Project Guidance: Tabletop Arcade

[SpatzST]

Hi y'all.  My friend is building a bar in his basement and I want to build him a little table-top arcade.  Probably with just simple arcade games like pacman, some scrollers, nothing crazy.  What would be the ideal # of buttons/controls for this? I would assume like 2 joys (balltop?), 4 buttons each (8 total), 2 coin, and 2 admin?

Would this be something a Raspberry Pi could handle without issue?

Ideal monitor? Square 4:3 LCD? 16:9 vertical/horizontal?

I'm assuming I want shallow buttons, microswitches...

Any tips, advice, other info... thanks

[javeryh]

If you are going to make a 2P cabinet it's already not going to be little.  The pi can handle all of that stuff.  Honestly, a full sized cab in the basement bar is pretty awesome if you do it right.  You can even make a small footprint if you go with a flatscreen... but in that case I'd put a PC in there.

[SpatzST]

If you are going to make a 2P cabinet it's already not going to be little.  The pi can handle all of that stuff.  Honestly, a full sized cab in the basement bar is pretty awesome if you do it right.  You can even make a small footprint if you go with a flatscreen... but in that case I'd put a PC in there.

I mean i'd love to make a full sized one, but the room isn't huge, and I'm doing it as a gift so it's all money out of pocket   Trying to keep it on the smaller/cheaper side.

[thomashenry]

My input. Totally subjective of course.

1. Use an RPi. Along with a good premade image, it's pretty much plug and play.
2. For a general purpose cab, go for 2 sticks, 6 buttons per player. Use an iPac2 for control interfacing.
3. Using some usb exention cables or whatever, make a few USB sockets available at the front of the cab, for plugging in keyboard, other controllers etc
4. For sound, the easiest thing is to cannibalise some PC speakers. With some simple soldering/wiring, you get an amp, psu, speakers and a muting headphone jack.
5. Use a CRT.
6. Use a CRT
7. If you don't use a CRT, at least use a sensibly sized 4:3 screen. Resist the temptation of a big screen. 19-25" is best, and I prefer sctreens at the lower end of that range. When the screen gets too big, it makes games hard to play. You are standing right up close to it, and you won't be able to see it all at once. A screen that natively does something like 1600x1200 or 1280x960 would be ok. Combined with a the CRT shader in retorpie, it will look ok.
8. But use a CRT, really. Standard VGA CRT monitors with a wide range of horizontal scan rates are great as you can feed them integer scaled versions of almost almost any native arcade resolution and refersh rate.

[SpatzST]

My input. Totally subjective of course.

1. Use an RPi. Along with a good premade image, it's pretty much plug and play.
2. For a general purpose cab, go for 2 sticks, 6 buttons per player. Use an iPac2 for control interfacing.
3. Using some usb exention cables or whatever, make a few USB sockets available at the front of the cab, for plugging in keyboard, other controllers etc
4. For sound, the easiest thing is to cannibalise some PC speakers. With some simple soldering/wiring, you get an amp, psu, speakers and a muting headphone jack.
5. Use a CRT.
6. Use a CRT
7. If you don't use a CRT, at least use a sensibly sized 4:3 screen. Resist the temptation of a big screen. 19-25" is best, and I prefer sctreens at the lower end of that range. When the screen gets too big, it makes games hard to play. You are standing right up close to it, and you won't be able to see it all at once. A screen that natively does something like 1600x1200 or 1280x960 would be ok. Combined with a the CRT shader in retorpie, it will look ok.
8. But use a CRT, really. Standard VGA CRT monitors with a wide range of horizontal scan rates are great as you can feed them integer scaled versions of almost almost any native arcade resolution and refersh rate.

thanks!
I don't mind using a CRT, just didn't really know about their availability... or how I can actually modify one to fit into an arcade properly. I'm not too keen on disassembling a CRT monitor to make it fit properly (with all the high voltage parts inside and what not). I may just use a 4:3 LCD for simplicities sake.

[thomashenry]

My input. Totally subjective of course.

1. Use an RPi. Along with a good premade image, it's pretty much plug and play.
2. For a general purpose cab, go for 2 sticks, 6 buttons per player. Use an iPac2 for control interfacing.
3. Using some usb exention cables or whatever, make a few USB sockets available at the front of the cab, for plugging in keyboard, other controllers etc
4. For sound, the easiest thing is to cannibalise some PC speakers. With some simple soldering/wiring, you get an amp, psu, speakers and a muting headphone jack.
5. Use a CRT.
6. Use a CRT
7. If you don't use a CRT, at least use a sensibly sized 4:3 screen. Resist the temptation of a big screen. 19-25" is best, and I prefer sctreens at the lower end of that range. When the screen gets too big, it makes games hard to play. You are standing right up close to it, and you won't be able to see it all at once. A screen that natively does something like 1600x1200 or 1280x960 would be ok. Combined with a the CRT shader in retorpie, it will look ok.
8. But use a CRT, really. Standard VGA CRT monitors with a wide range of horizontal scan rates are great as you can feed them integer scaled versions of almost almost any native arcade resolution and refersh rate.

thanks!
I don't mind using a CRT, just didn't really know about their availability... or how I can actually modify one to fit into an arcade properly. I'm not too keen on disassembling a CRT monitor to make it fit properly (with all the high voltage parts inside and what not). I may just use a 4:3 LCD for simplicities sake.

