Project: My first cabinet - Mid 90s and before!

[minorhero]

Hello folks!

I remember being in Ocean City, Maryland in the 90s on vacation at my grandmother's house and walking to an arcade off Ocean Ave, or saving up my money so I could blow 5 dollars in quarters in an afternoon at the Bethany Boardwalk arcade. I have a LOT of nostalgia for that time and would very much like to recreate a small part of that in my garage.

To that end, I want to make a full size cabinet that would be able to play games from the mid 90s and earlier. Here are my assets:

1) I am actually pretty decent at woodworking already. I have nearly a full shop of woodworking tools that I use as a hobbyist to build furniture. The actual physical cabinet construction holds no mystery for me. Working with polycarbonate and decals are a different story, but we will get there in time.

2) I am beginner level 'ok' at photoshop and have a subscription to that program which I primarily use to edit photographs these days, but as a kid, I did a lot of typesetting and layout at my father's Copy Shop. So I think I should be able to make my own artwork.

3) I have made lightsabers in the past (very different hobby, but some overlap with needing to solder things and wire up circuit boards).

4) I still have every computer I have owned going back 25 years in my father's barn. So the pc should be 'free'.

5) For displays I currently have the following to choose from stored in my father's barn:
      a) 17 inch crt computer monitor
      b) 32 inch crt television (later generation - its gigantic)
      c) 22 inch LCD computer monitor (specifically Samsung LS22PTNSF https://icecat.biz/us/p/samsung/ls22ptnsf-zx/computer+monitors-ls22ptnsf-11071198.html)

Alternatively, I can buy whatever I can find. A search through facebook marketplace and craigslist however has not shown me any crt monitors larger then 17 inches within a reasonable driving distance. I have seen a few old tvs in various sizes nearby. I am willing to buy a new monitor if that's the best option as well.

Soooooo my first question that I could really really use some opinions on is, what monitor should I buy? Should I get a new flatscreen monitor? Is one of the options I already have a good choice?

What I want to play is basically games from the SNES era and before. Ideally, that would include lightguns, but it doesn't have to if that is impossible. This will be a 2 player cabinet when it's all said and done.

Thoughts?

Thank you for any help!

[PL1]

Welcome to the forums.   

Sounds like you have a decent starting idea for what you're hoping to build vs. trying to build the "one cab to play them all" that some people try for, but nobody has ever succeeded at.

To refine your ideas, you may want to check out the FAQ, especially the design process described in the What type of build meets my needs? section.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/FAQ

Take your time as you work through the design process.
- It will help you figure things out in a logical, orderly fashion and call attention to some of the "unknown unknowns" you'll inevitably run into in this hobby.
- You may want to consider starting with a standalone control panel so you can test out different controls, monitors, and/or layouts (Slagcoin FTW) before you commit to a full cab build.


Scott

[Xiaou2]

All LCD's have issues with pixel change timings, which leads to slight blurring effects.  This problem goes beyond mere Hz refresh rates.
LCDs also often suffer from bad color accuracy problems, viewing angle issues, and poor blacks... depending on the Era / model.

Some of the very late model Wide-Screen CRT's have delays... due to slow visual processing circuit-boards.

So, IMO,  the best option is a mid era CRT TV.  Svideo input at minimal.  Component inputs may be easiest.
Composite tends to be too washed out.

Since most Arcade machines run at Standard res. 320x240...  and mid-era TVs can often do 720p  (or higher, depending on model, and your video cards scaler)
you will not have any issues with running most 90s era machines.

Another great feature about CRTs, is that they can run all sorts of Resolutions, without any problems, and they scale well, without strange artifacts that occur from
LCD scaling.

 LCDs tend to be locked to 60 hz,  which can be a problem for certain arcade games that have slightly different timing, like Mortal Kombat (I believe).
I believe that poor sync will cause some audio stuttering issues.

[minorhero]

Welcome to the forums.   

Sounds like you have a decent starting idea for what you're hoping to build vs. trying to build the "one cab to play them all" that some people try for, but nobody has ever succeeded at.

To refine your ideas, you may want to check out the FAQ, especially the design process described in the What type of build meets my needs? section.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/FAQ

Take your time as you work through the design process.
- It will help you figure things out in a logical, orderly fashion and call attention to some of the "unknown unknowns" you'll inevitably run into in this hobby.
- You may want to consider starting with a standalone control panel so you can test out different controls, monitors, and/or layouts (Slagcoin FTW) before you commit to a full cab build.


Scott

Thank you! the links were very helpful. I didn't realize the joysticks were going to be so determinative before going through those sections. I also really like the idea of doing mockup controls before committing to one specific design. I had been wondering how I was going to make the controls work perfectly on my first try, and clearly the answer is... not to, but to try a bunch of times till I get it right

Right now, I am probably looking at IL Eurojoysticks because the definite focus will be on nes and snes era games rather then the 70s arcade games. Plus this is first and foremost a nostalgia machine and from what I have read so far, those were likely what I was playing on in the 90s (or rather the modern equivalent).

All LCD's have issues with pixel change timings, which leads to slight blurring effects.  This problem goes beyond mere Hz refresh rates.
LCDs also often suffer from bad color accuracy problems, viewing angle issues, and poor blacks... depending on the Era / model.

Some of the very late model Wide-Screen CRT's have delays... due to slow visual processing circuit-boards.

So, IMO,  the best option is a mid era CRT TV.  Svideo input at minimal.  Component inputs may be easiest.
Composite tends to be too washed out.

Since most Arcade machines run at Standard res. 320x240...  and mid-era TVs can often do 720p  (or higher, depending on model, and your video cards scaler)
you will not have any issues with running most 90s era machines.

Another great feature about CRTs, is that they can run all sorts of Resolutions, without any problems, and they scale well, without strange artifacts that occur from
LCD scaling.

 LCDs tend to be locked to 60 hz,  which can be a problem for certain arcade games that have slightly different timing, like Mortal Kombat (I believe).
I believe that poor sync will cause some audio stuttering issues.

Yeah, I'm coming to the realization I am going to need to buy something to be happy. I am going to drive down to my parents barn today and pickup some of my old computers and possibly a monitor while I am there. I can load software and test things out on that and see how it will look. Meanwhile LCD monitors have really come a long way in a few years. Last night I saw a 27 inch monitor that has 1ms response time, 180hz, and g-sync/freesync for 150 dollars. Sooo I might need to look into what something like that can do as well and compare it.

[Xiaou2]

Its not the MS response times that matters.  Its the fact that it takes a certain amount of time for a pixel to change from One color, to another.
I believe its called "Persistence".

As such, an LCD will never be Faster and Cleaner,  than an  CRT  based display.

