Finished- Raiden Upright with "dedicated" art

[Well Fed Games]

OK, I should probably hold off on this, because my Christmas gift Pac Bartop is only half done, and I have another project in the works (I have a bright green former Smash TV cabinet in my garage... but that announcement is still to come), but I am damn excited about this.

At an auction last weekend I got an early 90s Raiden DX cabinet. The cabinet was pretty trashed, and the 25" monitor in it has no reds, so I have already disassembled the cabinet. My hope is to use the board, some of the salvageable wood (although using the word wood might be a little generous in this case), and a clean 19" arcade monitor I got in my roadside slot machine find to make... something. Most likely a cocktail. Raiden II is my fav. shooter and since DX is a revised version of it, so I am pumped about having my first "dedicated" project that works off a "real" PCB (Raiden DX isn't fully emulated in MAME, copy protection or something).

Anyway, this will be a long term project as it is third in my "queue," but at least I will post a pic of the original cabinet below.

[opt2not]

Cool, so this is going to be a restoration/conversion project? Looks like you got yourself a Dynamo HS-5 cabinet, which were generic cabinets that arcade operators installed and swapped kits in from time to time. As far as I remember, I don't think there were any original dedicated cabinets for the Raiden series. Only kits (Pcb, marquee, CP, sometimes sideart)

Are you planning on converting it to a custom dedicated Raiden DX with your own artwork?
Btw I think why Raiden DX is still not properly emulated is because they're still making money off of it through Xbla. There was a re-release not too long ago.

[amendonz]

cool man, i prefer original pcbs any day, even if emulation is 100% on something it still doesn't feel right to me 

[Well Fed Games]

Cool, so this is going to be a restoration/conversion project? Looks like you got yourself a Dynamo HS-5 cabinet, which were generic cabinets that arcade operators installed and swapped kits in from time to time. As far as I remember, I don't think there were any original dedicated cabinets for the Raiden series. Only kits (Pcb, marquee, CP, sometimes sideart)

Are you planning on converting it to a custom dedicated Raiden DX with your own artwork?
Btw I think why Raiden DX is still not properly emulated is because they're still making money off of it through Xbla. There was a re-release not too long ago.

Yeah, it was definitely one of the generic dynamos. I am kind of surprised at how nasty the craftsmanship on the cabinet was- the thing was barely holding together, nasty particleboard. That said, I might be able to use parts of the sides still. Oddly, the cabinet never had any wheels or legs or anything, and thus had some mold on the bottom. I was hoping to be able to salvage the cab itself, but it was too far gone. I want to add a cocktail to my collection, so I may go that route, I really just need the glass and bezel and some more wood, I may even still use the dynamo control panel, if I can restore it well enough. It would be kind of a weird cocktail, with both players on one side of a vertical screen, but could be cool. I am sure I could do a "big" bartop instead if need be. Once my current projects are done I will have two full size cabs, so not sure if I want to make another upright out of this one.

For artwork, I am not sure. If I go the cocktail route, I may not need as much, but I will probably steal or vectorize some things from the flyers/marquees, or use pixels from the game.  I am 99% sure this will be a one-game cabinet, although I know Jamma switchers exist, and a Viper Phase 1 PCB would be cool to have in there too... (the rest of the "series" have been ported to consoles, I think- Raiden I and II on the Raiden Project for PS1, Raiden III on PS2, Raiden IV and the Raiden Fighters Series on 360).

cool man, i prefer original pcbs any day, even if emulation is 100% on something it still doesn't feel right to me 

Thanks. It makes me a little nervous, as I am not too familiar with the workings of game PCBs, but it is pretty cool to have the original, 100% true version of something.

[emphatic]

Thanks. It makes me a little nervous, as I am not too familiar with the workings of game PCBs, but it is pretty cool to have the original, 100% true version of something.

