Defender/ Missile Command Mash-up

[1cal]

Have just started work on my new control panel which is a sort of Stargate Defender Missile Command mash up. The artwork is just printed on photopaper for now whilst I play test the layout. Eventually it will be printed on vinyl, though I want to make sure the mini buttons won't interfere with the joystick before I commit.



Anyone recognize the old trackball Crayolla used to make for kids? It was used in years gone by as an alternative to a proper arcade version.


This was mounted using a base plate clamped on with wingnuts and an air conditioning outlet painted black used as a face plate.





I'll finish the wiring once the buttons, joystick and spinner arrive which which are probably being held up by UK Customs & Excise as we speak. The controls (except trackball and spinner) will be wired to a 20 pin ATX molex connector.



Cheers

Cal


http://homepage.ntlworld.com/callum.henderson/index.htm

[Grasshopper]

I really like the artwork. You've managed to seamlessly combine two very different cpos and create an end result that still looks coherent.

I know from my own feeble attempts at creating artwork, that blending different cpo styles is harder than it looks.

[IG-88]

I love how you mounted the trackball. How did you manage to come across the AC outlet that happened to fit that sucker?!?! It looks great! I might have to go get one of those and try it out. Also, is the trackball Serial or PS/2 or USB?

[KenToad]

Heyyyy, nice work.  I love that layout and admire the way you've mounted the trackball.  That seems like a possible solution for me, since I have a Kensington expert mouse that I would love to integrate into my next modular panel for my bartop.

[(+_+)]

That trackball, when buried in the CP, looks amazing. What's the trackball feel like and how much was it.

Very nice 1cal!!

[TOK]

Looks cool. I don't think the mini buttons will conflict at all, but the Reverse button might if you're not using an original Williams 2 way stick. I'm working on a bartop with a Stargate layout now. I chose a Sanwa balltop and had to trim the base to get the reverse button in the correct location. I just used the inner mounting hole in the spot where I cut the standard hole away (marked in pencil).

[More Cowbell]

I had to trim my 4-way stick to get the reverse button in as well. It's a tight fit.

[DrumAnBass]

Very cool; love the artwork and the EasyBall mounting! Look forward to seeing the finished cab!

[1cal]

I love how you mounted the trackball. How did you manage to come across the AC outlet that happened to fit that sucker?!?! It looks great! I might have to go get one of those and try it out. Also, is the trackball Serial or PS/2 or USB?

It was just lying around unused at work.  It was luck that it happened to cover the trackball as the adaptor is designed to allow the 3 1/2" portable air-con exhaust hose to attach to the wall if you want to bore a hole. I had to saw the adapter to the CP thickness and file a small notch for the ridge that runs along the near side of the ball. The trackball is serial BTW.

[1cal]

That trackball, when buried in the CP, looks amazing. What's the trackball feel like and how much was it.

Very nice 1cal!!

Thanks! The trackball feels pretty good, but to be honest I can't remember what a proper arcade trackball feels like. It cost me about GBP40.00 but that was 3 or 4 years ago and it was discontinued then.

[theCoder]

Great job on the artwork.  Very classic.

[1cal]

Wayhey! The controls arrived today. It does look like I will have to trim the plastic base on the Suzo stick for the reverse button as  TOK and MC suggested. There are plenty of screw holes though.

[TOK]

That stick may also feel a little high for Defender. Not sure how important that is to you, but I found it bothered me when I was experimenting with my layout since the original Defender stick sits very close to the panel. I ended up shimming the base down to get the stick to the proper height. Hopefully the backward taper of the Suzo won't prevent that if you decide you like it. I have the Suzo inductives in my vert cab, always thought they were ugly sticks, but they are great feel and quality.

[polaris]

really nice design, was wondering if the original missile command buttons were cones , i think that 3 cones would look nice on this panel personally.

[1cal]

Thanks for all your kind remarks. I've installed the controls, unfortunately the temporary CPO has taken a bit of a battering in the process.

That stick may also feel a little high for Defender. Not sure how important that is to you, but I found it bothered me when I was experimenting with my layout since the original Defender stick sits very close to the panel. I ended up shimming the base down to get the stick to the proper height. Hopefully the backward taper of the Suzo won't prevent that if you decide you like it. I have the Suzo inductives in my vert cab, always thought they were ugly sticks, but they are great feel and quality

That's a great idea TOK. I have a 44mm hole saw so the taper shouldn't be a problem. Also I am hoping to finish the edge of the CP joystick hole with the surround from a pushbutton, which should be much easier with the joystick a bit lower in the hole. This is because I am hopless at cutting a clean edge through the CPO (as you can see) and need something to cover this up.