Various companies have created different Tricks to help with these various issues.  Some are better than others.
But when you play a fast action / fast scrolling game... things tend to be revealed pretty quickly.

[minorhero]

It's definitely something I need first hand experience with to understand. Fortunately, I have a lot of equipment already laying around so I fully intend to try out some options and see what feels right to me.

To that end, I have raided my parents barn and came back with a CRT tv and a few monitors, and all of my old computers going back 20+ years. As it turns out.... there are a lot of them

Since I am usually in the habit of cannibalizing my last computer to create my new computer when I upgrade, most of them were missing parts. So it took me a day to coble together enough pieces to make the 'best' old computer I could and reload windows on a clean partition.

I am so new to the arcade builder thing that I am still wrapping my head around terminology. But I figured out that I need a frontend. I looked around for what people liked and tried both attract mode and launchbox. The latter still needs to be configured but I will likely go with that.

I also need to figure out what emulators I will be using other then MAME. I want to be able to play nes, snes, and probably sega. I haven't even started looking into it yet though.

Meanwhile I also put in an order at paradise arcade for buttons etc. I really wanted concave buttons so I ordered mostly IL buttons. They did not have led concave buttons, so I ordered translucent with the hope that I can figure out a way to light them. The ideal being if I can get the right buttons to light up when the right game is being played (I believe there is software for that called blinky?). If it can't happen though its not the end of the world.

After looking into different controllers I ordered an ipac ultimate.

I wanted to get the blue tip gaming buttons paradise arcade have, but could literally find no resource online for how to wire them so the analog function was preserved. I did find one person saying they couldn't get it to work. Sooo yeah, I skipped that.

My layout will then have two Eurojoysticks, and 6 IL translucent buttons. I will also have a 1 player and 2 player button, 2 start buttons, 2 coin buttons, and 1 pause button. Any input on buttons would be GREATLY appreciated. I figured this is the minimum number of buttons I will need to play most things with a 2 player cabinet plus the pause button which is just a great quality of life feature. I have read that other admin functions can be accomplished through shortcuts. Thoughts?

[harri]

My layout will then have two Eurojoysticks, and 6 IL translucent buttons.

You mean three buttons per player? Since SNES controller already has four buttons I wouldn't go with less than that per player. (Or did it had shoulder pads also, I've only played with it once or twice during the days so I can't say, if so the minimum should be six.)

While I wouldn't play console games with arcade cabinet I think one option for combined arcade/console cabinet could be control panel with sticks and buttons for arcade games and two usb-ports where you can connect pads when playing console games.

[minorhero]

My layout will then have two Eurojoysticks, and 6 IL translucent buttons.

You mean three buttons per player? Since SNES controller already has four buttons I wouldn't go with less than that per player. (Or did it had shoulder pads also, I've only played with it once or twice during the days so I can't say, if so the minimum should be six.)

While I wouldn't play console games with arcade cabinet I think one option for combined arcade/console cabinet could be control panel with sticks and buttons for arcade games and two usb-ports where you can connect pads when playing console games.

Sorry, should have been more clear. Each player has a joystick and 6 buttons. It seems like that configuration is generally accepted for games made before the N64 era? Or such has been my understanding from reading other people's builds.

In addition to the joystick and 6 buttons per player, each player also has a coin button and a start button. There are the 1 and 2 player select buttons, and finally, there is 1 pause button. So in total I have 19 buttons and 2 joysticks.

I am of many minds when it comes to controllers. Mostly though, that's not the 'arcade' experience I remember, so I'll probably skip them.

[PL1]

Meanwhile I also put in an order at paradise arcade for buttons etc. I really wanted concave buttons so I ordered mostly IL buttons. They did not have led concave buttons, so I ordered translucent with the hope that I can figure out a way to light them.

There are several approaches to choose from.

Slightly less expensive way - Single-color 45 degree 5mm LEDs as mentioned in the wiki.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/Lighting_Microswitch_Buttons


Slightly more expensive way - RGB modules similar to the ones Nephasth used in the Two Headed Beast. (AFAIK Paradise doesn't stock that kind anymore)
- Drilling holes for wiring - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,108719.msg1167130.html#msg1167130
- Easy disconnect wiring - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,108719.msg1177518.html#msg1177518

Another consideration is light bleed from one button to another.

On the light bleed problem, IIRC someone ordered an extra nut for each button to block the light. (shown with 3/4" MDF)

A little paint on the parts that are still showing should block the rest and keep you from clogging the threads with paint or chipping the paint while tightening/losening the nut.

The ideal being if I can get the right buttons to light up when the right game is being played (I believe there is software for that called blinky?). If it can't happen though its not the end of the world.

LEDBlinky by Arzoo.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,73905.0.html

I wanted to get the blue tip gaming buttons paradise arcade have, but could literally find no resource online for how to wire them so the analog function was preserved. I did find one person saying they couldn't get it to work. Sooo yeah, I skipped that.

They are very specialized buttons.

The two analog Dupont pins next to the black body of the microswitch are electrically separate from the microswitch.
- The two-pin configuration indicates that it's a variable resistor, not a voltage-dividing potentiometer (three-pin configuration) like most of the analog encoders for arcade-style controls.



There are two possible approaches to using these buttons for analog:
(haven't tested these, but they should both work)
1. Wire it to an Arduino A/D input and use a HID analog gamepad firmware.

2. Adding a resistor can turn a 2-wire variable resistor setup into a 3-wire voltage divider like the KADE team did here for Atari 2600 paddles on the miniConsole+.
- The downsides to this method are that you only use about half of the voltage range so you have to calibrate the input in Windows and you lose some resolution.

My layout will then have two Eurojoysticks, and 6 IL translucent buttons. I will also have a 1 player and 2 player button, 2 start buttons, 2 coin buttons, and 1 pause button. Any input on buttons would be GREATLY appreciated. I figured this is the minimum number of buttons I will need to play most things with a 2 player cabinet plus the pause button which is just a great quality of life feature. I have read that other admin functions can be accomplished through shortcuts. Thoughts?

"1 player and 2 player button, 2 start buttons"
- If by this you mean that you will have two start buttons, the first for player 1 with a single stick figure (2nd from left) and the second for player 2 with two stick figures (2nd from right) then that sounds good.
- If you mean that you'll have two buttons with stick figures and two other buttons that are start buttons, then you've got duplicate buttons.

A 2-player setup with one Pause button where each player has a joystick, six player buttons, a Start button, and a Coin button ==> two joysticks and 17 buttons.
- You may also want to add an Exit button near (but not too near) the Pause button for a total of 18 buttons.



Check out the "Number of admin buttons" section of the FAQ.
- Some people prefer dedicated buttons.
- Some people prefer "shifted functions".
- Strongly consider the part about guests/kids and Menu (TAB) buttons/shifted functions.