Not much to fear, just don't plug it in the wrong way into the JAMMA connector or the controls on the PCB may stop working when the power lines go into them. A multimeter is a good tool to have when you own PCB's to check the +5V should a game not work correctly. PCB's is more fun than MAME, as the boot up time is almost nonexistent. 

[BurgerKingDiamond]

Exactly the same as my Raiden II cab that I got from Craigslist for a cool $220 (with brand new WG tri sync monitor installed).

BTW, opt2not, Raiden dx never got an xbla release.

[opt2not]

Oh shoot, you're right bro, <brain-fart> I was thinking of Raiden 4.
Durp!

[Well Fed Games]

PCB's is more fun than MAME, as the boot up time is almost nonexistent. 

Thanks for the advice, and yeah, I am amazed at how quick it starts up, instantly- quicker than most of my MAME games with their rom checks!

Exactly the same as my Raiden II cab that I got from Craigslist for a cool $220

BKD, does your Raiden II save high scores? My DX doesn't, but I believe that is common to these boards.

[BurgerKingDiamond]

PCB's is more fun than MAME, as the boot up time is almost nonexistent. 

Thanks for the advice, and yeah, I am amazed at how quick it starts up, instantly- quicker than most of my MAME games with their rom checks!

Exactly the same as my Raiden II cab that I got from Craigslist for a cool $220

BKD, does your Raiden II save high scores? My DX doesn't, but I believe that is common to these boards.

Theres a battery for high score saves, but once it dies score saving is done for ever. I don't know why. Some one told me this when I was trying to troubleshoot my own board awhile back.

[Well Fed Games]

Theres a battery for high score saves, but once it dies score saving is done for ever. I don't know why. Some one told me this when I was trying to troubleshoot my own board awhile back.

Cool, thanks for the confirmation!

[Well Fed Games]

While digging through my Dad's garage this weekend, I think I found a piece of glass that will work... around 28" x 30", 1/8th ish thick, an old window. But free! I'll clean it up a bit more and see how it fits into a possible design.

[BurgerKingDiamond]

Theres a battery for high score saves, but once it dies score saving is done for ever. I don't know why. Some one told me this when I was trying to troubleshoot my own board awhile back.

 

tracked down the thread where I got that info from.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10067&start=0

[Well Fed Games]

Theres a battery for high score saves, but once it dies score saving is done for ever. I don't know why. Some one told me this when I was trying to troubleshoot my own board awhile back.

 

tracked down the thread where I got that info from.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10067&start=0

Thanks for the link!

[opt2not]

So you're definitely set on making a cocktail?

A two player on one side cocktail with vertical screen isn't all that weird to me. I mean, look at those Japanese cocktails -- Sega Aero Tables, they can be rotated to vertical mode and people play on the one side.

Pretty awesome cocktails IMO. Perhaps you can take some design queues from them?

I was able to get my hands on a Raiden II board. I love Raiden. I love Seibu shmups all together, I think they're the perfect shmups for me. More-so than Cave bullet-hell games.
Anyways, I'm planning on doing some Raiden artwork in the next little while. Something custom, non-repro-art, and retro looking, perhaps I can show you what I come up with and you can decide if you want to get some art made by me. (haha, plug.)
But in all seriousness, I'm really interested in what you come up with for this project.

[Well Fed Games]

Thanks, this one is going slow... still debating on the cocktail format, not 100%. Theoretically I could clone the trashed dynamo cab (I still have all the pieces) and re-make it with a 19" Instead of a 25" monitor, or find another donor cab.

Congrats on the Raiden II board! I had been fighting the impulse to make a Raiden cab using the PS1 port (Raiden Project, has I and II) for a while, then I came across the DX at auction.

Anyways, I'm planning on doing some Raiden artwork in the next little while. Something custom, non-repro-art, and retro looking, perhaps I can show you what I come up with and you can decide if you want to get some art made by me. (haha, plug.)

