Is it blasphemy to shun CP art?

[Jeff AMN]

With the cab I'm building I'm thinking of going for a more simple and clean look. Some might call it boring, but I think it could look sharp in the end. I haven't made my mind up yet, but I think that I might cut out any sort of control panel or side art completely. I'm using red and blue lighted buttons, so it's not going to be totally lame.

Does anybody have any pictures or know of any examples where the control panel is just a smooth, plain, black finish? I do have a plexi cover for my CP, I'm just thinking of getting black vinyl to go underneath or just paint it with a semi-gloss finish. I think it could look great with the lighted buttons getting all the attention and the t-molding not having to compete with any busy art.

As for the marquee, I'll do some art, I just haven't come up with it yet.

Am I on the path to a snoozer of a cab?

[ahofle]

Personally I think it would look nice.  I don't have side art, but I do have a marquee and CP art.  Besides, who cares what people around here think? 

[FrizzleFried]

I use a 2 color scheme with my vertical cabinet...painted on the bottom side of plexi...

EDIT: Err...and I use a single color for the top of my horizontal cabinet...which uses vinyl "shelf paper" under plexi...

[johnperkins21]

You could do an understated background image printed on that polycarbonite laminate the Scott offers over at MameMarquees. There's a few examples of machines without art, and I think it looks just a little too plain, but that's just me. If I was steering away from the standard overstated look of most arcades competing for your quarters, I'd try for either a nice stained wood or a very simple, classic design. What about Knievel's CPs? They're very classy and quite subtle. You could tone down the colors on the background and leave the control outlines intact to give you a nice look where the art doesn't overtake the cab.

Another option if you don't plan to use CP art, is to go ahead and do a modular CP like doc's. As always, it's personal opinion, so you'll have to decide for yourself what you want on the cab. And by going with no art to begin with you can always choose to add something later, so I don't think it's a bad idea to leave "plain" for right now.

[JamIt]

Jeff AMN,
You've just described my cab.  Black finish cab with no side art, no CP overlay, no fancy bezel.  Simple plexi-protected control panel; two-player SF layout, multi-colored (no illuminated) buttons, with a 2 and a quarter inch trackball in the center.  I do have a colorful marquee installed, but I only light it for parties.

Essentially very bland by this forum's standards (hence why I've never posted), but I've had it for about 6-7 years now and have never had any complaints.  Once someone is immersed in a game, I doubt they notice much else

[knave]

JamIt: Would you post a picture of your CP, I'm curious what spacing you used to fit the trackball in between the two 6 button layouts.  I'm thinking of choosing a design like that...Plain yet functional. 

Ditto for anyone else with a similar setup.

[RobotronNut]

depends on where you're putting it. if it's going into your "basement arcade," go for the side art. if it's going into a room with more sophisticated decor, maybe plain black would work out better.

another way to think about it: do you want it to "jump out at you" or "disappear?"

[Encryptor]

Here's my cp right now. This is what it's going to be for a while. When I figure out for sure what theme I'm going to use I'll go from there. But this is what it looks like with just black vinyl with lexan over it.

Encryptor

[FrizzleFried]

...looks like you routed your TB & joystick mounting plate and a little deep?   Can you add a 2nd or 3rd piece of vinyl inside those holes to create less of a depression?   The CP looks good minus those depressions.

[Aurich]

My first cab had a brushed metal CP.



My current build eschews that kind of look for real graphics, I wanted something more 'arcadey' this time around.

[TOK]

I figured I was in the minority, but I don't care for made up art or art from multiple machines on one cab. The only stuff I like on a machine is single game, or generic (manufacturer) art.
I think my CP might be along the lines you're thinking about. It has Sky Soldiers side art, but the best picture I have of it is with a placeholder marquee in there (Tekken 3), undermining everything I just said! 

Wanted it to be all black, and imposing looking if possible! 


Edit: Found another thats a little easier to see, but marquee is out.  Its this pic with light leaks fixed and a Sky Soldiers marquee! 
Good luck with your CP!

[Zeppo]

Here's mine.



My cab is very plain right now also, but I have plans to fix it up.
http://bailey.batcave.net/mame/mame001.html

[Encryptor]

...looks like you routed your TB & joystick mounting plate and a little deep?   Can you add a 2nd or 3rd piece of vinyl inside those holes to create less of a depression?   The CP looks good minus those depressions.

Yeah I realized that after I had the vinyl & lexan installed. I thought it might pop up and stick to the lexan with static but I was wrong. Too much work at this point to de-wire all the buttons and pull it apart. Thats a project for when I decide to put a cpo on it which may cover those up anyway. Who knows. Thanks for the critique.

Encryptor

[acevedor2]

Encryptor, when you end up pulling it apart to add a CPO I would fill the gaps wth something.  You can do this with either cardboard under the TB mounting plate, or by using putty and then sanding.  Maybe a combination of both.  That's what I did and it has seemed to work great.  Cheers.

[Grauwulf]

My first MAME cab was just smoothed and painted black. All fastners and the trackball plate were recesed. It was really nice when it was done.

[FrizzleFried]

...looks like you routed your TB & joystick mounting plate and a little deep?   Can you add a 2nd or 3rd piece of vinyl inside those holes to create less of a depression?   The CP looks good minus those depressions.

Yeah I realized that after I had the vinyl & lexan installed. I thought it might pop up and stick to the lexan with static but I was wrong. Too much work at this point to de-wire all the buttons and pull it apart. Thats a project for when I decide to put a cpo on it which may cover those up anyway. Who knows. Thanks for the critique.

Encryptor

The easiest way to deal with those depressions... Paint the underside of your lexan!   That would hide any issues you have under it.  I plan on doing the same with my horizontal cabinet CP when i next pull the plexi off.  While my mounting plate is,  in fact,  flush,  because there is a 1/16" or so gap around the plate,  you can still see the damn square plate "impression" with this vinyl I used.

One thing I DO like about using the vinyl though...when I installed it,  I didn't cut out the joystick holes,  I simply cut an "X" in the vinyl,  creating a real nifty (and good looking) dust cover.

[superbovine]

While we're talking recesses, i went to town with a little body filler, worked out awesome

[SirPeale]

http://www.pealefamily.net/tech/newmame/index.php?cat=6