My advice to beginners

[Vigo]

I am so over cup holders anymore.  Put them on everything, people!  Hell, add a Little Debbie snack holder and a Porta-Pottie, too. May as well be as comfortable as possible.

Screw authenticity. Yeehaw, let's build us some video game playin' machines!

The "screw authenticity" ship has already sailed the moment you opt to build a MAME cabinet rather than acquire a collection of real dedicated cabinets; this is my whole point.  Once you start down the path of emulator box, any guidelines or constraints you choose to impose in the name of righteous authenticity are at best personal preference and at worst completely arbitrary. 

I could stand at my cabinet wearing those 80's 3-stripe Adidas shorts and knee socks, and, relative to my memories, that would amp up the authenticity of the Frogger experience more than removing my cup holders ever would.  But it's 2015 and those shorts are gay, so I'm not going to do that.  After all, the idea isn't to "make pretend" that it's 1982 or that I'm 5 years old... the idea is to play some games and be entertained in doing so.

The big flaw with that mentality is that arcade cabinets are by far one of the most inconvenient methods to play video games. They are giant wood monoliths designed specifically for 5 minutes intervals of gameplay in a commercial setting and endure being kicked, punched, spilt on and have cigarettes put out on it. If it was only about the games, then most people here would be playing at their desk or couch using a gamepad or fight stick.

We respect trying to be authentic because we don't want to wash away the product. If I were a musician influenced by the band Nirvana, and wanted to write a song to tribute their style, would I throw in rap lyrics about drinking 40s?

I never put cupholders on my cab, and it has nothing to do with wishing it was 1982 nor a self righteous quest for authenticity. A lot of what I built would never be seen in 1982. It is more that I care about look and feel of the cabinet as a piece of art. 

[danny_galaga]

I never put cupholders on my cab, and it has nothing to do with wishing it was 1982 nor a self righteous quest for authenticity. A lot of what I built would never be seen in 1982. It is more that I care about look and feel of the cabinet as a piece of art. 

Nicely put (",)

[Cynicaster]

The big flaw with that mentality is that arcade cabinets are by far one of the most inconvenient methods to play video games. They are giant wood monoliths designed specifically for 5 minutes intervals of gameplay in a commercial setting and endure being kicked, punched, spilt on and have cigarettes put out on it. If it was only about the games, then most people here would be playing at their desk or couch using a gamepad or fight stick.

I'm surprised somebody here would say this, because I couldn't disagree more.  For me, there isn't a more immersive and awesome gaming experience to be had on the planet, than standing (yes, standing, not sitting on a stool) in front of an upright cabinet.  Aside from the glory that is arcade-style buttons and sticks, it's having the screen angled right at your face a few inches away, it's having the speakers (not earbuds) hovering right above your ears (or somehow nearby), it's the rock-solid sturdiness of the "wood monolith" that allows me to put my whole body into a game like Robotron and have the thing not budge, wobble, or tip over.

Since building my first project, I've completely lost the desire to play my old consoles, because after spending so many hours playing on my cabinet and others, sitting on a couch with a d-pad feels downright lame by comparison, and I can't get into it anymore.  If I want to play some retro console games (which I still do from time to time), I pick the ones that work well with arcade controls and play them on my cabinet (another taboo topic, I know, but again... everything I said above applies equally to console games, regardless of the fact that they weren't actually in arcades originally). 

We respect trying to be authentic because we don't want to wash away the product. If I were a musician influenced by the band Nirvana, and wanted to write a song to tribute their style, would I throw in rap lyrics about drinking 40s?

Admittedly a good analogy, but my point is, you can still do an unambiguously Nirvana-like tune without gargling nails before you record and without using a left-handed Fender Mustang played through a Boss DS1 on a pawnshop amp with a ripped speaker cone.... and chances are, if you DID do one, you'd not be following that recipe to a tee; you'd be taking some liberties like, for example, recording into a USB 3.0 PC interface rather than a vintage analog rig, or using a right-handed Ibanez that's not held together with duct tape.  So, as with building personal arcade cabinets, the "non-compliances" are ever-present... and my point is that to get up on a soap box with a bullhorn and try to make newcomers believe that certain arbitrarily-chosen non-compliances are acceptable and others aren't is stupid. Bottom line, no MAME cabinet is a real arcade cabinet, so build something that you can enjoy, that plays the games you want, and that fits into your home and recreational space the way you want.   