Would love to see what you come up with... the Raiden I and II flyers and marquees are pretty sweet, but there isn't a lot of good art stuff out there for the series. (I actually don't like the marquee that was on my cab, the "DX" is way too big). Definitely show me what you make... you might have another client! 

[BurgerKingDiamond]

So you're definitely set on making a cocktail?

A two player on one side cocktail with vertical screen isn't all that weird to me. I mean, look at those Japanese cocktails -- Sega Aero Tables, they can be rotated to vertical mode and people play on the one side.

Pretty awesome cocktails IMO. Perhaps you can take some design queues from them?

I was able to get my hands on a Raiden II board. I love Raiden. I love Seibu shmups all together, I think they're the perfect shmups for me. More-so than Cave bullet-hell games.
Anyways, I'm planning on doing some Raiden artwork in the next little while. Something custom, non-repro-art, and retro looking, perhaps I can show you what I come up with and you can decide if you want to get some art made by me. (haha, plug.)
But in all seriousness, I'm really interested in what you come up with for this project.

Let me see that artwork when you're done! PM me here or at Shmups. I have a Raiden II cab that's just in a generic conversion cab W/O side art. Maybe whatever you come up with would look good on it.

[opt2not]

Will do guys! 

[Well Fed Games]

A couple small updates:

1. I resisted the urge to sell the board, even though one in similar condition went for $250(!) on ebay...

2. I think I found a donor cab for free on KLOV, an old Kangaroo cab, should be a perfect match. Will be picking it up in the morning.

[opt2not]

A couple small updates:

1. I resisted the urge to sell the board, even though one in similar condition went for $250(!) on ebay...

2. I think I found a donor cab for free on KLOV, an old Kangaroo cab, should be a perfect match. Will be picking it up in the morning.

I think Kangaroo/Centipede cabinets have a great design, and it's already holding a vertical mounted screen, so you'll should make out pretty good!

Also, don't sell your board....to anyone but me!!! But seriously, if you ever need some custom created artwork...   

[Well Fed Games]

A couple small updates:

1. I resisted the urge to sell the board, even though one in similar condition went for $250(!) on ebay...

2. I think I found a donor cab for free on KLOV, an old Kangaroo cab, should be a perfect match. Will be picking it up in the morning.

I think Kangaroo/Centipede cabinets have a great design, and it's already holding a vertical mounted screen, so you'll should make out pretty good!

Also, don't sell your board....to anyone but me!!! But seriously, if you ever need some custom created artwork...   

Yeah, I think it will be a good fit, I think the cab shape fits the game for sure. Raiden DX is definitely my "grail," but I was surprised it sold for so much. The high value and some anxiety about getting into "real" PCBs made me pause for a moment... thankfully it has passed. 

[404]

If the mold is just on the bottom, maybe you can reconsider trashing the cab and making something else out of it. A wide bartop perhaps? Just sucks to see something like that go to waste.

[Well Fed Games]

If the mold is just on the bottom, maybe you can reconsider trashing the cab and making something else out of it. A wide bartop perhaps? Just sucks to see something like that go to waste.

The original cab was really, really bad, mold, water damage, beat up. But I held on to all the materials for that very reason you mention. I made a bartop out of junk wood from a slot machine, and will probably do the same with this... but honestly, calling the material Dynamo used for this cab "wood" is being too generous.

The new donor cab will be a great match for the Raiden game, though. It will take some repair but at least the original materials were good quality. And I've got fond memories of playing Kangaroo with my mom on the Atari 5200 as a kid, so I have some inherent love for the cabinet!

And, so I guess I am letting go of the idea of a shmup cocktail, which is probably ok, since that is not the typical configuration for that kind of game.. so now the project becomes making an upright Raiden DX cabinet that does the game justice!

[Well Fed Games]

OK, donor cab acquired, videos here....

[dandare]

RATS! at least they weren't still living in it.

Thanks for the videos, I love seeing inside old original cabs.

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this.

