Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?  (Read 19788 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jagnogg

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 33
  • Last login:November 03, 2006, 01:43:21 pm
  • I'm not wearing any pants.
Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« on: February 02, 2005, 12:08:45 pm »

So I got the green light from the CFO (wife) to finish my basement and make a game room.  The carpenter is coming on Monday to start. (It was either have him come right away or wait for 3 months until he finished another project).

I'm trying to think of every possible feature that I want before he gets started.  The room will be approximately 20' x 12' and will accommodate my stand up arcade machine, skeeball machine and cocktail arcade machine. Later on I want to add an electronic dart board.

Anyway, I am going to have the room wired for speakers, and I'll put a string in there so I can pull other cables through later on. I will also have plenty of power outlets and a couple RJ45 / Phone / Cable jacks strategically located. The room will have it's own heating zone and thermostat. The ceiling Will be sheet rocked with access panels for certain areas that can't be permanently covered, and I'm putting in recessed lights.

If you were building a game room, what special touches would you all add? I'm sure there are a ton of things I'm forgetting.

-Jagnogg




walls83

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1147
  • Last login:July 10, 2017, 02:58:45 pm
  • beer is good
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2005, 12:22:08 pm »
a bar.  A place for a jukebox.  Cat5 outlets(always come in handy).
"A true warrior enters the arena with all his powers at the ready." ~ Gouki

RayB

  • I'm not wearing pants! HA!
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 11279
  • Last login:February 24, 2024, 12:00:13 am
  • There's my post
    • RayB.com
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2005, 12:25:54 pm »
Lots of electrical outlets.
NO MORE!!

unclet

  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3561
  • Last login:April 26, 2023, 07:34:43 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2005, 12:27:50 pm »
- Bar with a large TV
- Poker table
- Possibly room for a pinball table in the future???

ChadTower

  • Chief Kicker - Nobody's perfect, including me. Fantastic body.
  • Trade Count: (+12)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 38211
  • Last login:October 19, 2022, 12:01:54 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2005, 12:47:47 pm »
A projector for watching the Big Game.

Hoagie_one

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3062
  • Last login:September 04, 2020, 12:36:28 pm
  • Um....whats a cabinet
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2005, 01:00:13 pm »
Run a dedicated power line to the game room outlets from teh fuse box

namedos

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 263
  • Last login:January 04, 2023, 06:18:13 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2005, 01:14:03 pm »
Cable hook ups for your TV feed.  Depending on how well planned out you have your room you may want some electrical outlets up near the ceiling for things like neon lights (beer, etc.) and your dartboard. 

What about a small recessed closet to hide things in like modular CP or other accessories?  Fairly easy to add with a pocket door.   That could be part of one wall and you could finish the area with a bar?

Our bonus room we wired the lights on two different lines so I could have half of them on or all of them and added a dimmer.

I agree with Hoagie that a dedicated electrical line would be a good idea.

Hoagie_one

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3062
  • Last login:September 04, 2020, 12:36:28 pm
  • Um....whats a cabinet
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2005, 01:16:43 pm »
My house is wired stupidly.  Thats why i mention it.  I got rooms upstairs on the same circuit as my basement washing machine....stupid 1950's builders.

Stingray

  • Official Slacker - I promise to try a lot less
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10463
  • Last login:April 08, 2021, 03:43:54 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2005, 01:16:56 pm »
I agree with the suggestions regarding electricity. Given the hobby that we all share you can never have too much juice.

A recliner and a kegerator would be keen.

-S
Stingray you magnificent bastard!
This place is dead lately.  Stingray scare everyone off?

ChadTower

  • Chief Kicker - Nobody's perfect, including me. Fantastic body.
  • Trade Count: (+12)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 38211
  • Last login:October 19, 2022, 12:01:54 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2005, 01:20:15 pm »
My house is wired stupidly.  Thats why i mention it.  I got rooms upstairs on the same circuit as my basement washing machine....stupid 1950's builders.

Mine is like that too... built in '54.  At least my washing machine is on its own circuit, though, as that line was definitely installed much later.

Lilwolf

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4946
  • Last login:July 31, 2022, 10:26:34 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2005, 01:34:01 pm »
A walk in bar with keg is always good.  Small refridge.

