Bought Twin Eagle...now what?

[cbmeeks]

Man, I found a Taito Twin Eagle cab at a thrift shop and bought it for $30.

On a scale from 1 - 10 with 10 being perfect, it's about a 6, maybe 7.

I have not fired it up yet but here is what I have been told and/or saw is bad:

1)  Monitor *MAY* not work. However, even if it does, it has burn-in pretty bad.

2) Towards the bottom of the cab, the wood is "puffed" out a bit.  Not real bad, but noticible if you look.

3) The t-molding is coming off just a little-bit.

4) The plexi on the CP is cracked.

5) Looks like someone tool the twin speakers and replaced it with a bigger single speaker that I have no idea if it works.

The good:

1) Small cab that probably could be a good conversion or MAME.

2) CHEAP!

3) The buttons could be cleaned but appear to be fine.

4) The two 8-way red-ball joysticks appear to be ok.  One has a little bit of the red paint chipped off but could easily be painted.

5) Coin door looks like it is in nice shape but I don't know if it works.  It is missing the locking bolt but that is easily replaced.

6) The back door works but the key is gone so the locking bolt will have to be replaced.

7) It weighs about 200 pounds LESS than the 38" wide MDF cabinet I am building....LOL


So, here are my questions:

1) Restore it to Twin Eagle?

2) Convert it to another game I love?  (Frogger, Dig Dug, etc)

3) Make a devoted MAME box that only plays a handful of the classics I really love?

I am leaning towards #3.  I'm not a big fan of Twin Eagle but I would probably include it in my MAME list.

Oh, does anyone know if the cabinet was a design from another game?  Or was it designed from Taito for this game only?

<pics to come later>

Thanks!

-cb

[RayB]

Umm... You want us to comment on the cabinet style without us seeing it?? The bottom line is that Twin Eagle was a conversion kit. I never saw an original dedicated version (except possibly this big huge cab that was kind of slanted without that "hood" part most cabs have. Anyways, post pics ASAP because there's no way to comment on that question otherwise. I betchya though it's either a generic cab or it used to be some other game.

On to your questions and comments:

1)  Monitor *MAY* not work. However, even if it does, it has burn-in pretty bad.

Once you get it working you can judge the burn in when graphics are visible. If you still see alot (can be distracting sometimes!) you might want to try tinted plexi over it and see if it helps at all.

2) Towards the bottom of the cab, the wood is "puffed" out a bit.  Not real bad, but noticible if you look.

That would be water damage. That's hard to fix cuz the wood tends to just crumble to sawdust at this point (what's holding it together is the laminate or paint).

3) The t-molding is coming off just a little-bit.

Not a big deal. It's cheap to replace and makes a cab look so much nicer when new t-molding is applied.

4) The plexi on the CP is cracked.

Cheap and easy to replace.

4) The two 8-way red-ball joysticks appear to be ok.  One has a little bit of the red paint chipped off but could easily be painted.

Ummm, if those joysticks are PAINTED, you should replace them. Red-ball joysticks are made of red plastic, so I don't know what's going on here where the joys would be painted. Weird!

6) The back door works but the key is gone so the locking bolt will have to be replaced.

You can drill out the lock with a good drill bit or carbide tungsten cutter bit.

7) It weighs about 200 pounds LESS than the 38" wide MDF cabinet I am building....LOL

Hmm. Definitely small! I wonder if it's one of the little generics like I have...

So, here are my questions:

1) Restore it to Twin Eagle?

No, Twin Eagle was a kit, not dedicated, so don't bother. Find out what the cab used to be though... (easy: post pics!) Besides, Twin Eagle is a SHORT game, and once you beat it, it's not that fun.

2) Convert it to another game I love?  (Frogger, Dig Dug, etc)

I wouldn't convert it to a single game if that's not the cabinet for that single game.

3) Make a devoted MAME box that only plays a handful of the classics I really love?

Probably your best bet given the condition. But let's see pics first!

Oh, does anyone know if the cabinet was a design from another game?  Or was it designed from Taito for this game only?

<pics to come later>

I'll leave one for the psychics out there.

~Ray B.

[fredster]

Twin eagle may have been a conversion game of twin cobra.  It's in a centuri cab.  The same cab was used for time pilot, mat mania, etc.

Open up the back and look inside.  Sometimes there are old instruction cards stapled to the inside.

I can't believe you didn't try it out. Like, what did you have to loose?

If I were you I'd plug it in and see what it does.  Keep the back off and plug it in.
Wait a minute, listen for any kind of crackling and burning smells.  If that's cool, then coin it up and see if plays blind.

If it does, all you need is to figure out what's wrong with the monitor and you have a game.

If not, strip it and mame it.  It's cheaper than trying to build one.  The MDF alone would cost you more than $30.

I don't think they are worth a lot of money.  I got a twin cobra for $65 working at the auction last time.  Monitor was a tad green, but the thing works pretty good.

It's Jamma.  You can use it for vertical Jamma games.

[cbmeeks]

I can't believe you didn't try it out. Like, what did you have to loose?

Because right now, it is sitting outside of the thrift shop and there is only one little old lady running the place.  I have to wait on my friend to bring his truck over to haul it to my building.

To me, the cab was worth $30 empty.  I spent that on MDF for my other cab.

I will probably just make it a MAME box for my favs.  Oh, and I will post pics soon.  Didn't have my camera with me and I bought it on my lunch break

cb

[RayB]

Meeks, is Fred right? Is it in a Centuri cabinet? (brown wood grain sides? Start buttons on the FRONT of the panel?)

