Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: tjterrill on April 14, 2010, 02:26:39 pm
-
EDIT: So I have changed my theme about 12,742 times now, but im finally decided. After seeing Opt2Not's Canucks cab, I am absolutely, for sure doing my cab with a SJ Sharks theme.
This team has a special place in my heart, as I have watched them and attended games since the very first season. On top of that, I have been working for them for the last 3 seasons. So needless to say, this is a perfect fit for my household.
Original posts are maintained below, to continuously log progress, regardless of design change.
Hey Everyone.
Just started a new project, and will post progress on my blog:
http://myretrorefab.blogspot.com/ (http://myretrorefab.blogspot.com/)
The issue im torn on is the CP. I have ZERO wood working skills, and tools. Also I haven't soldered since I was in high school, and that was maybe 3 days of metal class lol.
So of course im looking at the easiest option, and wanting to go for the Xarcade. But then through reading on the forums, nearly everyone who puts an Xarcade in their first project is dissapointed, and wish they had the custom CP. Well I dont plan on making another project... 1 I dont think the wife would allow it, and 2. we have a 4 month old so time is limited as it is.
Any thoughts? Im just looking to get a very simple two person controller.
-
Welcome! I would go for a simple 2 player controller. You'll be much happier in the end, and it really isn't that hard to do. Take a look at the Wiki, there is TONS of information there.
Just out of curiosity... why is there a coin-door size hole in the side of that cabinet?
-
Ya know what... I have no idea. It was there when I picked the cab up, and the square piece missing was sitting inside.
So I may just glue it back in, or make the most of it, and put the sub there. IDK yet.
-
Looks like you are off to a good start. I have redone two of those cabinets. You are going to have fill or sand the crap out of that particle board to get a smooth finish. I would recommend vinyl or laminate.
-
Looking like a good start - pity you couldn't save that motorcycle top for something :)
Per your blog on prebuilt vs. custom control panel - I'd strongly suggest going custom. For one, you'll get more street cred here ;) and two, it is where the fun part starts (at least for me, anyway).
Look forward to your progress.
-
Thanks guys.
After watching a video on how to actually wire the buttons and such, im not too intimidated by it anymore. However I still have no wood working skills, or tools.
As for painting it, im not doing the whole thing. Im definitely doing the vinyl on the sides with the artwork on it. (helps that my wife works for a very large printing company!)
Can I commission anybody want to cut out my panel for me? :)
-
Just out of curiosity... why is there a coin-door size hole in the side of that cabinet?
Someone lost the key?
That's where the prize drops down?
Spare coin door holster?
-
Nothing too original, but im trying to keep it very clean and simple. The layout just works perfectly for what I need, and someone was nice enough to send me the original photoshop file, so I could make it my own.
I may add a small image and tweak it a little more, but this is the general idea.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/CPV10.gif)
-
Poll time.
I decided to go against doing a game specific cab, since it will be a multi-game machine. I want to save Donkey Kong for when I get to remake my own DK cab :)
So im going for my two favorite movies. I got this idea after seeing someones Back To The Future Cab and I really liked the idea. They will be tasteful and not over the top. Simple images/logos.
Top Gun or James Bond.
Top gun will obviously be Red White and Blue. Downside is I dont know if I can find hi-res images being that the film is 25 years old.
James bond will be black, red, gold and silver. Should be able to find some decent high res images being that they still make these movies.
So what do you think?
-
James Bond CP!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/Screenshot2010-04-30at31546PM.png)
-
After watching a video on how to actually wire the buttons and such, im not too intimidated by it anymore. However I still have no wood working skills, or tools.
I have no woodworking skills or tools either but managed a simple 2-player control panel, so if i can do it i bet you can :laugh:! I actually used a hand saw to cut the CP from an old desk, then measured out my layout and drilled the holes! - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=99378.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=99378.0)
Putting it all together now with a CPO etc. and it looks great, so don't fret about your woodworking skills :P
-
Nothing too original, but im trying to keep it very clean and simple. The layout just works perfectly for what I need, and someone was nice enough to send me the original photoshop file, so I could make it my own.