One empty wall for DLP projector..  High Def TV 10 ft across!

Darts (but thats not much)

One area for future pinball machines.

One area for Mame machine + a few of your favorite originals

Pool Table.

Sex wall with wips and hooks.

Juke Box.

Ignore two back... Or put a Screen infront of it...

Heck.. Keep the sex torture room... Add a nice screen for your DLP projector to cover...

And a nice couch is nice

Don't forget the keg!

Shape D.

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1602
  • Last login:July 05, 2012, 06:17:57 pm
  • >Look at me, I'm a Newbie<
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #11 on: February 02, 2005, 01:38:53 pm »
Kegorator, or something to hold refreshments.
pizza oven.
Hey Baby, Have you ever met a Newbie with 38 pages of previous posts before? Do you Want to?

Hoagie_one

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3062
  • Last login:September 04, 2020, 12:36:28 pm
  • Um....whats a cabinet
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2005, 01:41:46 pm »
popcorn machine

moonpatrol 4 lyfe

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 115
  • Last login:May 08, 2011, 04:32:18 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2005, 01:47:02 pm »
add a stripper's pole  near one of the corners, and put mirrors on both sides so your wife can keep you entertained

i mean uh... stock the room full of cheesy romance novels for your wife, yes yes, do that instead

Bill

stellarola

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 644
  • Last login:June 24, 2020, 11:46:59 pm
  • .::For the love of the game::.
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2005, 01:54:15 pm »
I hope you have a lot of friends. Or your gonna be running around the basement alone with a Chucky Cheese cardboard king crown on your head. Which....of course can still be fun. Please take pictures and send to:

B. Bradley
666 Elm Street
Satans, Hollow 00666


 :)

Hoagie_one

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3062
  • Last login:September 04, 2020, 12:36:28 pm
  • Um....whats a cabinet
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2005, 01:55:47 pm »
snowcone machine

TOK

  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3604
  • Last login:January 24, 2024, 05:14:24 pm
  • The Game Always Wins
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2005, 02:44:57 pm »
Have an easy way to get games down there? Basement gamerooms aren't as much fun when all the games are up in the garage.  ;)


GGKoul

  • Cheesecake Apprentice
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4709
  • Last login:July 23, 2019, 05:47:30 pm
  • I was once a big man!! -4700 posts later...

RetroJames

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2264
  • Last login:December 10, 2021, 05:26:38 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #18 on: February 02, 2005, 03:51:32 pm »
If you are going to have neon lights, bar signs, traffic lights etc. consider adding a few well placed outlets on the walls higher up so you don't have to have wires hanging down to the ground from the signs.


jagnogg

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 33
  • Last login:November 03, 2006, 01:43:21 pm
  • I'm not wearing any pants.
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #19 on: February 03, 2005, 08:26:30 am »

Wow. Thanks for all of the replies. Keep em coming. You've given me some good ideas. I'm adding these things to my wish list:

 1. Dedicated power line.
 2. Outlets on ceiling or near ceiling.
 3. A gumball machine (wife's idea).
 4. A 40 ounce bottle of malt liquor in a wall box, labeled "break glass in case of emergency"
 5. Dimmer for lights.
 6. A skybox! This is perfect! I would put a kegorator or bar down there, but I'd be a hopeless drunk with no job in 3 months. "It's so good, when it hits your lips" <Frank the Tank from 'Old School' voice>. The skybox would allow for an assortment of beverages, including beer in portions that would be manageable / keep me gainfully employed & married. It'd have a Buffalo Bills logo, in case anyone is wondering. I'm a Bills fan living in New England, God help me. Go Philly!

 7. A small hoop on the wall for my two year old son.
 8. Recliner.
 
Addressing points others brought up:
 - My house has a two car garage under, so this is the other half of the basement. It's the main entrance to the house for us and for guests. Seeing the reaction of first time visitors is fun. It ranges from "OH MY GOD! YOU HAVE AN ARCADE GAME AND SKEEBALL MACHINE!" to looks of total puzzlement, to people who completely ignore them (I don't get those last people at all).

