The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: Nocturnaloner on March 21, 2005, 02:56:01 am

Title: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 21, 2005, 02:56:01 am
I've been pretty quiet about this, but my first cabinet is about 95% complete.  The idea was to go for a classic upright shape without the extended cp of the lusid-type cabs.  I also wanted to build with plywood instead of mdf, mostly for weight considerations, since I'm renting a house, and I know I'll have to move it eventually.  In terms of asthetics, I really liked Oscar's unnamed mame cab, so the red and black theme was inspired by that, and the fact that I really dig that color scheme in general.  Add to that my fascination with pirates (the ocean going kind, not the software kind ;) ), and NO QUARTER was born!  I definitely wanted to keep the artwork simple and graphic, reminiscent of the old-school games.  In spite of difficulties involving limited tools and space, warped plywood, and deficient carpentry skills, I had fun, and it came out pretty well.  Sorry for the abysmal quality of these pics, my ancient digital cam is on its last legs.  I'll have a site for it, and hopefully a better camera, very soon.

I should also mention that the shape of the sides was directly inspired by 1uparcade's earlier design.  This put the cp at a steeper angle than I've seen, about 15 degrees.  It really presents no problem except in the case of the trigger stick, which I tilted to be upright.

The trigger stick itself is a hacked Iconcepts Avenger PC stick (via the Oscar and iuparcade tutorials), and it's really good as a relatively low profile flight stick, since it has 4 buttons while only appearing to have two.  The bezel around the top button rocks side to side for buttons 3 and 4.  I also painted the grey bezel black with Krylon Fusion plastic bonding paint.

With the buttons on the stick laid out like that, it's good for both Vindicators, and Discs of Tron, since you can use buttons 3 and 4 to rotate the turret in Vindicators, and raise and lower the aim in DOT.  The spinner is above the player one controls.

-Edit-

I have a small website up.  It's just a gallery, but the pictures are much better.  The link is in my signature.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: menace on March 21, 2005, 06:50:37 am
Nicely done--I like it!  I find the red and black is suitably evil/cool looking enough to put skulls and swords on it!. 
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: BobbyG66 on March 21, 2005, 08:37:36 am
Well done, I like the original theme. Enjoy!
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Santoro on March 21, 2005, 08:58:42 am
Looks good.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: javeryh on March 21, 2005, 10:33:47 am
Awesome theme.  Very nice!  I wish I had the balls to do something like that but if my cab doesn't blend in with the decor then there's no way the wifey will allow it in the TV room...
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 21, 2005, 11:32:45 am
Awesome theme.  Very nice!  I wish I had the balls to do something like that but if my cab doesn't blend in with the decor then there's no way the wifey will allow it in the TV room...

Thanks for all the positive replies!  I know this style of artwork isn't for everyone.  Fortunately for me, as I was putting on the decals yesterday, my wife came home from a shopping trip to proudly display her new t-shirt:  grey and white with a skull and crossed swords :D (The Jack Rackham flag, like you see in the Goonies logo) So, she approves of the addition to the decor.  Very cool girl, and one of the many reasons I married her.  Strangely enough, it sorta does fit with the decor, because the cab is in the basement, and nearby is a bathroom that I've done up completely in pirate style , with skull and crossbones towels and shower curtain, model ships, and historical pirate flags, etc.. 

By the way, the cut vinyl decals came out looking very good, and only cost me $22 at a local sign shop for both sides.  Considering the cost of full-color full size side art, it's something to keep in mind.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: ErikRuud on March 21, 2005, 02:50:51 pm
Nice job on the Marquee!

Someone else did a cab with the name No Quarter, I remember seeing their marquee artwork, but I can't seem to find it.  They did not use a prirate theme.

Your artwork fits the name much better.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 21, 2005, 03:10:13 pm
Nice job on the Marquee!

Someone else did a cab with the name No Quarter, I remember seeing their marquee artwork, but I can't seem to find it.  They did not use a prirate theme.

Your artwork fits the name much better.

Thanks!  I did do a search, both in the examples and announcements, to make sure it hadn't been done, and found nothing, but it's a common enough phrase, I'm sure someone thought of using it before.  No big deal.

For those who may not know:  The term "No Quarter" dates back to days of nautical warfare and piracy, when a ship (pirate or otherwise) would raise a red flag to indicate that no quarter (housing) would be given to the enemy, i.e., 'we are not going to take prisoners, we are going to kill you all'.  Often a red flag was raised in addition to the black flag, or Jolly Roger.  So you see, the red and black theme is absolutely appropriate to the phrase, and of course, it's a bad pun, since MAME cabs require "no quarters"  ::) 
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Paladin on March 21, 2005, 03:54:40 pm
I love the theme!
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 21, 2005, 04:02:16 pm
I love the theme!  It matches my PC case mods:
(http://home.comcast.net/~dark.paladin/pc/images/thumbpirate1.jpg)(http://home.comcast.net/~dark.paladin/pc/images/thumbpirate2.jpg)(http://home.comcast.net/~dark.paladin/pc/images/thumbpirate3.jpg)
Bigger pics on my website:
http://home.comcast.net/~dark.paladin/pc/skull.htm

Nice!

Did you see the casemod where the guy used some sort of model skull, and blended it into the front  of the case with bondo?  I think it was a Doom 3 theme, very slick.

I especially like the replica coins in the front of yours.  Be a shame to hide all that in a cabinet though ;)
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: hatrick on March 21, 2005, 11:00:34 pm
Nice job on the Marquee!

Someone else did a cab with the name No Quarter, I remember seeing their marquee artwork, but I can't seem to find it.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Magnet_Eye on March 22, 2005, 01:07:01 am
and nearby is a bathroom that I've done up completely in pirate style , with skull and crossbones towels and shower curtain, model ships, and historical pirate flags, etc..

