Anyone ever build a wall mount arcade game ? / my concept picture

[rlemmon]

Hey dude's, Have any of you ever built a wall mount game ?   I'm thinking of building a vertical monitor one to play all the early 80's classics on.

I think this design is a really good starting point.




I would tilt the monitor down in and change a few other things, but the side panels look great. I would guess it would be about 40 - 48 " tall.


If anyone has pics of something like this could you please post them ? I'm on the fence about doing this.

Thanks

[swaffar]

i'm sure you probably wanna do something new and differnet, but there's probably a good reason you don't see many of these.  unless you're planning on bolting this thing to the wall i just don't see it working.  i'd go with a bartop.

[rlemmon]

Ya I do want to bolt it to the wall, It's both a space and try something new thing. I've never been to much of a bartop fan. Those new pacman 25th anniversary ones are one of the uglyist arcade games I've ever seen.

Here's a quick paint file of what I'm thinking about.



I'm also thinking of doing a cabaret unit, but it'll take up more space and theres the whole building outside in the cold is a ---smurfette--- thing 

[Blanka]

Why does a wall-mount have to look like a normal cab that is shrunk by a NES Zapper? People think out of the BOX    ! Maybe you can make it an in-wall mount with a big golden classic picture frame around it.

[CheffoJeffo]

Spacies has, with his usual calibre of results:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=71259.0

[markc74]

Building one myself. Started a post about it before Christmas but have been changing things around a little bit since then.  Will post again once I've got something practical to show.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=86474.0

Here's a render of how it *should* look though 

[markc74]

Meant to say - I've got some serious screws and a support underneath for holding this baby to the wall!

[ghettodish]

That is one cool rendering! Does anyone think the trackball angle is too steep?

Here is one of my favorites I found on Facebook:

[markc74]

Wow that flatcab is pretty cool.  Looks like the monitor is slightly tilted as well which is pretty darn impressive considering the depth of the thing.

My CP is at an angle of 15 degrees but its still early days yet so I might end up modifying it after I've played with the mockup. The hardest thing was putting in a trackball and not bashing your hands off the joystick or spinner when using it but *think* I might have solved that problem.

I'll start a thread in the announcements when I get a bit further along (and stop hijacking this one - sorry!)

I agree with Blanka about not just making a mini version of a normal standup.  Might just look a little odd.

Good luck with the wall-cab though. I'll be following this one

[Ummon]

Someone a while back did one with a 27" TV, the other side being their garage, I think.

[Turnarcades]

Fair play to anyone wanting to try something new and I applaud all the concepts/completed projects shown above.

The concern I raise is a sheer matter of practicality (or lack thereof) in most of these ideas. For instance, you have the inconvenience of having to permanently mount the thing (hacking up your wall) and not being able to relocate easily or turn it if you get glare. Then if you go for a bar-top kind of profile size, the control panel will be incorrectly placed in relation to the screen for standing play and will be uncomfortable for extended play - When you play a bar-top you are invariably sat down more or less level with the screen, but at least you have a counter or something to rest your arms on if needed; standing you would either be stretching your arms up or bending your neck down, plus it will be even more difficult for people wanting to play of different heights.

The reason the main cabinet designs out there exist is simple - they are tried and tested and designed to avoid these complications. More power to you for trying something new, but ask yourself first if the expense is worth it.

[CheffoJeffo]

Well spacies is one of the best cab builders I have ever seen and he is making these and selling them with success in a pretty small geographic market, so my guess is that they work pretty well.

Having said that, your points are well taken.

[dreamakuma]

This is something I came upon, not my work, but something along these lines.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessedylansmith/sets/72157600975006254/

I personally like it.

[rlemmon]

Thanks for your thoughts guy's. I think I'm leaning towards the cabaret idea rather than the wallcade.

 I looked at the numbers and there pretty much the same. I think a cabaret would look nicer and i wouldn't be restricted to using an lcd. I'm not sure when I'll get to this but i will get there when i can.

[Blanka]

Please can anyone explain the "Cabaret" concept in cab-land for me?
Where does the name come from?
What is the characteristic element of a Cabaret cabinet?
What is different compared to a regular cabinet?

[CheffoJeffo]

Please can anyone explain the "Cabaret" concept in cab-land for me?
Where does the name come from?
What is the characteristic element of a Cabaret cabinet?
What is different compared to a regular cabinet?

In cab-land, cabaret refers to a smaller, less imposing version of the upright cabinet, also referred to as a "mini". Because they are shorter, they typically have the monitor laid back and the top of the cabinet does not protrude as far forward as an upright.

as opposed to

As for where the name came from, I can only guess that the cabinets were designed for use in restaurants, cafes,etc. as entertainment provided in addition to the meal. 

[Dartful Dodger]

Great ideas and executions.

Flat screens might actually save arcade games.

I've said this before your kids aren't going to want to have a refrigerator sized machine that plays the same games that are on their watch.  A week after you die your daughter-in-law is going to throw that game you’ve spent 100s of hours and 1000’s of dollars on, right into a dumpster.

[dreamakuma]

Please can anyone explain the "Cabaret" concept in cab-land for me?
Where does the name come from?
What is the characteristic element of a Cabaret cabinet?
What is different compared to a regular cabinet?

In cab-land, cabaret refers to a smaller, less imposing version of the upright cabinet, also referred to as a "mini". Because they are shorter, they typically have the monitor laid back and the top of the cabinet does not protrude as far forward as an upright.

as opposed to

As for where the name came from, I can only guess that the cabinets were designed for use in restaurants, cafes,etc. as entertainment provided in addition to the meal. 

Thanks!! I had no clue my cab was a cabaret. It was smaller than my x-men but it was my first cab and I had no clue. I learned something new.

[spacies]

Well spacies is one of the best cab builders I have ever seen and he is making these and selling them with success in a pretty small geographic market, so my guess is that they work pretty well.

Having said that, your points are well taken.

Thanks for the kind words Cheffo.

I like to build things different. There are plenty of old full size cabs available so why try and compete with those. Someone is going to see an old cab for $100 or a new one for $1000. People who don't know or care will buy the cheap one. Now if you have something unique, then you instantly get their attention. The only time I build a replica of an 80's machine is if someone asks me to build it. I don't build those to have sitting around because they just don't sell as well.

Today I am delivering a skinny one of these to a local Burger Bar who buy these from me for their stores. Why? Because floor space is an issue.



Here is one on site:



I have built it in their colours and used their logos. Now if it were only full size cabs then you would have this problem.



Full size cab vs Skinny. LMAO, you make the choice. Yes the backs of them were lined up level.

I have several 80's machines and I love the designs, the smell and the way they play. But to replicate them in todays market is business suicide IMO.

[Ummon]

Forgot to mention the Terminus one is pretty cool. The CP angle might be a little steep, though. As for Spacies Mspac, and that 'MAME' ghettodish found, groovy.

Oh, and 'Johnny's Arcade' is the one I was talking about last time.