For your console emulators, use the Start buttons as Start buttons and the Coin buttons as Select buttons.   


Scott
EDIT: Looked further into how to wire the Blue Tip Gaming analog buttons and couldn't find anything about how to implement the first approach. (two-wire variable resistor and Arduino code)  Measured the button's variable resistor value and calculated a suitable fixed resistor value for the second approach.  Will test and, if successful, post a full tutorial in a separate thread.
EDIT2: Tutorial posted at http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,167989.0.html. [/thread derail]

[minorhero]

Meanwhile I also put in an order at paradise arcade for buttons etc. I really wanted concave buttons so I ordered mostly IL buttons. They did not have led concave buttons, so I ordered translucent with the hope that I can figure out a way to light them.

There are several approaches to choose from.

Slightly less expensive way - Single-color 45 degree 5mm LEDs as mentioned in the wiki.
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/Lighting_Microswitch_Buttons


Slightly more expensive way - RGB modules similar to the ones Nephasth used in the Two Headed Beast. (AFAIK Paradise doesn't stock that kind anymore)
- Drilling holes for wiring - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,108719.msg1167130.html#msg1167130
- Easy disconnect wiring - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,108719.msg1177518.html#msg1177518

Another consideration is light bleed from one button to another.

On the light bleed problem, IIRC someone ordered an extra nut for each button to block the light. (shown with 3/4" MDF)

A little paint on the parts that are still showing should block the rest and keep you from clogging the threads with paint or chipping the paint while tightening/losening the nut.

The ideal being if I can get the right buttons to light up when the right game is being played (I believe there is software for that called blinky?). If it can't happen though its not the end of the world.

LEDBlinky by Arzoo.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,73905.0.html

I wanted to get the blue tip gaming buttons paradise arcade have, but could literally find no resource online for how to wire them so the analog function was preserved. I did find one person saying they couldn't get it to work. Sooo yeah, I skipped that.

They are very specialized buttons.

The two analog Dupont pins next to the black body of the microswitch are electrically separate from the microswitch.
- The two-pin configuration indicates that it's a variable resistor, not a voltage-dividing potentiometer (three-pin configuration) like most of the analog encoders for arcade-style controls.



There are two possible approaches to using these buttons for analog:
(haven't tested these, but they should both work)
1. Wire it to an Arduino A/D input and use a HID analog gamepad firmware.

2. Adding a resistor can turn a 2-wire variable resistor setup into a 3-wire voltage divider like the KADE team did here for Atari 2600 paddles on the miniConsole+.
- The downsides to this method are that you only use about half of the voltage range so you have to calibrate the input in Windows and you lose some resolution.

My layout will then have two Eurojoysticks, and 6 IL translucent buttons. I will also have a 1 player and 2 player button, 2 start buttons, 2 coin buttons, and 1 pause button. Any input on buttons would be GREATLY appreciated. I figured this is the minimum number of buttons I will need to play most things with a 2 player cabinet plus the pause button which is just a great quality of life feature. I have read that other admin functions can be accomplished through shortcuts. Thoughts?

"1 player and 2 player button, 2 start buttons"
- If by this you mean that you will have two start buttons, the first for player 1 with a single stick figure (2nd from left) and the second for player 2 with two stick figures (2nd from right) then that sounds good.
- If you mean that you'll have two buttons with stick figures and two other buttons that are start buttons, then you've got duplicate buttons.

A 2-player setup with one Pause button where each player has a joystick, six player buttons, a Start button, and a Coin button ==> two joysticks and 17 buttons.
- You may also want to add an Exit button near (but not too near) the Pause button for a total of 18 buttons.



Check out the "Number of admin buttons" section of the FAQ.
- Some people prefer dedicated buttons.
- Some people prefer "shifted functions".
- Strongly consider the part about guests/kids and Menu (TAB) buttons/shifted functions.

For your console emulators, use the Start buttons as Start buttons and the Coin buttons as Select buttons.   


Scott

Thank you! This is super helpful! I figured there was a way to light those buttons and this gives me a good place to start.

It looks like I have duplicate buttons I definitely thought I needed separate start buttons from the player 1 and 2 buttons (one person and two person silhouette buttons). Oh well, better to have ordered too many then not enough. I'll take a look at the FAQ you mentioned later on and see if maybe I need them after all

[Lexiq]

If you do decide to use an LCD, consider the LG 28MQ780. This monitor is nearly square, which gives you a much bigger play field for the 4:3 (or similar) aspect ratio games of that era, compared to a 19:6 monitor of the same width.

Another advantage is that you can also play vertically oriented games at full size, without having to physically rotate the monitor.

I used an EIZO EV2730Q for my cabinet and I'm very happy with it, but the LG is better value for money (although still not cheap) - it just didn't exist when I was looking.

[minorhero]

If you do decide to use an LCD, consider the LG 28MQ780. This monitor is nearly square, which gives you a much bigger play field for the 4:3 (or similar) aspect ratio games of that era, compared to a 19:6 monitor of the same width.

Another advantage is that you can also play vertically oriented games at full size, without having to physically rotate the monitor.

I used an EIZO EV2730Q for my cabinet and I'm very happy with it, but the LG is better value for money (although still not cheap) - it just didn't exist when I was looking.

If I end up with an lcd it will almost certainly be a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is because that is the only aspect ratio being made for 'gaming', which is another way of saying it's the only one that has a fast response time, fast hertz, and either amd's freesync or nvidia's g-sync. I've looked a bunch but 16:10 aspect ratios in gaming monitors is just not a thing apparently. Le sigh, so it's either crt tv taken apart or 16:9 gaming monitor at this point. The good news is that I went and looked at some modern lcd monitors and even at 16:9 aspect, they are not exactly small.

[Lexiq]

You're right - a high refresh gaming LCD with G-Sync / FreeSync will definitely get the best results (short of a CRT). They're definitely big enough too, but I found that I'd have to make my cabinet a lot wider than I wanted to get the same, or even close to the same 4:3 screen size. I feel your pain though - everything's a compromise.

I believe some people have mounted larger monitors vertically so the unused parts of the screen are hidden behind the bezel. I suspect that comes with its own set of challenges though.

[Xiaou2]

One benefit of a Large LCD type display... is the ability to use full sized Arcade Bezel Artwork in mame / emulators.

My only gripe with this... is that most of the artwork is Vector based, and not photographic.  It doesnt Look the same
as the actual arcade artwork.

I get why they chose Vectorization.. especially due to the massive space it would otherwise eat up... but on the opposite
end of the spectrum... I think the way it SHOULD look, should be how you experience it.