I'm making myself seem like I care about cup-holders much more than I actually do--I didn't put any on my last project--but for me, the to-cup-holder-or-not-to-cup-holder discussion exemplifies the irritatingly dogmatic nature of this hobby.   Whenever newcomers express an interest in building something and talk about their ideas, there is always a legion of good-ol-boys lined up around the block to tell them all of the the things they're doing wrong (or are about to do wrong).  Now, to advise against a Pac-Matt control panel is actually good advice because there are practical drawbacks of such an ill-guided mess... but little personal touches like cup-holders are not in that category at all. 

 

[pbj]

I'm surprised somebody here would say this, because I couldn't disagree more.

That's because you're an idiot and wrong.

 

[dkersten]

The first time I had friends over after my arcade was finished, beer got spilled on it.  If I had put cupholders in like I intended in the beginning, that wouldn't have happened. 

The thing everyone seems to be overlooking is the fact that arcade cabinets were designed to be in family friendly establishments, not mancaves where alcohol is typically consumed, and the more it is consumed, the more the games get played. 

I tend to agree that the moment you consider mame, an lcd, modern joysticks and buttons, and even MDF (which was seldom used in cabinets of old), you have thrown out the argument that it isn't original.  While I have never added cupholders (yet), when I first considered building a cab, me and my son browsed this very forum looking for inspiration, and when I saw a cab with cupholders, we high fived at the perfect idea.  This cab was, after all, going in a man cave right next to the kegerator, and would be played by drunken fools at 2 am.  What better idea than to have a place to put their red solo cup than somewhere it won't cause damage?

Then I read posts here and found out it was the opposite of cool, and I succumbed to the peer pressure.  At least I am cool now...  right? 

[Rick]

At least I am cool now...  right?

We're all cool here, buddy. We're all cool. *shifts uncomfortably in seat*

[Generic Eric]

I always thought an cocktail cabinet would be an appropriate place to put a drink.


I also considered a false wall that was 24" x 8" at CP height to be placed in between all of these games I was going to build.  It'd be a place to set drinks, and would also allow people to see the side art.

[pbj]

http://beverageholder.com/allproducts.aspx

[zanna5910]

Wow, everything in here is really great advice, all things I have taken to heart when building or learned of their truths the hard way, but here are some things I didn't really see while skimming thru this.

1. Dont try to make a cab that does EVERYTHING.  My first build, I am guilty of this too.  As much as everyone that comes on and says I want it to do everything, if you make a cab that is a bit more specialized, it will work better in the long run, be easier for people to play, and generally feel more clean looking and be a tighter design.

2. 1 year from the end of the build, you may realize you wish you had done it differently.  Dont be discouraged, you learned a lot.  Either mod your build or start over and build again.

3. Most of the guys building/restoring multiple cabs on this site have great advice that has been learned out of trial and error and failure.  Yea, you see those ultra-amazing, creative, unique cabs and designs now, but all that expertise was forged in experience.  Remember, they fail all the time too and learn from their mistakes just like you do as well.

[Generic Eric]

I've no doubt every vendor makes their best effort to ship out reasonably.  I've learned personally not to order on a Tuesday for a project the following Saturday.  Inadvisable at best.

[Hoopz]

I've no doubt every vendor makes their best effort to ship out reasonably.  I've learned personally not to order on a Tuesday for a project the following Saturday.  Inadvisable at best.

Ultimarc has shipped from the UK to the US in less time for me.  But planning ahead eliminates potential problems like this.

[Generic Eric]

I've no doubt every vendor makes their best effort to ship out reasonably.  I've learned personally not to order on a Tuesday for a project the following Saturday.  Inadvisable at best.

Ultimarc has shipped from the UK to the US in less time for me.  But planning ahead eliminates potential problems like this.

Word
The intended message is plan ahead.  An order may be received in a timely manner.  But if you order the cake 2 days before the wedding, you might not get it.

[Rick]

But if you order the cake 2 days before the wedding, you might not get it.

Words of wisdom, and a powerful euphemism!

[dkersten]

I've no doubt every vendor makes their best effort to ship out reasonably.  I've learned personally not to order on a Tuesday for a project the following Saturday.  Inadvisable at best.

Ultimarc has shipped from the UK to the US in less time for me.  But planning ahead eliminates potential problems like this.

Word
The intended message is plan ahead.  An order may be received in a timely manner.  But if you order the cake 2 days before the wedding, you might not get it.

In a world where we have Amazon Prime and free 2 day shipping, it is hard to get out of the mindset that you can order your stuff a few days before you need it and have it in your hands.  I did my Xmas shopping this year starting on the 15th of Dec, and only two items got delayed to the 23rd and 24th.  Granted, in a few cases I had to pay more to get the Prime shipping, but overall I did really well.

