QB1DABOMB (Jay's) Upright Arcade Project

[cyork2]

Well... this one sure is, different  At the end of the day most of the people who come here come to learn and share knowledge.  Your cabinet will show people some things to watch out for - like your t-molding not fitting so you had to nail it.

As someone else pointed out esthetics are really the bugger of all your hard work.  Building a control panel that large and making it stable and level to the cabinet must have been a pain but you pulled it off.  You probably had to do a fair amount of reading & research to figure out what buttons you need, how to setup MAME etc - you need to put that same level of effort into learning how to paint and finish the project off esthetically (or find someone who has those skills and can help you).  

You really shouldn't be able to see the wood grain through your paint if you are going for a black, high gloss piano-finish.  Also that high gloss really makes any minor defects in your woodworking (or the wood itself) stand out where as a matt finish doesn't have the same impact.

Another point - use the forums... you said your t-molding didn't fit.. why not?  when you run into issues like that post a question and someone will help you out.  Was your slot too big?  How did you cut the slot for your t-molding?

The worst of this is over... you showed us your first effort in a state most people would say looks pretty amatuerish.  Make it better and keep us posted - you'll find support and appreciation of your hard work if you keep at it.

Good luck,
Craig

[jeef]

Ups on squeezing the 27" in there! I don't like seeing 26-30" wide cabs with lil 14" monitors in em

[DaveMMR]

So I don't get it?  Why do some people go so large with their CP's?   And I'm not picking on your cab only, Mr. Dabomb.  I've seen plenty of projects where the builder is bragging about the panel being wider than the cabinet is tall.  Why?  Are people that afraid of accidentally standing too close to someone else?   

Here's a tip for builders: Go to an arcade.  Any arcade.  Look at any game that supports 4 Player Simultaneous play.  Does the panel look like something you can sleep on comfortably if the sticks weren't there?  No?  Good - that's the size you should be aiming for.  (And while you're there, take note that the joysticks aren't angled --- but anyway....)     Maybe a couple of inches more to stick a trackball in or something but that's it.   Sure, tell me that you'll "build it how you'd like" and that's fine but at the end of the day, you have a 4-Player cabinet where the outer players can't see the screen.   Oh, and it might topple over...

Honestly speaking, there are several classic cabs that were designed for the CP to overhang the sides.   STARGATE was not one of them.   You'll probably end up redoing this one, as the design flaws will become apparent in a short amount of time.   Chalk it up as a learning experience (as others have said). 

Good luck. 

(edited for clarity)

[MaximRecoil]

Honestly speaking, there are several classic cabs that were designed for the CP to overhang the sides.

Which ones? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just can't think of any. I suppose it may depend on the definition of "classic" though.

[Gametreks]

Hey Buddy, good work seriously .  When I first saw your cab I was like   then I remembered my first, second, third, fourth cabs.  They were ugly but I loved them and guess what?  They had a strong resemblance to yours.  Well not exactly but they were a good learning experience and I made serious design flaws.  Ive been building now for 5 years and now have some of the most unique and beautiful designs commercially available cabinets which sell for $4000.00 each so dont worry about it.  If you want to further convert that cab to something fabulous contact me and I will give you a few pointers.  Then all those critical of your work shall be dazzled!  Good job and have fun playing!

Gametreks

[SithMaster]

I'm waiting for someone from Alaska to convert a fully working Star Wars Vector cockpit into a 4 player with everyone promptly bashing him for not trying to get someone to trade him a generic cab.  Really its not his responsibility to go door to door asking if someone wants to trade.  Yes those are exaggerations.

What if I had something against people making multi williams themed cabs?  Taking perfectly good dedicated cabs and making them into abominations I tell you.

I'm sure someone will answer those questions (I really don't need an answer), but everyone should keep in mind that being tactful is appreciated and that people posting on the internet will piss someone off soon enough.  Opinions differ (unless you are part of the mob in which case your opinion is right) and the science gets done....