[Xiaou2]

BTW - I recommend making each player  7 buttons.

 This will allow you to play  Ultimate Mortal Kombat  much easier..   as that game has a RUN button, diagonally between the main
buttons and the joystick.

 Also... I recommend making that  "Run"  button a long-travel  Pinball Leafswitch  button.    This will allow you to play
Rapidfire games like  Halleys Comet, Asterioid Deluxe, and even Galaga (long duration firing),   to be FAR FASTER, AND FAR less fatiguing.

 The thing about Leafs, is that they can be switched  on/off  with a mere papers width of distance.  This allows you to do a special trick
called "Feathering"... which cant be done with Microswitch based buttons.   You press the leaf button deep enough that the contacts
make connection... and then you just have to "VIBRATE" the button... and it will create the quickest and most effortless Rapidfire
that you can produce.   You dont have to fully depress (bottom out)  the button each time.

 With Feathering, you can maintain long duration fire sessions... such as with Galaga... and or Maximum Rapidfire sessions, needed for
a game like Halleys Comet (it rewards you with more powerups, if you can maintain an insane rapidfire rate.. and trust me, you
need all the power you can get... as quickly as possible, for that game).

 Now, they do make "modern" leaf buttons... that have a much shorter travel... but,  from my experience with them, they are way too
soft (even with stretching the spring out)... and will tend to fire accidentally.. with the most mildest of pressure of your fingers
merely trying to rest on them.   Also, because of the shorter travel, they will always Bottom Out... and as such, they do not feel
as good, and will produce more fatigue + more Noise.


 Now... Leafs are not good for All game times.  Particularly with fighting games, where you need that Tactile feedback, to know
when the button has connected... in order to get the precise timing for special moves.  But leafs are especially good for a lot
of the older arcade games.  Especially Shooters, or other games that require rapid fire.  This includes a game like
"Track and Field"  where you have to tap buttons quicker.. to run faster.

[minorhero]

You're right - a high refresh gaming LCD with G-Sync / FreeSync will definitely get the best results (short of a CRT). They're definitely big enough too, but I found that I'd have to make my cabinet a lot wider than I wanted to get the same, or even close to the same 4:3 screen size. I feel your pain though - everything's a compromise.

I believe some people have mounted larger monitors vertically so the unused parts of the screen are hidden behind the bezel. I suspect that comes with its own set of challenges though.

Given price differentials, I would probably use a 27" 16:9 screen which means the monitor is 24 inches wide and 14.5 inches tall. When I was in the store looking at them, I decided I could live with a screen 14 inches tall. Ideally, I would use something bigger, but going to a 32 inch monitor only nets me another inch of vertical height at the cost of almost double the price. Like you said, everything is a compromise.

One benefit of a Large LCD type display... is the ability to use full sized Arcade Bezel Artwork in mame / emulators.

My only gripe with this... is that most of the artwork is Vector based, and not photographic.  It doesnt Look the same
as the actual arcade artwork.

I get why they chose Vectorization.. especially due to the massive space it would otherwise eat up... but on the opposite
end of the spectrum... I think the way it SHOULD look, should be how you experience it.

Yeah... I really don't like the look of those artworks in the bezel. I'll skip it and just use something black behind some plexiglass to make a permanent bezel.

BTW - I recommend making each player  7 buttons.

 This will allow you to play  Ultimate Mortal Kombat  much easier..   as that game has a RUN button, diagonally between the main
buttons and the joystick.

 Also... I recommend making that  "Run"  button a long-travel  Pinball Leafswitch  button.    This will allow you to play
Rapidfire games like  Halleys Comet, Asterioid Deluxe, and even Galaga (long duration firing),   to be FAR FASTER, AND FAR less fatiguing.

 The thing about Leafs, is that they can be switched  on/off  with a mere papers width of distance.  This allows you to do a special trick
called "Feathering"... which cant be done with Microswitch based buttons.   You press the leaf button deep enough that the contacts
make connection... and then you just have to "VIBRATE" the button... and it will create the quickest and most effortless Rapidfire
that you can produce.   You dont have to fully depress (bottom out)  the button each time.

 With Feathering, you can maintain long duration fire sessions... such as with Galaga... and or Maximum Rapidfire sessions, needed for
a game like Halleys Comet (it rewards you with more powerups, if you can maintain an insane rapidfire rate.. and trust me, you
need all the power you can get... as quickly as possible, for that game).

 Now, they do make "modern" leaf buttons... that have a much shorter travel... but,  from my experience with them, they are way too
soft (even with stretching the spring out)... and will tend to fire accidentally.. with the most mildest of pressure of your fingers
merely trying to rest on them.   Also, because of the shorter travel, they will always Bottom Out... and as such, they do not feel
as good, and will produce more fatigue + more Noise.


 Now... Leafs are not good for All game times.  Particularly with fighting games, where you need that Tactile feedback, to know
when the button has connected... in order to get the precise timing for special moves.  But leafs are especially good for a lot
of the older arcade games.  Especially Shooters, or other games that require rapid fire.  This includes a game like
"Track and Field"  where you have to tap buttons quicker.. to run faster.

I read about the mortal combat run button in someone elses build. I never played it much as a kid so it doesn't hold the same sway in my mind as street fighter. I don't think I want to add another button just for one game either. Or such was my thoughts on it. I've not really looked into leaf vs microswitch before. I think all the buttons I've seen thus far have been microswitches with leafs only being used on some joysticks. Yet another thing to think about

[harri]

I read about the mortal combat run button in someone elses build. I never played it much as a kid so it doesn't hold the same sway in my mind as street fighter. I don't think I want to add another button just for one game either.

By looking the cabinet pictures MK has unique button layout all together so if you have any muscle memory from playing the original cabinet that extra button isn't enough and for those who don't have it six buttons cover every move.

[Xiaou2]

 I didnt get to play MK3 that much, as by that time in my life, I was way too busy... BUT..  I will say that I LOVED
the RUN button.  It made the interactions far more Dynamic... because you never knew when someone was going to
suddenly charge forwards at speed... rather than the standard FIXED ("Easy to Read") mobility speed.

 I say, play a few games, to test out the Run feature, and you will be hooked too.  My favorite character quickly became
the dude with the Dual Tiger-Hook Swords.  Cant recall his name at the moment.

 I never got good enough to know if the X-Shaped button layout would be effected much,  when trying to play it with the
standard Street Fighter 2 button layout (with two block buttons in the middle, instead of one).   And I never got to test
the game with a 6 button layout, before my health took a dive... and then my arcade controls got stolen  =[

 However, I did create a Mechanical Solution concept...  where you could slide the Middle buttons vertically up towards
the monitor... to play MK games...