[BurgerKingDiamond]

awesome. That's my favorite cab profile. I love the shape.

[404]

If the mold is just on the bottom, maybe you can reconsider trashing the cab and making something else out of it. A wide bartop perhaps? Just sucks to see something like that go to waste.

The original cab was really, really bad, mold, water damage, beat up. But I held on to all the materials for that very reason you mention. I made a bartop out of junk wood from a slot machine, and will probably do the same with this... but honestly, calling the material Dynamo used for this cab "wood" is being too generous.

The new donor cab will be a great match for the Raiden game, though. It will take some repair but at least the original materials were good quality. And I've got fond memories of playing Kangaroo with my mom on the Atari 5200 as a kid, so I have some inherent love for the cabinet!

yeah, the donor cab looks to be in great shape. Still, a shame that such a great cab in the Dyamo has to go.

[gbeef]

nice find. I wish we had stuff like that laying around in our area.

[Well Fed Games]

Well, bad news, good news... the more I checked out that kangaroo cab, the more I realized it was not going to work. Every single edge has water damage and is swollen- I didn't really hit it in the video as I actually thought the t-molding was too small! Plus, the whole upper light/marquee area has mouse damage (really bad), and about 1/2 the wood was needing replaced over the whole cabinet. Thankfully I had no money in it, and there are still enough parts there to justify the gas it took to pick it up. It will be used, just not for this project.

So, the good news... at auction this weekend, I bought a nice Raiden II in a converted... Kangaroo cabinet! But this one is in excellent shape, the CP is almost setup how I need it (need to drill 1 more hole for DX, per player), and the PCB, without exaggeration, is pristine.

So, the project remains the same, I just saved myself a lot of time and effort (money-wise, it was a wash... after adding up costs of parts, new wood, glass x 2, bondo, wood hardener, etc., it was about the same to just get another cab). And now I have a Raiden II pcb (have to consider if a Jamma switcher is in order here) and a spare 19" monitor (with signifigant Raiden II burn in, but still nice to have a backup).

Anyway, just an update. Will probably not be making much headway on this for about a month, but felt like sharing my auction victory.

[404]

Sheesh, you go through cabs like water down the drain! 

Should try to salvage the other cab. Maybe sanding down the bulging areas and then layering some short strand fiberglass filler would help. Just hate to see good cabs go to waste. In my area, arcade cabinets are practically non-existent these days. 

[Well Fed Games]

Sheesh, you go through cabs like water down the drain! 

Should try to salvage the other cab. Maybe sanding down the bulging areas and then layering some short strand fiberglass filler would help. Just hate to see good cabs go to waste. In my area, arcade cabinets are practically non-existent these days. 

Well, in this case, the rat/mouse damage was too much. I guess I should have known when I found the nest, but the urine damage was overwhelming. And for the original DX cab, the mold was something I just couldn't bring into my house, even after an attempt at hardcore cleaning. So glad I found an alternative in good condition.

Finally drilled the back lock off the cab and found the manuals to the two games it was before... Sega's Mat Mania and Atari's Kangaroo (of course...I actually think there were 3 or 4 more converted Kangaroo cabs at that auction, that had become games like Aero Fighters, Magic Sword, and even a 2 player X-Men).

[Well Fed Games]

*Cough, Cough* sure is dusty in here... couldn't have been more than a month since i posted here last... wait, a year? 

Anyway, I have made progress in the last year, but mostly it consisted of collecting parts. I now have a 4-way Jamma switcher and PCBs of Raiden, Raiden II, Raiden DX, and Air Raid (a kind of proto-Raiden, made by Seibu and licensed to Taito. Like Raiden II and DX, it is nonfunctioning in MAME due to encryption). I even got some nice LS-56s from Badmouth (thanks again!). All that is left to order is art, some Seimitsu buttons, and a new jamma harness.