I may add a small image and tweak it a little more, but this is the general idea.
One thing I'd suggest right off the bat is maybe playing with the color scheme a little. If you really do plan on doing a DK dedicated cab in the future, this cab and its colors are going to look very similar, and might be a little much in your game room IMO. If you do a DK in pretty well those colors anyway, why not get a little more crazy with this one and do something unique?
-
I did! See my James Bond CP 2 posts above
I thought the exact same thing.... wanted to save the blue and orange for the full gorilla!
Im now doing a Casino Royale/007 cab, so its not game specific!
-
VERY Rough prelim layouts for the side art, to decide which one of the three I like better. I had the wifey put these together for me, as I know NOTHING about AI, and she works for a printing company.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/Screenshot2010-05-04at102801PM.png)
I really like this one, however I need to find this poster in a higher resolution...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/Screenshot2010-05-04at103654PM.png)
Ill try to get the flames extended just a bit to eliminate the hard cut-off, as well add the golden 007 logo back in.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/Screenshot2010-05-04at103948PM.png)
This is just very cool. Idk why it looks fuzzy tho... its very high res.
So im torn.. what do you think?
-
the 3rd one as your marquee, the 2nd one as the side art
-
I'm thinking there's enough generic Bond art to be found/made that you could do a generic 007 theme. Are you using the two movies because of a specific decision or because of availability? I'm thinking rablack is on the right track for using the last one as a marquee but I'd go for a plain 007 logo (http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/pics/8/2550/how-to-draw-the-007-logo.jpg). I wonder if you're married to the two specific films for the cab.
And what happened to the steering wheel stuff? Radikal Bikers is a really neat game, it'd be great if you could find some use for that wheel. Maybe in a future project?
-
Bond girl all the way. Heck I would do Bond Girls everywhere if I could get a way with it. ;)
-
faded bond girl with top layer of Casino Royale gun(last pic).
-
So I have changed my theme about 12,742 times now, but im finally decided. After seeing Opt2Not's Canucks cab, I am absolutely, for sure doing my cab with a SJ Sharks theme.
This team has a special place in my heart, as I have watched them and attended games since the very first season. On top of that, I have been working for them for the last 3 seasons. So needless to say, this is a perfect fit for my household.
Im really excited actually because I have a family friend that does some fantastic spray painting stencil art, and he has already agreed to come paint the Sharks logo on the sides of the cab. He's working on the stencils now (which take the most time), and once im ready he will come over and get to work.
PS if you see this Opt2Not, I would love if you could do some photoshop work for me, so I can nail down the design aspect of it all, and have something I can see, and strive towards.
Thanks guys... and please, I dont want to see the word "choke" on this topic once. LOL
-
Logos to be used on the cab
Marque
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/op9rhixth9fpohmf4nfh.gif)
Side Art
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/SharksLogo02.jpg)
Other undetermined logos
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/2000px-SanJoseSharksAlternatesvg.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/e10cx1g2ej7kgk41f7fvv2qp2.gif)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/4660.gif)
-
Awesome, I love hockey themes but I say that as a biased Canadian...please tell me you are an American born hockey fan and not a transplanted Canadian? That would make this cab all the cooler (so lie if you have too! jk) :cheers:
-
Born and raised in the SF bay!
-
Still debating wither to go for the home teal jersey design, or the Black Armor Alt jersey design for the overall color scheme of the cab.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/homejersey.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/BlackArmJers.jpg)
-
I'll hit you up with some concepts.
Both of the teal cabinet and black cabinet avenues. It would be good to compare them.
-
I like this new theme much better than the Bond one.
-
Here are a few quick ideas -- a starting point at least:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=90051.0;attach=147472)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=90051.0;attach=147474)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=90051.0;attach=147476)
Keeping with on the same mindset as my canucks cabinet, "less is more" when it comes to sport logos. So I tried tastefully using the icons around the cabinet. IMO, a few logos would go a long way, so I threw the sharks main logo on the sides...and the SJ logo on the front for the CP.