Anyway I will say that the artwork was in decent condition so it would have been nice if it was left as is.  Honestly though its really nothing special compared to Galaxian or a Defender.  If he had made it a multi williams and used multi williams art would anyone have a problem with him not keeping it just Stargate?

[blades]

Sounds like you were having fun and were really excited to build this cab. THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS. Everyone here has an opinion on anything and everything. And many go a little overboard.

As with anyone's first cab, you will see improvements or changes that you can do to this or your next cab. There are many here with good looking cabinets. However, not all of us have full access to a craft or wood shop, so we must do what we can do. Some criticize the space between the different players. I think its great, however I'd be concerned about the balance issue, but I like some personal space between me and the other players. And besides, not all players are created equal(size wise) so this panel would benefit greatly from that. Plus you have tons of room to expand and add trackball, spinner....etc. 

Monitor size. Awesome, sooooo glad you didn't put some lame 15" or 17" monitor in there(and some members here have done exactly that in there cab, small monitors) I can't stand when someone puts together a mame cab, makes a decent control panel and top it off with a small-assed monitor where everyone has to squint and huddle around...lame. So I'm glad you got your monitor to fit. And you will figure out how to add a bezel to it.

And the whole Stargate thing that everyone is having a sh*t over, half of everyone here says they would "Find someone else to trade with", but in reality they probably wouldn't unless the guy lived right next door. Besides if Stargate isn't your "thing" then that is your decision, your cabinet. If anything you saved it from the landfill.

Don't get discouraged. Unfortunately life can be mean and everyone has 20/20 hindsight especially when its someone else's 20/20. The best you can do is learn from it and move on, and if you are having fun with it, then who cares. However, don't fully dismiss everyone's advice as a lot of it comes from experience.   Good luck with your future cab building. 




;

[DaveMMR]

Honestly speaking, there are several classic cabs that were designed for the CP to overhang the sides.

Which ones? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just can't think of any. I suppose it may depend on the definition of "classic" though.

I used "classic" loosely, I admit.   I was thinking TMNT, Simpsons - maybe Smash TV.  Definitely Tapper (please don't do that though)   And you you can stick a semi-wider CP on a Gauntlet.   You know, the "new classics". 

I'm waiting for someone from Alaska to convert a fully working Star Wars Vector cockpit into a 4 player with everyone promptly bashing him for not trying to get someone to trade him a generic cab.  Really its not his responsibility to go door to door asking if someone wants to trade.  Yes those are exaggerations.

What's up with this door-to-door?  We have this thing called the "internet".   

My feeling is this:  If you have a classic cab, you can't suddenly claim that you're on a deserted island.  If you can get your hands on a classic cab, chances are that you can certainly get your hands on a not-so-classic one relatively easy.  Again - internet.  KLOV, Craigslist, etc. 

On the other hand, I recognize people don't want to go through the trouble.  Okay, whatever.  But I've seen plenty of TASTEFUL MAME conversions on these boards over the years.  These were builders who recognized the structural limitations of the cab they were using and built within them.   

And again, I think some people really overestimate space needed on the cab.  Street Fighter II:  Intense two-player action; CP only around 2 feet (if that - probably smaller - I don't have the figures, that's just off the top of my head).  No one complained.  And commercial 4-Player cabs didn't have panels significantly wider than the body.

But, the silver lining here, as others have pointed out is that the builder has learned (or will be learning) the hard way about certain limitations and building mistakes.  Arcade Paradise (see examples page) had a horrendous first cabinet.  By the third attempt, it looked really, really good.    :-)

[CheffoJeffo]

Wow, kind of depressed by the feedback.   

This is the thing that always surprises me about these threads -- I don't see how people's reactions could possibly be a shock for anybody who has even just browsed the project threads or read the FAQ.

Please do be mindful that we don't destroy what we're trying to re-create.  Many classic arcade machines are rare and worth a heck of a lot more intact than altered.  Ideal candidates for this type of project are machines that have already been abused by previous owners - artwork destroyed, poorly converted, etc...  If you have a classic cabinet in good shape, you can probably sell it to a collector and get a trashed but usable cabinet in the bargain.