[minorhero]

I didnt get to play MK3 that much, as by that time in my life, I was way too busy... BUT..  I will say that I LOVED
the RUN button.  It made the interactions far more Dynamic... because you never knew when someone was going to
suddenly charge forwards at speed... rather than the standard FIXED ("Easy to Read") mobility speed.

 I say, play a few games, to test out the Run feature, and you will be hooked too.  My favorite character quickly became
the dude with the Dual Tiger-Hook Swords.  Cant recall his name at the moment.

 I never got good enough to know if the X-Shaped button layout would be effected much,  when trying to play it with the
standard Street Fighter 2 button layout (with two block buttons in the middle, instead of one).   And I never got to test
the game with a 6 button layout, before my health took a dive... and then my arcade controls got stolen  =[

 However, I did create a Mechanical Solution concept...  where you could slide the Middle buttons vertically up towards
the monitor... to play MK games...

I like the dovetail sliding buttons, that's a cool concept! It's probably not one I will go for simply because I like you didn't play much mortal combat and I honestly have about zero muscle memory for all the games I am going to be playing anyway I was last really active in arcades about 30 years ago. At the time I probably did have an opinion on button placement, but flash forward to today, and I will almost certainly follow the 'standard' angular 6 button layout I see most people using. Once my buttons and ipac come in, I will make a temporary control panel and play some games on the crt tv I have and on the monitors I have in my house (if I can find a nearby friend with a modern gaming monitor,) will do that as well. Then I'll decide on monitor and control scheme at the same time.

[Xiaou2]

Thanks.   But FYI... its not actually a Dovetail.  I was just being quick and lazy, when I was putting the design together.

 I was showing an issue, that if you use a piece of flat steel to mount the sliding button in..  it would be too thin near the
edges, and would likely break.

 I realized that metal  "C-Channel"  would be the best, to give it the required strength..  and still remain thin enough to
remain between the other buttons  (without spreading them far apart).

 The Top designs, were me wrestling on how it would effect control panels with Plexiglass tops...  and where the Artwork
layer would be placed.

 The Top most pic, is where a Top Mounted Bezel (Pink), with the duplicated control panel artwork printed on top of it...
would be sitting.  This would match the control panel artwork, when in the standard 6 button position.  This bezel design
covers up the needed Hole in the Plexiglass.

 The design below that, was probably my first design... where there is a gap in the Plexiglass, which allows it to slide.
The CP artwork was placed on top of the sliding metal c-channel, but below the plexiglass layer (it would have its own
rectangular plexiglass piece).   I didnt draw it here, but you would also put a duplicate artwork layer on the bottom
ledges of the wood... OR... directly applied to the bottom surface of the main CP plexiglass.

 I believe I had another idea,  in which you could place two metal strips above and below the rows of buttons, which
would cover over the sliding mechanism altogether.  You could then just apply the duplicate CP artwork directly on
top of these strips.


 Another slightly out of reach Idea, was to get someone to Produce a "Drop in Double 6 buttons assembly" ,with the
sliding mechanism already part of the assembly.  Unlike traditional methods, where you have to drill 6 individual holes...
you would then only need to cut out a large rectangle hole.  The assembly would be mounted to a thin Metal bezel,
similar to how Happs trackballs are mounted, using a metal Mounting Plate.  For the cleanest (flat) application, you would
then route about 2mm of the CP height down, in the "Mounting Lip" area.

 This would lock you into a certain type of button.. because the assembly is a singular shell / unit, with the button holders
cast directly into the plastic shell.   Ive personally always loved Happs Concave buttons, as they are far more Comfy than
Japanese Convey buttons.  However, Ive wanted to try to reduce their diameter a little, to save some space.  And since
all of the buttons would be in the same shell.. it would probably eliminate some of the larger bezel thickness, that surrounds
each individual button.


 Anyway.. the C-Channel would have to be a lot more shallow than what I posted in that concept pic.  Maybe only using
2 to 3 mm wall lengths.  Just enough to give the required strength.. but not so much that it would make routing the
required groves in the CP, an issue.

 As for locking it in place.. it might be easier with Magnets... but that snap clip is probably fine.
I doubt that normal play, where you are pressing directly downwards on the buttons, would cause it to slide Upwards...
so it probably only needs a clip to lock the mechanism in the UP (MK) position.


 Personally, while it was SF2 that got me into fighters..  It was  "Killer Instinct"  that got me seriously Addicted.
The arcade manage saw that I was staring at the machine... too fearful to waste my money, trying to figure out how
to play it.   He popped in some free credits, and showed me a few of the moves.   Not long after that, I became a
"Regular"  that was in line, to fight against the other "Regulars".   The competition was pretty Fierce, and it was
an incredibly fun time.

 Interestingly enough... KI  borrows heavily from SFII... but it adds some extra complexity,
such as Combinations that you can creatively construct yourself.  It also had "Combination Breakers" that were tricky
to pull off.. but if you did, you got these cool "Shadow Moves".  Then there were the press, hold, and release based
"Enders".. that were very tricky to pull off.. but gave you extra combination speed and higher damage levels.  All
very fantastic Upgrades to the Tired old SF formula... as Capcom was Milking the same old mechanisms, for way too
long.

 The only other Fighter to get me so addicted, was  Tekken 3.   At the time of its release, I was a manager of a Time-Out
arcade, that had been bought out by Namco.   It came to me, in the form of a Kit, to convert one of the other older arcade
machines.  Sadly, it came right before I was set to go home from a long full day of work...  But... I couldnt resist the urge
to see what this thing was like...  So I began the conversion process.

 After I finished the conversion.. and fired it up...  The incredible soundtrack blasted, and the Iconic cutscene
played.  I had never seen nor heard anything like this game, before.  I started playing it, and ended up spending
the entire rest of the night.. well past closing time.   It was one of the few games that I invested into learning
and playing... despite how busy I was, working like +50 hrs every week.

 My Fav. character was Ling Xiaoyu.  I learned every combination and trick, with her.  She has an interesting blend
of Wushu, and Wing Chun like movements... and being that I was training in Wing Chun, it really impressed me.
What also impressed me, was just how many special movements, and combinations were possible, with their
combat system.  It was not as easy to figure out as something like MK... but, it was also far more rewarding.
I also really loved that a lot of the movements were realistic to actual martial arts.  They used some very skilled
martial artists, to capture their styles movements, and it showed.

 I never got into the new Streetfighters, and found the new  "Soul Calibur"  arrival, to be far too Clunky for my tastes.


 As for Mortal Kombat 1,  it was somewhat special in that it had the Atmospheric look, that you always wanted to see in a
fighting game.   The semi realism of Digitized graphics.  The  "Big Trouble in Little China"  feel.   It was almost like being
able to relive the old 70s era Kung Fu films.   Though, admittedly... the gameplay was way too simplified.. and the AI
cheated way too much.