I tried a solid teal cabinet , but it looked too boring and a bit hard on the eyes for this cabinet shape. All black looks "ok", but again, a bit too mundane. So I tried the two tone look, which I think is working better.
The black sides, and teal front parts is my favourite out of the three.
Kinda reminds me of the old (and rare) Sente cabinets:
(http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q57/phetishboy/IMG_0387.jpg)
This one is Hat Trick, one of the greatest hockey arcade games ever (if played with 2 players -- vs cpu kinda blows)
Also note, I tried throwing the jersey lines at the bottom of the side art, like the front section, but it didn't look "exciting enough", and because this is a full size cabinet the top area looked too barren. So instead, I have the lines going slanted and passing behind the logo. I think it works well.
The nice thing about my cocktail cabinet is that it's a small unit, so sport themed cabinets can be easy to conceptualize. For a full size cabinet, you gotta put a bit more effort into not making the cabinet look cheesy.
I think these examples are a good starting point. Let me know what you think.
-
Born and raised in the SF bay!
Awesome! :cheers:
Here are a few quick ideas -- a starting point at least:
I like this new theme much better than the Bond one.
Agreed, much better thant he bond...the SJ colours seem a great fit for a cocktail theme. I love the mockups Opt2not! :applaud:
-
Opt2Not this is sick. :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
EXACTLY what I was looking for, and I gotta agree that #2 is my favorite as well. I do gotta say however, I dont know if I like the logo on the side. I mean I like it, I think it just looks awkward being so low. I agree that with the shape it cant really go any higher, so we might have to figure out something else to go there.
This is VERY exciting, and im ready to get movin on this!
-
Another mock-up - logo a bit bigger, different 2 tone split, steeper angle on side-art lines, added CP and tinted monitor glass. Crudely lit marquee too:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=90051.0;attach=147480)
I like how the big lines down the side connect to the front lines. Makes them look like hockey sticks. ;)
-
Love it! it combines the other two perfectly!
-
Made some progress yesterday after a trip to the Home Depot. They were nice enough to cut all my wood for me, as I dont have any saws or anything (Fathers day is right around the corner thankfully!) So I came up with the design, and installed the shelf to hold my CRT tv in place. I was very pleased that the design I had in my head actually work, and holds incredibly strong.
So heres the precut wood
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/CIMG1002.jpg)
First piece in place
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/CIMG1004.jpg)
Entire shelf in place
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/CIMG1009.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/CIMG1010.jpg)
Tv in place and holding strong!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/CIMG1012.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/daretomakemusic/CIMG1013.jpg)
It may not be much, but its progress!
-
Ok it's back on. I've got weekends off for the next month, and I'm dedicated to spending some decent time on this project. The best part is my wife is on board too, to help finish the design and printing of all the artwork.
So I'm gonna order all my electronic components for the CP today, but I have some decisions to make quickly. I need to figure out exactly what I want on my control panel, so I know how many buttons to order. I'm going for a six button layout, and I want to keep admin buttons to a minimum.
Here's what I'm thinking,
Per player:
Joystick
6 play buttons
Add coin button
Player 1/2 start button
Then for admin:
Volume up
Volume down
Pause
Menu
So that's 18 total. Do i need anything else? No trackball, no spinner, or pinball.
By the way, I'm using the pretty popular arcade odyssey layout that I posted above.
-
You need an exit button. Not sure you really need the volume buttons, unless you plan on changing volume often
-
Ok! Parts are ordered from Paradise Arcade! Theres no turning back now!
Ordered the Fight stick I with clear bubble top, and clear led pushbuttons. (a play on ice)
Wifey is going to dummy up my control panel with a new color scheme, and ill post.
Another question... how much t-molding will I need roughly? I have no idea!
-
Ok so some major creative progress tonight thanks to the wifey. With her amazing illustrator skills, she was able to create the control panel from scratch, based upon this popular layout. We were struggling to figure out a good background for everything, and I came across this black diamond plate. I love it, and its going to be the recurring theme in the rest of the artwork on the marquee, front end theme etc.
