New Cabinet - All Metal Design

[scujr]

All metal here are a few pics that show it's progress and finished

[yotsuya]

They remind me of kiosks.

[Nephasth]

I think you should be utilizing some radius bends in your design. Artwork should be a design cut out of the metal with etched plexi behind it and lit up with RGB LEDs.

This example is very boxy. Lose the sharp corners on the CP at least. And the monitor mounting could use some cleaning up.

What's the weight?

[Mike A]

Well since you asked for feedback...

They are really ugly. The lines are terrible. It looks like something a robot would have designed.

The monitor is way too big.

I am sorry. I usually don't have this strong a reaction to a cabinet build, but I really don't like this at all.

[scujr]

I think you should be utilizing some radius bends in your design. Artwork should be a design cut out of the metal with etched plexi behind it and lit up with RGB LEDs.

This example is very boxy. Lose the sharp corners on the CP at least. And the monitor mounting could use some cleaning up.

What's the weight?

I understand on the radius comment, but radius bends add cost. I am hoping the artwork will take away from the sharper corners and the cover the hardware from the monitor mount. The weight is about 120 lbs.

[scujr]

Well since you asked for feedback...

They are really ugly. The lines are terrible. It looks like something a robot would have designed.

The monitor is way too big.

I am sorry. I usually don't have this strong a reaction to a cabinet build, but I really don't like this at all.

I appreciate the feedback. I don't expect everyone to like it, but i hope a few will appreciate the work.

[Nephasth]

Ah... You're building these to make a quick buck... Good luck.

[Mike A]

I can feel the enthusiasm and love of craftsmanship that went into this design.

[scujr]

Ah... You're building these to make a quick buck... Good luck.

That is the goal plus to help people that had the same problem I had when trying to make a MAME unit.  Get a stand-up cabinet that's affordable , easy to assemble, and breaks down for affordable shipping. I know the design is nothing like a traditional wood cabinet, but I hope in the end the functions meets the needs.

[scujr]

I can feel the enthusiasm and love of craftsmanship that went into this design.

Yes, as well as a lot of hours in 3D Cad trying to get a design that fits in one sheet of 60" X 120" of metal, but this is an example of why there are so many different models of cars. Everyone has different tastes. I appreciate the feedback though.

[Nephasth]

Ah... You're building these to make a quick buck... Good luck.

That is the goal plus to help people that had the same problem I had when trying to make a MAME unit.  Get a stand-up cabinet that's affordable , easy to assemble, and breaks down for affordable shipping. I know the design is nothing like a traditional wood cabinet, but I hope in the end the functions meets the needs.

What's the final price?

[JDFan]

Looks like it would be a bit top heavy and unstable - I can just imagine a young child grabbing the joystick and trying to climb up onto it only to have the entire thing come toppling over and all the sharp corners doing some major damage ! 

[8BitMonk]

Not a fan of the design, there's nothing particularly unique or compelling about it, just two boxes rudimentally slapped together.

What's the advantage over wooden kits? Besides looking better, they're likely cheaper. I can't imagine these weigh any less and it doesn't look like they break down completely flat for shipping.

For instance a UAII kit from North Coast Customs is $550+shipping plus it has a pullout keyboard tray and accommodates a traditional coin door.

[scujr]

Closed

[scujr]

Closed

[scujr]

Closed

[thomas_surles]

You should have a vertical screen option.

[yamatetsu]

For instance a UAII kit from North Coast Customs is $550+shipping plus it has a pullout keyboard tray and accommodates a traditional coin door.

The UAII is a fugly monstrosity.

[scujr]

Closed

[rablack97]

I dont see pinball working here, the angle of your CP in no way portrays that you can stand up playing this thing

If the overall width of your cab is more that 24" the side buttons are useless for pinball, 24" is the widbody standard, plus your screen needs to be vertical.

I would go with larger mesh circular speaker holes and add a marquee area.

The squareness of the design makes it look like janky/klunky.  It's one thing to make something cheap and affordable, but its another to make it house worthy where people aren't saying "what is that."

Neph is right you needs some radii in their somewhere, Keep in mind, folks can get 2plyr bartop kits add a simple stand and come out cheaper with more of an arcadish look...

If you're going for viewlix, vigolix, krayliz mash up, you need to add some sort of wow factor in here, reminds me of an upscaled corybee build.

Good luck though, i'm sure you will sell a few units to those that don't know any better

I can feel the enthusiasm and love of craftsmanship that went into this design.