 MK2 was too Cartoony for my tastes.. and IMO, while it had some positives.. it never really got me "Addicted" like the other
mentioned fighters.  I also was not a fan of how they shifted from a Chinese-Centric theme.. into a "Roman" theme.  That
kind of Ticked me off, to be honest.

 MK3 / Ultimate... Was far more impressive than MK2.  The new Auto-Combination sequences, were fun to execute, and fun
to watch.  The game was much more fluid, fast, and dynamic.  Especially with the new Run button mechanic.  I was initially
skeptical about it... until I played a game with it.. and found it to be an actual Game Changer.  As most fighters are locked to
a set movement speed... making it too easy to predict, what they were trying to do, and where they would end up.  You also
had to react a lot quicker, when a fighter suddenly rushed you.

 The graphics were still a bit Cartoony, when you compare them to MK1's digitzed characters.. but, I could accept it better,
as the game played so much better / deeper / faster.

 That said... I was still working in the Arcade at that time, and I didnt have any leftover time to dedicate to learning all of the
new Combinations and stuff.  So, I only ever learned a few, and Ive forgotten them by now.  And personally, I cant play
fighter on a standard PS style gamepad.  It has to be an arcade stick + 6 button layout.. or.. one of the rare gamepads that
have dual rows of 3 buttons.. similar to what Sega had released for the Genesis.  I have no idea why the industry keeps that
awful diagonal 4 button layout.  Especially considering how many people love to play fighters, on these various consoles.


 Something to note... is that the Original Arcade version of Tekken 3,  has a special High-Resolution mode (Interlaced).
You went into the service mode, and you could toggle the Interlaced output... then reboot the machine, and the graphics
looked SO much better.

 Ive tried that in one of the later versions of mame... but it just Crashed the game.  Hopefully that will get fixed one day.

[minorhero]

You definitely had a lot more time spent in arcades then I did. Once a year for 1 week we traveled out of our fairly rural county and went on a beach vacation. At the beach there was not one, but two arcades that I got to visit almost once a day. BUT, that was all the time I had in arcades for the whole year. I remember being absolutely ecstatic while I was there, but I only had a few quarters a day so my time was typically over all too quickly.

I played a lot of street fighter 2 and my quarters stretched longer on that game then many others. I also remember when Tekken 3 came out because my older cousin who spent significantly more time in arcades then me was absolutely wild about the game and was pretty excited to show it to me. I played against him and was wrecked in seconds , I believe it was at a higher price point then other machines so I didn't play it much afterwards.

Modern arcades I have been to have been absolutely trash by comparison. I went to one with my kids recently hoping to give them a similar experience to what I had as a kid but almost all of the machines were claw machines or various ticket generating machines. There was only a couple of actual games in the whole arcade.

[Xiaou2]

 My mother divorces my father, when I was almost 6 yrs old... and on certain occasions he would pick us kids up, and
sometimes we would get to visit some of the wonderful 80s arcades.

 When I got older, I moved to the City... and had a few various jobs, at a nearby mall.  Being in the mall so often, I
would end up spending a bit of my earnings, in the malls arcade.   Eventually the Manager of that Arcade was planning
on leaving...  so I put in an application, and eventually got trained, on the job.

 I have to say, that it was one of the hardest and most stressful jobs, that Ive ever had.  The pay was utter Trash, too.
The cool part, was that I got to learn how all of the Arcade mechanisms functioned, as I repaired + restored them.
The bad part, was almost everything else:

 - Trying to diagnose wiring (and wiring/electronic hacks) issues, PCB issues (luckily, they had a place where you would send
boards to be repaired).

 - Trying to get machines functional ASAP, as Upper Mgt. would be all over your A**,  if they noticed a machine down for a
few days.  They could tell by sales figures, if things were not right.

 - Trying to repair complex things... while getting stuck behind the Ticket counter... while people took FOREVER to try to
spend their 20 tickets... and the tantrums that kids might end up throwing, in the process.

 - Trying to keep the employees from playing games on their shifts, after already putting in a 9 to 10hr day.
 - Dealing with Irate "Karen" level customers.. that try to Shake and or Break machines.
 - Intermittent Bill Changer machines... that I had to be On-Call, to return back to work at night, if they failed.
 - Getting up at 6am on a thursday?  To hand-record every hard to find, and hard to see.. coin meter.. and then counting
every single token in each machine... including the hoppers in the bill changers.  All of this had to be completed, before
9am, when the store has to be Opened to the public.  That, and a load of paperwork / data entry.
 - Driving 45 minutes away, to clean, collect from, and check the functionality... of Kiddie Rides, in a different mall location.
 - Putting in like 50 hrs every week... to try to keep everything functioning properly.. to prevent potential Termination, from
poor sales figures.
 - Certain problem machines, that no matter how well you repaired them... they would keep breaking down, due to
poor Mfg. design.


 I completely Agree with you about the modern arcades.

- The 80s arcades were actually the best.  They had the most unique and challenging games.

- In the 90s.. most of the companies made all of the games way too easy.  Such as car games, in which it wouldnt even allow you to crash / drive off the road.

- They also added the  "CONTINUE"  feature... which basically Destroyed the Arcades...  Because once a person Paid their way to the End... they often rarely / never
played that game, ever again.

- Because of the lack of Skill / Challenge within most of the games... the Addictive quality of the games was Lost... and the biggest spenders, stopped spending.

- Eventually, a lot of Arcades started buying these Massive and much more Expensive "Gimmick" games.  Like  Namco's  "Alpine Skiier" (which was like $1 to play).
They took up the space of like 2 standard arcade machines, and since they had almost no gameplay at all... people played them once or twice, then never
again.  That particular machine, would only make a few dollars per week... vs some of the other games, which would make anywhere from 50 to a few hundred
dollars per week... every week.

- Spending so much money on these large screen gimmick games,  and them not earning back the purchase price... only created budget issues, to where
the parent company could not always afford to buy the latest "GOOD" games.

- In the 90s, there was another huge issue happening... and that was the transition from 2D games, into 3D polygon games.  Some of the very first
3d games looked Atrocious... and often didnt play well either.   Everyone remembers the GOOD 3d games, like Daytona USA... but few remember
the many Horrible 3d games, that came before it.

- In the 90s, a lot of the companies also stopped making their own custom and unique controllers... and just purchased Generic stuff from Happ Controls.
Long gone were the days.. of games with  Trackballs (except for Golden Tee games), Spinners, Dual Controller games, and specialized controls.. like
Atari's Race Driven... which used basically a Drier motor powered wheel, that had like 900 degrees of rotation + a strain gauge for the most
precise brake pedal control... ever put into an arcade machine.

