Well, hello!
And welcome back theCoder!
To answer your questions:
1. Mini buttons: Just ordinary momentary ON-OFF buttons. About 18mm diameter (12mm to install). No microswitches. The same I used on Tomatocade for admin buttons. I bought them here for 1.20€ a piece. Local (FI) link:
http://www.spelektroniikka.fi/kuvat/51.pdf (No idea on their policy on international orders though.. If they'll accept them, it'd be 22% off..)
Pictures:
...
And the innards..
2. Sound card hack: It works ..and WAS quite nice. Now it's waiting for another project. I'm actually using another set of powered speakers now (at least one pic on above posts).. free pair with tone controls and at least a couple of Watts more..
3. Shiny metallic contact paper: Yeah, well.. That was the absolutely last option anyway. From the start I knew it had to be blue, just had no idea how or what kind of.. and now the cab is just the opposite of Tomatocade; Not metallic, not generic, not shiny ..
4. .. "inside that small package". This is still very much a W.I.P. project. Not enough time etc. But anyway, I don't know! At the moment the CRT is in another room, CP is "somewhere" (see below..) etc. Someone once asked about the timeline/deadline ..there is none. I'll take pix.. and I'll post them, inside/outside, as soon as I get there.
5. Hot? It is, but I really don't know.. (See above)
And thanks. (How's the Xcelerator?)
..
Hello, Kentoad!
By all means, if it's usefull in your case. Couldn't think of a better solution for the problem. Still, it does the job! How many people, beside yourself, you really think would notice the fact that it is actually two prints after you've covered the seam ..?
Anyway, I'm here just to show you what
NOT TO DO!
Just keep on reading...
-------------
A
BIG mistake!
Don't do this @ home!
Long story.., I had the CP layout (joystick/trackball/button placement, etc.) designed but had no real idea of the graphics.. So I just followed my "plans" and drilled everything ready for assembly. Oh, well..
After a few B&W test prints with my HP inkjet I thought the printer was "special", one way or another? Almost everything seemed to be off; maybe just a few millimeters here and there ..and then something was off by almost 13 mm (half an inch) !!! WTF!?
Must be the cheap effing printer, right?! No such luck. Must be some kind of international conspiracy... Come on, I had (and have) measured everything more than just a few times. My (legit) Photoshop CS2 seemingly just doesn't like arcade CP overlays? Everything else prints perfectly, but try an CPO.... F! So, I won't be able to do the CP on the HP printer.
Add an internet photoservice:
Great quality! Awesome colours! And.. the final print is 558 millimeters wide instead of the needed (and finally, after at least three additional measurements, ordered) 550! ..Just imagine the alignment. Add another F! (A really LOUD one!)
Not everything is lost, though. I have enough scrap MDF to make another CP and the plexi/lexan won't be much more than about 3€. And I've got to go and buy some more anyway for the second, analog panel. Well, a few more hours of manual labor. It's just too frustrating..
And what's the lesson here.. F! Yes, print your graphics first, easier to compensate that way..
Just how did I do the Tomatocade? Can't actually even remember anymore.. Dementia? Dementia 13? Anyway, I think I've learned my lesson
And so, everything wrong is right: Player ONE will have only four buttons after all. No need for them just now actually (Maybe I'll just play Defender (almost) the original way..). Etc. etc.
Well, live and learn..
Back again.., Psycho.