Yes, as well as a lot of hours in 3D Cad trying to get a design that fits in one sheet of 60" X 120" of metal, but this is an example of why there are so many different models of cars. Everyone has different tastes. I appreciate the feedback though.

I think he was being a smartass but i have to agree, your key empahsis is metal but no love on the design at all...

[rablack97]

I'm assuming those 3 dents are from mounting the monitor, re-engineer it so those go away, not a good look.

[scujr]

I dont see pinball working here, the angle of your CP in no way portrays that you can stand up playing this thing

If the overall width of your cab is more that 24" the side buttons are useless for pinball, 24" is the widbody standard, plus your screen needs to be vertical.

I would go with larger mesh circular speaker holes and add a marquee area.

The squareness of the design makes it look like janky/klunky.  It's one thing to make something cheap and affordable, but its another to make it house worthy where people aren't saying "what is that."

Neph is right you needs some radii in their somewhere, Keep in mind, folks can get 2plyr bartop kits add a simple stand and come out cheaper with more of an arcadish look...

If you're going for viewlix, vigolix, krayliz mash up, you need to add some sort of wow factor in here, reminds me of an upscaled corybee build.

Good luck though, i'm sure you will sell a few units to those that don't know any better

I can feel the enthusiasm and love of craftsmanship that went into this design.

Yes, as well as a lot of hours in 3D Cad trying to get a design that fits in one sheet of 60" X 120" of metal, but this is an example of why there are so many different models of cars. Everyone has different tastes. I appreciate the feedback though.

I think he was being a smartass but i have to agree, your key empahsis is metal but no love on the design at all...

I think out of what you listed the vigolix is the closest in wood to the type I have built. I think the wow factor and features that are missing are the artwork to set the cabinet off. I just have no clue where to start on the graphics design portion. The box look and lack of curves are the draw backs when you are dealing with metal and cost. If cost was not a concern in my design I could add them. Maybe someone on here can lead me in the right direction for artwork design.

[scujr]

I'm assuming those 3 dents are from mounting the monitor, re-engineer it so those go away, not a good look.

Yes, those are the mounting studs for the monitor. They have been reduced in size for the next build from an M6 to an M5, and when the artwork is applied they will be invisible.

[rablack97]

Man, not trying to but your bubble but artwork is not going to help your issues here, its just going slightly hide it.

Most people just paint these type of designs, look at all of the overlapping corners you have here, you will have artwork overlaps all over the place.

Plus your crossing mame up with fighter style design, you've been given ideas, but if cost is the problem, i promise you artwork will not save this project, your gonna have to make some design improvements before you even look at artwork.

[rablack97]

I'm assuming those 3 dents are from mounting the monitor, re-engineer it so those go away, not a good look.

Yes, those are the mounting studs for the monitor. They have been reduced in size for the next build from an M6 to an M5, and when the artwork is applied they will be invisible.

Have you applied vinyl artwork before, it shows everything, hate to tell you unless your artwork is busy, it will not be invisible.

[rablack97]

I think you should be utilizing some radius bends in your design. Artwork should be a design cut out of the metal with etched plexi behind it and lit up with RGB LEDs.

This here.....is your art work when dealing with metal.

[mahuti]

What do people get arcade machines for? Nostalgia (nostalgic decoration) and bragging rights. In the current design, I don't see this hitting either of those marks. So.... you're left with a real small subset that has little money and some need for an upright box, but has zero interest in the style of an original arcade machine. Weird niche. I just don't see that it's there. Personally, if I didn't have $550 to spend on a wood kit, I wouldn't spend $300 on something that doesn't hit the mark. I'd spend $199 on an x-arcade stick and call it a day. 

Once we start getting into a question about what is marketable my brain goes into overdrive on what is and what isn't going to work with the general public.  From the customer's perspective: this doesn't look like an arcade machine. It doesn't have that feel. It looks like a mall kiosk. It doesnt hit the target of "I want an arcade machine". If you don't hit that target, it won't sell.

[Ian]

Cabinet has been cancelled I am just going to jump off a bridge instead.

Ouch....

[rablack97]

What do people get arcade machines for? Nostalgia (nostalgic decoration) and bragging rights. In the current design, I don't see this hitting either of those marks. So.... you're left with a real small subset that has little money and some need for an upright box, but has zero interest in the style of an original arcade machine. Weird niche. I just don't see that it's there. Personally, if I didn't have $550 to spend on a wood kit, I wouldn't spend $300 on something that doesn't hit the mark. I'd spend $199 on an x-arcade stick and call it a day. 