 - We're going to open up the wall under the stairs to the first floor and the room has a bump out the size of a closet that is under our fireplace. Those two areas will be used for storage / entertainment racks, etc.

- A jukebox,  Dart game (the arcade-like ones you see in a bar), popcorn machine, sno-cone machine, and bubble chexx hockey game are all on the extended wish list now. Sadly there isn't enough room for a pool table with the things I'll have in there.

A stripping pole? My wife is cool, but she ain't that cool.

-Jagnogg
 


walls83

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1147
  • Last login:July 10, 2017, 02:58:45 pm
  • beer is good
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #20 on: February 03, 2005, 09:36:18 am »
A stripping pole? My wife is cool, but she ain't that cool..


LMFAO
"A true warrior enters the arena with all his powers at the ready." ~ Gouki

The Man

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 112
  • Last login:August 27, 2009, 03:41:49 pm
  • I'm easy like Sunday mornin!
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #21 on: February 03, 2005, 09:43:25 am »
Add more than one cable/Dish line, for in and out.

javeryh

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7901
  • Last login:Today at 10:28:40 am
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #22 on: February 03, 2005, 02:47:33 pm »
popcorn machine

Great idea.  I've always wanted one of these things for my dream basement setup.  Right next to the bar...

Trimoor

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 596
  • Last login:November 18, 2006, 09:01:46 pm
  • I like shooting out of helicopters.
    • Trimoor
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #23 on: February 03, 2005, 03:05:26 pm »
Use CCFL lights for the main lights.  Get one of each color (RGB) then wire them on separate dimmers.  You can light up the room in any color you want.

Put an emergency warning light on the wall.  They kind they used in old subs, with the metal cage around it.  Make it rotate if you can.

Make sure you run all data lines as far away as possible from the power lines.  Having a 60Hz buzz in everything sucks.  Run more cables than you need to.  You will always find uses later.

Put some pressure sensors under the carpet.  When someone walks into the room, everything will power up automatically.  Doubles as a security system.

Forget the skybox.  Get a real vending machine.  People leave them just sitting around.  Drive by late one night......

Don't forget a crane machine.  Great for kids.

traknfieldSUPAstar

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 170
  • Last login:March 18, 2011, 07:34:52 pm

Pungo76

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #25 on: February 03, 2005, 03:22:10 pm »
If your doing a suspended ceiling I'd put all the outlets up there in the ceiling for neon lights and such, that way you can just see a short cord dissapear into the ceiling panel and no outlet, I hate cord clutter.

GGKoul

  • Cheesecake Apprentice
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4709
  • Last login:July 23, 2019, 05:47:30 pm
  • I was once a big man!! -4700 posts later...
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #26 on: February 03, 2005, 03:51:16 pm »

MAME nut

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 122
  • Last login:March 18, 2024, 12:33:01 am

elvis

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1154
  • Last login:April 13, 2023, 05:31:03 pm
  • penguin poker
    • StickFreaks
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #28 on: February 03, 2005, 05:11:07 pm »
A SFF box running MythTV.

Plug that into your DLP projector, and you've got your oldschool console emulators (NES, MS, MD/Genesis, SNES, etc) as well as DivX/Xvid/AVI/DVD, news/weather and hiDef TV all in one box, and all on the big screen.

Super Mario Kart at 10' wide is about as fun as it gets. :)

I'd also seriously consider a 802.11g access point somewhere in there.  Wireless is getting pretty damn cheap at the moment, and saves you having to plan ahead for RJ45 points.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2005, 05:13:25 pm by elvis »

DarkKobold

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1040
  • Last login:June 18, 2013, 11:31:23 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #29 on: February 03, 2005, 06:30:59 pm »
Shouldn't this have been moved to arcade misc and not everything else?!?!?!
-------------------------------------
My games: Tapper, Asteroids, Cocktail-MAME, Tron, ROTJ, Tempest, Star Wars (not working)
My wants: Warlords Cocktail

Shape D.