Post pics! (or IM them to me) I am getting ready to make a Pirate Themed room too!  ;D

Where's the BYOPS website?

Build Yer Own Pirate Ship! AAARRRRGGGHHH!  :o
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Quarters on March 22, 2005, 05:47:50 am
Nice!

~NO QUARTER~ Sounds like another club that won't have me  :'(
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 22, 2005, 07:57:56 am
Nice job on the Marquee!

Someone else did a cab with the name No Quarter, I remember seeing their marquee artwork, but I can't seem to find it.  They did not use a prirate theme.

Your artwork fits the name much better.

I did a "no Quarter" theme too, but I don't think I ever posted mine.



Yours looks real good, I like the pirate theme. My cab has a soul Calibur control panel, so i tried to tie the Soul Calibur artwork into my marquee, along with my favorite game, Galaga.

Hope I'm not jacking your thread by posting my marquee...

No worries!  Like I said, didn't think I'd be the first to think of it, but didn't find it by searching, so I went for it.  Great minds think alike, eh?  ;)

I see that you used the Galaga decorative outline as well.  I was definitely inspired by it in my design.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 22, 2005, 08:16:33 am
and nearby is a bathroom that I've done up completely in pirate style , with skull and crossbones towels and shower curtain, model ships, and historical pirate flags, etc..

Post pics! (or IM them to me) I am getting ready to make a Pirate Themed room too!  ;D

Where's the BYOPS website?

Build Yer Own Pirate Ship! AAARRRRGGGHHH!  :o

Ha!  I'll do that.  Don't have any pics yet, but will try to within the week or so.  This is a funny old house we're renting; it was built in late 40s-early 50s, and the basement bathroom is a newer addition, obviously made by non professionals, let's say.  The interior walls are made of some kind of fiberboard, like a hardboard, and covered with blue plastic(!) tile.  The wife refused to ever use it, just on general principle, so I thought, 'why not have fun with it?' 
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 22, 2005, 08:20:44 am
Nice!

~NO QUARTER~ Sounds like another club that won't have me  :'(


Bah!  As long as ye can carry a couple extra pistols, and light your beard on fire, you're totally in, dude!  ;D
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: missioncontrol on March 22, 2005, 08:29:13 pm
Nice original theme....I like it  ;D
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Martoon on March 23, 2005, 05:49:22 pm
"No Quarter" is a clever name for a pirate themed cab, but I think I like the "AARRRRcade!" under your avatar even better. ;D

Nice looking cab, BTW.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: quarterback on March 23, 2005, 10:29:16 pm
"No Quarter" is a clever name for a pirate themed cab, but I think I like the "AARRRRcade!" under your avatar even better. ;D

LOL  I was thinking the same thing.  The "Arrrrr....." joke always makes me laugh, whether it's in reference to "The rating of the new Pirate movie opening next week" or, in this case, to the "Arrrrrcade"

But even though I think it's funny, your No Quarter marquee looks really nice and a lot more 'stylish' than one that said "Arrrrrrcade"

Cool looking cab and I dig the column of icons on the sides as well.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: quarterback on March 23, 2005, 10:31:15 pm
Oh, I also wanted to say that I like the use of the cutlass as part of the Q.  Nice touch :)
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on March 23, 2005, 10:35:54 pm
Thanks!  ;D  All the art is done on Photoshop shape layers (vectors), so if anybody needs the (admittedly very simple) icon shapes, PM me.  I'm pretty sure I have .ai and .eps copies as well.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on April 03, 2005, 08:20:11 am
I have a gallery up now, with more and better pictures.  Check out the link in my signature below.  :)
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: quarterback on April 03, 2005, 02:51:16 pm
I have a gallery up now, with more and better pictures.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on April 03, 2005, 03:21:06 pm
Those are done with waterslide decal paper. Like this. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51282&item=6743161153&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V)  It was a real pain getting them sealed to the buttons though, and I should've used spray clear instead of clear nail polish.  ;)  So those are scheduled for a do-over.  The designs for the icons did come out well though. Here's a better look at them. (http://www.nocturnaloner.net/images/ButtonLabelsFOOTER.gif)
In order, they are: 1P, 2P, coin up, pause, tab(menu), F2(next step), enter, and escape.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: quarterback on April 03, 2005, 03:26:08 pm
Freakin' awesome, man.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: oldsage on April 07, 2005, 06:02:26 pm
SWEEEET!
This thing is amazing!
I'd nominate it if I'd know exactly how...
I love it, and I'm gonna steal a lot of it...
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: PoDunkMoFo on April 08, 2005, 07:21:59 pm
Love It!!!

Simple, clean, cab design.  Obvious old school feel (The whole point of this insane thing we call a hobby IMHO).

More cabs should look like this.
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on April 08, 2005, 09:41:56 pm
Thanks again!  But as for nomination, this cab is nowhere near some of the dado-jointed, CNC-routered works of perfection that are seen on this forum.  ;)  It's good for a start... but there will be more...
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: oldsage on April 08, 2005, 10:42:26 pm
Thanks again!
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: ras2a on April 09, 2005, 05:01:15 am
Noquarter, loving the cab, mate.  Superb stuff and the colour scheme is sweet too.  All you need now is the ol Led Zep track 'No Quarter' running in game-select mode ;)

Excellent work

Craig
Title: Re: ~NO QUARTER~
Post by: Nocturnaloner on April 09, 2005, 08:53:45 am
That's a good one...  What I have now is a good looping part of 'Anvil of Crom' from the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack.  Hmm... I think also Blue Oyster Cult's 'Black Blade' would be good... Hmmm...