3 Screen Racing Cabinet

[moloch]

Ok here is the Rundown:
My friend is working on an XBox game called Forza Motorsport. They have a mode in the game where you can run three xboxs and have the 3 screen effect like in Ferrari F355 Challenge. (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=7770)

So him and I want to build a 3 screen Racing Cabinet to support this. This is going to be a really huge and hard to build project. My questions are:

1) screens to use: I am leaning toward 24" TVs, but 3 of these are going to be really heavy. I was hoping to get away with maybe 3 19" flat panel monitors but I am not sure if the screens would be big enough.

2) Frame of the cabinet: If I use TV I am thinking of welding a metal frame for the floor and posts to support the TVs. Then wood to enclose and maybe some fiberglass. I also want to make it modular so it can come apart somewhat easily.

3) Dual Purpose: Add a Playstation so you could play Gran Turismo as well.

4) controls: I want to keep swapping to a minimum so trying to find USB controls that can work with xbox, PS2, and PC would be awesome. (but probably a pipe dream)

3) Things to add: There will be a small CPU added to run MAME. I am going to use a EPIA motherboard and run everything off of Advance CD. It will just be a few games that would work well in a cabinet. I want to add a car stereo into the cabinet when it is done and a small mixer to have it so you can hear the game and music at the same time. I know that you can do this in the game and through an xbox but I think that having a stereo would be awesome and it would work across all of the game platforms.

4) Costs: I am not stupid enough to think that any of this is going to be cheap. We actually have all of the Game systems and computer stuff that we need (3 xboxes, ps2, motherboards, and misc computer crap), but we still expect to spend around $2500 or so in parts (screens, wiring, power supplies)


If anyone out there has any really good pointers or suggestions or even some bad ones I could really use them. This is going to be a long and ongoing project I expect planning to take a good month or so and then probably about 3 to 4 months of weekend time just fabricating stuff.

Thanks in advance for helping out or at least reading this and laughing at my hubris.

[moloch]

Here is a picture of Micosofts Triple Screen setup:
http://alwaysgame.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000E6a&topic_id=SEGA%20Forum&topic=

[unclet]

Ok, 3 screens for one player

[IG-88]

Ok, 3 screens for one player

[moloch]

The basic design is for one player just like the (Ferrari F355 Challenge triple screen model shown at the bottom on the KLOV link). That is the way that the game works, but the concept of having it so that the side screens can sweep out and support extra players is pretty sweet. I will definitely consider this option and see what can be done.

That already adds a whole new layer of complexity.

[GGKoul]

Ok here is the Rundown:
My3) Dual Purpose: Add a Playstation so you could play Gran Turismo as well.

4) controls: I want to keep swapping to a minimum so trying to find USB controls that can work with xbox, PS2, and PC would be awesome. (but probably a pipe dream)

I'm positive there is a all-in-one Steering Wheel that supports Xbox, PS2 and the PC.

[IG-88]

The basic design is for one player just like the (Ferrari F355 Challenge triple screen model shown at the bottom on the KLOV link). That is the way that the game works, but the concept of having it so that the side screens can sweep out and support extra players is pretty sweet. I will definitely consider this option and see what can be done.

That already adds a whole new layer of complexity.

Hell ya! Set it up so three could play at once....that'd be sweet!

[M3talhead]

Wow. That sounds like a great project.

I think though that CRTs are going to give you a better feel and savings in the long run. I just bought a nice 27" Hitachi flat tube for $249. Multiply that by 3 and you get a reasonable setup for that kind of thing thats easy to setup and configure. Make sure though that you get a TV that has component video.

Make sure though that if you do end up building this, you take lots of pics and document everything carefuly. There's nothing better than showing off your achievements to your friends.

[RayB]

Sounds like alot of trouble and expense for just one game.

~Ray B. (the devil's advocate)

[moloch]

Granted it would be a lot of expense and time for one game, but that is why I want to add more then just an xbox. I want to do a bit of mame and ps2 as well. I also think that if I used TVs you could watch a show while playing a game (or 2 shows).

The name I have been toying with is "Sensory Saturation Chamber" S.S.C.
 

[TOK]

Cool idea if you have the space. Atari also did the 3 screen race game setup with TX-1. Huge machines though!

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=T&game_id=10004

[isamu]

What you're talking about doing is not feasible...AT ALL. Simply because there is no...and I mean NO steering wheel out there that is compatible with Xbox, PS2 and PC. The only thing is that piece of <auto-censored> plastic MC2 universal wheel from Mad Catz...it's not USB and it's not force feedback and is quite buggy, with gameport signal loss occuring quite often during a race. Basically you're SOL, unless M$ decides to come out with an FF wheel specifically designed for Forza. But then, it will only work with Forza, and nothing else.

[Reaper]

I have been planning something similar for the PC for a game called Live for Speed, I have semi-set it up (see below piccy) it is all now on a table with a semi decent seat set-up

[IG-88]

What you're talking about doing is not feasible...AT ALL. .

And he throws down the guantlet!

Reaper, are those 17" monitors? That looks pretty good. Whats the specs on your set-up?

[kinu64]

I remember something like this done with computer games.

[IG-88]

Too cool! Hey, that tutorial could come in handy...

[GGKoul]

Here is a listing of all the cars in Forza.

