The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: mariox2098 on September 24, 2018, 10:26:56 pm
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Its been a long while since my last build and I've been planning this for probably half as long. I've since gotten a CNC machine (Shapeoko XXL) which made this a whole lot smoother and easier to do.
The concept of the FightCase is I wanted a portable arcade dedicated to 2D fighting/competitive arcade games. I wanted it pretty minimalist. I've seen a lot of briefcase arcades but something about a briefcase just seemed unattractive to me. The whole thing is made out of 5 layers of 3/4" plywood, 3 for the controls side (2.25"), 2 for the screen side (1.5"). I tried to make it as thin as possible with very little clearance, though i know I probably coulda gone smaller if i wanted to. I need to find my progress pics but I'll post my most current progress.
I plan on painting the whole thing white and hopefully, following Ond's amazing guide on painting, get a really smooth gloss finish that similar to how the buttons/joystick are. I did a test run recently, hooking up everything and it seems like the battery should last around 2hrs which is a lot better than I expected. And of course, I can plug it in to play as well. What's left is painting and applying the acrylic bezels over the monitor and over the controls.
Component List:
17in laptop screen (salvaged from an old laptop)
LCD controller board for that screen
Arcade joystick and buttons pack (from Aliexpress)
Torsion hinges
Raspberry pi 3
Power switch
The Link Quick Release JLF Shaft
6000 mAh battery pack
Battery life meter
1.25" speakers and PAM8610 amplifier
Comments, suggestions and criticism are welcome. Thanks!
Let me start posting pictures before you all start losing interest:
(https://i.imgur.com/ag3cLd7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7P3elck.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/L27JiHL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QP3xiy3.jpg)
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You may want to rehost those pictures, they are not showing up on my end. You can either use the dedicated thread or a site like Imgur.
Super interested about using a laptop display. Those things are usually terrible, but bigger ones tend to be better and gaming units are definitely very usable.
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Take the joysticks and buttons and throw them away. Why do people keep buying that garbage? Buy some real controls.
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I like the concept! Woodwork looks good and clean. What sort of hinges are you going to use to join the lid to the bottom?
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You may want to rehost those pictures, they are not showing up on my end. You can either use the dedicated thread or a site like Imgur.
Super interested about using a laptop display. Those things are usually terrible, but bigger ones tend to be better and gaming units are definitely very usable.
Sorry about that, just rehosted with imgur. The laptop screen is so thin, it worked perfectly for my use here. I just had to look up the matching controller board on ebay using the displays model number and it just worked. The board was around $25 I believe.
Take the joysticks and buttons and throw them away. Why do people keep buying that garbage? Buy some real controls.
Honestly, I've used Sanwa and Seimitsu joysticks and buttons in past projects and while I think they're great (which they are), these are fine with me. They're Sanwa clones, they're not that expensive and in my mind, the joysticks are decent and the buttons feel comparable except that these ones click. That's just me though.
I like the concept! Woodwork looks good and clean. What sort of hinges are you going to use to join the lid to the bottom?
Thanks! I got two of these. The torque is adjustable so I hoping it should be able to hold the weight.
https://www.southco.com/en-ie/e6-at/e6-10-501-20 (https://www.southco.com/en-ie/e6-at/e6-10-501-20)
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Looking very good :)
is there a space in the case to store the joysticks once you've unscrewed them ?
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That's really cool!
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Great idea! Agreed that you'll want to build in room to carry the joysticks.
What are you going to finish the outside with? I'd imagine something pretty beefy to withstand the punishment that a briefcase might endure.
Also - I'm sure this is in your plan, but the wires connecting the sections don't look like they'll live very long in the real world.
Mike
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Fun project! I respect the portability builds. How much does it weigh? This kinda reminds me of Neph’s Troubleshooter (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121731.msg1291487.html#msg1291487)portable supergun/test rig. Or Yot’s Troubleshooter II (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,134993.msg1393166.html#msg1393166), but with more playability rather that a servicing rig. But you should give those threads a read, there might be some info there that might be relevant to your build.
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After a long hiatus involving moving and other life things, I'm back with updates and hopefully I'll finish this soon.
I wish I had taken more progress pics but this is where I am right now, similar design as the original one but changes some things up and recut the wood for everything.
(https://i.imgur.com/SLvUs0Y.jpg)
(https://imgur.com/m7CwN3R)
(https://i.imgur.com/xDTCEIQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/t4dq4sx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/68uDJAE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6zLv1y9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9jOjLEH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zNnyXci.jpg)
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All done. Final pics below
(https://i.imgur.com/ySxpBiZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/CmwmsFo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/u45lPr7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BUiUsg3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/mKsMjLT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jFZL53W.jpg)
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Looks good man!
Did you use those removable joystick shafts from an arcade seller or did they come that way?
My only suggestion would be to try to find some techflex or something to sheath those monitor wires. Or maybe a white ribbon cable? The red and black screams "exposed wiring" and with everything looking so clean, it would just be a cherry on top IMO.