What is Your Single Biggest Regret of your Arcade Build?

[lisowskikevin]

Hey guys,

I figure the best way to learn is to learn from others mistakes so tell me what you would change about your cab!

[eds1275]

Listening to these jerks!!!

j/k I think the biggest fail on my part was settling on something. I used real brushed brass on my control panel, and my order was done wrong so one piece had the brush strokes running the wrong direction. I didn't want to wait so I just used it. Don't settle for anything but the best!

[jennifer]

    Jennifer would have to regret NOT listening to the jerks around here... Some really smart folks lurking about.

[Ond]

Knowing when to listen and when not to listen, that's a skill in itself.  My biggest regret is not having the time for fun stuff like this hobby.

[Le Chuck]

About the cabs themselves - not much really.  Take your time and really know what I want.  If my first cab was still around (destroyed by movers) it would still answer 80% of my upright gaming wants.  Sure the lightening mame sideart and marquee would be tired but hell, it played SFII like a champ and honestly what more in life is there?

The more you build the better you get so watch the good ones, take the cues, but good tools, and have fun!

About the hobby itself?  I've lost more than I've made and had a great time doing it, I would've held onto a few parts I didn't and sold/never bought a few parts I still have.  Probably about $1000 worth of bad decisions in the last ten years so that's not that bad. 

[Generic Eric]

Not following my plans. 

[yotsuya]

Biggest regret - not picking up a $150 Gorf when I had the chance.

[PL1]

Making it playable too soon.   
[/progress]


Scott

[jdbailey1206]

Wasting the time and $ on building a weecade....

[adder]

trying to save money by buying a used joystick off ebay. realising it sucks, so then buying another one. then realising that sucks too.. wasting more money.. then i think "why didnt i just buy a decent new one in the first place". 

ps. does anyone want to buy a couple of used joysticks? 

[harveybirdman]

Not finishing yet.

[thomas_surles]

Using cheap thin wood. Not using a router.  paint job. Bad cut lines. Not making a template first.
Hard to pick just one.

[Speed Racer]

Using cheap tools. Sometimes they work fine, sometimes they aren't up to the task 

[keilmillerjr]

Try the joystick before you buy the joystick.

Intend on LED controls even if you don't want led. Most translucent buttons look well unlit and you can always decide to light them later.

[SavannahLion]

Buying ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I didn't need (that damn seat sits outside in the weather now)

Not storing my ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- safely (every single CRT I own is demolished, still haven't cleaned it up)

Losing my ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- (Forgot where I put about $100 in much needed parts.... just remembered I misplaced my Hang-On project stickers too... damn it)

Not finishing what I started....

That's about the only regrets....

[ChanceKJ]

...not adding cupholders.

[ChanceKJ]

Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions.   I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.

[wp34]

My latest regret is burning my finger with my soldering iron.  Did that tonight.   

The main thing I would recommend is figuring out what will cause you to struggle and then determine how to work around it so you are not slowed down.  My Tron cabinet would be done by now if I would have just hired someone to do the artwork. 

[SavannahLion]

My latest regret is burning my finger with my soldering iron.  Did that tonight.   

Welcome to the club. I burned my hand pretty badly late last year when I just outright grabbed the hot iron. I'm still not sure what was going through mind at the time other than:

[harveybirdman]

How about doing an entire cap kit and lifting a solder pad to "fix" a non existent issue caused by having monitor hooked up wrong

[wp34]

Good gosh that sounds horrible.  Ouch.  Just ouch.

My latest regret is burning my finger with my soldering iron.  Did that tonight.   

Welcome to the club. I burned my hand pretty badly late last year when I just outright grabbed the hot iron. I'm still not sure what was going through mind at the time other than:

[brihyn]

Welcome to the club. I burned my hand pretty badly late last year when I just outright grabbed the hot iron. I'm still not sure what was going through mind at the time other than:

Been there, done that. Not a pleasant smell.

[BorgDog]

Biggest single regret is not having made it 10 years ago.

[johnrt]

Biggest single regret is not having made it 10 years ago.