- A lot of the new game offerings, started to become all  "Lightgun"  games.   Some were good.. most were  "Meh".

- Eventually... as you have stated... the entire Arcade Industry went into making some of the Worst  "Kiddie Gambling Machines".
They often have no skill required... so many people never played them... as they were not really any fun to play.


  There is always the Excuse, that the Arcades died, because of Home Console games.  That really isnt the Truth.   The truth is, is that when all
of the Challenge was removed from the games... and all of the Creativity was also removed... the Customers stopped coming / spending.

 Part of that is due to large companies hiring so called  "Designers"  whos job is more centered on Management of a Team / Project...
rather than actually being Artistic / Creative.   When in fact, its rare to have a creative individual, that is also "business minded".

 Its also an Issue that still plagues modern game companies... when comparing 2d Animators  vs  3D animators.  Those with 2d animation
skills produce FAR superior / realistic / emotive... animations...  where as the modern 3d animator, often makes very clunky looking
animations, that are not realistic at all.   Again, its very rare to find a traditional 2d artist... that also is Technical enough to bridge the
gap into 3d tools / animations  (as the tools are not intuitive, and are a real pain to try to create with).


 Of course... It only makes sense that a company would want to destroy its own Arcade presence... because you can only sell a
comparatively small number of expensive arcade cabinets.  Where as... if you produce a Hit Console game... you can sell
millions of copies, globally.

 They likely shifted their best Programmers and Artists, into Console game production leaving a skeleton crew of some of the
worst of their hires... to try to make something to sell for their rapidly shrinking arcade division.  Eventually, most of them
just shut down their Arcade production, altogether.

[minorhero]

- Eventually, a lot of Arcades started buying these Massive and much more Expensive "Gimmick" games.  Like  Namco's  "Alpine Skiier" (which was like $1 to play).
They took up the space of like 2 standard arcade machines, and since they had almost no gameplay at all... people played them once or twice, then never
again.  That particular machine, would only make a few dollars per week... vs some of the other games, which would make anywhere from 50 to a few hundred
dollars per week... every week.

This part rings especially true to me. I remember at one arcade they got in this giant virtual reality game (no idea of the name). It must have taken up at least 4 times the room of a regular arcade game and it was priced at 2 dollars a play. It was also super esoteric. Or at least it was to me, in that I couldn't figure out what there was to do exactly. When you put on the headset (which was on it's own crane arm) you found yourself in a room and could fly around around it with the hand controls. And... that's it near as I could see. I played it exactly one time because it was so darn expensive. It never had a line and only rarely did I see someone playing it. The novelty was that it was VR in the 90s and it was probably the first introduction to VR that anyone that played it had. It certainly was for me. The nintendo virtual boy had either not come out at this point or came out shortly before, but this machine was in 'full color'. Or at least as full color as 90s 3d could be.

[minorhero]

Finally something with a picture to post for an update

I got in my box of buttons and decided to mockup my control scheme. It was super easy to do it with the help of slagcoin.com. I printed a couple of templates out at different ppi and measured the marked distances until they more or less matched what was reported, then used that ppi. For me it was 100ppi seemed the most accurate. Then I taped the template to a scrap piece of MDF and drilled some small pilot holes in the center of each button location.

I followed this up with my hole saw. Afterwards I superglued some more scrap to the sides to raise up the control surface. Here is how it looked:





This scheme felt really nice so I think I will keep it. I originally planned to go on to wire this up so I could test it out on the computer I am going to use for the cabinet, but.... that was before I looked up what it takes to do a full ipac install. To do all that only to have to take it all apart so I can move the buttons to the real control surface seems like a lot of uncessary work. I should be able to test run games with a gamepad just as well, so that's my new plan.

Speaking of ipac install. I have the IPAC Ultimate but most of the videos I have found online deal with the IPAC 2. So I am unsure how to handle the ground wires for the ultimate. There is 1 clearly marked ground and the wiring harness that I also bought has a connector already wired for the ground. I also have a big daisy chain of ground wires. My issue is wondering if there is an elegant way of using the wiring harness for as it is for ground and also the included ground daisy chains without ripping off at least a couple of connectors and soldering them together. Because how its currently setup I can ground exactly 1 thing, and then I wouldn't have a place to install the daisy chain so it connected back to the ipac board. Does that make sense?

The solution I have so far is to install the ground connector from the ipac on one of my 3 prong buttons, and install the daisy chain starting on the 2nd prong of the button and then put the positive wire from the ipac on what is usually the ground for that button. Does that sound right? This is the limit of my electrical knowledge

[PL1]

Speaking of ipac install. I have the IPAC Ultimate but most of the videos I have found online deal with the IPAC 2. So I am unsure how to handle the ground wires for the ultimate. There is 1 clearly marked ground and the wiring harness that I also bought has a connector already wired for the ground. I also have a big daisy chain of ground wires. My issue is wondering if there is an elegant way of using the wiring harness for as it is for ground and also the included ground daisy chains without ripping off at least a couple of connectors and soldering them together. Because how its currently setup I can ground exactly 1 thing, and then I wouldn't have a place to install the daisy chain so it connected back to the ipac board. Does that make sense?

1. Connect the daisy-chain ground for the Ultimate I/O board to the "GND" Dupont pin on the board.

2. Connect the other daisy-chains to the daisy-chain ground connected to the Ultimate I/O board.
- You can do this without cutting the daisy-chains by making a M-M Quick Disconnect (QD) jumper OR you can cut the daisy-chain, strip the wire, and crimp on a male QD.

The solution I have so far is to install the ground connector from the ipac on one of my 3 prong buttons, and install the daisy chain starting on the 2nd prong of the button and then put the positive wire from the ipac on what is usually the ground for that button. Does that sound right?

Sorry, but that won't work for what you're trying to do.

Three-tab microswitches are Single-Pole, Double-Throw (SPDT) switches.

The three tabs are Common (COM), Normally-Closed (NC), and Normally-Open (NO).
- When the switch is not pressed, the COM lever arm makes contact with NC.
- When the switch is pressed, the COM lever arm breaks contact with NC and makes contact with NO.
- When the switch is released, the COM lever arm moves back to contact with NC.

                                 NC
COM
                                 NO




Scott

[minorhero]

1. Connect the daisy-chain ground for the Ultimate I/O board to the "GND" Dupont pin on the board.

2. Connect the other daisy-chains to the daisy-chain ground connected to the Ultimate I/O board.
- You can do this without cutting the daisy-chains by making a M-M Quick Disconnect (QD) jumper OR you can cut the daisy-chain, strip the wire, and crimp on a male QD.