The full list of cars is as follows:

1967 AC Shelby Cobra
1997 Acura NSX
2001 Acura Integra Type-R
2002 Acura RSX Type-S
2003 Acura 3.2 CL Type S
2004 Acura NSX
2002 Acura #42 RealTime Racing NSX SC Driven by Peter Cunningham
2001 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
2005 Aston Martin DB9 Coupe
2001 Audi 2002 Infineon R8
2004 Audi S4
2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro
2000 Audi S4
2003 Audi RS 6
2002 Audi #1 Champion Audi Racing S4 Competition Driven by Michael Galati
2003 Audi #1 Champion Audi Racing RS 6 Driven by Michael Galati
2002 Audi Le Mans #38 Champion AudiR8
2001 Audi Le Mans #4 Johansson Motorsport R8
2004 Audi #8 24h N

[RayB]

YEAH! Honda CRX!
 

[GGKoul]

Can't wait to dow.. no sorry purchase this game 

[Samstag]

Wow they've got a lot of cars from all my favorite racing series!

But where are the Alfas?  And the Austrailians?

[Arcadiac]

moloch, Yoshi from TechTv screensavers did an awesome "NASCAR at home" 3 screen simulator made of aluminum tubing to resemble the interior of a rollcage.  Awesome work, was featured on the ScreenSavers and XPlay mid to late last year.  I just spent 1/2hr trying to find a pic of it with no luck though.  Coolest home rig I've ever seen, not at all like an arcade cockpit, much more authentic.  Of course he had techTV and around 20 G to spend!! His forum is at:
http://yoshi.us/
Maybe you can weed through it and find some pics or even better get some tech support from him or the forum!  Definitely keep us posted.
Good Luck! ARCADIAC!

[oldsage]

moloch, Yoshi from TechTv screensavers did an awesome "NASCAR at home" 3 screen simulator made of aluminum tubing to resemble the interior of a rollcage.

[Samstag]

He said it was around $20,000.  I think they had TOCA 2 running on it on the show, not NASCAR.

For $20,000 I'd feel pretty cheated if it only turned left.

[Xiaou2]

 Well, since this thread popped up... Id like to post an idea i had...

 In mame... there are games that in the real arcade used 2 or 3 monitors.  However... mame dosnt support that.  Squeezes them horribly into one screen.    Since nobody wants to add multimonitor support - then.. . my idea is Hardware support.
 
 Maybe Andy could make a custom video device.   It would take any input pc signal  (could also be consol versions),  and would have 3 output svga ports, 3 rgb ports, and 3 svideo ports.  (or use ports with multiple pins... a Dip switch to tell what type of signal to output at the pins, and custom cables to hook into the pins to connect the desired device) 

 The device would take the image, divide it into 2 or 3 screens depending on dip or cycled switch... and boom, you have multiple monitor support wth ANY game!  : )

 It could have even more advanced features... like scrolling of the cut
lined so that you could choose where the splits took place.   Maybe even individual scrolling adjustments - for seamless display (IE: hide
part of display as if it were under the monitors front face boarder)
Blur effect - near edges, creates a preferial view feel...

 Linkable - to support more monitors?

  Anyway,  Id pay for this in a heartbeat.  Not just for mame, but for pc games, and other fun stuff it could do.   Monitors are cheap now, and many of us have several old ones hanging arround to use.   BUt also,  even if it wasnt to cheap... I think people would still drop the cash for this as its just too cool to not have : )

 Anyone else like this idea?  Would you buy one?
 Anyone have any desire/skill to make this?
   

[Reaper]

What you're talking about doing is not feasible...AT ALL. .

And he throws down the guantlet!

Reaper, are those 17" monitors? That looks pretty good. Whats the specs on your set-up?

Yup, 3 Dell 17" flat screen crt's, the centre has been changed for a Mitsubishi (Dell badged) 21" crt now & the laft will be changed as soon as I can get another of the 21's home (dont really need another for the right screen as it is only really a wing mirror to see )

The specs of the rig are an abit NF7s with an xp processor running at about 2 gig (I forget the actual speed or xp number) with 512 of pc3200 ram & a Matrox Parhelia for gfx (all 3 monitors run from the one card).

Sadly I dont have the space to have it all set-up to use at the moment (untill I re-organise my room) & the building process is on hold while I do the arcade cabinet & sort out more funds - I had got as far as building the base with the seat, pedals (only 2 at present but I am working on having 3 & a shifter) & speakers intergrated (although the speakers only got as far as the test set-up - held on with electrical tape! )

I have to say that it is great for more immersion when playing with multiple monitors!

[captainpotato]

This looks like the perfect excuse for somebody to finally include emulation of TX-1.

Mind you, Grand Prix Legends would be fun in your proposed setup as well...

[Dexter]

YEAH! Honda CRX!
 

1995 Honda Civic Del Sol VTEC

Yip yah! Had one of these babies, favourite motor ever owned. Tumbled her unfortunately. If it wasn't for the rollbar I'd be a lot shorter right now. Have pics of what was left of the car somewhere.

[Reaper]

Mind you, Grand Prix Legends would be fun in your proposed setup as well...

If you are talking about my setup, you are right, GPL is brilliant on the setup. With a force feedback wheel it is amazing experience! - The Ferrari on Nurburg (or whatever the big German track is called) with all the car/track/sound updates is unreal!!