I know everyone would be cheesed at the destruction of an original Stargate cab.  In my defense it was already desecrated by the last to play with it by modifying it to a JAMMA standard holding a Snow Bros PCB.

Actually, the fact it was wired JAMMA makes it a PERFECT candidate for conversion to a MultiWilliams, but that is neither here nor there if classic Williams games aren't your cup of tea.

The nails I may end up changing.  The reality was I couldn't use my 3/4 t-molding to fit in the groove.  We tried gluing but it didn't work.  I was considering ordering some 1 inch mold...before the raping in this feedback.

Hot ... glue ... gun. Has never failed me.

And the whole Stargate thing that everyone is having a sh*t over, half of everyone here says they would "Find someone else to trade with", but in reality they probably wouldn't unless the guy lived right next door. Besides if Stargate isn't your "thing" then that is your decision, your cabinet. If anything you saved it from the landfill.

As sad as it is, I have to agree regarding people trading cabs and saving the classics -- all I ask, in order for me to refrain from posting snide comments, is that people try -- post a WTT in the B/S/T forums or on KLOV. If, after a reasonable amount of time, a trade is not forthcoming, then so be it.

FWIW, the suggestion to try to trade cabs is not solely born in the desire to save classics, but also because a more appropriate base cab will improve the whole process, and typically the end result. If the OP had been able to start with a "standard" Midway 4-player or a gutted showcase, I bet that he, as well as folks here, would have been happier with the results.

Don't get discouraged. Unfortunately life can be mean and everyone has 20/20 hindsight especially when its someone else's 20/20. The best you can do is learn from it and move on, and if you are having fun with it, then who cares. However, don't fully dismiss everyone's advice as a lot of it comes from experience.   Good luck with your future cab building. 

+1

There is nothing wrong with being happy with a project, particularly when you have had enjoyed building it. I hope that the OP enjoys playing as much as he enjoyed building!

 

EDIT: forgot to gives the OP props for keeping the budget down. All too often here we "oh and ah" over multi-thousand dollar builds. There is something to be said for building on the cheap -- two of the most popular cabs in my house cost me a total of about C$250 (less if you count the value of components in the cabs that I didn't use).

[Klomper]

Wow, quite the thread.  All this makes me nervous since I started my own 1st project thread a couple of days ago  . Yet you/I need to remember not to take negative feedback personally. Like others have said use it to learn and improve your building skills.

Although I do think you should have picked a more suitable cabinet for your design or modified your design to fit the cabinet. I did not want to do a scratch build, but waited until a  cabinet suitable for my controls without much modification became available.

If your happy enjoy and have fun its an arcade cabinet not a piece of fine furniture.

[discgolfer72]

wow is the first thought that come into my  head after seing this machine
i have built many mame machines and i have to say really what were you thinking

i really could care less what cab you used (stargate pacman galaga what ever ) its your cab  and you have to make the choice , but  why in the world would you  do that to it
the point of mame is to recreate the original  not invent some crazy hybrid monster
you had a stargate what would have been so wrong with  just making that cab a 2 player (or even 1 player )machine  it would have looked good and you would not have had to totaly  screw up by modfiying the entire cab 
and your end result would have been far more professional looking (i.e your t moulding would not have to have been nailed in )
if you wanted a 4 play machie you should have scratch built or aquired a good 4 player cab

that being said  how long have you been a member here  did you not do any research before building your machine
there is a site created by one of the members here that shows what not to do

http://www.wickedretarded.com/~crapmame/
after looking at your pics most of your mistakes could have been prevented by just reading  that site


but alas like other have said it is your machine and you will be the one that has to look at it every day  so as lon gas you enjoy it  and had fun thats all that really matters

to be fair  my first machine was almost as big of a failure


but i at least did not try and totaly redesign the machine  i just made some bad  desicions on what parts to use and how they were  built into the machine

[severdhed]

yeah, don't take the criticism personally. (although i know it is hard not to).  the great thing about this site is that there are so many examples of what is possible, it is a great resource.  and although sometimes people come across as harsh, this is a great community.  take a look through the project announcements, and the control panel pics thread to get a good idea of what other people are doing.  sometimes it can be intimidating looking at some of the amazing cabinets people have made.    you have a cool cabinet that has alot of potential.  look around and don't be afraid to ask questions...for many of us, building/modifying our first cabinet was a long process with many steps along the way.  i've been workign on mine for a few years now, and I'm still not completely happy with it.  I dont expect to ever end up with a cabinet like some of the amazing things you see here..but i still know i can do better.

just to give you an idea...is an early version of my cabinet..

