Author Topic: 4 player Cocktail cab WIP.... (Read 11445 times)

Smack · « **on:** August 27, 2002, 04:28:45 pm »

I had thrown a quickee page up to answer someone's question on the main board, I figured I'd puke up a quick link here to keep you guys from getting bored.

I've still gotta make a whole site before I submit it for addition to the examples page though.

http://www.beerisgoodfood.com/mame.htm

Smack

Grasshopper · « **Reply #1 on:** August 27, 2002, 05:36:30 pm »

Looks good, how do the T-stiks compare with the supers?

Smack · « **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2002, 06:28:52 pm »

4-way feels great, but they're much stiffer when set to 8 ways. I think they'll feel better after breaking in a bit.

The microswitches are pretty loud.

Worth it though, I like a lot of 4way games.

Smack

SirPoonga · « **Reply #3 on:** September 03, 2002, 09:51:09 pm »

4 player? looks two player to me, just controls for 2 palyers for horizontal and vertical games:)

It would be true 4 player cocktail cab if it can play 4 player cocktail games, like warlords, atari football, atari soccer.

Smack · « **Reply #4 on:** September 03, 2002, 10:04:19 pm »

It can do 4 players for gauntlet, paddlemania, demolition derby, etc. I'm running an IPAC4. Each stick is wired in independently.

I changed the directions in MAME for Gauntlet so that stick one up="right", stickleft = "up", etc. (Oriented to the where you sit at the cab.)

The sticks are Player 1+2 on the ends and Player 3+4 on the horizontal side. AdvanceMame rotates the screen automatically to right orientation. I have Advmame set to overide some games that I do want horizontal to go vertical or vertical to Horizontal (2 player vertical shooters,etc.)

Sticks 1+3 are configured in MAME to both do player 1 movements, Stick 2+4 are set up that way too. Games that are 4 players are configured separately.

I'm working on a site to explain how I've got it setup. Fear not my friend!

I have dubbed my cab: "The Mondo-Turtle-Head Cocktail Cab."

Smack

Brax · « **Reply #5 on:** September 07, 2002, 10:42:22 am »

Wow looks great! i'm building a side my side cocktail that looks REALLY similar. (I've based mine on the Gemini Project)

Is that smoked glass or Plexi on top? How thick? And how have you mounted it? i don't see any glass clips.

Smack · « **Reply #6 on:** September 07, 2002, 11:04:28 am »

It's 1/4 smoked plate glass. I had the glass place use the plexi that came with it for a template.

Right now it's just resting on top. I've got a friend that works in a machine shop that fabricating some custom clips for me.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking forward to see how yours comes out!

Smack

Brax · « **Reply #7 on:** September 07, 2002, 01:49:01 pm »

Plate....... so not tempered? I've been looking into smoked, tempered glass and it will be around 100 bucks. I'd really like that though so I suppose I'll keep saving.

Would you recommend going non-tempered?
I just worry about a two player head to head game getting out of hand and a beer bottle going a little too hard onto the table top, heh.

Smack · « **Reply #8 on:** September 07, 2002, 02:34:31 pm »

I think its templred. The guy said it was for use on tables.

It's pretty solid, no to mention I leave coasters on the top of the machine!

Smack

Brax · « **Reply #9 on:** September 07, 2002, 03:14:53 pm »

Coasters!? This is a seedy 'ole arcade machine!
Real men would leave watermarks!!!!!

Smack · « **Reply #10 on:** September 07, 2002, 03:27:17 pm »

well, I've been know to throw a fit or 2 on Galaga...

Brax · « **Reply #11 on:** September 08, 2002, 10:32:07 pm »

Hey Smack what do you think of those trackballs?

I didn't think I could afford an arcade trackball for my cabinet so i ended up get a CompUSA crystal trackball for now. Its ok, but its no arcade trackball.

The Wicos are so cheap! Are the 2 1/4 Wicos as nice as a 3" Happs? If they are I should have bought the Wico first. Live and learn... Does it spin freely and have good feel to it? Do the pool balls help or is that just cosmetic? I like the look myself though.

Smack · « **Reply #12 on:** September 08, 2002, 11:07:26 pm »

I like them as much as my Happs 3 inch. The fact that the happs one is bigger is the best part. I think that the Wico spins just as well with a billiard ball, if not better. (seems to give it a little more weight.) I had actually debated getting some of those pool balls with wierd logos or the Patriots logo or something. (New England, what can you do?)

