Lowboy in the USA (Modern Games Build)

[meltedcactus86]

Hello all!

This is my first post, so go easy.

I'm currently working on a new scratch build which will be based off the lowboys that were commonplace in Australia. I live in an old and small house which doesn't easily accommodate the more traditional uprights (narrow doors and stairwells) we are so used to playing on here in the states. As I was researching cabaret style cabinets I stumbled upon the lowboy shape and knew straight away that's what I wanted to build.

Since I was a kid growing up in the late 80s and 90s I always dreamt about having my own arcade cabinet at home. Now, almost touching 40 I'm thankful to have the means and time to achieve my childhood dream. After months of debating, weeks of researching, I've finally decided to build a cabinet for my home.

I will admit, as much as I'm a purest, I'm also OK with leaving things in the past. While CRTs are fantastic and pair excellent with the more vintage games like TMNT and NBA JAM, I was always interested in creating a modern arcade for modern games. That doesn't mean trying to put Fortnite on an arcade machine, but it does mean exploring games with more modern controls, features, graphics, etc.

Beat 'em Ups have always been a favorite of mine and we've currently been going through somewhat of a renaissance in the last 5-10 years. Scott Pilgrim VS The World, Double Dragon Gaiden, River City Girls, Shredder's Revenge, and many more.

The Plan
With that said, I'm not interested in creating a MAME machine capable of playing 1000+ games. My plan is to create a 6-button machine that can handle all of the more modern, retro-inspired games that have been released in the last few years that I enjoy. Currently, that list is less than 10 for me.

The Software
Steam - Let's be real, what other option is there for modern titles on PC.

BigBox - A frontend with simple, decent customization capabilities that allow for a tailored experience.

ShaderGlass - While CRTs might be a thing of the past, their is some amazing software out there that can replicate the visual charm on a modern LCD. Most of the modern games I will be playing on this machine use pixel graphics and it makes for an amazing compliment.

Borderless Gaming - An app purchased through Steam it allows games to run in Windowed Fullscreen mode. This is needed to allow ShaderGlass to run over the top of all the applications to allow for a single CRT filter experience.

The Hardware
1080p 180Hz 23.5" MSI Gaming Monitor
Core i5 12400 CPU
Nvidia 4060 GPU
Sanwa Sticks and Buttons
Schiit Rekker Amp
Focal Audio 4" Speakers

The Art
All the art is designed around TMNT Shredder's Revenge. To my understanding, lowboys were/are a generic chassis that were fitted with any/all PCBs. This means there is usually no dedicated side art. Once a game grew stale, the operator would change them to something different in the hopes of increasing profit. This ultimately means the only art may have been a marquee and instructional sticker. As a graphic designer by study, I put a lot of effort into things of this nature to try and go for an "authentic" feel. I've been working on the back-sheet, which is more like a troubleshooting document stapled on the inside of the rear door and other stickers. I decided to make more of a combination document that is about the game itself and how to operate it. I'm currently working on a Shredder's Revenge instructional sticker that will be applied to the glass when complete among other things.

[meltedcactus86]

Cabinet Progress 1

[meltedcactus86]

Making progress. Added the coin door cutout and have nearly everything mocked up. added the CPO art I made along with a little sticker that's kind of like a "How to" sticker. However, this one is more about the plot/story.

[meltedcactus86]

Getting close to tearing it all back down for paint and finishing. Just need to finish up the monitor mount and bezel.

[meltedcactus86]

TMNT Mockup

[Lexiq]

This is looking great, and fast progress too!

I used Focal speakers in my cabinet too - good choice.

[meltedcactus86]

This is looking great, and fast progress too!

I used Focal speakers in my cabinet too - good choice.

Thanks! And wow! Very impressive build. Love it!

[meltedcactus86]

Monitor is in and I feel like I'm on the home stretch with the wood working piece. I also ordered two additional monitors of the same spec that way when they inevitably fail over the course of years I can just pop them in and not worry about tweaking the mount or the bezel. I have the control panel art on order and it's time for teardown and paint prep. So happy with how it has turned out so far.

[meltedcactus86]

Hello all,

Slowly but surely the lowboy build is nearing completion. As far as the cabinet is concerned there only remains a few items which I'll highlight below.

1. A retainer bracket/cover piece needs to be fabricated for the top of the glass to cover the exposed wires. In a future modified version this wouldn't be an issue. These plans were found online, and the marquee/speaker area is where I believe there is the most room for improvement. Mainly, I would go down to smaller speakers or at the very least smaller speaker holes and mount the speakers on the inside. I like the look of having the speaker grills exposed, but these are just too big to fit in the space and this section has easily been the biggest headache of the entire build.

2. The control panel is cut and ready with all the button holes in place. We are currently working on final painting and clear coating for the panel. It uses a clip in the center and two little pegs that help keep it in place.

3. T-molding needs to be redone and trimmed. The rear is not fully covered, so that will replaced.

4. Paint and Finishing touch-ups. Just need touch up a few areas of the cabinet before we move it to hopefully what will be it's final resting place.

All-in-all, for never building a cabinet before I'm very very happy with the results. I'm actually excited for a V2 down the road in order to improve and correct some of the design and build choices we made during this process.

I'm hopeful this weekend I can start and finish wiring the cabinet.

[meltedcactus86]

Complete!

[emphatic]

Very clean looking.