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I could really use some advice...
Jeff AMN:
Sorry to ask this sort of question, but I'm really torn here. I used to be a pretty active member of this board but it's been since about April of last year since I have visited. My MAME project stalled and I got caught up in work, other hobbies, and even some personal medical issues. So, this is where I stand right now as I'm thinking about getting back into things.
-I have a control panel cut out and routed to fit all of my buttons (thanks knievel), a trackball, a spinner, and my joysticks
-I have 2 optical sticks, a spinner, a trackball assembly (no ball), and TONS of buttons
-I have a gutted Blitz cabinet
-I have a working Street Fighter II machine
I was wondering if for a guy like me (married, working 50 hrs/week), if it would be worth moving forward and building my own MAME cab from what I have or if I'm better off hacking my existing SFII machine to run MAME. I've already spent the majority of the money on my project, I just question my overall drive to get it finished.
I would really like to see a fully built MAME cab in my home, but again, I'm worried about all of the time I need to put into the wiring and building of the project. Should I sell off my components and just hack the existing SFII machine, or would I be much happier in the end if I just manned up and finished what I started a year ago?
leapinlew:
Do you have time to play? Do you have a desire to play?
If the desire and time are there - definetly finish building your mame cabinet. The thing is... it should be as fun building as it is playing. If building it seems like a huge hassle - then forget it. You won't enjoy it and your work may be sub par because of it.
If you don't have the time, but have the desire - just give it some time and maybe eventually you will have the time.
If you don't have either the time to play games, or the desire to build a cabinet - sell them both off.
Jeff AMN:
I definitely have the desire to play. I've been gaming for years and I've always had a love for the arcade. If I didn't have a soft spot for dedicated cabs, I would have just hacked the SFII cab in the first place. It's the purist in me that made me go search for an old Blitz cab to gut.
I guess time is an issue, but I also kind of fear the price/complexity of dealing with an arcade monitor. The wiring looks fun.
Ok, I'm kind of having a moment of realization here. I think it's more of a confidence issue than anything else. Can I really pull it off? How complicated is it, and better yet, how easy is it to screw up?
ahofle:
Personally, I'd keep the control panel you have and look for a cabinet to MAME. For me at least, most of my time was spent with the cabinet carpentry (sawing, measuring, screwing, routing, painting, painting, painting some more LOL), not the wiring. You didn't mention your monetary situation, but another option would be to purchase a pre-cut cabinet kit such as mameroom's and attach your own control panel. A friend of mine just got one and had it put together in less than a day.
leapinlew:
--- Quote from: Jeff AMN on February 13, 2007, 04:24:33 pm ---I definitely have the desire to play. I've been gaming for years and I've always had a love for the arcade. If I didn't have a soft spot for dedicated cabs, I would have just hacked the SFII cab in the first place. It's the purist in me that made me go search for an old Blitz cab to gut.
I guess time is an issue, but I also kind of fear the price/complexity of dealing with an arcade monitor. The wiring looks fun.
Ok, I'm kind of having a moment of realization here. I think it's more of a confidence issue than anything else. Can I really pull it off? How complicated is it, and better yet, how easy is it to screw up?
--- End quote ---
You fear the unknown. Skip the arcade monitor and use a computer monitor.
As for your other questions
Can you pull it off? We will never know unless you try
How complicated is it? Varies from person to person
How easy to screw it up? As easy cutting off your finger with a circular saw