The only thing I hate is the wiring harness that clips into the optics boards. I ended up just soldering the wires directly to them.

Smack

hyiu · « **Reply #13 on:** September 11, 2002, 01:53:18 pm »

very nice cocktail !!!....

no offense to others great work... but this is probably the nicest cocktail I've ever seen..... (my personal favorite !!!...)

Good Work !!!!

ps: I hope someday I'll have your wood working skills....

Smack · « **Reply #14 on:** September 11, 2002, 05:20:05 pm »

thanks. for the feedback!

the easiest way to obtain my woodworking skills (or complete lack therof) is to renovate an existing cabinet!

If it wasnt' for the dudes at Home Depot, I'd be cutting wood with a hacksaw!

SirPoonga · « **Reply #15 on:** September 11, 2002, 07:30:04 pm »

Quote from: Smack on September 11, 2002, 05:20:05 pm

If it wasnt' for the dudes at Home Depot, I'd be cutting wood with a hacksaw!

As Red says, "Any tool can be the right tool"

SirPoonga · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2002, 11:36:12 pm »

is it annoying to have the controls somewhat under those ledges? especially the trackball. marble madness would suck like that.

Smack · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2002, 01:16:17 am »

It doesn't seem to bug me.

Actually, I really don't play MM anyways. I had wanted the trackballs for bowling games, golf games, centipede/millipede, crystal castles, shuffleboard, & horseshoes.

There's about 2 1/2" clearance on each side of the ball, for those games, it feels pretty comfortable to me. The panel does look kinda tight, but I've got it set up to be just right. You're not fumbling over the other controls. It was tricky placing the spinner so it wasn't a spot where it would be in the way with the buttons.

Smack

SirPoonga · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2002, 03:50:13 am »

Quote from: Smack on September 14, 2002, 01:16:17 am

Actually, I really don't play MM anyways. I had wanted the trackballs for bowling games, golf games, centipede/millipede, crystal castles, shuffleboard, & horseshoes.

There's about 2 1/2" clearance on each side of the ball, for those games, it feels pretty comfortable to me.

I mean it looks like there isn;t much clearence above the trackball. golf games and bowling games where you have quick upward strokes I think the ledge would get in the way.

Smack · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2002, 12:07:51 pm »

we use the "fling it with your thumbs" trick.

SirPoonga · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2002, 02:59:18 pm »

Ahhhhhh.

See, one thing I learned about the design of my cabinet, that shelf sucks when playing golden tee golf. My roommate found that out...

Smack · « **Reply #21 on:** September 14, 2002, 04:19:12 pm »

Ahhhhh...

The "shelf" issue...

On my upright, we kept hitting the damn glass on the follow through. Well, I didn't, but there's nothing like the sound of someone else's fingertips jamming into the glass...

Smack

SirPoonga · « **Reply #22 on:** September 14, 2002, 05:22:46 pm »

Then you think to yourself, "OHHHHHH, that's why golden tee has such a large control panel for jsut a trackball"

Smack · « **Reply #23 on:** September 14, 2002, 11:04:13 pm »

Chris · « **Reply #24 on:** September 18, 2002, 04:34:01 pm »

Quote from: Smack on September 14, 2002, 04:19:12 pm

On my upright, we kept hitting the damn glass on the follow through. Well, I didn't, but there's nothing like the sound of someone else's fingertips jamming into the glass...

I have a double problem on my upright... in addition to the glass behind the trackball, I have a spinner in front of the trackball... some day a Golen Tee'er is gonna break that spinner off...

Smack · « **Reply #25 on:** September 18, 2002, 05:26:13 pm »

That's a definite "double thumbs" technique!

SirPoonga · « **Reply #26 on:** September 19, 2002, 03:53:02 pm »

out of curiousity, how do you plan on mapping your controls?

Smack · « **Reply #27 on:** September 19, 2002, 11:36:32 pm »

I'm just about done finishing a site all about it to submit as a "new project."

Here's a link to the page I've got done about the panel:

http://www.beerisgoodfood.com/mame/cocktail/controlpanels.htm

I've been busy building another new cab so I've been neglecting to finish the last bits of the site.

Smack

SirPoonga · « **Reply #28 on:** September 20, 2002, 03:21:05 am »

I thought so, you'd benefit from my new mame ctrlr ini file tweaks. it can auto detect 3 and 4 player games and with the ini file remap the keys for you.