+1

[yotsuya]

Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions.   I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.

Your ass will eventually soften up and compensate over time. 

[Malenko]

My first cab? too many to list.

My latest cab? I guess, having it in the basement instead of my living room?

[BadMouth]

I hung out on the forums for a very long time soaking up information before starting, so there aren't really any newb mistakes.
During that time I used an x-arcade tankstick which allowed me to experiment with ergonomics, monitor placement, etc.  I even swapped various joysticks into it over the years.

Biggest single regret:

   I have a rotating LCD monitor, but the viewing angle from the bottom is horrible.  So on 2 player vertical games, player 2's view is darker than player 1's.  It doesn't make the game unplayable, but it is noticeable.  I wasn't planning on doing a rotating monitor when I originally bought it.  Not sure I would have thought about the viewing angle anyway.  Since the VESA mounts are off center, I can't just swap in another monitor.  I'd have to make a new bracket for the rotating assembly.  The current monitor almost touches the side and top when it rotates, so clearance might also be an issue.  Honestly, 98% of the time I'm playing the cab by myself so it doesn't really bother me that much.

I'll show other things that I could have done better whenever I get around to a reveal video.



Biggest thing I got right (for me anyway):

Used a powerful enough computer to run Demul, Taito Type X, & modern PC games.  I play these other things as much or more than MAME.

[yotsuya]

The only regret I think I would have had, I rectified it. On my first project, I built a 36 inch wide frankenpanel so I could play all 50,000 games in MAME and all those console emulators. I quickly realized that I thought it looked like ass (a frankenpanel, not the woodwork- I was actually quite chuffed with the actual box) and that it was better to play a subset of games the right way as opposed to everything sorta half-assed. Best decision I ever made.

[DeLuSioNal29]

The only regret I think I would have had, I rectified it. On my first project, I built a 36 inch wide frankenpanel so I could play all 50,000 games in MAME and all those console emulators. I quickly realized that I thought it looked like ass (a frankenpanel, not the woodwork- I was actually quite chuffed with the actual box) and that it was better to play a subset of games the right way as opposed to everything sorta half-assed. Best decision I ever made.

This!  [Except for the looking like ass part - Cheers Yotsuya!  LOL!  (j/k)].  When I first started I wanted to make sure it played EVERY game in Mame.  So I planned a 4-player panel.  Truth be told it RARELY gets used.  I've since built other arcade machines with simpler controls and I've never turned back!  They get played WAY more than the Frankenpanel, to the point that I'm planning to eventually downsize it to a 2 player panel.

Simpler is better!  Good luck!

Edit:  Also, make sure the computer is the last thing that you buy when building:
A)  It will be cheaper as time passes while you build your machine
B)  You will get a lot more accomplished since you won't be playing it while it's "half-done"

DeLuSioNaL29

[wp34]

One advantage to a project taking too long is that I came to my senses over this same issue mid-build.  My Tron cabinet was originally going to be a 36" wide 4-player.  Eventually I realized I wanted to have one MAME cabinet that would play most games and then supplement that with a mix of dedicated cabinets and other specific builds.  I ended up buying a dedicated Asteroids Deluxe instead of trying to shoehorn that 5 button layout onto my CP for example.

Some of my early designs were quite hideous. 

The only regret I think I would have had, I rectified it. On my first project, I built a 36 inch wide frankenpanel so I could play all 50,000 games in MAME and all those console emulators. I quickly realized that I thought it looked like ass (a frankenpanel, not the woodwork- I was actually quite chuffed with the actual box) and that it was better to play a subset of games the right way as opposed to everything sorta half-assed. Best decision I ever made.

This!  [Except for the looking like ass part - Cheers Yotsuya!  LOL!  (j/k)].  When I first started I wanted to make sure it played EVERY game in Mame.  So I planned a 4-player panel.  Truth be told it RARELY gets used.  I've since built other arcade machines with simpler controls and I've never turned back!  They get played WAY more than the Frankenpanel, to the point that I'm planning to eventually downsize it to a 2 player panel.