Pretty early in the process...



i apparently don't have a full cabinet shot as it stands now, here is the best pic i could find.




there were quite a few steps in between.  I know mine will never look as good as some of these, simply because i dont have the tools, work space, and money to put into it.  don't get discouraged, and don't be afraid to take it apart and make changes.  after a few weeks of using it, i'm sure you will find things you wish you did differently.  i have redesigned my control panel about 6 times already...and i'm about ready to try again.

[jmike]

Well we can all agree that there were some bad choices made in reconstructing this machine but that being said if it works and you can enjoy the games go for it. We all have to start somewhere and I'm sure this will be a stepping stone for you. Don't be too discourage, just try to improve your next build.

Some people thrive to rebuild the original look of their favorite arcade, I totally admire these people but there are some of us who don't have the skills or room for an original looking arcade in our home/garage/basements.

Mame was created so everyone can play their favorite games growing up, and not for gamers to try to build the original machines (discgolfer). There have been some totally awesome new designs in this forum.   and I hope they continue. As great as the old machines cabinets were, if you're building something from scratch why not build it just the way you want it, after all it is your machine.

 

[cyork2]

This a great thread for "religious" arguments..... someone said the "the point of mame is to recreate the original not invent some crazy hybrid monster"... um - no.  I have found the most interesting cab projects on the site have little or no resemblance to anything that was ever actually in an arcade.  The "retro futuristic mame cabinet" is an amazing example of what I'm talking about.  If you are truly "recreating the original" you would be building dedicated cabinets with the same control panel as the original which most of us don't do because we want more than 1 game in the same footprint and at a lower cost than a whole room full.  You can't make some exceptions to this "recreate the original" idea and disallow others.  Either we are all doing it wrong for not perfectly recreating originals or anything goes.

I loved the comment about "new classics".. it made me laugh to think of TMNT as a 'classic'.. then it made me sad because I realized that means I'm just old and TMNT would be a classic to me if I were only, well a lot younger.

The whole cabinet issue... No matter how much some of us love specific cabinets or wish that they could all be saved - we can't save them all.  If everyone felt the way we do then these cabinets would cost a lot more and demand would be higher.  I'm glad it isn't because I want a couple more.  Lots of people are doing work to save artwork etc so cabinets can be reproduced later.  So, while cabinets that were actually in use in the 70's, 80's etc may be slowly going extinct, with enough money you will be able to recreate any cabinet you want (we are just talking about wood and plastic).  If you want one that had beer spilled on it, had cigarette burns on the control panel and has lived the life then go get it.  You can get them now - cheap.  If someone else wants to turn it into a paper weight (or whatever) so what, we can make more. 

Craig

[ratzz]

Not too keen on some of the comments on here, especially the above -- doesn't stike me as being very mature.

Glad some have been at keast a little moe constructive.

The cab has a few issues, but sometimes the enthusiasm of a project can get in the way of the planning and build.

Enjoy your cab.

[Namco]

Not too keen on some of the comments on here, especially the above -- doesn't stike me as being very mature.

Glad some have been at keast a little moe constructive.

The cab has a few issues, but sometimes the enthusiasm of a project can get in the way of the planning and build.

Enjoy your cab.

Agreed... so when's War of the Worlds going to be finished? 

[DaveMMR]

For the record, I am done commenting on the cab but I wanted to rebutt a few points before moving on.

um - no.  I have found the most interesting cab projects on the site have little or no resemblance to anything that was ever actually in an arcade. 