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1602
  • Last login:July 05, 2012, 06:17:57 pm
  • >Look at me, I'm a Newbie<
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #30 on: February 03, 2005, 06:40:22 pm »
Shouldn't this have been moved to arcade misc and not everything else?!?!?!
Are you questioning the mods?
Man, youve got ba**s of Steel.  ;)
Hey Baby, Have you ever met a Newbie with 38 pages of previous posts before? Do you Want to?

iwillfearnoevil

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 327
  • Last login:February 13, 2010, 07:08:43 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #31 on: February 03, 2005, 09:06:58 pm »
Shouldn't this have been moved to arcade misc and not everything else?!?!?!
Are you questioning the mods?
Man, youve got ba**s of Steel.

Goz

  • KOTA
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3421
  • Last login:September 03, 2020, 02:23:18 am
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #32 on: February 03, 2005, 09:48:51 pm »
Don't forget the Margarita / Slurpee machine!

-Goz

scooter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 62
  • Last login:September 13, 2006, 09:57:01 pm
  • I want to build my own llama!
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #33 on: February 04, 2005, 06:02:13 pm »
Make sure that any new doorways that you install are large (wide).

Also, consider insulating the basement ceiling for noise containment.
Friends don't let friends buy iROMs.

Gumby

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 25
  • Last login:May 25, 2005, 03:33:59 pm
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #34 on: February 04, 2005, 06:26:02 pm »
Something to really think about with a room like that is heat.

Make sure you have a way to vent.  If you have 5-6 people, plus 5-6 arcade games, plus TV, plus jukebox, plus soda/refridge...

it gets _WARM_ very quickly.  Which in turn makes everyone either a) drink more, which then they get drunk real fast and quit playing...or worse yet, spill..*groan* or b) get lethargic and fall asleep.

This can get worse if you put sound board in the ceiling...as it acts like extra insulation trapping the heat downstairs.

-G

Trimoor

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 596
  • Last login:November 18, 2006, 09:01:46 pm
  • I like shooting out of helicopters.
    • Trimoor
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #35 on: February 04, 2005, 06:28:29 pm »
It would be great for cold climates though.

Put speakers in the ceiling.

Build a pedestal controller for your video projector.
Make sure the entire wall is filled with video.

shmokes

  • Just think of all the suffering in this world that could have been avoided had I just been a little better informed. :)
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10397
  • Last login:September 24, 2016, 06:50:42 pm
  • Don't tread on me.
    • Jake Moses
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #36 on: February 04, 2005, 07:54:50 pm »
The mistake is assuming that your wife has to be the one stripping.  Install a stripper pole AND employ osme strippers.  Then your gameroom will be complete.
Check out my website for in-depth reviews of children's books, games, and educational apps for the iPad:

Best Kid iPad Apps

Wade

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1638
  • Last login:November 29, 2023, 08:30:51 pm
  • 80's Child
    • Wade's Gameroom
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #37 on: February 05, 2005, 12:29:28 pm »
My gameroom was finished when i bought the house, but I have had to constantly add things:

* 2 additional 20 amp circuits for games

* 1 additional 20 amp circuit with high/ceiling outlets for neon signs and hanging TV, all on one switch

* High shelf around the pool table to sit drinks

Things on my "to do" list:
* add a bar/restaurant style booth
* more seating around the pool table
* small, tall tables in between games (like Gamewoorks/Dave and Busters)

Not having much seating or places to sit food and drinks has been a MAJOR problem for many people in our gameroom.  It's important to make accomodations for all the "regular people" too. :)

Wade

Wienerdog

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 569
  • Last login:December 08, 2020, 06:28:51 am
  • If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #38 on: February 05, 2005, 08:10:49 pm »
I'm constantly trying to pictures the roome dimensions needed for this stuff.  Wade, what size is your gameroom?
This opinion was created from 100% post consumed information.

DrewKaree

  • - AHOTW - Pompous revolving door windbag *YOINKER*
  • Wiki Master
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9743
  • Last login:May 15, 2021, 05:31:18 pm
  • HAH! Nice one!
    • A lifelong project
Re: Building gameroom in my basement - ideas?
« Reply #39 on: February 05, 2005, 08:43:00 pm »

It's important to make accomodations for all the "regular people" too. :)


I accomodate people like that by not inviting them  ;D

And who are these...how you say....re-gyoo-lur? people you speak of?
You’re always in control of your behavior. Sometimes you just control yourself
in ways that you later wish you hadn’t