BYOD - New (not so new) idea. Darts

[PoDunkMoFo]

To all,

I have been knocking this idea around my head for a while.   I think I seem to remember some rumblings about this in some long ago post.  The basic idea is this.

Interface an expensive soft tip dartboard thru a keyboard encoder to a pc. Set it up to accept quarters (if desired) to have the most realistic arcade... er bar (pub for u Europeans) feel possible.  Create a program with graphically represented dartboard and scoring.  Include as many variations as possible and allow for a large number of players.  Include bounce out and other score editing features.

OK I am the idea man here.  I have no skills of a programmer.  I do have skills of an artist and some skills of  a builder.  I would be willing to work on graphics and cabinet design and any other non programmer like stuff but for it to work we really need a programmer.

I am sure most of the dartboards would use some sort of matrix in there hit indication switching so there might be some initial issues here.

I think this wold be a cool addition to the toys we all current have and I would think it could be done for a reasonable price.

Edit -

Ok found the thread

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=34866.0

Looks like it kind of died.  Maybee if we could get the actual scoring software written and working (just tie into key presses) it would spur on some of.... well one of the more entrepreneurial members of the board.
You know who you are... although you seem to have a lot on the proverbial plate lately.

[DrewKaree]

I don't understand.  Mebbe its just becuz ima noob, but they sell darts at auctions by me all the time 4 cheep, like 2 hunnerd bux.

[PoDunkMoFo]

See this is why there should be a way to lock noobs out of threads.  Maybee if you would lurk a little before posting you would be better informed. 

But seriously...

I just thought it would be a cool project and would allow for unlimited variations plus a pc monitor would offer cool scoring feedback.

Also I have not seen boards in my area cheap.  Possibly I need to look around some more and see what I find.

[DrewKaree]

See this is why there should be a way to lock noobs out of threads.  Maybee if you would lurk a little before posting you would be better informed. 

Oh sure, you guys with your tens of tens of posts showing off! 

Wait'll I catch up to you in post count.  I'll show you!


I know for certain that a lot of the guys buying for ~200 refurb them and sell for ~1000-1500

Check for SuperAuctions in your area. 

[PoDunkMoFo]

I think....

[PoDunkMoFo]

there might be ways.....

[PoDunkMoFo]

to catch up quickly....

[SirPoonga]

I've actually been working on this.  My $10 electronic dartboard has an 8x11 matrix.  My keyboard I ripped apart has an 8x16 matrix.

I haven't hooked the two together yet.  I wonder if all combinations will work as keyboards are generally 104 keys and maybe some multimedia keys.

Then it will just be a simple programming task to map keys to actual board values.
After that it is creating the games.  If done right the games would be modules that you add one.  The master program would just read what key press happened, convert it to the actual dartboard value (along with the setup of that).  The game modules would then do what they need to do.  The main program would also be a menu, select number of players, etc...  and pass that info to the game module.  The game module might have to be in charge of scoring and displaying the score as games use different scoring techniques.  Though a simulated LCD numbering and cricket seutp will probably suffice.

The big thing right now is I am going to get a laptop that I can use to try this with.  I don't have room in my apartment to put up a dartboard so I will have to wait until I can put it out in the garage.

[Lilwolf]

come on... soft tips SUCK... Whats the fun of drinking and darts when the chance of impaling someone isn't there???  really!

So what you really need to do (to do it right) is forget about the ipac and hacking anything... but instead get a USB camera and the gaming interface (like the eyetoy) thats open source.  It was brought up and initially tried for making ultra violet gun. 

Next, you need to then get it to pick up the location on the board that  a dart hit and score it.

Next... do it 2 more times (3 cameras) incase one of the darts is hiding.  You could do it up to 10 times to really really make sure.

Then, triangulate the location, and map that to a 3d representation of the board... and with that you should be able to find the score (after the 45 point calibration sequense that requires hitting all the courners of all the areas plus a few extra to get the proper curve).

And that should work PERFECT for a while... until the first time your so drunk you miss so bad... that you hit a camera... Thank god those cameras are so cheap these days.

So for a few hundred in parts (not including computer),, A few thousand to build a good looking box to put it in,  and a few hundred hours of programming... You could have your own electronic dart board with real tips!

[mccoy178]

There are steel tip electronic boards out there in the world.

[SirPoonga]

Yep, Halex makes them.

It's still a matrix and I think can be hacked to a keyboard matrix.

[Lilwolf]

If it wasn't obvious, I wasn't really being serious

[SirPoonga]

Right, but I am in saying that Halex (you can get it at Target) makes an elextronic bristleboard with "Bristle Tech".  Not sure exactly what that is.  I know another company has a ring of IR detectors around the board to detect where the dart hit.

It would be possible to use steel tips   Actually I'd like that.  If I could plug a laptop into the steel tip board to keep track of scoring instead of a chalkboard....