building mame ms. pacman cocktail replica

[Wade]

I've been thinking about my next mame project already.  I was thinking about making two mspacman cocktail replicas (one for me, and one as a gift for my brother).

I found one on the web that looked very nice but wasn't exactly what I'm wanting.  I also need to come up with solutions to a few problems.

1) I'd like to run mspac automatically but allow exiting to GameLauncher to run some other vertical 4-way classics.  But some, like Donkey Kong, require a button.  Ideas?  Should I just mount a button on each CP but leave it exactly like mspacman otherwise?

2) I'd like it to look so much like a mspacman that only an expert could tell the difference.  I'm thinking MDF or plywood with wood laminate, repro CP metal, sticks, glass and art?  Probably would use an old 19" TV or 19" arcade monitor.  It doesn't have to be an *exact* replica, but I want it to be pretty damned close.

3) Has anyone on here made something like this?  How much would all the repro parts add up to?  I want to just use an old version of mame and some junk PC parts I have laying around.

4) Compared to my 2player fullsize Mame cab, I'm thinking building the cocktail would be a breeze as far as wood construction.  Firsthand experience?

5) Solutions to the mame control button problems?  Just let player 1 do a combo to exit to GameLauncher?  Nothing else should be necessary (a limited # of roms would be installed initially and probably never changed).

Thanks,
Wade

[JLR2000]

Check your PM.

[AX]

i am curently doin the same for my wife.  She wants mspacman and frogger which neither require a button.  I on the other hand have decide that it should also play galaga glaian etc which require at least one button.  I decided on 2 options:
1 happ sells blue mini pushbuttuns that look just like the regular size arcade buttons but they are also made for metal cp's.
2 instlal a button in the left hand side of the CP through the wood part of the control panel.

I decided on the side button because i didn't want to ruin the CP artwork.

incidently i am using a Compaq presario laptop with a blown lcd to run mame.  fits in the cocktail cab better.

[PacManFan]

I've been thinking about my next mame project already.  I was thinking about making two mspacman cocktail replicas (one for me, and one as a gift for my brother).

I found one on the web that looked very nice but wasn't exactly what I'm wanting.  I also need to come up with solutions to a few problems.

1) I'd like to run mspac automatically but allow exiting to GameLauncher to run some other vertical 4-way classics.  But some, like Donkey Kong, require a button.  Ideas?  Should I just mount a button on each CP but leave it exactly like mspacman otherwise?

2) I'd like it to look so much like a mspacman that only an expert could tell the difference.  I'm thinking MDF or plywood with wood laminate, repro CP metal, sticks, glass and art?  Probably would use an old 19" TV or 19" arcade monitor.  It doesn't have to be an *exact* replica, but I want it to be pretty damned close.

3) Has anyone on here made something like this?  How much would all the repro parts add up to?  I want to just use an old version of mame and some junk PC parts I have laying around.

4) Compared to my 2player fullsize Mame cab, I'm thinking building the cocktail would be a breeze as far as wood construction.  Firsthand experience?

5) Solutions to the mame control button problems?  Just let player 1 do a combo to exit to GameLauncher?  Nothing else should be necessary (a limited # of roms would be installed initially and probably never changed).

Thanks,
Wade

I'm building a ms. pac man replica too, check my site.
www.pacmanfan.com
The picks are kindof bad, I just got a new camera, so I'll post some more soon.
Let me know if you need art.
PacManFan

[armad1ll0]

These dudes can supply you with what you want.

http://www.arcadedepot.com

I'm considering the same thing but I kind of want to make the darn thing lower and less bulky so that it's more like a coffee table than a cocktail table. I'm evaluating how this could be done. Ultimately I want to be able to sit there and use it to eat breakfast on there and read pages off the internet. 19" monitor would be the right way to go.

[Wade]

Pacmanfan,

   I'd checked out your website before.  That's a pretty neat cabinet but not quite what I'm wanting to do.  I want mine to be more of a replica, yours is more like a mspacman theme I suppose, since there were never mspacman cocktails made in that fashion.  I'd like mine to pretty much look just like a real one except for possibly the extra button and the ability to run some other games.

armad1ill0,

   At first I thought about buying 2 of those cabs to save myself the trouble, but it would drive the cost of the project up a lot.  I'm not exactly sure how much each of these will cost me but I'm sure an extra $250 for the cabinet would be a big factor for me.  I definitely want to build the cabinet unless I can find some dirt cheap cocktails to convert or restore.

Thanks,
Wade

[shmokes]

Do the control panels stick out from the machine like they do on most the cocktail cabs people are building around here?  If so you could mount the button upside down on the bottom of the control panel.  It would be a little awkward, but alright, I think.

