Long Time/ First Time... quack quack...
I was finishing up doing a fridge to kegerator conversion, and I stumbled on this site. Figured I could use a new project to keep my mind occupied. A MAME cab seemed to be the perfect addition to my basement. I was a little bit leery about buying a box o' parts and just jumping in, so I got the X-Arcade dual stick.
flame...
continue flame...
now back to our regularly scheduled broadcast...
I figured if I didn't like playing the games, it would be a heck of a lot easier to dump an actual product on e-bay, then just trying to unload a box of buttons and circuit cards. Fortunately, MAME lived up to the hype, so I started gathering more parts. Of course I would need dual driving controls... so I got 2 Pole Position wheels and shifters. I also got all kinds of trackballs, figuring it would be easier to use a PC ball then to hook up a Happs. After sorting through all my boxes of new "parts", reading threads about CP monstrosities, and viewing crapmame, I realized I should just do a simple 2p CP with a Happs trackball. It also helped that I got a 2p Ivan Stewart machine.
I was able to get a Tekken cab: included board, PS, Marquee, but no monitor or sideart. Like most of my projects, the mechanical/ electrical part is simple... just start cutting. When it comes to style, that is where I spend too much time. I figured since it was originally a fighting cab, I should name it accordingly. I didn't want to name it "blah-blah-cade" , or "MAMEFighter". It needed a name that sounded like a real game, could be incorporated into a total thematic package, and it had to look badass. My original thought was to name it after one of my favorite childhood movies. The Outsiders. I spent a lot of time designing artwork for it, using "greasers Vs. Soc's" as the "game concept" but it just wasn't right.
After randomly listening to my Morristown Parade Day mix on I-tunes, I decided on "The Wild Rover". Aside from a "vs fighter", It had all the elements I needed... carousing, drinking, wenches, and catchy chorus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Roverhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=Rq-ficChVzk (Dropkick Murphy's)
With the marquee and CP art finalized, I started working on the innards. I scored a 24" Sony CRT monitor off craigslist for $100. Once I got rid of the plastic, it fit in pretty good. I made an aluminum frame out of 3/4" square aluminum tube. The frame sits on the wooden supports in the cab, and there are four tabs on the monitor that bolt to the frame.
here's the monitor frame, and my X-arcade... and yes, I am using a keyboard.
The original plan was to use black foam core for the monitor bezel. But with the black, there is a definite visual difference between the paper surface and the actual foam. So then I was going to use black mat board (the framing stuff), but I don't like the "Oreo effect" it creates. I ended up getting "Black Presentation Board" at Pearl Paint. It's the same thickness, but doesn't have the annoying white center. I don't have a pic of the bezel yet, but here's the cardboard mock up.
I had been hoping to get it playable, and looking pretty good for my spring pub crawl. so instead of getting my art from mamemarquees, I went to Kinko's. The marquee was printed on Coated Heavy Weight Paper, and then laminated. I also got the CP printed on styrene. I went back the next day to pick them up... remember the part where I said I didn't go to mamemarquees? Well, the Marquee looked good, but the CP... I've been involved with oversized printing for several years, and I told the guy exactly what it was for, so there should have been no confusion as to the viewing distance. The artwork would have looked great if it was on a passing bus, but at arms length, it looked like total crap. Plus, the colors did not match. I understand that the printing process is different, but I assumed that they would make adjustments to the colors so that they would at least be close. I ended up not paying for the CP, and I had them re-print it on the HWC/Laminate.
Here's a couple pics of the marquee... its not backlit, but eventually I'll get my artwork reprinted from mamemarquees.
since these pics were taken, Ive put on my black bezel, and installed 1/4" plexi... or lexan... or whatever it is they sell at Lowes. I've made my CP top, and installed all the buttons/ joys/ happ track ball. To mount the trackball, I took the top off of the "case", and cut some grooves in the bottom of the CP to recess the optic cards. I think I have it mounted 90degrees off, so when I hook it up to the opti-pack, I'll probably have to change the wiring a bit. I also have to swap over the wiring harness from the x-arcade onto my CP.
Hopefully this weekend I can get my CP finished, and take some more pics.