So now it is just the final body work, art, and assembly. The side art will likely be focused on the red and blue ships, as they are consistent across all the games. But i was trying to figure out what to put on the marquee (might go with more than just "Raiden DX" now). So what do you think about...

1. just "Raiden"
2. "Raiden Project" (from the PS1 game of the same name, that introduced me to the series)
3. "Raiden Anthology"
4. "Raiden Retrospective"

...or any other suggestions? The goal is to finish this by summer's end... 

good news is, just yesterday I sent a guy some parts he needed from that trashed Kangaroo cab, so it didn't go to waste.

fyi.. this is Air Raid (pic of PCB attached to this post):

[Nephasth]

That Air Raid PCB is pretty sweet! Did you get that from Quarter Arcade?

[CraftyMech]

Awesome project! Looking forward to some progress photos.

I have a similar idea for a Shmups cab, with Raiden, Raiden II, Strikers 1945, and Aerofighters. At this point just an idea, so I'm interested in how the 4-way Jamma switch works for you, and how you go about organizing the pcbs inside the cab.

[opt2not]

Congrats on those boards!
Thought you were going to go with Viper Phase 1?  No matter, Air Raid is a fine game.  And a 4-way switcher, be still my heart!

I still have your bezel to repro, I should get on that quick if you're looking to be complete by the end of summer.

As for the name, here are my suggestions:

Raiden Quad
Raiden History
Raiden Compendium
Ode to Raiden
Raiden Go!
The Raiden Suite
The Raiden Arsenal

Glad to see you back to it! 

[BadMouth]

Raiden Arsenal

I like that one. 

I find it interesting that Raiden II is missing from the Raiden Legacy collection.
It makes you wonder if MAME was the primary resource for the developer.

[Well Fed Games]

I have a similar idea for a Shmups cab, with Raiden, Raiden II, Strikers 1945, and Aerofighters. At this point just an idea, so I'm interested in how the 4-way Jamma switch works for you, and how you go about organizing the pcbs inside the cab.

Both Strikers and Aerofighters were in the running for my 4th slot, because they are fun games that are reasonably priced. The switcher came from Vectorlabs at KLOV, I haven't put it through its paces yet but it seems well built. Most switchers I see are two or six, and that always seemed like too few or too many.

My initial thought is mounting each pcb to a board which would then slide vertically into grooves in two horizontal shelves. Anybody have suggestions/links about how to best mount multiple PCBs? Anybody know how much airflow PCBs like these need?

Congrats on those boards!
Thought you were going to go with Viper Phase 1?  No matter, Air Raid is a fine game.  And a 4-way switcher, be still my heart!

I still have your bezel to repro, I should get on that quick if you're looking to be complete by the end of summer.

Thanks for the name suggestions!

Yeah, finding a Viper was my initial goal, and I only recently became aware of Air Raid. Since it is un-MAMEd and I was able to grab it for about what a Viper goes for, it got the last slot. Honestly, the most I know about Air Raid is from that video... i hope it is as fun as it looks when i plug it all in.

Still, no hurry on the bezel. I'll be amazed if this gets done in 2013! 

[emphatic]

Name suggestions:

Raiden Archives
School Of Raiden
The Lost Ark Of Raiden
Sniper Tanks A'hoy
Raiden Schmeiden 

The donor cab looks great for this project. 

[Well Fed Games]

Alright, minor update, I finally have all my controls sorted (red and blue Seimitsu), and am working on some vertical shelves inside the cab for the PCBs this weekend. Also finished restoring the coin door (pictured), including red and blue coin reject buttons.

[Well Fed Games]

Photo (attached) of the multi-pcb storage before I permanently attach the bottom shelf... (and everything is going to get painted flat black on the inside) I think it will work ok and all the PCBs will have the space they need (the space inside seemed a lot bigger before i started). 

And, for a name, I am going to be boring and just go with "Raiden," despite all the great suggestions. Decided simple would be better in this case.

[opt2not]

Lookin' good! I love the PCB slots!