I think you're confusing radical, interesting designs (e.g. the "retro futuristic mame cab" you mentioned or even "Neon MAME") with a disregard for playability and/or stability.  There's a reason why you never see angled sticks, excessively wide CPs or mirrored buttons (meaning P1 buttons on left; P2 buttons on right) in arcades, and it has less to do with aesthetics than one might think.   There's a difference between "unattractive" and "barely playable".  

Personally, if I get vocal about such things it's only because I know the kind of work and dedication that goes into these things only to have friends say "dude, I can't control my guy, this sucks".   It's a bummer, trust me.  Ounce of prevention => Pound of Cure.  Hell, I think your cabinet can consist of nothing but old cardboard and Sharpies (see: Trashcade) but as long as you have a solid CP, you'll have a good game.

I loved the comment about "new classics".. it made me laugh to think of TMNT as a 'classic'.. then it made me sad because I realized that means I'm just old and TMNT would be a classic to me if I were only, well a lot younger.

Yeah, I said that with tongue firmly in cheek when I realized that "classic" may have been a poor choice of word.  

The whole cabinet issue... No matter how much some of us love specific cabinets or wish that they could all be saved - we can't save them all. 

"You can't save them all" does not mean "it's okay to destroy one".    No one's asking holders of classic cabs to drive it down to some sanctuary.  Post a few ads, make a few calls, offer up a trade.  A little effort, that's it.  And again, if you must MAME, MAME respectfully.   

Yeah, ultimately the owner can do what he/she pleases to a cab.  But you can't expect collectors and admirers of those cabs to sit on their hands quietly and just "like it" because of they have to. 

[PeteDiak]

According to KLOV
Of the 52,483 video games (3,361 unique) tracked by the Video Game Preservation Society, this game (stargate) ranks a 73 on a scale out of 100 (100 = most commonly seen, 1=least common) in popularity based on ownership records.

Whats the big deal... Your cab your business...
If it was a Pac or Ms Pac etc i could understand people being upset.
What the heck is a stargate anyways? Never herd of it..

[Zakk]

What the heck is a stargate anyways? Never herd of it..

Never herd of it? 

well I guess some of us herd of it.  Yeah I know I herd of it.  You never herd of it?  Weird.   You would kind of think that you might of herd of it.  If you had never herd of it, I would think you were too young to have herd of it.  I'm going to ask some of my friends to see if any of them have herd of stargate.  You're probably right though, I can't even imagine that anyone here on BYOAC has ever herd of stargate.  I'm not even sure I've herd of it, so what is the big dele?

[blades]

According to KLOV
Of the 52,483 video games (3,361 unique) tracked by the Video Game Preservation Society, this game (stargate) ranks a 73 on a scale out of 100 (100 = most commonly seen, 1=least common) in popularity based on ownership records.

Whats the big deal... Your cab your business...
If it was a Pac or Ms Pac etc i could understand people being upset.
What the heck is a stargate anyways? Never herd of it..

I wonder what it's like to herd a bunch of Stargates. I bet they are feisty cabs. Kicking up all that space dust, probably pretty hard to tame also......





;

[QB1DABOMB]

If nothing else I like the discussion that has arisen.  I find it odd that everyone has such varying opinions.  I'll try to bullet point my thoughts from posts I have read...

- I KNOW my cab loses for visual affect.  The nails in the t-molding are a disaster and some custom graphics would be nice.  At least a custom marquee is in the works

- I'm glad at least one poster didn't agree with my CP being an aircraft lander.  I REALLY don't think it's too big.  It's obviously bigger than nearly everyone else's...but for functionality it's really done the trick: the player's are a great distance from the monitor and contrary to popular opinion players 3 & 4 have great visibility of the monitor.  I recently was at one of the very few places I know of with arcade games and saw the CP for the original Simpsons...you want a disaster?  Sure for the "real arcade feel" you have to be crammed together like cattle but like one poster said...why would you want to be?  there is JUST enough space between each user to NOT be crammed together.

- We had access to practically no tools.  Router?  HA!  All molding had to either fit in the original grooves or in the groove between the top of the CP and the bracing.

