Ideal arcade setup ideas. :)

[M-80]

Ok, so I was wondering. There are tabletop CP cabinets, stand up arcade cabinets with keyboard drawers, then there are just plain vanilla computer, keyboard and MAME setups. So I was wondering, are any of you trying to design the perfect balance between all three? Or is it one or the other type of thing? Ok, it sounds like I'm criticizing, but I'm just curious what components do you think are ideal for a universal arcade experience? List the components if you want. Here are mine.

So, going with the idea of a computer desk arcade cabinet hybrid and comfort you wish was implemented back in the old arcade facility days of yore I'm thinking of this (I'll try to be height indifferent):

1.) Overall design is either a standup cabinet/desk or a driving booth/desk design.

2.) Top panel at elbow height.

3.) From how I myself am sitting on the edge of my office chair right now with my legs falling off at an angle downwards (imitating a stool) and my arms in playing possition resting on an imaginary upward angled panel; measuring from the middle bottom of my forearm (where the panel would contact my forearm) down with a ruler, there should be enough room for 7" of front panel including the top panel thickness. Would this accomodate a keyboard drawer? You'd have to push away a little to type.

4.) With that in mind, a nice comfortable seat along the lines of those drafter's stools would be good. Built for long hours at work. Would be good for lots of applications. Like work where a job requires you to stay at your computer hours on end. These seats are built at an angle (IIRC) with knee supports. So you're not actually slouching like you would in a backless arcade stool and you're not actually putting stress on your back. It forces you to have good posture and is quite comfortable. Of course some do have a back so you can lean back for any reason.

5.) Now then, as for the desk. I'd imagine the desk to be two wings on either side of the main cabinet with staggered shelves towards the back. This in a sligh semi-circle for easy reach. The main surface would be slightly lower than the top of the top panel of the CP (enough for pinball flipper switches). It would look like a high desk, like a high drafting table except without the adjustable angle desktop. This way, there will be room for a traditional mouse and mousepad or whatever gadget you want to put on the desk. And the shelves could hold game consoles (connected to a TV tuner in the computer of course).

6.) Maybe instead of the computer inside the stand up cabinet, it could be in a shelf under the desk like you see in some computer desks on the market today. Or you could put the motherboard or whole computer in the stand up cabinet if you want. But then again, there'd be enough room for the computer on the desk in case you have a PowerMac with a swing out panel or you like to tinker with the computer more often than not.

7.) Here's what makes it look like a standup cabinet. And actual monitor compartment. But not just any compartment, but one on a swivel. Basically this lets you have the look of a cabinet, but you can adjust it in case you want to watch TV on the monitor and you're sitting elsewhere. You could take a picture of this setup and have the caption read "You lookin' at me?" with the monitor compartment turned towards the camera. LOL

8.) The rest is up to you guys if you have ideas you can add. Like a bottom half that looks like the cabinet is one piece complete with a coin slot compartment. Or something else. Maybe incorporate a steering wheel or a place to latch the steering wheel onto somehow or something.

I dunno. I've just been thinking of this. If money were no object what would you guys design? I'm not saying that this is a good idea and everybody should do this. Maybe take it piecemeal or something. And no doubting Thomases. Use your imagination but don't think that this is something you're gonna do in RL because it could get expensive. This is sort of a wishlist.

Iso-diagrams or pencil sketches are welcome if you want. I've got one that I'll scan in. It's unfinished and the CP is in the shape of the Hotrod or X-Arcade (back when I was thinking about buying one).

[TheTick]

Last summer I finished my ideal design (ideal at the time).

• Stand up pedastal/podium design (Bar stool friendly)
• On lockable wheels : rolls into living room for HTPC or into computer den
• I have a seperate wireless keyboard for the HTPC.
• Trackball hack is used in place of mouse when selecting games.
• The base is wide enough to slip in a over/under coin door to give it more of an arcade look
• Pinball buttons on side (currently modified to control left and right mouse buttons)

The advantage is I don't need a dedicated computer or monitor. In fact I can hook it up to the largest screen in the house (soon to be about 65").  I already have a computer hooked up as a Home Theatre PC in the living room... may as well roll the arcade controls in and plug n' play. Not to mention I could roll it into a closet to get it out of the way.

Of course this summer I want to fix it up, so I'm trolling the site as well to design a replacement. This is what I'm thinking.

• 4 player control panel; 2 with 7 buttons, 2 with only 3 buttons
• Authentic coin door in the front
• Larger style podium, like the front parts of some tekken machines
• Happ's 3" trackball (no more crappy trackball hacks, I've done too so far)
• Spinner (may double as a mini steering wheel)
• 4-way restrictor plate (instead of adding a 5th joystick for old classics I rarely play)
• Pinball controls on the side (this time mouse buttons next to the trackball)
• Pinball plunger from Happs (Partly for the look, but will be functional as well)
• Mercury switches for pinball bumps (maybe, I rarely try to bump the ball anyhow)
• Space for a removable USB flight stick (when used with spinner should work pretty well for Discs of Tron, without having to get special a spinner or joystick-triggers mounted to the CP)
• Might use wheels again, but definetly installing Happs Cabinet Grips (49-0067-00)
• Cup holders at side of podium, under the control panel
• Small row of buttons, for pausing and exiting games (going to disable Ipac's shift buttons)

I've attached a pic of the currenty podium. Still designing the replacement. The top section is all 1/2" MDF with a Lexan top. The podium base is 3/4" particle board. The next one will be completely 1/2" MDF (maybe 3/4" MDF), cause particle board pisses me off. MDF is easier to paint (yes, I forgot to prime the particle board).

Still not sure about having player 3 and 4 controls on the panel. Could either keep the existing podium for those few 3 & 4 player games, or just make the extra guys plug USB game pads into hub in the new podium.  At least it would take up less room that way.

Oh yeah... and removable template overlays (basicly overhead projector sheets cut to fit), so I can label the buttons for certain games where the colors don't correspond  i.e. NBA Jam TE. Still haven't decided how to get the plexi glass up with out removing all the buttons... might make the holes large enough go around them, rather the under. 1 3/8s rather than 1 1/8.

I've always considered having an extending shelf that a USB steering wheel could be connected to and mounting the pedals at the base... but it just seems more suited for a lower sitting position (bar stools are too high).

[M-80]

You could cut out Plexiglass "donut" rings to put under the button lips and stick coasters. Maybe for the coasters extend the rings out 1/8" so the coasters don't get in the way when you take the Plexiglass paneling off. And to get past the idea of the underlay art not appearing like it's going under the button lips and coasters, make universal underlay rings under the Plex rings and just continue the art on those rings to the art on the underlay. Here's a little diagram of what I'm talking about:



Now here's an idea for my ideal arcade setup:



It's just a rough sketch and some proportions may be off.