Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Artwork => Topic started by: Paul Bryan on June 30, 2008, 04:44:34 pm
-
Hi All,
I have been coming here for years to look at all the fantastic efforts that others have put into their projects :applaud:, and I just wanted to take a moment and share the work I have done on one of my own.
Please let me know what you think! ;D
Regards,
Paul
First, a mockup of the marquee:
-
and here are the computer and windows boot screens:
-
Here is a shot of the top from the side:
(yes, it's a bit further along now, but far from finished...)
-
Here is an incomplete MAME layout for Mala:
-
Here is a mockup of the cabinet, side profile, showing the bottom pedestal:
(The black Z's on the pedestal will actually be 3/4" plywood for a 3D effect).
-
Here is a (somewhat blurry, low quality) rendition of the control panel:
-
Here is a mockup of the "dashboard" which is a smaller control panel located just above the main panel (tilted towards the user):
-
The Flight Stick (it is mounted on some wood now) I will use:
-
Here is a "actually size" (288 dpi) view of part of the control panel so that you can get a better idea of what it looks like (without blur or loss of detail:
-
Fricken' fantastic dude! More details please! :cheers:
-
Well let's see...
I wanted my first case dedicated to the oldest vertical games (I love Ms. Pac-man, Gyrus, Mad Planets, and many other old verticals).
I saw a polished metal control panel in the "Project Arcade" book and knew right away that I wanted to do something like that.
I am a programmer/architect/project manager by profession and felt pretty weak when it comes to graphic skills so I thought a black/polished aluminum appliance-theme would be doable and look cool.
My intention is to do a close-to-piano-black type of paint job and throw in some polished aluminum laminate trim and the artwork above.
I have much of the software config the way I want it on my test bed machine. One of the few things I might have done different than normal is how I handle the "coin" buttons - if you look at the dashboard and control panel overlays, you will see I don't have any. Using AutoHotKey (can be done with Mala and AdvanceMame as well) I made it so that when you press the player 1 or 2 start buttons - a credit is automatically inserted - hence the name "Zero Credits" (needed to play).
Construction-wise, I am using 3/4" plywood, wood glue, and a jig saw. I drew the side profile in Illustrator and then printed it full size, line up all the paper on the plywood, and cut along the lines ;)
The pedestal (not finished either) will have a visible window just above the footboard/kickstop board that shows the computer in UV with glowing cables and such. That entire section is enclosed in its own drawer-like box with neato-looking chrome-jet fans (one for intake, one for outflow) on either side. This entire CPU-panel will fold outward on a hinge for easy access.
The control panel is also hinged to pull forward for access and their is a large hinged door on the back of the upper-cab. The design is a two-piece so that I can move it easier and I have a great looking polished-aluminum 3-piece 3D speaker set that sounds and looks great with the cab.
I'm also going to install a camera which will be able to take pictures when recording high-scores (perhaps a short video option as well) and also to act as a motion sensor in "attract" mode. See, the first time I walked past a Bezerk game it said "Insert Quarter" and I thought it had somehow noticed me and said this. So I am going to do this for real - when motion is detected, I will have it say various phrases like "I bored, please, come play with my joystick!" or "How about a quick game human?". You get the idea.
All the artwork was done in Adobe Fireworks except for the outline/profile of the top half which I did in Illustrator for the curves. I wanted a very curvy cab as I think they look cool
Equipment wise I will be using a fully programmed UltraStik360 with a black ball top, all buttons are black, the power button is small/custom round with blue led, and the flight stick also has a blue light/highlight. The CP will also sport a blue translucent 3" high-top track ball, a SlikStik Tornado Spinner, and the Saitek Evo Flight Stick.
I'm still using AdvanceMame for the main emulator because I can get such "perfect" resolutions for the games. Also, I like to run some of the classics, at 3x resolution with a Scale effect and I think they look fantastic.
All button uses are labeled on the CP and match the interface that is shown on the Mala layout.
Anyway, this feels a lot like rambling so I will stop here. If you have any specific questions I will be happy to answer them.
Thanks for the feedback.
-
Wow. When you give details you don't mess around. I love the original design of this thing. I will be folowing this closely.
Just a question on the design. Are you worried about the pedestal being a "shin banger"? That looks like it will be a sharp edge down around the knee area....
-
Good question. Answer: I am not certain. The CP actually extends forward quite a bit (over 10") from the pointy part of the pedestal so you would have to "kick" forward a ways before you made contact.
-
Here are some additional picks of the top of the cab showing the control panel and the hinged setup:
-
This is looking very good. Keep it up :applaud:
-
Wow,
I just love the shape of this thing, Must have been scarey cutting those curves with a jigsaw.
I too am in the middle of a construction but mines much more boxy and conventional looking.
I love the idea of printing out the design in full scale. Did you have to go to a print shop for that size print or are you lucky enough to have a super printer at work?
Good luck with this and i shall be watching with envy.
cheers
david
-
Hi David,
Thanks for the positive feedback. Yes, it was a bit scary cutting the curves especially since I hadn't cut anything since high school which was about 200 years ago. No, I didn't have any fancy printer, I just printed on overlapping sheets of 8.5"x 11", laid them out, messed with the alignment for 5 or 10 minutes and then taped them down to the wood with painters tape.
Best of luck with your own efforts, and I hope you have fun with the process.
Carpe Diem,
Paul
-
Lookin' good so far. :cheers: Can you get a bigger monitor or TV tho.... ;)
-
Thank you. ;D
As to the monitor, er, not so much :dunno. With the angles and depths, it would be a real challenge to get a larger monitor in there and I don't want an LCD as I don't like the look they give the old games. When I originally designed this thing it was on a budget that didn't include a professional multiscan arcade monitor. I am a big fan of high resolution when it comes to all visual support functions for games - the game menu/selection screen, the control panel layout, etc. Also, I really like the magnification filters available in AdvanceMame: Scale2x http://scale2x.sourceforge.net/ (http://scale2x.sourceforge.net/) and hq3x http://www.hiend3d.com/hq3x.html (http://www.hiend3d.com/hq3x.html) for some games (like Metal Slug) look great.
I settled on the best 21" I could find/afford which in this case is a 22" NEC Trinitron-type monitor with full onscreen control via a windows control panel.
The cab is actually 24" wide (instead of 25.5") and the monitor must sit at a certain angle to work with the case cuts. I think the monitor fits reasonably well, proportionately.
If I do another box (for horizontal games; I will definitely get a "real" multisync arcade monitor) :notworthy:.
-
great marquee! can i make one small suggestion,im not too sure about the yellow glow around the negative of the lighning bolt on the quarter used as the 'o' .