[QB1DABOMB]

- I may have mentioned it before but the CP is NOT ridiculously weighted.  I think that misconception is perpetuated by everyone thinking it's ridiculously big. 

- I know an arcade monitor would be nicer than a TV.  The TV was $30...what kind of monitor would I get for even $100?  I don't agree with the spend the money or don't bother theory...

The one thing I'd like to stress is I've had all four players beating on this thing and everyone agrees the playability is AWESOME.  I'm actually now enjoying all feedback (less the epic failure remark still   ) so keep it coming.  If nothing else it will serve as:

a)  A good way for purists and those who believe cabs must be works of art to have a good laugh
b)  Constructive feedback for anyone who will build a cab or is building one
c)  A way for anyone with virtually $0 budget who wants something workable to realize if it's fully playable then just make it look as good as you can and enjoy!   

[QB1DABOMB]

Lastly special thanks to the user who posted that "CRAP" review link.  IMHO I think mine is better than most of those (I didn't use a nine inch monitor plus any idiot can look at my CP and instantly know what all the buttons are for (yes, even if there are 12 that aren't "necessary")).

[TOK]

If it was a Pac or Ms Pac etc i could understand people being upset.
What the heck is a stargate anyways? Never herd of it..

This actually bummed me out.
Do you think you could jump into a volcano to make me feel better?

[CheffoJeffo]

If it was a Pac or Ms Pac etc i could understand people being upset.
What the heck is a stargate anyways? Never herd of it..

You see, that statement pretty much disqualifies your opinion of rarity -- there are eleventy12! brazillion Ms Pac cabs in the world. Also, you shouldn't put much stock in what VAPS has to say about rarity. In this case, lots of collectors (from whom the VAPS data are taken) have Stargate because it IS a desirable cab to have in a collection. Oh, and MsPac scores a perfect 100 for least rare game according to VAPS.

This actually bummed me out.
Do you think you could jump into a volcano to make me feel better?

 

[blades]

Lastly special thanks to the user who posted that "CRAP" review link.  IMHO I think mine is better than most of those (I didn't use a nine inch monitor plus any idiot can look at my CP and instantly know what all the buttons are for (yes, even if there are 12 that aren't "necessary")).

Enjoy your cab. That is what is important. Your Friends and you hanging out and having fun. That is what this hobby is really about(some people loose that sight).

I don't remember back in the day walking into an arcade and going..."Damn, that Galaga is not in mint condition, I'm not going to play that...."

Actually just the opposite, I didn't care what condition it was, as long as it took my token/quarter, I didn't give a sh*t, because I am there to play. And some have forgotten, that is what it's all about. Playing games and having fun.  Have fun with your cab!!!



;

[Silas (son of Silas)]

We build our cabs for ourselves to enjoy, so as long as you have achieved your personal goal then, good for you. Who cares what others think? Shame about the base cab choice , but hey, it was your cab.

I think from a space per player perspective, PacMatt has you nailed. PacMatt is/was a 2 player cab but it looks about the same width as yours:

[Silas (son of Silas)]

...Think about buying some laminate for your surfaces. Painted plywood looks aweful and wont last.

Careful though... Laminate isn't a panacea for all ills. It requires good surface prep, attention to detail to apply. I would consider revisiting other areas of the cab like the paint finish and/or the nails in the trim before laying out £££ or $$$ on laminate.

[tomdotcom]

edited

[severdhed]

- I may have mentioned it before but the CP is NOT ridiculously weighted.  I think that misconception is perpetuated by everyone thinking it's ridiculously big. 

- I know an arcade monitor would be nicer than a TV.  The TV was $30...what kind of monitor would I get for even $100?  I don't agree with the spend the money or don't bother theory...

