calling all classic cab connoisseurs... midway replica theme/style/art dilemma.

[coltchillin]

guys...
i'm building a midway (galaga/ms pac shaped) replica.

my initial idea was to replicate a full blown galaga, artwork etc. but since everybody and his grandpa seems to be building one i started having doubts.

so then i was like why not use the plans but keep it real clean like maybe use some nice veneer for the side panels and just the bally midway logo as art. sounded like a plan, only thing... a cab like this never existed.

and then i was like why not come up with some cool 80's graphics myself, maybe a fictional game like 'super knock off' or something. could be cool as well... but on the other hand...

now i'm like... i can't decide.

any thoughts/opinions from you classic cab connoisseurs would be highly appreciated.

[CheffoJeffo]

Interesting idea ... you might want to consider some more current artwork, like the Galaga and Pac anniversary editions. Or some variant of the Multicade artwork available from ArcadeShop.

As far as veneered sides, Peale has a Galaxian cab that he sanded down and stained with good results (I wouldn't do the same thing, but have to give credit where it is due).

[leapinlew]

Aurich created his own game theme using the Galaga cabinet

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64761.0

To me, I'd turn it into a Galaga. Who cares what everyone else is doing. If you like it, you like it. 

[coltchillin]

Interesting idea ... you might want to consider some more current artwork, like the Galaga and Pac anniversary editions...

yeah, i've been playing with this idea as well, like do a reworked/updated version of the galaga graphics or just toned down colorwise... b&w even maybe.

As far as veneered sides, Peale has a Galaxian cab that he sanded down and stained with good results (I wouldn't do the same thing, but have to give credit where it is due).

well, looks pretty cool imo.
i would have something like zebrano or wallnut for the panels and everything else would be eggshell black or some textured black. let's not forget the chrome plated cp.

Aurich created his own game theme using the Galaga cabinet...

all blue with no art looks pretty hot too imo.

To me, I'd turn it into a Galaga. Who cares what everyone else is doing. If you like it, you like it. 

yeah i'm still considering it though, my problem is i keep coming up with new ideas all the time.
maybe i should just build 2, or 3, or 4...

guess i will need to do some virtual mock-ups to start with.

[TOK]

I'd go with your original idea. People do it because it looks great. All their cabs won't be sitting there with yours. Who's gonna know but you? I don't like bare or wood veneer cabs at all, but I realize thats just a personal preference.

[CheffoJeffo]

Something I should have said in my original post -- "nice choice! I love the lines of the classic cabs ... "

 

[Turnarcades]

If you're going for a classic cab, I believe there's an unspoken duty to restore to former glory rather than modify. That said, an interesting twist would be to break down the artwork and replace certain key colours with a new one for a 'classic twist' to match your home decor, such as swapping the green palette on Galaga with blue, but keeping all the other colours the same and the original artwork virtually identical.

[leapinlew]

If you're going for a classic cab, I believe there's an unspoken duty to restore to former glory rather than modify.

Foul!

You KNOW thats a hot topic. It's subjective per person and per condition of said classic cab.

 

[DaveMMR]

my initial idea was to replicate a full blown galaga, artwork etc. but since everybody and his grandpa seems to be building one i started having doubts.

As others have said, there's nothing wrong with doing "another" Galaga replica  It won't be unique on the boards but it will be amongst your friends.  And IMHO, it will look the best of all the options (not to say your ideas would lead to a less satisfying result, but you're competing against instantly recognizable nostalgia here). 

Take it from someone who's like the fifth or sixth "Centipede-themed" cabinet of the bunch.  If I had to start over, I wouldn't have done it any differently. 

[Crowquill]

I'm a big fan of doing 80's-style artwork for a cabinet even as a fictional game. This is what I did for my MAME cab, The Vortex.

Another good example of this is RayB's Amusement 360.

Aurich's was super-nice too.

Late 70's/Early 80's cabinets just had great unified artwork (cab shape, cab color, side-art, control panel overlays, full-color bezels, and nice marquees). Around the mid-80's when conversions started taking over, this style of cab was pretty much gone. It's kind of sad, really.

With that said, I'd say that if your gut instinct was to build a Galaga replica then that's what you should go with. Just make sure that it's going to be flexible enough to be able to play all of the games you want.

[coltchillin]

thanks guys,
all good points!

when in purist mode i have to agree... i should try to get as close as possible to the original.
but when in PURIST mode, i'm like... don't even build from scratch! if you want an original, GET an original and restore it.

being a designer though...
when in chip foose mode i can get all excited about doing custom art or tweaks.

best thing would be to build 2 cabs, but that's not going to happen, well... for now at least.

[boogieman]

I agree, if you have a gut instinct to build a galaga, go for it.  It will still leave you plenty of options available for customization, think of the control panel.  You will need other buttons and such I presume, well, keep with the original style/theme but let your imagination run wild!   

You could also do a "half and half" cab, make one side galaga and the other something else?  Dunno could be neat.

[coltchillin]

...think of the control panel.  You will need other buttons and such I presume...

yeah i got one of these:

so i won't be able to use the standard cpo replica.

[Crowquill]

What do you plan to play on the cab? If it's mainly classics you could easily get away with a 4/8-way, 3 buttons, 2 start buttons. I assume you are planning a 1-player design based on the CP.

Modifying the artwork shouldn't be that difficult, there's a vector version over at localarcade.com

There are plenty of people (including myself) who could modify it for you if you don't know Adobe Illustrator.

[coltchillin]

What do you plan to play on the cab? If it's mainly classics you could easily get away with a 4/8-way, 3 buttons, 2 start buttons. I assume you are planning a 1-player design based on the CP.

Modifying the artwork shouldn't be that difficult, there's a vector version over at localarcade.com

There are plenty of people (including myself) who could modify it for you if you don't know Adobe Illustrator.

i will be playing early to mid 80's stuff, i'm going to stick a 48 in 1 inthere for starters.
so the layout of the (indeed 1 player) cp i showed will do. (8 way, 2 buttons, 2 start buttons)

i can modify the .ai but i was just reading some silkscreen vs inkjet horror stories.
but yeah i'm looking into getting it printed cause i guess that's my only option.
any recommendations?

thanks...