much a replica is worth vs an original in restored condition, but I regularly see people trying to sell restored machines in the neighborhood of $1700.  Not sure if they're actually getting asking price though. 

Figure you probably have about $1K into a good replica, the two you sell won't cover the cost of the two you keep, although you will have a real nice machine for a few hundred bucks.

If you're passionate about it, go for it.  If you're looking at it as a money making opportunity, look elsewhere.

[jennifer]

    The mystic Jennifer consults her crystal ball .... Its coming into focus now.... Apparently you would have more into the 4 games than your could recoup on 2 realistically, So my advice would be save money on 1 by building 2.

[myntik1]

No, what brought this on was my neighbor saw me drag home a ms pac cab a couple of months ago that was in a knock down drag down fight and then drowned.  He saw me wheel that outside (my girl and her daughter are allergic to everything) to sand it down, add wood hardener, bondo it, etc.  He jokingly said just get the plans and come on over.  I didn't think too much about it.  Today he said to me again what game am I on the hunt for now.  I told him my list and he said get the plans and we'll take a Sat and Sunday and bang it out 2.  He's a carpenter by trade.  I was the one who was thinking if we're gonna build 2 we might as well go for 3 or 4.  I'm not looking at it as a money making venture.

[jennifer]

     Ok with that in mind, (Other than the fact their clones with no real serial #), It would most likely be easier to build multiple of 4 different games of the same cab style, this way your getting different parts off multiple machines rather than pick over  4 of the same boards....Sound like a fun project however, I would really love to watch the progress.

[Generic Eric]

He's a carpenter by trade.  I was the one who was thinking if we're gonna build 2 we might as well go for 3 or 4.  I'm not looking at it as a money making venture.

Just to be clear, you want a game with a PCB and side art and all of that?

Do you like fighting games?  Would you consider becoming the first owner of a dedicated Skullgirls Upright game?  Or howabout Jamestown?  Superhexagon? Lumines?  I could go on. 

[myntik1]

Just to be clear, you want a game with a PCB and side art and all of that?
 

Yes (kind of).

I came here earlier today to check out plans and to see what was out there.  In the past 20 minutes I've been looking at some of the mini's that have been put together running mame.  Specifically the mini DK and Asteroids. Now the wheels are turning. It might be 2 Williams cab uprights and 2 minis.

[jennifer]

     You may want to check the carpenters work skills before you start writing the checks, Just because he's all like doing it for a living doesn't mean he's good at it.

[bulbousbeard]

     You may want to check the carpenters work skills before you start writing the checks, Just because he's all like doing it for a living doesn't mean he's good at it.

Nail on the head.

Personally, I think that there are several "standards" that you could build, and I would build one based on which games you want to play:

1) Vertically oriented monitor for golden era games. This is going to have a 4 way stick and play old 4 way games optimally. You could fit a trackball into this possibly, too, because most of those games were only 1P at a time, so you have room on the control panel.

2) Horizontally mounted monitor for classic games. This is going to have 4 way sticks and play the 4 way horizontal games optimally.

3) Vertically oriented monitor for shmups. This is going to have two 8 way sticks with 4 buttons per player. Good for shooters from the mid 80s to late 90s.

4) Horizontally oriented monitor for 4 player games. This is going to have 4 8 way sticks and a larger monitor. This will cover TMNT, NBA Jam, and so on.

5) Horizontally oriented monitor for fighting games. This is going to have 2 8 way sticks with 8 buttons each. This will cover all the MKs, SFs, etc.

6) Dedicated trackball cabinet. This would have 3+ trackballs and handle all the multiplayer trackball games. This one feels the most niche to me.

If you're going to do two cabinets, I would diversify and make each cabinet give you something that the other doesn't.

[elvis]

For horizontals, I'd do Moon Patrol.

I did this, and it was heaps of fun.

[jaharr01]

Yeah I agree about the carpentry thing. I was a halfway decent carpenter and the first cab I did sucked. My skills have improved somewhat. there are so many expenses to building one of these damn things, and it takes so long. I also agree with Jennifer about building 4,it is a bad idea.Unless you are somewhat experienced you are going to end in the hole building 4 with materials costs. Arcades are kind of a niche thing, it's not like selling a car.Might be hard to unload 2 of them. I have had several people want me to build them an arcade, when I priced the work and materials they declined.Most people don't have a grand sitting around to spend on that kind of thing.

[nitrogen_widget]

Most original cabs in good condition are priced around $500 give or take a hundred around here.
Not counting the dreamers asking a grand plus for stuff.
Those cabs appear to be a permanent fixture on craigslist.

Apparently nobody wants to pay that much or trade their boat that's worth a heck of a lot more.

[elvis]

I have had several people want me to build them an arcade, when I priced the work and materials they declined.

This happens at least once a week for me.  People constantly drop hints that the want me to build them a cabinet, or silly comments like "you should do this for a living".

When you explain that a cabinet isn't as cheap as an XBox or Playstation, they're suddenly shocked at the real cost.  And here in Australia, everything is pretty much double what it costs you guys in the US.

[yotsuya]

I have had several people want me to build them an arcade, when I priced the work and materials they declined.

This happens at least once a week for me.  People constantly drop hints that the want me to build them a cabinet, or silly comments like "you should do this for a living".

When you explain that a cabinet isn't as cheap as an XBox or Playstation, they're suddenly shocked at the real cost.  And here in Australia, everything is pretty much double what it costs you guys in the US.

A----smurfing----Men, brother. People seem literally crestfallen when you tell them it's not going to be $200 delivered.

[Fast351]

I'm working on a bartop Moon Patrol replica, and I'm actually tracking everything I'm putting into it.  Right now I'm at about $750, and that's just for materials, and that's buying things like the monitor used. 

And labor isn't free.

If you wanted to do this for a living, you'd have to charge around $2K for a full size upright, and while it'd be a pretty piece, I don't think there are many people out there willing to spend that kind of money for a turnkey arcade machine.

[Le Chuck]

Four Magical Spots. Make sure and do the full art.

[waiwainl]

CAVE Cabinet, real SHMUP cabinent! 

[Vigo]

Lazarian

[jennifer]

    Oh for FUN!.... Where is my purse?, Jennifer so wants to play that!....Me, Me! 

[johnrt]

If I were to build a cab from scratch now it would be a Nintendo cab. There's nothing more beautiful than a Nintendo cab!

Just don't do this:

[keilmillerjr]

If I were to build a cab from scratch now it would be a Nintendo cab. There's nothing more beautiful than a Nintendo cab!

Just don't do this:

NINTENDONT!

[myntik1]

this is still in the works but with a twist.  We finally dug out of the 5+ feet of snow we got in a month and were about to plan our attack and we were given a blessing from the stars.

A local guy who just got into the hobby has a cnc machine.  He wants to take apart a cab to duplicate.  I'm not a true purist, but I can't see dismantling one of the cabs I have on deck to restore for this.  So I'm on the hunt for a beat up cab to sacrifice to the electrohome gods. New England peeps stay tuned.

[mgb]

I see your in Springfield Mass, I'm in South Eastern Ct.
If I know of any empty cabs around, I'll let you know.
There's an auction in North Haven Ct every couple of months that often has some empty cabs for sale.