I agree the Suzo sticks aren't the best looking but the finish will hopefully fit in with the colour scheme. The main problem is a burr half way down the ball top. I'm not sure if there is a way of removing this without making it look worse though. Perhaps it will wear off with play.

really nice design, was wondering if the original missile command buttons were cones , i think that 3 cones would look nice on this panel personally.

I did originally want cones but I couldn't find any, maybe because I didn't know what they were called . I think the buttons on Missile Command might have had a slight semi circular arrangement too, which I haven't tried to reproduce.

[polaris]

ram controls do cones , seen em other places too

[1cal]

Just tried out lowering the joystick height as suggested, by shimming the base. This is much better for playing defender, though its scary how difficult this game  is now. I think years of alchohol abuse must have taken its toll on my brain cells, because I used to be OK at this game.



My son's complained a liitle that he can't get his hand around the shorter stick. I think I'll give it a week or two to se if he gets used to it, however.

Also I sent off the artwork for printing to MameMarquees last Monday so I'm looking forward to seeing how it will turn out. Last time it took only a couple of weeks after sending the artwork, for my design to arrive in the UK, which I thought was fairly impressive.

[TOK]

Defender is wickedly hard, so much so that I couldn't afford to get very good at it as a kid. When I first built my MAME cab, Robotron, Moon Patrol and Donkey Kong were my primary considerations. I got back into Defender later, added a thumb button to try to approximate the layout, then decided I needed a dedicated CP for it. Its just a game I keep coming back to again and again. So much depth to it for an old game. 

[1cal]

The CPO artwork arrived through the post from Mamemarquees a few days ago, exactly two weeks from order. Again I'm amazed how quickly the custom artwork arrived in the UK, especially since I chose the cheapest international postage option. This is how it turned out.

I'm hoping to install the CPO tomorrow once I've worked out how to position it over the panel.

[1cal]

I've now installed the control panel overlay, but not without anxiety, because I tried to wrap the vinyl around the edges and staple to the  CPO to the back of the panel. This was a mistake because putting this much stain on the vinyl started to separate the laminate from the front of the artwork. Fortunately once the staples were removed the CPO soon recovered. 

That stick may also feel a little high for Defender. Not sure how important that is to you, but I found it bothered me when I was experimenting with my layout since the original Defender stick sits very close to the panel. I ended up shimming the base down to get the stick to the proper height. Hopefully the backward taper of the Suzo won't prevent that if you decide you like it. I have the Suzo inductives in my vert cab, always thought they were ugly sticks, but they are great feel and quality.

TOK. I now understand what you meant by the backward taper. I settled for a slightly higher joystick with just a 1/4" shim which solves the problem

[Havok]

That looks awesome! Great job on the graphics and controls placement - it looks like it would have come that way from the manufacturer!

 

[shardian]

That is some sweet original work. Congrats on the finished product.

[Apollo]

That's really nice work, one of the best CPs I've seen.

[1cal]

Thanks guys! 

That looks awesome! Great job on the graphics and controls placement - it looks like it would have come that way from the manufacturer!

To be totally honest, the positioning isn't perfect. I printed a template made from three separate sheets of paper and didn't quite tape them together right before drilling the holes.

Fortunately I'd marked out onto the panel some of the key artwork points using a bradawl (a pricker). This eased the positioning of the CPO and allowed me to come up with a fair compromise, though it was still a major struggle  to get the important controls lined up. The spinner is the most out of line but this is the least obvious.

[1cal]

This is the CP in its rightful place in the cabinet.



I'm playing Defender quite a bit now and even my son's starting to enjoy it. The first few games weren't that pleasant probably because we'd been dragged out of our comfort zone . But now we've got the hang of the controls the game is infuriatingly addictive.

[theCoder]

Nice, very nice.

[IG-88]

Well....lets see some pics of the entire thing!!   

[1cal]

Well....lets see some pics of the entire thing!!  

As requested.

My son did point out the panel design isn't quite in keeping with the whole cab