This is exactly what I needed to know thank you! I had hoped there was an elegant solution but I don't mind a bit solder or crimping some of those connectors if needed.

[harri]

I printed a couple of templates out at different ppi and measured the marked distances until they more or less matched what was reported, then used that ppi. For me it was 100ppi seemed the most accurate.

It seems to be real pita today to get the Windows to print an image in right size without scaling. With Windows 10 I got that by opening the image with Paint and printing with it.

[minorhero]

Yeah,

It seems to be real pita today to get the Windows to print an image in right size without scaling. With Windows 10 I got that by opening the image with Paint and printing with it.

Yeah, it seems that precise print sizes is a function of the printer and the program interpreting the image, so its going to be a bit different for everyone. I'm not too fanatical about the exact distances between buttons, within a few millimeters is definitely close enough for me

[minorhero]

Small update:

I have been working away on the computer side of things and I think I finally have a good working computer with the right combination of software to make this all come together. I was struggling a bit with mame because I managed to get a bad rom set and didn't know it. I just assumed I was doing something wrong and couldn't figure out why all the video tutorials were making it look so easy . I downloaded the latest rom set (.260) and redid mame import in launchbox and then everything started working like it should.

Speaking of which, I have decided to use launchbox. I might switch that to bigbox, or not. Haven't decided on that yet.

Meanwhile, I have been busy designing my cabinet in sketchup. There are numerous plans for cabinets already around. BUT, I find it very helpful to design every piece of furniture I make in sketchup before I begin making sawdust. That way I get a much better understanding of what angles or joinery I need to consider. This was no exception. I fooled around with a couple of designs before settling on this one:



Hopefully I will get some plywood in and start making it happen in the next few days. 

[Lexiq]

Looking good!

I'm using Launchbox too, and I'm very happy with it. It also makes importing roms for consoles super easy - it automatically installs and configures Retroarch and the required cores (emulators), which can be a bit of a learning exercise otherwise. For arcade games, stand-alone MAME as you've done is generally recommended, but I've found Retroarch to be great for consoles.

I may have misunderstood your meaning, but you don't have to commit to Launchbox vs Bigbox. Bigbox is just an arcade / controller friendly view of your game library, where Launchbox is for library management and easy navigation with a mouse.

[minorhero]

Looking good!

I'm using Launchbox too, and I'm very happy with it. It also makes importing roms for consoles super easy - it automatically installs and configures Retroarch and the required cores (emulators), which can be a bit of a learning exercise otherwise. For arcade games, stand-alone MAME as you've done is generally recommended, but I've found Retroarch to be great for consoles.

I may have misunderstood your meaning, but you don't have to commit to Launchbox vs Bigbox. Bigbox is just an arcade / controller friendly view of your game library, where Launchbox is for library management and easy navigation with a mouse.

AH, that's the part I didn't understand. I wasn't sure what bigbox brought to the party that launchbox didn't already provide. I knew that bigbox was the paid version and just thought it was the more up to date option. Since I am going to set this up as an arcade machine and not just a computer, I will definitely need bigbox.

In other news, I bought an old used coindoor off of ebay. Not too bad for 30 dollars shipped. Now I just need to get a lock for it.

[Lexiq]

That should look nice once you've cleaned it up.

Did it come with a frame or surrounds for mounting? Most of the coin doors I've seen are hinged on a frame that's mounted in a hole in the cabinet. The locking mechanism also locks against the frame. This image shows it clearly:

[minorhero]

That should look nice once you've cleaned it up.

Did it come with a frame or surrounds for mounting? Most of the coin doors I've seen are hinged on a frame that's mounted in a hole in the cabinet. The locking mechanism also locks against the frame. This image shows it clearly:

I totally didn't notice the frame detail until after I got it. Sadly, it did not come with one. I will have to make a cutout for it since I am assuming I won't be able to get the frame by itself.

[pbj]

Well, you got rooked.  Buy another coin door.

[minorhero]

I can probably just route a channel for the coin door to sit inside of inside my 3/4 plywood. I could just buy another coin door, but..... I think I can make it work and no one will notice the difference once the plywood is painted. Or at least that is my plan.

[Lexiq]

Probably a long shot, but the seller may have forgotten to include it and might be willing to send it.

$30 is not a bad price for the coin mechs alone. You could get something like this, which is less expensive because it doesn't have coin mechs, and transplant the ones that you have:

https://www.arcaderenovations.com/suzo-happ-double-entry-arcade-coin-door-home-mame.html

I think the doors and mechs are fairly standard and everything should fit, but I'm not 100% sure. That link has a diagram - you'd need to check the dimensions carefully. Others may be able to advise.

[minorhero]

Probably a long shot, but the seller may have forgotten to include it and might be willing to send it.

$30 is not a bad price for the coin mechs alone. You could get something like this, which is less expensive because it doesn't have coin mechs, and transplant the ones that you have:

https://www.arcaderenovations.com/suzo-happ-double-entry-arcade-coin-door-home-mame.html

I think the doors and mechs are fairly standard and everything should fit, but I'm not 100% sure. That link has a diagram - you'd need to check the dimensions carefully. Others may be able to advise.

Sadly it was not still around. That said, I am not going to worry about the frame. I can still attach the door and I won't be really trying to make it swing open. The whole kick panel will actually be a door for computer access. Or such is my plan right now.

Meanwhile, I finally got my plywood in. This involved renting a truck and having to buy 3 panels of plywood instead of 2 because my cabinet is over 24 inches wide, but otherwise was uneventful.

My design allows me to get both sides out of a single sheet, so there was that. For the first side I used my sketchup drawing as reference and drew outline on the plywood. Then using a combination of track saw and jig saw, cut it out.

I sanded it and smoothed the curves, then used the first side to draw the outline for the 2nd side. I rough cut that side out of the remaining plywood. Then I clamped the 2 sides together and used a pattern bit on a router to make the 2nd side perfectly match the first. Doing this method meant I didn't need to perfectly copy the 2nd side from a drawing but could instead rely on the pre-existing side as my model.



Unfortunately I used crappy plywood So my plywood had some dents and chipout. I sanded it and filled the bad areas with putty. And that's as far as I got today. Next up will be all the square pieces.

[minorhero]

Slot cutters are cool. I used this freud one.



I slot cut both side panels and cut down all of the 2nd sheet of plywood and enough of the third sheet that I should be in a good place going forward.

[minorhero]

It's 3 dimensional now! After I took this picture I realized I forgot to drill speaker holes Better I realize it now then later I suppose.



I have some old computer speakers I am going to test out, and if they work, incorporate in this build. It shouldn't be too hard to drill for them even now:

[firedance]

Great work so far, keep it up