Arcade Collecting > Miscellaneous Arcade Talk
Build your own Pinball Machine
Lilwolf:
If you are really considering building your own..
You REALLY should build it in VPinball first.. And make sure your idea is fun.
It would suck spending THOUSANDS and find that your game...well... isn't much fun after 10 - 20 minutes...
On another thread, someone mentioned bendable MDF. Might be perfect for a custom table.
I think the trouble will be getting everything perfectly flat. Your either going to have to do Plexi (probably the only real idea).
but build up a prototype in visual pinball... Then get something similar the the vpinball hardware setup... Then start putting it together..
Chris:
--- Quote from: Lilwolf on August 20, 2004, 09:02:09 am ---You REALLY should build it in VPinball first.. And make sure your idea is fun.
--- End quote ---
When I created my Fight Night table, it took months of playtesting to get a layout that flowed well... and once I let other people play it, they found lots more places where things didn't flow well. Granted, Visual Pinball's physics aren't perfect, but it's still a great way to see if you like the table you're going to create...
--Chris
fredster:
If I learned anything from this thread, it's that visual pinball is way cool.
I hadn't tried it before, and I see that it's a must if I plan on going forward with this.
I downloaded that and pinmame with the roms for the tables I have and it is cool (it has some bugs, but it's still very very cool).
I have to get a fundamental understanding of the driver boards for scoring.
I have a solid state machine, but I'll have to see if I can find an electro mechanical machine to base it off of.
mp2526:
--- Quote from: Lilwolf on August 20, 2004, 09:02:09 am ---
On another thread, someone mentioned bendable MDF. Might be perfect for a custom table.
I think the trouble will be getting everything perfectly flat. Your either going to have to do Plexi (probably the only real idea).
but build up a prototype in visual pinball... Then get something similar the the vpinball hardware setup... Then start putting it together..
--- End quote ---
Maybe I don't understand you correctly, but why the need to use plexi to get everything flat? Typical pin playfields are just plywood with a coat of laquer on them. There were a few newer ones that used a polyurethane finish and there were a few that did use a plexi type material over the playfield, but you should have no problem getting a good quality sanded 3/4" plywood playfield to work just fine.
I agree that visual pinball is definately the place to start if not just to see if you idea is fun, even if the physics are just right.
Chris:
--- Quote from: mp2526 on August 20, 2004, 10:18:48 am ---
--- Quote from: Lilwolf on August 20, 2004, 09:02:09 am ---
On another thread, someone mentioned bendable MDF. Might be perfect for a custom table.
I think the trouble will be getting everything perfectly flat. Your either going to have to do Plexi (probably the only real idea).
but build up a prototype in visual pinball... Then get something similar the the vpinball hardware setup... Then start putting it together..
--- End quote ---
Maybe I don't understand you correctly, but why the need to use plexi to get everything flat? Typical pin playfields are just plywood with a coat of laquer on them. There were a few newer ones that used a polyurethane finish and there were a few that did use a plexi type material over the playfield, but you should have no problem getting a good quality sanded 3/4" plywood playfield to work just fine.
--- End quote ---
I had considered using thin plexi as well, because of the insert issue. I can't think of a way to make lamp inserts that will lay nice and flat; one could just cut holes in the playfield for the lamps, put a lighting gel (essentially a really thick sheet of cellophane) over the hole, and cover it all with plexi.
--Chris
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