If so, you could convert it to a Frogger.

[cbmeeks]

brown wood grain sides? Start buttons on the FRONT of the panel?)

Yes!

[RayB]

I'll reserve final judgement until I see pics, but you could "restore" that to a Frogger, Astro Blaster, Time Pilot, etc...

BUT it could also be a generic (look for stickers, labels inside, like someone else mentioned earlier). Mine looks almost identical to those Centuri cabs, but the woodgrain is darker, and it's made here in Canada. Only difference. I was real tempted to turn it into Frogger, but I don't like Frogger all that much.

~Ray

[cbmeeks]

Got it hauled to my storage building last night.

I am going out at lunch today and take some pictures.

I am 99% sure this was a conversion.  There are two speaker holes above the monitor.  However, I read that Twin Eagle was a mono sound game (no stereo speakers).  So, I looked inside and found that the two speaker holes (5") are empty and one giant speaker (7") is all there is.

So, I don't feel bad about not restoring it.

I think I am going to MAME it with about 9 games or so.
My CP is going to be really simple:

Two Players
=========
1 4-way red-ball joystick
1 4-way red-ball joystick
P1: 1 action button, 1 credit button, Start button (like in Centipede)
P2: 1 action button, 1 credit button, Start button (think Centipede)

The credit buttons will be on the front where the existing start buttons are now.  The the actual CP will be really clean and simple.  I am going to hide the power button and I will make an exit button somewhere hidden.

I will use Linux as the OS and write a program that will let you select from 9 games.  That way, I can do a 3x3 grid of screen shots you select with the joystick.

Here are my choices:

1) Donkey Kong
2) Donkey Kong Jr.
3) Dig Dug
4) Galaga
5) Pac Man
6) Ms. Pac Man
7) Frogger
8) Burger Time
9) ????

What should I do for number 9?

I wanted to put either Popeye or Q*Bert but they require custom joysticks.  (well, 8-way for Popeye and a rotated 4-way for Q*Bert).

I don't want to use a switchable joystick.  I want SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE.  :-)

I am also going to try my best to do leaf-switches like the ones in it now.  I could use the existing buttons but I don't like the color.

Oh, any ideas on the theme?

So, to recap this really long post....here are my TWO questions...LOL

1) What should I pick for number 9
2) What theme?

Thanks!

[NoOne=NBA=]

I'm assuming it has a vertical monitor in it?

Given your list of games, why are you putting TWO joysticks on it?
NONE of the games you listed uses two sticks simultaneously.

If you ARE putting two sticks on it, I would suggest Joust 2, and the absolute MUST-HAVE (at least for me) vertical game of all time--Crazy Climber.
Crazy Climber actually uses two 8-ways, but is easily playable with 4-ways.

Something else you might consider is using the second stick to switch between banks of screenshots, which would let you put everything that fits the cab configuration on.

[cbmeeks]

<yes...verticle 19" monitor>

You know, that's certainly an idea.  My intentions were that when two people played, you didn't have to share the stick....but I guess that's no big deal...you are right...none of those are simultaneous play.

If I put one more joystick, it might be a trackball actually.  I just can't decide...lol

My main goal is simplicity.  I have two cab projects going and one is going to be a fighter/50,000 game combo...lol....and the other just wants simple verticle games.

I thought about putting a 4-way and an 8-way so I could increase the number of games played.  However, I don't think I want 2000 games on this machine.

Some other games I would consider but would need special controllers or at least an 8-way are:

Q*Bert, Popeye, Centipede, Crazy Climber,

[Tiger-Heli]

What should I do for number 9?

Galaga  

[cbmeeks]

that's number 4

[Tiger-Heli]

that's number 4

Oops - Okay, Tempest or 1942

[NoOne=NBA=]

Tempest needs a spinner and two buttons, and 1942 needs an 8-way and two buttons/player.

As far as the two people playing, all the games mentioned only use the one stick.
The other guy is standing around watching while the first guy plays.

If you are sticking with your list, I'd go with one 4-way (centered) and one button on either side of the stick.
That will let people pick the hand they want to use on the stick.

As far as simplicity goes, that's why I went modular.
I can set up a trackball only panel, or a single 4-way/1 button panel, etc... in addition to being able to build specialized panels like Defender/Tron/Wacko/etc...

[fredster]

I have had two of those cabs.  I don't know if they were originally frogger.  You can look at Klov and check the timepilot picture.  That's what my twin cobra machine is.  Twin Eagle is about the same thing.

I had a mat mania cab that I think was in it's first and only incarnation as mat mania that had that, but I'm not sure.

That cab would change out nice in any two button vertical game.  I remember some database of mame games that you could sort out what games were vertical and how many buttons they have.  Just about any type of vertical shooter game like 1942 can do it.

The control panel on it is metal and has a hinge at the bottom.  If you have a greenlee 1-1/8" punch you can mame it pretty easy.

I don't think it's worth selling as a twin eagle.  The boards sell dirt cheap, and like another poster said, it's not real fun after you beat it once.

[cbmeeks]

If you are sticking with your list, I'd go with one 4-way (centered) and one button on either side of the stick.
That will let people pick the hand they want to use on the stick.

I thought about that.  Talk about simple!!

Yeah, the Time Pilot cab is identical to mine.  Except for the button layout.

I am not going to put Twin Eagle in.  Honestly, it's just not that fun....for me.

I think I know what I will do for number 9.  I will play MP3's with it.....OR, I might fire up an 2600 emulator and play some simple games....