Simpler is better!  Good luck!

Edit:  Also, make sure the computer is the last thing that you buy when building:
A)  It will be cheaper as time passes while you build your machine
B)  You will get a lot more accomplished since you won't be playing it while it's "half-done"

DeLuSioNaL29

[BadMouth]

I think the term frankenpanel is thrown out there too quickly in these parts, sometimes for people who want ANYTHING more than a two player trackball panel.
There's nothing wrong with having an analog joystick, trackball, & spinner on your CP.

What makes it suck is when you have to reach around other controls, play hunched over to reach the controls, or play a game while standing two feet left of the screen.

There's the problem of a player knowing which controls they should be using, but with all the LED stuff available that could be resolved.

[Malenko]

I think the term frankenpanel is thrown out there too quickly in these parts, sometimes for people who want ANYTHING more than a two player trackball panel.
There's nothing wrong with having an analog joystick, trackball, & spinner on your CP.

To me,  a 2 player panel with a trackball is a frankenpanel

I think the completely negative stigma that goes with the term "frankenpanel" is undeserved.  There are classy eloquent "multi-control" solutions, everything from rotating panels, to proper placement. I have my 4 player panel, and when I get the scratch to spare I'll be throwing a GGG Turbo Twist spinner on it (with a hockey puck shaped top) to play some Arkanoid.

When people hear frankenpanel they think:

(no offense mytymaus007)
and

(no offense zallax)

and not:

credit to Surface Tension

and

credit to    crip102468

[eds1275]

Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam.

I recently got one of those anti-fatigue mats from the dollar store (I stand while playing. Extended arcade gaming usually means there's lots of people at my place and we swap out a lot!) Best $3 I have spent in a long time!

[jdbailey1206]

Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions.   I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.

Your ass will eventually soften up and constipate over time. 

[taylormadelv]

What I am constantly thinking about while in progress on a cabinet is being patient enough to finish things the best I possibly can. Sometimes this means that I have to wait extra days for paint or wood filler to dry. Maybe I need to work a spot on a cabinet over and over to get it almost perfectly smooth. I can get impatient and anxious to have the project completed and in the past, I have sometimes "rushed" pieces of a project because I want the cabinet done.
As can be seen from the glacial pace of my current project; I take my time on each component of the cabinet. This usually means taking plenty of time shaping, fixing/finishing the wood and especially the prime and paint. Waiting extra days for stuff to dry can be painful when you want the satisfaction of having a complete cabinet. But looking at mistakes on old projects that cannot be worked on again pounds this all home to get it right the first time.

[Drnick]

Not planning my Marquee area properly,  I now have to do some very delicate routing/sanding to do  or live with marquee retainers not being recessed properly 

The other thing I regretted was buying a cheap set of joysticks and buttons only to find that they were just too sloppy and then having to spend out on a new set.

As to current regrets,  Not having the inclination to get off my fat ass and finish the software configuration,  I may just give up on Hyperspin and go with Mala or similar.

Make sure you plan everything out before you start,  First work out the games you want to play and design the Control panel around those games. I recommend investing in a 4/8 way switching joystick too.

[yotsuya]

I think the term frankenpanel is thrown out there too quickly in these parts, sometimes for people who want ANYTHING more than a two player trackball panel.

To me, it's not the controls as much as the size of the box holding said controls that gets it into Frankenpanel territory.

And you and Malenko are right, the placement of the controls goes a long way in the perception of the panel.

What I am constantly thinking about while in progress on a cabinet is being patient enough to finish things the best I possibly can.

Yeah, patience is key. That, and not buying cheap paint. That's the best lesson I've learned from this hobby. 

[jennifer]

   Cheap paint.... **Jennifer chuckles to herself**, Ive been talking about that for like EVER, yet nobody seems to care and always opts for the cheap way out only to be disappointed.

[Nephasth]

Marrying PBJ.

C'mon, he's not that bad...

[jennifer]

Marrying PBJ.

C'mon, he's not that bad...

  OMG, ewwwww, GROSS!!!