Smack · « **Reply #29 on:** September 20, 2002, 10:27:22 am »

I saw that, I'm gonna have to take a look at trying that. (Figures.... Where was that tweak about 4 weeks ago when I was pulling my hair out reporgramming each 4 player game!)

Smack

SirPoonga · « **Reply #30 on:** September 20, 2002, 03:58:04 pm »

Quote from: Smack on September 20, 2002, 10:27:22 am

I saw that, I'm gonna have to take a look at trying that. (Figures.... Where was that tweak about 4 weeks ago when I was pulling my hair out reporgramming each 4 player game!)

Smack

I found a minor bug in my code. It's fixed on my website.

Brax · « **Reply #31 on:** September 21, 2002, 01:21:26 pm »

I cheated and grabbed a sneak peak of your site as is.
Damn I love that cocktail.
Mine is so close to yours the only difference is that I wish I thought of your 4 player idea. Mine is just a side by side. I may have to rework it some day to add control panels on the ends. I've barely played mine yet and it bugs me a little that vertical games are cropped. It would be nice to view them at full size.
These things are never complete are they?

I still need to save my pennies to complete mine. I still need the top glass and a few cosmetic things. I might have to try my hand at making a web site someday too otherwise my cabinet may never be seen. heh. This hobby gets bigger and bigger doesn't it?

Great work smack.

Smack · « **Reply #32 on:** September 21, 2002, 02:10:31 pm »

Thanks for the feedback!

Yeah, it never seems that you can say that your project is finally "done"...

I still need the clips for the glass and a few cosmetic touchups. I think I'm getting neurotic about that dang cab - constantly tweaking it and stuff.

And I wonder why my friends think I'm insane.

Brax · « **Reply #33 on:** September 21, 2002, 09:12:22 pm »

Yeah I don't wonder anymore about that myself. I'm sure they think it and I'm sure I am!

I'm already considering an I-PAC 4 and I've only had the I-PAC 2 installed a few weeks!

houseofhemi · « **Reply #34 on:** October 20, 2002, 09:34:48 pm »

Hi Smack,

Nice cabinet! I had a sneak preview of your page as well, very nice.

I am in the process of designing a side by side cocktail cab and I have been trying to find pics of how the cocktails are hinged. You have one shot of the hinge arrangement on your page but I was wondering if you had any pics of it that were bigger and/or at different angles.

You can email them to houseofhemi@hotmail.com

Thanks heaps,

HOH

Smack · « **Reply #35 on:** October 29, 2002, 12:33:34 am »

Here's a few pics that I took this weekend...

pugwash · « **Reply #36 on:** October 31, 2002, 05:14:04 pm »

First of all, let me say what a excellant cab. I have been looking around for sometime for a cocktail cab design that would suit my needs, and this is it. Hopefully you will find time to put up a web site, with all the details.

all the best.

Smack · « **Reply #37 on:** October 31, 2002, 08:22:22 pm »

I've been lazy on putting the site together...

I've got 2 or 3 more pages to put together and I'll post a link.

Thanks for the feedback on the cab!

Smack

pugwash · « **Reply #38 on:** November 01, 2002, 03:12:07 am »

Great news. Will you be able to include the dimensions of the cab and control panel layout, please.

Smack · « **Reply #39 on:** November 01, 2002, 05:53:53 pm »

I just finished the site last night and submitted it for inclusion on the examples page. I hadn't put any dimensions on it but I can take some for you later and post them here.

What dimensions are you looking for specifically? Just let me know...

By the way, the site address is:

http://www.smacksville.com

Word.
Smack

Frostillicus · « **Reply #40 on:** November 02, 2002, 08:21:12 pm »

hey smack great cab- looks amazing. what kind of monitor are you using? how big?

Smack · « **Reply #41 on:** November 02, 2002, 09:42:05 pm »

Thanks for the feedback on the cab!

Its a 19 inch EYGO Vga monitor that picked up off ebay a couple of years ago for $150.

I'm still waiting for it to crap out on me! Then its Wells Gardner time...

Smack

Richy · « **Reply #42 on:** November 03, 2002, 10:24:23 am »

I like your cab. i was planning one really similar except with 1 player on each 4 sides, but i might change the design slightly with 2 players on one side, to save space.


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