Ultimarc rocks for shipping cost and speed, especially considering how far it has to travel.  Often I get my Ultimarc stuff about the day my stuff from other vendors ships, and even if they ship the same day, for twice as much shipping cost it takes twice as long for a few thousand fewer miles.  Pretty crazy you can order something from London and have it arrive in Montana 3 days later while your package from within the states is still in shipping for another 3-4 days.

All that aside, the advice is solid:  Plan this stuff out many weeks in advance.  Order your parts 2 weeks before you need them at the minimum, longer if you can.  I try to get my orders in a week or two before I even start construction, and even then something shows up wrong and I am waiting for a part before I can move on to the next step. 

[DietCoke]

The big flaw with that mentality is that arcade cabinets are by far one of the most inconvenient methods to play video games. They are giant wood monoliths designed specifically for 5 minutes intervals of gameplay in a commercial setting and endure being kicked, punched, spilt on and have cigarettes put out on it. If it was only about the games, then most people here would be playing at their desk or couch using a gamepad or fight stick.

I completely disagree, nor do I believe that it is a flaw in mentality.  It's simply a different approach based on a different set of goals.  It is more comfortable for me to stand or sit on a stool when it comes to gaming, and it also keeps me from geeking out too much and neglecting my family by playing for hours without realizing it.  As well, I lost a finger about 9 years ago and that makes an arcade panel a hell of a lot more comfortable/usable than a gamepad could ever be.  And, more importantly - that's what I grew up using, unlike a gamepad.  This might be a generational thing, I don't know.  It is what I like, therefore I chose that approach.

I never put cupholders on my cab, and it has nothing to do with wishing it was 1982 nor a self righteous quest for authenticity. A lot of what I built would never be seen in 1982. It is more that I care about look and feel of the cabinet as a piece of art. 

The operative phrase here is "It is more that I care about look and feel".  Mine are recessed and integrated into the cabinet in a way that is safer for the unit in the event of spills.  And I can assure you that it hasn't lost the "piece of art" feeling.  Just gotta do it in a way where they don't announce themselves or get in the way functionally. 

When it comes down to it I'm not shooting for authenticity inasmuch as I'm shooting for something *I like*.  Doesn't mean others have to like it, nor would I try to convince you that it is the best thing since sliced bread.  But it is for me    I think a big source for these arguments comes from people getting defensive about their cabinets as though any of us are authorities.  There are folks here that are authorities on stuff for sure, but a lot just comes down to preference and budget.  The rest is just trying to help where you can and accepting that just because it isn't what you'd do doesn't mean that it isn't perfect for someone else!

[Vigo]

In my comments earlier, I said inconvenient, I never said less enjoyable or a worse experience, and I never said inferior controls which is why I mentioned fight sticks (tabletop arcade controls).  The reason why I addressed convenience is because it is the source of so many pitfalls. If standing in the corner of your basement facing the wall is the most convenient way for you to game, then you are a rare bird. What is convenient about torquing your entire body around to play a game of Robotron? Nothing. But it is the enjoyable way to play. I can personally rack up much better scores on the right dual analog gampad. (BTW, I can torque on a robotron hard enough that If I had a cupholder on it, it would be spilling)

Why do clunky and confusing frankenpanels exist?
Why do we have cabinets that are 6 feet wide built around a $1800 widescreen panel?
Why do some cabs have two rows of admin buttons?
Why do some systems try to cram 30 consoles and 100 gigs of emumovies into it's painfully indirect menu?

They are all measures of convenience, but at expense of experience.

In chef school we were taught that impressive presentation and simple flavor was the key to a fine dish. I think that translates the same to arcade machines. When you are investing so much money and time into a cabinet, why shoot for the "Denny's Grand Slam" of Cabinets? Feature creep is a bad thing. Making something focused on doing its one job right is gonna be cheaper and easier to do, and more rewarding in experience.

[Hoopz]

Dont point out flaws in your builds to others.  Cabinets are like kids;  they have idiosyncrasies but not flaws.  No need to show people things that aren't perfect.

Make sure you have more than enough room for the build itself in the garage or shop.  If you have just enough room to do something, you dont have enough room.  Take the time to make it easier to do.  Saves time in the long run.

[TopJimmyCooks]

skip mame entirely and proceed directly to pinball. 

[jennifer]

skip mame entirely and proceed directly to pinball.

  Well that, And OEM dedicated arcade cabs.