Once we start getting into a question about what is marketable my brain goes into overdrive on what is and what isn't going to work with the general public.  From the customer's perspective: this doesn't look like an arcade machine. It doesn't have that feel. It looks like a mall kiosk. It doesnt hit the target of "I want an arcade machine". If you don't hit that target, it won't sell.

[rablack97]

Cabinet has been cancelled I am just going to jump off a bridge instead.

Ouch....

Yeah that might hurt,  you might try a re-design before you do that.

Take the advice and make it better man, dont give up........

[mahuti]

@rablack97 

@scujr You don't have many posts... I hope we didn't run you off. I think we all identify with your excitement. But we all know that it's real damn hard for things to sell in this hobby at any price.

My best suggestion: make awesome stuff for your own entertainment, to hone your own personal craft, to have fun, and if you really want to share...  as gifts for other people. This isn't a great hobby for making money, but it is a great hobby for learning things that might be applicable in other fields.

You want other people to have joy doing arcade stuff... that is great. At the end of the day though... it's a hard business.

[8BitMonk]

The UAII is a fugly monstrosity.

How so, it shares a lot of it's looks with traditional arcade cabinets. I used the UAII plans to build my Mame machine and quite like it. In any case, even if you don't like the UAII design I still think it's miles ahead of this design in form and function.

Besides the aesthetics I'm still highly doubtful the OP could actually get all that metal cut, bent, powder coated and shipped for less than the alternatives unless he's doing high volumes and I just don't see the demand.

[scujr]

Closed

[morton]

Cabinet has been cancelled I am just going to jump off a bridge instead.

Ouch....

Yeah that might hurt,  you might try a re-design before you do that.

Take the advice and make it better man, dont give up........

Was going to choose a bridge over a river and use my cabinet to anchor me down to the river bed.  It's all in good fun, I either have the wrong audience for my design or I have started a lost cause. Either way I built a cabinet for my man cave that I am happy with and works really well for my liking. Maybe my hopes of capitalizing from that was a bad idea.

You shouldn't take it too hard. This is the nature of market research. If every product stopped the first time it was shown to people and got a bad reaction, we would have missed out on some truly special things in our time.

That said, you built something you like, and feel is marketable. Its hard to take constructive criticism when you are so married to you own work. Trust me... Its why I don't post half the stuff I build on other forums. You took a need and tried to address it. Its not to say you're the only one who would appreciate the design, but its going to take someone wanting "your design". I am not sure your experience in the marketplace and what you know about arcades... I know little as I am just starting. Its definitely a tough crowd. The worst idea I had IMO was trying to come up with something EVERYONE will like. Just ain't gonna happen. So maybe build one that does one thing really well, and hope that can be your selling point. My struggle is with how many tricks can you make a pony do before you wish it could just go back to being a normal pony. I feel I am better trying to make two cabs that do half as much than one that does it all.

Just my $0.02... I do commend you though, as it is no easy task. I saw the posted photo and it wasn't bad... And more of a start than some others. Regardless of the result, enjoy the journey, learn what you can... You took an idea and realized it... and remember that building something and finishing it is more important than winning over the crowd.

[pbj]

 

[scujr]

Closed

[pbj]

Put the pics back up, coward.

[rablack97]

Cabinet has been cancelled I am just going to jump off a bridge instead.

Ouch....

Yeah that might hurt,  you might try a re-design before you do that.

Take the advice and make it better man, dont give up........

Was going to choose a bridge over a river and use my cabinet to anchor me down to the river bed.  It's all in good fun, I either have the wrong audience for my design or I have started a lost cause. Either way I built a cabinet for my man cave that I am happy with and works really well for my liking. Maybe my hopes of capitalizing from that was a bad idea.

Well for one you chose metal man, hard to work with that and make it look good without sinking some coin into it.

Start simple, maybe customized metal CP's, those would sell.  Think about what you said, cheap kit, but costs more money to perfect

Perfect it using the advise and charge more, people will by quality when presentation is nice.  If your trying to hit the lower end market, your not gonna beat a fight stick attached to a rasp pi that's like 100.00 and no eye sore.

The design has to be clean and innovative and not based on material use.

Like Kanye said to the girl that brought him a sweater for his bday - DO BETTER -

But don't quit......

[scujr]

Put the pics back up, coward.

[rablack97]

Put the pics back up, coward.

OH yeah, this too, don't be scurrredddd.