I need ideas!

[Biscuit]

Hey ya'll.  I'm really new to the MAME scene.  I've been lurking around here for weeks, and I recently bought 'the book'.  I've been really psyched up about building my first MAME cab.  But this past weekend, disaster struck! I ran into a guy that offered me a working machine he no longer wanted.  So, sight unseen, I told him I'd pick it up.  I had visions of basically being able to build a control panel and using it to replace what was already there.  The machine I picked up is a Black Tiger game.  Since it's been painted all black and the control panel has no overlay, etc, this was obviously a conversion.  It appears that it may have originally been a pac-man.  The control panel lies between the sides of the cab and doesn't have a whole lot of real estate to work with.  So, no frankenpanel for me.  I can't envision anyway to modify the cabinet to make room for an 'overhang' panel.

So, I am open to any and all ideas on what to do with this cabinet.  The monitor (19") is oriented horizontally at the moment.  Should I leave it that way or turn it vertical?  What sort of button/joystick layout would you recommend?  One player or two?

Thanks for any and all input. 

Biscuit

[Boz]

Post pics if you can. It'll help folks give you some ideas.

[davieboynj]

yeah - - pics definitely...

[severdhed]

i'd need pics, but it sounds like your cabinet is similar to the way mine was when i got it.  control panel was enclosed on both ends by the sides of the cabinet...about 23" wide.  i was a bit concerned at first too, but then i got brave and made some cuts

not saying thats what you should do, but it worked for me. 

Before


After

[Havok]

You should build this!

http://www.syberpunk.com/images/misc/boonga/boonga5.jpg

[severdhed]

You should build this!

http://www.syberpunk.com/images/misc/boonga/boonga5.jpg

dead link

[Boz]

You should build this!

http://www.syberpunk.com/images/misc/boonga/boonga5.jpg

Nice Job!  First day with teh new internets? 

[Biscuit]

I'll grab some pics in the next few days, but aside from the controls, marquee, and super fine flat black paint job, it looks like this pac machine.

[pointdablame]

if it's a Pac cab, don't cut it up (at least IMHO)

Let us know where you are located, and you'll prolly be able to find someone who will trade you a more generic cab better suited for MAME.

Pacs are very common, but there's still no reason to cut it up if you ask me.

[diverdown]

You should build this!

http://www.syberpunk.com/images/misc/boonga/boonga5.jpg

I think this is what was meant to be seen at the end of the link

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=12696

[Havok]

You should build this!

http://www.syberpunk.com/images/misc/boonga/boonga5.jpg

Nice Job!  First day with teh new internets? 

Poo on you!  My internet connection is most likely faster than yours, so there!

 

[Kremmit]

Unless you're just dying to have a frankenpanel, it'll be easy enough to do a nice 1 or two player panel with joystick(s) and buttons only.  If you want trackball(s), spinner(s), or other stuff, then you probably either want a different cabinet, or you want to look into swappable or modular control panels.  Swappable is just what it sounds like, you make several different control panels that can be popped on and of of the machine.  Modular is more interesting, and more work to build:  http://www.beersmith.com/mame/

If you want 4 players, you're really going to want a different cabinet.

[Biscuit]

Thanks to everyone for the replies.  I'm sure to have more then a few questions and it's nice to know that there is such a great online resouce to go to.

I think I am going to keep the cabinet intact and just rework the control panel to handle two players with a few buttons each (or one 8way and one 4way stick).  After I MAME this machine, I think I'll take the plunge and build one from scratch measured out to fit a larger monitor and control panel.

Two questions.

Is there any software or a database that can help me determine the control panel layout and monitor orientation for games?  I was hoping to compile a list or spreadsheet of games so I can figure the button layout, given the small control panel, and which way I should orient the monitor.

Also, what's the best way to strip the black paint if I want to see if the original pac-man (or whatever) color and artwork is still there.  I would start with this first, and, depending on how successful it is, I might consider not MAMEing the machine and trying to restore it back to its original configuration (is that too ambitious?)

Thanks again,

Biscuit

PS - I'm located in Raleigh.  Any MAMErs from the area wanna give a shoutout?

[pointdablame]

3M Safest Stripper seems to be the paint stripper of choice around these parts, and there have been some great results with it in the past.

Restoring it isn't necessarily more ambitious.  You'll just need to track down a Pac board and wire it up.  You could get a Pac --> Jamma adapter to make it a bit easier.

Or you could just "restore" the machine and use a computer to play any vertical 4 way games, which is what I'd do personally.  Restore the cab to look like it originally was, then throw in a PC and a handful of great 4way games.

[Stingray]

Unless you're just dying to have a frankenpanel, it'll be easy enough to do a nice 1 or two player panel with joystick(s) and buttons only.  If you want trackball(s), spinner(s), or other stuff, then you probably either want a different cabinet, or you want to look into swappable or modular control panels.  Swappable is just what it sounds like, you make several different control panels that can be popped on and of of the machine.  Modular is more interesting, and more work to build: 

Mine is the same type as the one that severdhed posted in his before picture. I went with swappable panels.

-S