BTW the puck, will be an actual game puck sitting inside the wood, under the plexi. Pretty cool I think! (I really have no need for a trackball)
What do ya think?!
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=168830)
-
Not a fan of the diamond plate, doesn't seem to go with the hockey theme.... I would do a layout of the ice or something...
The hockey puck idea is sweet. How are you going to mount it?
-
Actually it goes pretty well, as the Sharks black alternate jersey is appropriately named "Black Armor"!
We tried the ice background etc as we thought the same thing, but I just couldn't find an image that we liked. (after a lot of searching!) we tried shattered ice, ice that was skated on, and even a layout of the rink with the lines etc. Nothing really grabbed me like the black diamond plate did right away. I specifically didn't want over the top hockey everything.
Thanks for the feedback tho!
The puck... I don't know. The puck is an inch thick, to the 3/4 inch wood so it will just sit under, and I'll have to brace it in there somehow.
-
Take the puck to home depot/lowes and find a hole saw that is the exact size or closest to exact size of the puck, then hot glue it, that might work....
-
Well ya thats the plan.... Wedge and glue, then brace it underneath and cover with plexi.
Hoping to have this done within the next 2 weeks when I get a chance.
-
the puck idea is SWEET. I had another thought while thinking about the integration of the puck, what about having some signatures of your favourite players in 'ice white' under the plexi, that would add a personal touch along with say a puck from a match game? keep up the good work, Dave
-
More progress made today after a great trip to Home Depot.
Picked up the primer and paint, a new sander, and a bunch of other stuff to get the project rolling.
Got a new Ryobi sander.
Paint wise I got the bullseye 1-2-3 primer as recommended on the forums, and some satin black paint for the top coat. Foam rollers and trays as well.
I never really looked at the coin door till today, but it's in great, near perfect condition. I bought some Rustoleum hammered black spray, but I dont know if I'll even need it really. I would like to figure out how to have the tokens inserted register the credits within the emulator. I know I have seen it on here before, I just don't remember where.
So first I needed to sand it down, to get the grit off of the pressboard.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=168971;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=168973;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=168975;image)
Once it was a smoothed over with 60 grit, it was such a huge difference! Much smoother. After that it was onto priming.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=168979;image)
Looks great, and this is most progress I have made since i bought the cab over a year ago!
Tomorrow I will sand, and paint again :)
-
Got the PERFECT size CRT tv today for the cab! 25 inch tv for a 26 inch opening, and it's a perfect fit. Could not be happier as I have been looking for the right tv for a long time. And for $20 it was a steal.
Now I'm just waiting for the s-video to component cable to get here so I can hook up the computer and see it in action.
Control panel parts are on the way.
It's only a matter of time.
-
Alrighty.
Heres a shot of the perfect sized TV:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169144;image)
With bezel on (that came with the machine)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169146;image)
Had to patch up that random hole that was cut in the cab. Luckily they put the part they cut, inside the machine. So with a little wood filler:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169138;image)
Rigged switches to the coin door, so when the release buttons are pressed, they will add the credits.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169140;image)
And finally, the base coats were all painted, and today I added the bottom white stripe. A thick teal strip will the be painted over this, replicating the jersey stripes:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169142;image)
-
More progress.
Got the cab entirely painted as of yesterday with the finishing of the team stripes. Now the wife is going to print me up some various logos, and sizes to see exactly which one we want to use for the side art. Once we decide, and get the vinyl logos printed, ill cover the entire unit with a clear coat/sealer.
Got the S-video cable in the mail this morning, got it hooked up and it worked great with the tv. Gotta play with some of the color settings, but display wise it looks great.
The big project now, is deciding which FE im going to use, and how im going to customize it. Opinions?
Now im just kinda waiting for my order from paradisearcadeshop.com to arrive, so I can get working on the control panel box.
Heres a couple pictures:
The paint color selection and matching was made a WHOLE lot easier when I found out the Glidden has an entire catalogue of professional sports teams, and their colors. Badda bing badda boom!
