Blowing my own trumpet time, hope you`ll indulge me....

[CpCaveman]

Blowing my own trumpet time, hope you`ll indulge me Bought an "arcade kit" 4 years ago thinking it would be great to build a cabinet, found it 3 weeks ago when clearing out, built it  (love you ebay xx thought i didnt have the space, had a 3ft x 7ft space see pictures and the most complex thing i`ve built carpentry wise is a shelf, a wonky shelf just got some kick-plate, t-molding and stickers left to apply, dont get me wrong haven`t spoken to the missus for a week (cos of the mess, nearly said i actually enjoyed the quiet but i like life nearly said said her sister is more understanding and a better cook *nudge nudge wink wink* but i think she knows voodoo what do you reckon...

[CpCaveman]

Holy Shirt, have i truly found the only subject on the internet that can`t get a comment, only two reasons that can be, either its so amazing that nobody can fault it (i think its amazing (well i would,same as all new parents think thier kids are cute, while thier friends are vomiting and chanting songs outside of thier hearing) and am doing a complete smug face everytime i see it) or its so offensive that you guys are scared to comment incase the next comment calls you on picking on the retard was just looking for some constructive critisismismism, i can take it especially after the shelf incident, or some ideas of what to add, left room for spinners but cant see a point in paying for them with the lack of games that support `em.

[yotsuya]

It's only been an hour, bro.

How big is the monitor you're using?

[CpCaveman]

an hour since i powered it up with everything inside it!!! how excited were you when yours worked, thats where i`m coming from just happy its all working thats all  , the monitors 19" got it for £32 including postage on ebay and it looks ok i think would like bigger but i`m not forking out a load for a screen

[PL1]

Holy Shirt, have i truly found the only subject on the internet that can`t get a comment, only two reasons that can be, either its so amazing that nobody can fault it (i think its amazing (well i would,same as all new parents think thier kids are cute, while thier friends are vomiting and chanting songs outside of thier hearing) and am doing a complete smug face everytime i see it) or its so offensive that you guys are scared to comment incase the next comment calls you on picking on the retard was just looking for some constructive critisismismism, i can take it especially after the shelf incident, or some ideas of what to add, left room for spinners but cant see a point in paying for them with the lack of games that support `em.

Umm, you kinda' glossed over option 3 there, Cavey -- People running for the exits when they see cornered coworkers, albums full of baby pictures and hear the exultant parent gushing over the "Best Kid Evah!". 

Time and perspective. . . .  Time and perspective.

As far as the "picking on the retard" part, I don't think you're one of Driverman's alter-egos.   

There are plenty of great spinner games -- some obscure, some well known.  A quick search will provide several lists of forum member favorites like Tempest, Omega Race, Cameltry and Puzz Loop. (Be sure to reconfigure Puzz Loop for spinner -- that game sucks using a joystick IMHO.)

You can try some of them using your trackball.


Scott

[Unstupid]

Mama always said if you don't have anything nice to say keep your pie hole shut.  Do you really want us to point out whats wrong with it?  Ya know, you know you can't call it constructive if you are done!  Are you done?

As far as what I like about the cab:
1. color matched keyboard, mouse, cabinet.   
2. it turns on!
3.

[Typefighter01]

I like the mini bar rail for your feet. Now you have to add cupholders to go along with it

[Drnick]

Just one thing,  Bigger Monitor required,  There's a lot of real estate round that screen.  I would go with a rotating widescreen in there personally. Other then that, it's nice.  Ultimately it doesn't really matter what others think as all that really matters in these things is Did/Do you get joy from building/playing it?

[yotsuya]

I know you're quite chuffed, but I agree with the good Dr- the amount of blank space around the monitor makes the cab appear to be too tall. Consider a bigger monitor, or at least some tasteful graphics on the bezel so there's not so much blank space.

It's a nice cab, on the whole. 

[griffindodd]

You can see it from a distance

[BadMouth]

Constructive criticism:

Move the buttons on the side up so you can rest your hands on the sides of a CP like a pinball machine instead of having to hug the machine.

Paint the two red areas in the front black or cover them with the carbon fiber stuff you used elsewhere.  It will improve the appearance.

Make a mesh speaker grill area angled from the bottom of the marquee toward the bezel glass.  It will help eat up some of the real estate above the monitor.
An instruction sticker along the bottom of the bezel glass would do the same for the bottom.

One of the things that makes this cab look off is the lack of a contrasting t-molding color.
It does't look like you used t-molding, but if you did, consider redoing it in some other color.

My opinion:

I'm sure people who have never seen a MAME cab before think it's awesome.
The fact that you came in expecting BYOACers to be impressed tells me that you haven't spent any time looking at the other cabs on here.

When I first came accross this site, I thought I'd throw together a cab the following weekend.
Then I looked through the "Hall of Fame" thread for ideas and a voice inside said
"you are not ready"

It will play the games the same as most other cabs. (except pinball    )
Enjoy it.

EDIT: oh, I see you've added your own cab to the hall of fame thread. 

