Looking into Building Mame Pac-Man Machine

[TheBackStabArcader]

Hello! My name is BackStabArcader, and well, erm. I dunno how to start this... I guess I'll start off with apologizing if this is not the appropriate place for this topic, I am pretty new here. Welp, Guess I'll talk about why I am here 

So I had an old windows 7 desktop PC that had problems, (The fan would fail to keep it cool, resulting in a crash) And I got a Laptop instead. Was planning on throwing out the thing, until I had unexpectedly fell in love with an 80's arcade game, Pac-Man! The monitor looks beautiful running M.A.M.E, and It responds nice and quick, so I thought I'd Turn it into a home-built M.A.M.E machine. Only problem is, I'm having problems finding an old broken down Pac-Man machine, or an empty one. I've found plenty of machines for cheap I could use, but It just doesn't feel the same playing Pac-Man on a Journey machine, or a Donkey kong machine, You know? I was hoping maybe someone could help me out on finding something like that? I found a $450 empty Ms. Pac-Man that was built to the specs of the original. I suppose I could spray paint that yellow, and use decals or stencils or something... Again, finding plenty of cheap joysticks to hook up, but most of em are those microswitch ones. Even the majority of the games at my local arcade use microswitches! Ugh!!! Any help on this would be appritiated, and I am very sorry if this is the wrong place for this Well, If you are seeing this, Have a great day. I also have a discord and skype if you really need it lol. Allrighty, Bye. I 'll keep updated on what happends and what I do.

UPDATE_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________



So after looking for an emty Pac-Man, I stumbled across this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ms-Pacman-arcade-game-cabinet-NEW-3-4-MDF-Lumber-built-to-specs/142096736421?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D44757%26meid%3De19db0112a1a44a0b521c8ad89ef0596%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D272231087680 Somebody actually makes Ms Pac-Man and Galaga Cabinets, without the electronics, without the graphics, just a pure blue or black cabinet, and It's built to the exact measurements. It is 400 bucks, which is twice what I wanted to spend on an empty cab, But If I manage it, and spray it with a Yellow, Add on graphics and throw my old PC in there, It might be worth it!

[harveybirdman]

Namco cabinet plans can be found at jakobud as well as many other places.

Pacman should have a mini SLG or similar scanline generator if you intend to skip the CRT

There are plenty of leaf switch joys out there.  I have played on Yotsuya’s cabinet that has a Pac Pro from groovy game gear and it's plenty acceptable enough for any typical fan.  You can also find them on ebay or from users at klov.

Welcome might want to start with the wiki

[Howard_Casto]

Here's a tip from when I built mine.... don't look for pac-man parts.  Instead look for less popular games that ran in a pac-man cab and/or pac-man's converted to other games.  When I built mine the metal pac-man control panels were going for $100 dollars or more.  I got a sky shark cp complete with buttons and joystick for $20  I wanted to put extra buttons in anyway, so it actually saved me time, but if I didn't it would have just been a matter of filling the holes. 

[TheBackStabArcader]

Yeah! I've been looking around for Galaga, Galaxian, Ms  Pac-Man, Pac-Man, and Centipede. those are the only Cabinets I know of that use that design. I've come out with nothing that is in my price range ($200) Mostly the $500 shipping that hurts ms :/

[Howard_Casto]

Try Rally-X Bosconian and Sky Shark.... nobody wants those games. 

You will be lucky to find a complete cab though.... that part you'll probably have to build with that low a budget. 

I scratch built mine and not including art it was probably 350-400 bucks.... and that was 5 years ago when the price of wood was cheaper. 

[ChadTower]

Centipede doesn't use that design.  It's an Atari game.

[TheBackStabArcader]

Centipede doesn't use that design.  It's an Atari game.

Oh my gosh you are completely right! I completely missed that XD It's too similr to the galaxian cab!!!! Thanks for pointing it out

[leapinlew]

Did you say you found a Journey machine? I love that cabinet.

[TheBackStabArcader]

Yeppers, In the past, I've found Journeys selling from around $170 to $400, So not too expensive for an arcade machine that good, If I see one again, I'll be sure to send ti your way

[Ginsu Victim]

"What did we say about yeppers?"

[TheBackStabArcader]

Hah Hah

[knave]

PM me if you are in Northern CA, as I have a disassembled Pac man cabinet. I was going to put it together one day but it's never gonna happen...