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Main => Artwork => Topic started by: GrandpaBob on September 18, 2014, 06:30:24 pm

Title: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: GrandpaBob on September 18, 2014, 06:30:24 pm
Long time stalker, first time poster, blah blah blah...  :)

Finally got spousal approval to move forward with the building of a MAME cabinet.  The wife is hip to the pedestal design so I can roll it out of the way when not in use.  I have a 50" plasma wall-mounted in the family room that I'll be using as the monitor for this.

I've worked up the pedestal design in sketchup based on the funglo pedestal.  It has a nice 2x4 internal base that will have 6 casters for easy rollability.

I've been working on a Simpsons theme for the pedestal, since it will be a 4 player control panel.  The goal is to use characters from Springfield Punx (http://springfieldpunx.blogspot.com/) based on 4 player arcade games (X-Men, TMNT) as the side art.  I was attempting to make the Control Panel look like the clouds from the Simpsons opening theme and I think I did an alright job.

(http://s25.postimg.org/vtkbusnsb/Pedestal.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/vtkbusnsb/)

(http://s25.postimg.org/fwljy2ve3/Control_Panel_Inkscape.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/fwljy2ve3/)

Comments? Critiques?

Thanks
GrandpaBob
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: Slippyblade on September 18, 2014, 07:11:52 pm
Looks good to me.  I love the aircraft carrier design and I really like your footrest base.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: lamprey on September 22, 2014, 03:33:42 pm
Surround the trackball with a doughnut! :)
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: Slippyblade on September 22, 2014, 04:44:08 pm
Surround the trackball with a doughnut! :)

Yes!  This!
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: GrandpaBob on September 23, 2014, 11:27:46 am
Something like this?
(http://s25.postimg.org/hzmdifbzf/New_Pedestal.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/hzmdifbzf/)

Thanks for the suggestions!

GrandapaBob
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: Slippyblade on September 23, 2014, 11:29:10 am
Mmmmmm, donut...

Yeah - that'll work.
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: Malenko on September 23, 2014, 12:43:45 pm
I know Im an old fuddy duddy, but what the fascination with that CP shape lately?  Are rectangles just way too easy to cut, and people want a challenge?
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: yotsuya on September 23, 2014, 12:45:41 pm
I know Im an old fuddy duddy, but what the fascination with that CP shape lately?  Are rectangles just way too easy to cut, and people want a challenge?

I'd actually like to see a photo of 4 people on one (I've never seen one). Do the outer people stand in a little closer to the joysticks, hence the shape?  :dizzy:
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: pbj on September 23, 2014, 01:01:06 pm
The shape is to better accommodate fat people.
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: GrandpaBob on September 23, 2014, 03:20:28 pm
Truthfully, I just think it looks nicer than a giant rectangular slab...

The other reason I like this CP shape is I can put pinball control buttons on the sides of the front portion of the control panel.  The wife loves pinball games and this would be a good gateway for the "I really should build you a virtual pinball cabinet" conversation that will inevitably come up.  >:D

I plan on making a full sized mock-up before I cut the control panel just to see how well folks fit around it.  Especially with the pedestal base "wings", I'm concerned about foot space for player 3/4.

GrandpaBob
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: Malenko on September 23, 2014, 03:46:39 pm
I only asked because the "footers" look like they'd be in the way of the outside players. My CPs a "giant rectangular slab" cause thats the best CP shape for a faux hockey rink   :cheers:
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: yotsuya on September 23, 2014, 03:50:36 pm
Quote from: GrandpaBob
The other reason I like this CP shape is I can put pinball control buttons on the sides of the front portion of the control panel.  The wife loves pinball games and this would be a good gateway for the "I really should build you a virtual pinball cabinet" conversation that will inevitably come up.  >:D

Well, see, THAT makes sense...  :cheers:
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: PL1 on September 23, 2014, 04:30:59 pm
Quote from: GrandpaBob
The other reason I like this CP shape is I can put pinball control buttons on the sides of the front portion of the control panel.  The wife loves pinball games and this would be a good gateway for the "I really should build you a virtual pinball cabinet" conversation that will inevitably come up.  >:D
Just in case you haven't seen the MAME overlap/"backward wiring"/MagnaSave+Upper Flipper diagram, here it is.

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=138118.0;attach=305527;image)

Also consider using Goldleaf or GGG Class-X with True-Leaf Pro buttons for the flippers instead of microswitch buttons.   ;D


Scott
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: FuzzyMonkey on April 28, 2015, 09:55:10 am
Awesome design Grandpabob.  Did you ever finish the build?
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: chito on September 07, 2016, 01:18:15 am
Looks great GrandpaBob

Ive got a question about the joysticks orientation... Why arent they orientated parallel to the player, instead of parallel to the front and back?
any chance of releasing your sketchup model?
Title: Re: Simpsons Pedestal
Post by: PL1 on September 07, 2016, 09:01:47 am
Ive got a question about the joysticks orientation... Why arent they orientated parallel to the player, instead of parallel to the front and back?
From the FAQ:
(wiki is still down, but here's a link to a copy on the Internet Wayback Machine (https://web.archive.org/web/20160809113045/http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?title=FAQ))

Quote
Orientation
It is important to note that joysticks should always be mounted parallel to the screen since it is intuitive for a player to move the joystick in relation to the action on the screen. This might seem not obvious in 4-player designs, but experience has proved that this holds true even if the player is standing diagonal towards the screen. Therefore it is advised not to angle joysticks for players 3 and 4. P3, P1, and P2 joysticks are shown parallel, while P4 joystick is shown angled.

(https://web.archive.org/web/20150625124703im_/http://newwiki.arcadecontrols.com/images/thumb/d/da/StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg/800px-StraightAndAngledSticks.jpg)


Scott