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169212;image)
Stripes are painted and im pretty happy:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169214;image)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169216;image)
-
Lookin good. Nice score on the bezel working with the TV you put in it!
-
POLL TIME!!
So wifey printed me out a few different logos for the side art on their blueprint printer at work. Black and white on paper just to proof each one on design and size, then once we pick "the one", we'll print it on adhesive vinyl.
The Fin:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169376;image)
The Crest:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169378;image)
Main logo:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169380;image)
And here she is with her new white t-molding!
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=169382;image)
So what do you think?
-
Nay on the fin. The other two are 50/50.
-
I'm not a huge fan of the fin either, I think #3 just edges out #2 for me.
-
I like the fin, but I would put it lower so the corner to the right is the same height as the bottom of the control box space. Nice score on the TV. :cheers:
-
So. I agreed with everyone else on using the main Shark logo, until I realized that I had one more option.
(http://sharkspage.com/jpgs7/blackarmor_sharksjersey_.jpg)
The full Shark logo thats actually on the Black Armor jersey, that im designing this cab after. The hard part I thought, would be finding a high enough res image to print it out in good quality. Then after extensive google'ing I got a fantastic tip for getting vector sports logo. If you can find the teams media guides, the PDFS are created with vectored images. Sure enough, the Sharks had all their media guides posted on their website, and every logo in the guides were vectored, and ready to go! So Im getting that printed tomorrow.
Hit the coin door today with that Rustoleum hammered black spray and it looks fantastic! Very easy to accomplish.
Last but not least, I gotta say im pretty disappointed with Paradisearcadeshop.com. It took TWO WEEKS to just process the order and get it in the mail, when they had everything in stock. Now its been dropped off at a shipment center, and everything looks like it will get here on Thursday.
we'll see.
-
Made some progress over the weekend.
Wifey got the control panel layout printed at work on the blueprint machine. Got it attached to the board, and plexi, clamped and ready to drill.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6027/5950690913_6872243edb.jpg)
Plexi and CP all drilled.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/5950691661_a0d230efa6.jpg)
Top and rest of box come together.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6149/5950693349_a05a476f5a.jpg)
And finally the side art was printed, and attached.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5951250118_804e5ecec8.jpg)
-
Big Sharks fan here. That's a killer cabinet design. I wonder if the CP background could be laid out like the ice at HP Pavillion? It wouldn't be exactly to scale, but the sharks logo in the center, with the red and blue lines, maybe goal boxes at the ends. I wouldn't put the advertiser logos, but you could make the artwork look like it was under ice, too. Just a thought.
-
Lookin' good! :applaud:
-
Hey, maybe that would be cool; layout the ice on the CP and then scuff up the bottom of the plexi or get opaque plexi, or some privacy film so that it looks like hazy ice..
-
Thanks guys.
Ya know, originally thats what I wanted to do. I was to have the rink laid on under the CP, But just after solidifying my theme more and more around the "Black Armor" jersey, I wanted to keep it simple and not get too hokey. (Heh, hokey/hockey) After seeing so many other cabs out there, I have just come to appreciate the "less is more" mantra, and keep it toned down a bit. At least for my personal taste.
But really, thanks for all the feedback guys! Its coming along, and should have it done in not too long.
-
I can appreciate that. My first cab had a lot of graphics, the second was sparse. I kinda like the sparse look too. But c'mon! It's the FRICKIN' SHARKS BABY! JK.
Get me a job there and I'll finish your cabinet for you. :cheers:
Looks good. I can't wait to check it out.
-
That side art look awesome! :applaud:
-
Ugh.
So it's 90% done, and playable. Just working on the finishing touches before I roll it out of the garage for photos and video.
However I'm having a HORRIBLE time trying to figure out and set up Mame. I have all the consoles up and running through max arcade, but can't get Mame to work if my life depended on it. I'm very new at it and attempting it for the first time, and i just can't it going.
Can anyone with some patience for a noob, please help me out?
Feel free to PM me or email me directly at tjterrill@gmail.com