Xybots to MAME conversion suggestions

[sirzooass]

I have a Xybots machine I'd like to convert to MAME without butchering the control panel. The cabinet and control panel are mint so I'd like to keep it looking nice. Since there aren't many buttons, I realize that I won't be able to play many games but I only really want to play the classics anyway... unless someone here has a creative idea like putting a button pad of some sort on top of the overlay.

The joysticks are sort of funky in that you can twist them left or right to hit a microswitch, then the joystick returns to the center position. From what I pulled from this forum the joysticks are 4-way despite allowing diagonal movement.

At this point I'm just looking for suggestions regarding what I should buy to convert the game and whether it would be wise to keep the old joysticks or remove them from the game. I was thinking that the 2 microswitches could be rigged to function as buttons perhaps?

[lokki]

KLOV has some technical information on the joysticks.
Looks pretty sweet


http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=10510

[Minwah]

Don't know how easy this would be on that cab but have a look into removing the control panel (without damaging it of course) and making a replacement.  That way you can add whatever controls you like and you'll be able to convert it back if/when neccessary

[spidermonkey]

Damn, thats one of my favorite games. If you decide to replace those sticks with more universal ones let me know. I'd love to buy them.

[sirzooass]

Thanks for the info and feedback!

Removing the control panel would probably be the best idea. I'd love to be able to easily switch from MAME to the original Xybots by swapping out control panels since the game is fun.

I just thought since the cabinet is so unique this would make a cool looking cabinet for MAME.

If I pull out the control panel, I could potentially just sit a hot rod controller in the hole, but I need exact dimensions of the base of one of those. Dimensions on their site aren't detailed enough for me to tell if that works. Anyone have one?

[Lilwolf]

spidermonkey... www.videoconnect.com (or tion.com) was selling new ones a while ago... worth a look.

And try to save the control panel if you can.  Something you might consider is having a mini-hotswappable control panel..  (there is a few examples... a really good one on a cocktail table).

Where you have on each side 2 areas that can come off/on.  Each with enought space for a joystick and buttons... or 6 buttons.... or a trackball..

This way you can have 4 joysticks (left and right on each side with just a joystick)

Or your originals and some buttons.

Or a joystick and buttons.

Or a trackball and buttons

or a spinner and a flight stick...

It would tear up the original control panel.. but might be what you want.... building a non-flat control panel will be hard (if you want multiples)... so you might just take 2 bocks out of each...

[Stingray]

That control panel would be a little tricky to duplicate, but certainly not impossible. If it were mine I would pull the CP and save it, putting my new controls in the duplicate. The Xybots cab is far too unique (in my opinion) to cut it up.

-S

[NoOne=NBA=]

It would tear up the original control panel.. but might be what you want.... building a non-flat control panel will be hard (if you want multiples)... so you might just take 2 bocks out of each...

Don't even THINK about doing this.
Do not do ANYTHING irreversible to this cabinet.
It IS a very unique cabinet, as you said earlier.
I'm not at all against the USE of a classic like this for a MAME project; but make sure that you can put it all back to factory when you are done.

We are trying to preserve history here, not rewrite it to fit our whims.
If you do anything even remotely resembling the above suggestion, there is a good chance that an angry mob will converge on your house, so....

[Lilwolf]

Your right.  I wouldn't ruin the original.

I was more thinking (but not expressing) that you spend the time to make one control panel that is similar in shape....

but then add parts that you add / remove from it...

Instead of redoing the control panel for each control panel..

[Sephroth57]

xybots is such a cool looking machine, definately remove the CP and make a custom one for MAME