[JLR2000]

Choose a button color that blends in with the background.  If the CP background is black, use a black button.  That way it's not as noticeable, unless you are right up on the game....

Just my 2 cents....

[armad1ll0]

This site also has plans that you can download. That arcadedepot site has other things that you'll need like the glass clips and metal CP housings. That's sort of what I meant. If you had cash instead if skills, you could also go with their pre-cut panels. Theirs is also a little bigger than the originals which I think that the plans are based on. I've also seen overlays but I can't find a Mrs Pacman overlay presently for sale, only Galaxian.

Here's a clue... I'm actually looking to build a "class of 81" replica themed MAME cocktail. Part of me wants to make it much thinner so that I can get my feet under it. The other part of me wants it to be an exact replica of the "class of 81" machines from Namco. LCD monitor so that I can get high res for internet during my morning tea? Decisions, decisions... This projects quite a ways off for me as I'm still finishing up my upright...

restoring one might be fine, but nothing beats building from fresh wood. Birch/Oak ply should be fine for this type of project. I'm considering a black melamine one actually.

[Wade]

armad1ll0,

   I see what you mean.  Yeah, if I want to make a replica I'll have to buy those metal panels as well as a lot of other parts.

   Still hoping someone has done this already?

   Guess I need to figure up the costs.  A lot of those repro mspacman parts are pretty pricey!

Wade

[ItzMR2u]

Does anyone remember the guy that had the Pac-Man cocktail that he had painted Pac-Man yellow?  I thought it was a very clean and nice looking machine.  He built the whole thing outta wood so you wouldn't have to buy the metel control panels so there might be some cost savings there.  I don't think his web site is up any longer but I actally printed out his list of parts and specs.  If your intrested let me know and I can scan and email or post them on my site.

[paigeoliver]

These dudes can supply you with what you want.

http://www.arcadedepot.com

I'm considering the same thing but I kind of want to make the darn thing lower and less bulky so that it's more like a coffee table than a cocktail table. I'm evaluating how this could be done. Ultimately I want to be able to sit there and use it to eat breakfast on there and read pages off the internet. 19" monitor would be the right way to go.

If you want it low, then start examining 13" cocktails. Specifically the kind with legs. My Time Pilot (which is height adjustable), can go from kitchen table height down to 24" tall. If you reworked the legs so they didn't add height it would only be 17" tall (compare to a coffee table at 15"). Although you might have a bit of a problem playing with the controls that close to the ground.

[MinerAl]

Three options come to mind...

1) Make it a Galaga or Gorf replica instead.  Physically it is the same cabinet, only with a button on each CP and different CPO and under-glass art.

2) Make both CPs in the player 1 style, so that each CP has two buttons for player 1 or 2 select.  Make the top button the Player select (1 or 2, depending on which control panel) and the bottom one the fire button.

3) Button top joysticks.

I like #2 best myself.  You could use the original CPOs and parts, and still have a Ms. Pac.

[OSCAR]

Here's a clue... I'm actually looking to build a "class of 81" replica themed MAME cocktail. Part of me wants to make it much thinner so that I can get my feet under it. The other part of me wants it to be an exact replica of the "class of 81" machines from Namco. LCD monitor so that I can get high res for internet during my morning tea? Decisions, decisions... This projects quite a ways off for me as I'm still finishing up my upright...

I have one of these I'm fixing up right now.  I happened to be at a local distributor one day when they were getting ready to throw out a cocktail because one side had been damaged in their warehouse by a snoozing forklift operator...     They stripped out the guts and gave me the cabinet.

The cabinet itself is in superb shape (other than the damaged side) as it never made it out of the warehouse before being "bumped".  Luckily the side is still good enough for me to use as a template to cut out a new side with my router.

If you need any dimensions or anything, just let me know.  Note that the control panels on these are wider than the classic Namco cocktails to accomodate the button, so you can't use the repro metal panels on them.

Here's a couple photos (ignore the clutter in the background!):

www.oscarcontrols.com/cocktail

[Wade]

MinerAl,

    Very good ideas!  I like both #1 and #2.

Thanks,
Wade

[vitaflo]

1) I'd like to run mspac automatically but allow exiting to GameLauncher to run some other vertical 4-way classics.  But some, like Donkey Kong, require a button.  Ideas?  Should I just mount a button on each CP but leave it exactly like mspacman otherwise?

For this I would just look at those new Ms Pac-Man/Galaga tables.  They have the 4-way stick as well as a button for Galaga, and in my opinion look and work great.  I would just try to mimick that CP layout as much as possible, would work great and remain true to the original Ms. Pac-Man.