4:3 LCD would be easier for sure... . but mounting a CRT isn't THAT hard. You don't even need to decase it if you don't want to, just sit it on a shelf.

[SpatzST]

4:3 LCD would be easier for sure... . but mounting a CRT isn't THAT hard. You don't even need to decase it if you don't want to, just sit it on a shelf.

Gotcha. I'll have to see whats out there. maybe I can score a cheap craigslist one.

thanks

[thomashenry]

4:3 LCD would be easier for sure... . but mounting a CRT isn't THAT hard. You don't even need to decase it if you don't want to, just sit it on a shelf.

Gotcha. I'll have to see whats out there. maybe I can score a cheap craigslist one.

thanks

For me it was a non-negotiable, I just couldn't bear the input lag playing Robotron on an LCD.

[javeryh]

If you are going to make a 2P cabinet it's already not going to be little.  The pi can handle all of that stuff.  Honestly, a full sized cab in the basement bar is pretty awesome if you do it right.  You can even make a small footprint if you go with a flatscreen... but in that case I'd put a PC in there.

I mean i'd love to make a full sized one, but the room isn't huge, and I'm doing it as a gift so it's all money out of pocket   Trying to keep it on the smaller/cheaper side.

In my experience, the cost of building a full size cabinet vs. a bartop is mostly negligible.  Also, the bartop needs... a bar top or counter or table to play on and lots of people don't think of this and think it won't take up space when in reality it takes up more space than you want because those things are valuable real estate.  A slim stand up cabinet can be a 18x24 footprint in the corner of the room that wouldn't otherwise have anything in it.

Just my $0.02.

[leapinlew]

My thoughts -

Go with a jamma all-in-one. It's legit all in one, no configuration needed. RPi is close, but it gets tricky when trying to use a pre-built image. If you don't know anything and starting from scratch, it's easier to learn about Jamma and buy an all-in-one than it is to learn about the RPi, controllers, images and all the corresponding configurations.

As far as form factor, Javery is right. I'd look to see if you can find a old arcade to use as a shell. It's getting difficult to find because there is demand in the retro market again, but it can be done and can save a ton of time.

[thomashenry]

In contrast to the previous two posters, I think a bartop offers several advantages. A bartop with an LCD is an easy one man lift. You can move it around easily, up/down stairs, place it on a table/countertop, stow it in the loft, pop it on the back seat of a car etc. If you want it more permanently set up, its very easy to make a plinth for it to stand on, which basically turns it into a knockdown full height cab. If you do a bartop unit with a CRT it will be deeper and heavier but still just about manageable for one person to lug around.

A full side cab is a different story. Moving it around is a two man job, getting up stairs is a pain. When you need to put it away for whatever reason, it's much more difficult.

These things may or may not bother you, depending on your circumstances. For me, a bartops over full heights are a no brainer.

[yotsuya]

I just wanted to add that I own many full-size cabinets with CRTs and have never needed a second person to move it around. Stairs are a different story, but just around my gameroom or in and out of the house? I do it all by myself. Bartops are much more portable, yes, but don’t let the size of a regular cab deter you.

Having said that, if his basement is that small, a bartop is probably the right idea. And since it’s a custom build and casual gift, I’d go LCD. If you went full size, then I’d consider a CRT.

[thomashenry]

I just wanted to add that I own many full-size cabinets with CRTs and have never needed a second person to move it around. Stairs are a different story, but just around my gameroom or in and out of the house? I do it all by myself. Bartops are much more portable, yes, but don’t let the size of a regular cab deter you.

Having said that, if his basement is that small, a bartop is probably the right idea. And since it’s a custom build and casual gift, I’d go LCD. If you went full size, then I’d consider a CRT.

Yes, moving them around in a room is ok, you can normally 'walk' them or push them.

[Mike A]

If people were sensible and built their LCD cab out of plywood, they could pick it up and carry it. People keep building with MDF. They may as well fill the base with concrete.

[Howard_Casto]

Yeah I don't get the MDF love.  Plywood might be ever so slightly more expensive, but it's far easier to work with and will hold up over time, unlike mdf which will swell like a blow fish if moisture ever gets in. 

[thomashenry]

MDF is the devil's material!!!

[pbj]

Making it smaller will save all of about $20.

[leapinlew]

Making it smaller will save all of about $20.

This was a problem when I built my bartops. People would inquire about them as if they wanted to pay me to make them one, and they assumed the price dropped by 1/2 or more. You need additional wood, t-molding, and potentially artwork. Everything else is dang near the same.

In many cases, it seemed liked much more time to build one because the interior dimensions could get real tight. I did enjoy making them though. I was in an apartment, so I brought them in and out to work on them and it that was a nice convenience.

[Howard_Casto]

Making it smaller will save all of about $20.

Yeah if it's a 2 player then you are essentially building a full sized cabinet with the bottom chopped off.... that saves.... what.... a half a sheet of plywood?

[yotsuya]

Making it smaller will save all of about $20.

This was a problem when I built my bartops. People would inquire about them as if they wanted to pay me to make them one, and they assumed the price dropped by 1/2 or more. You need additional wood, t-molding, and potentially artwork. Everything else is dang near the same.

In many cases, it seemed liked much more time to build one because the interior dimensions could get real tight. I did enjoy making them though. I was in an apartment, so I brought them in and out to work on them and it that was a nice convenience.

Haha - I know, right? People expect you to tell them it will cost $100 bucks to build them one like yours.


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