The one thing I'd like to stress is I've had all four players beating on this thing and everyone agrees the playability is AWESOME.  I'm actually now enjoying all feedback (less the epic failure remark still   ) so keep it coming.  If nothing else it will serve as:

a)  A good way for purists and those who believe cabs must be works of art to have a good laugh
b)  Constructive feedback for anyone who will build a cab or is building one
c)  A way for anyone with virtually $0 budget who wants something workable to realize if it's fully playable then just make it look as good as you can and enjoy!   

you make some good points, and you did pretty well for your budget.  i'm not an arcade purist nazi, i say make it the way you want it.  if you got a tv for $30, thats awesome.  nothing wrong with that.  just for future reference, you can pick up a trim router at harbor freight for $25 that would make a world of difference.  i didnt have a router for the first 3 or 4 control panels i built..  before i built this last one, i bought one and man did it make a difference.  just the little details like rounding over corners, and properly installed tmolding made a huge improvement in the appearance of my panel.  

as for the size of the panel, it's not that it is absurdly large...it is just a little large in proportion to the cabinet you have chosen.  we have a partially complete cabinet here at work ( I work for a good friend of mine who started his own PC tech/consulting business..our shop is in his basement).  it has a pretty large control panel also. (54"x18")  however we are in the process of making it into a showcase style setup.  right now it just sits on a wooden stand, that is not attached to the stand that the 36" gateway destination monitor is on.  it normally sits about 8" away from the monitor, but when we are playing 4 player games, we just pull it back a little more so everyone has a good view of the screen.   it is not really a cabinet yet, since we got everything working, progress has pretty much stopped.  but due to the size of the monitor and the fact that it sits back away a little, the panel seems very proportional.    we built this panel pretty cheap.  there is no tmolding, and the top is just 3/8" plywood covered it woodgrain shelf paper.(which is surprisingly durable)  the box is made out of 1"x6" pine boards, with a plywood bottom.  

we went cheap until we tested everything out before building a final panel...the problem is that was well over a year ago.    the weird thing is that out of all the games we could play with this cabinet.  95% of the time it is Donkey Kong, Centipede and DigDug.  we probably could have built a tiny panel with only a 4way stick, trackball and 1 button and had been fine...but he got the 36" monitor for free, so we designed everything around that.



the pic is crappy, but i took it with my cell phone and the lighting sucks here in the basement.

we know that when we eventually get around to building the cabinet in around the monitor and make a new panel, that we will take our time this time around, use MDF and Tmolding, cover the trackball mounting plate, hide the joystick bolts and get everything looking nice.  but the fact is, it is often better to go cheap first until you figure out what needs changed.  if you want a 4 player panel, the size you have is nice because it is comfortable for 4 adults to stand next  to.

[FrizzleFried]

According to KLOV
Of the 52,483 video games (3,361 unique) tracked by the Video Game Preservation Society, this game (stargate) ranks a 73 on a scale out of 100 (100 = most commonly seen, 1=least common) in popularity based on ownership records.

Whats the big deal... Your cab your business...
If it was a Pac or Ms Pac etc i could understand people being upset.
What the heck is a stargate anyways? Never herd of it..

You didn't just quote KLOV as it if it were accurate.... did ya?

[PeteDiak]

lol

[PeteDiak]

If it was a Pac or Ms Pac etc i could understand people being upset.
What the heck is a stargate anyways? Never herd of it..

You see, that statement pretty much disqualifies your opinion of rarity -- there are eleventy12! brazillion Ms Pac cabs in the world. Also, you shouldn't put much stock in what VAPS has to say about rarity. In this case, lots of collectors (from whom the VAPS data are taken) have Stargate because it IS a desirable cab to have in a collection. Oh, and MsPac scores a perfect 100 for least rare game according to VAPS.

This actually bummed me out.
Do you think you could jump into a volcano to make me feel better?

 

Sure, because everyone is looking for a Stargate, and no one is looking for a pac man or ms pac man.

[CheffoJeffo]

Sure, because everyone is looking for a Stargate, and no one is looking for a pac man or ms pac man.

If you want and can't find a Pac or a MsPac and you are in North America, then you are doing it wrong. If memory serves, there were 100,000 and 125,000 authentic uprights, respectively. Add bootlegs and the number goes higher. Add cocktails and you're probably more than double that. I see MsPacs all the bloody time with cocktails being the most prolific.

In contrast, only 25,000 Stargates. I've seen two come up locally in the past 5 years.

It may not be a big deal to someone who has never herd of Stargate  , but to say that it is less valuable than a MsPac is just plain silly.

[smalltownguy]

Sure, because everyone is looking for a Stargate, and no one is looking for a pac man or ms pac man.

If you want and can't find a Pac or a MsPac and you are in North America, then you are doing it wrong. If memory serves, there were 100,000 and 125,000 authentic uprights, respectively. Add bootlegs and the number goes higher. Add cocktails and you're probably more than double that. I see MsPacs all the bloody time with cocktails being the most prolific.

In contrast, only 25,000 Stargates. I've seen two come up locally in the past 5 years.

It may not be a big deal to someone who has never herd of Stargate  , but to say that it is less valuable than a MsPac is just plain silly.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that rarity isn't necessarily an indicator of value. I built my own rubber band gun once. I'm pretty sure it's a one of a kind. That doesn't really make it worth much, though.

Just my 2 cents. **plink plink**

[MaximRecoil]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that rarity isn't necessarily an indicator of value. I built my own rubber band gun once. I'm pretty sure it's a one of a kind. That doesn't really make it worth much, though.

Just my 2 cents. **plink plink**

Desireability is the most important factor when it comes to value. When something is rare and desirable, the value shoots through the roof. I would say that on average, a Ms. Pac-Man would sell in the same price range as a Stargate in similar condition. Stargate is not as common (value up), but it also appeals to fewer people (value down).

Most people who like that style of game are looking for Defender, given that it is the original, has a better looking cabinet (IMO), was far more common (meaning more people are likely to have played it, which directly translates to more people being nostalgic for it), and was already hard as hell (why Williams decided to make Stargate even harder than its predecessor which was already too hard for most people is beyond me).

In some situations you could probably sell a Ms. Pac-Man for substantially more than a Stargate in similar condition; given that Ms. Pac-Man is probably the easiest game to sell to the average Joe or Jane who knows nothing about anything aside from the fact that they want an arcade machine. Take PeteDiak for example, he's never even "herd" of a Stargate, and probably wouldn't give a red cent for one.

[jeef]

This thread was good, but now it's one of these: http://xkcd.com/386/

[TOK]

Sure, because everyone is looking for a Stargate, and no one is looking for a pac man or ms pac man.

Just stop now and salvage a shred of your credibility.

[sham69]

Congrats on the cab.
As some have said here its' your cab so enjoy it.
I can understand people's views are strong due to the pasisonate nature of these machines and this scene.
I built my cab a year ago and although its far from perfect it's perfect for me..
I play it every single day without fail so as I said I can understand the strong feelings and harsh comments.
Take it easy on the OP guys, at the end of the day he made the effort to come up with something HE would like and if he has achived that then fair play.
I think most of us would agree that if we could go back to our first build we would do it differently.
Good Luck.

[PeteDiak]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that rarity isn't necessarily an indicator of value. I built my own rubber band gun once. I'm pretty sure it's a one of a kind. That doesn't really make it worth much, though.

Just my 2 cents. **plink plink**

Desireability is the most important factor when it comes to value. When something is rare and desirable, the value shoots through the roof. I would say that on average, a Ms. Pac-Man would sell in the same price range as a Stargate in similar condition. Stargate is not as common (value up), but it also appeals to fewer people (value down).

Most people who like that style of game are looking for Defender, given that it is the original, has a better looking cabinet (IMO), was far more common (meaning more people are likely to have played it, which directly translates to more people being nostalgic for it), and was already hard as hell (why Williams decided to make Stargate even harder than its predecessor which was already too hard for most people is beyond me).

In some situations you could probably sell a Ms. Pac-Man for substantially more than a Stargate in similar condition; given that Ms. Pac-Man is probably the easiest game to sell to the average Joe or Jane who knows nothing about anything aside from the fact that they want an arcade machine. Take PeteDiak for example, he's never even "herd" of a Stargate, and probably wouldn't give a red cent for one.

Thanks for that... You bring up excellent points..  Glad that's setled