[KeithPuetz]

I like it the way it is..
It's nice. I like all the relistate around the screen. I like how the black runs up the cab like a stripe. And I like the black meshy stuff you used, it's nice, what is it exactly?
Good job man!
You should be proud!

[yotsuya]

Constructive criticism:
Make a mesh speaker grill area angled from the bottom of the marquee toward the bezel glass.  It will help eat up some of the real estate above the monitor.
An instruction sticker along the bottom of the bezel glass would do the same for the bottom.

I like all the relistate around the screen.

Why?

Look at all the bezels here- None of them are blank:

[Unstupid]

I like all the relistate around the screen.

Why?

I think that was sarcasm   

[yotsuya]

I like all the relistate around the screen.

Why?

I think that was sarcasm   

You don't know Mr. Puetz.

[CpCaveman]

Thanks for the comments guys, very entertaining, keep `em coming, can always learn something   even if its how to set fire to it
so ok some of the points i`ve noted

1. Thanks for some names for good spinner games, better to try some reccomended ones than trudge through a list of them, will be giving them a go so thanks again

2. As far as the mini-bar rail (its half of one of my old weight lifting bars ) but it,and the wood behind it are gonna be covered in kick plate vinyl (arriving tomorrow)

3. Speaking of Vinyl, Keithpuetz thats what the all the black is, adhesive textured carbon fibre vinyl, great stuff and easy to apply and hides almost all sins.

4.as far as the speakers, theyre already fitted under the marquee might not show up with my rubbsh phone camera 

5. real estate (love that description btw ) around the screen , well i`ve got to have some room to put instructions, graphics around the screen etc.. and i want to design them not copy/use other peoples designs btw. Dont actually want the machine to be the focus of my living room either (thats the TV`s job )

6. the monitor section does actually unscrew and can be rotated in about 3 minutes, felt i had to have that as i was still trying to figure out the front end when its guts were all over the table being tested and wasnt sure which way it was going.

7. T-molding will be added, just finding it hard to justify paying more that i did for the computer and monitor running it than for the router bit and t-molding will happen though

8.Suprised no one had a go at the marquee (its just 3 a4 sheets taped together with something i knocked up in 2 minutes tried printing it out and the yellow is where it ran out of ink )

so thanks again for the advice/critisism/kudos really really do appreciate it, the cupholders idea i`m gonna think about, atm i`m thinking detachable shelves (with cupholder and ashtray to make it truly a 80`s machine ) that i can screw on or remove, anyone got any suggestions on types of fitting i can use, thinking they have to be detachable so the machine still fits through a doorway

on a side note the only comment that actually chaffed my nuts was:

"The fact that you came in expecting BYOACers to be impressed tells me that you haven't spent any time looking at the other cabs on here." from Badmouth

tut tut tut, impressed? no... Supportive of newcomers? yes, not having a go at you but comments like that can put a spanner in the works of anyone starting out, you gotta help the new starters or it`ll end up just being 5 people who know everything messaging each other about how good it was when everyone used to make thier own  machines

will post new pictures when the strip/led lighting is in place kinda chilling now i`m down to just making it pretty, dont want to over clutter it (easily done ) but i welcome any ideas and am happy to help anyone , wont (cant) get too technical but can tell you how got around stuff i couldnt do.

oh just saw the moving the side button, if i rest my palm on the corner above the button its exactly in the right place, you know what they say... big hands... thats right... big gloves

[ChadTower]

The only thing I see wrong here is that he got overexcited and complained after only an hour.

Everything else, yeah it's not the most advanced MAME cab on Earth, but it's a good one and he's happy.  Isn't that what should matter here?

[CpCaveman]

thanks chad, "HE" is happy REALLY chuffed people think its an ok first attempt , over excited? HELL YES!!  thats an understatement, have mentioned before I`ve never built anything like this and managed to turn two pieces of 8ft x 4ft mdf and some plastic into a time machine i was BUZZING, was rocking back and forth like rainman and i`d seen 40 odd people look at the post and no comments, after seeing comments on some posts immediately on forums that were just basically having a go (still new to this kind of stuff, grew up in an age where if you had to say something you said it face to face and took a punch and left school as 12 BRAND NEW BBC Micro`s became the computer lab, man i feel old  ) then carried on drinking hehe , anyhow back to the point I didnt mean to come accross as complaining after an hour but at 1 in the morning was just wanting to shout woohoo and know someone heard it  

[yotsuya]

the only comment that actually chaffed my nuts was:

You know what also will chaff your nuts? Not having sex for a few weeks!

I'm glad you're enthused! Take all these comments as constructive feedback, even if it's rough around the edges!

[CpCaveman]

as far as i`m concerned everything constructive, even if its dont listen to that didnt say i didnt have ANY sex *nudge nudge wink wink*  (hope she`s still sleeping I`m braver when her eyes are closed, her X-ray visions amazing ) , who`s NOW finally talking to me unless she`s looking through the flooboards an....ARRRRRRGHH

[yotsuya]

didnt say i didnt have ANY sex *nudge nudge wink wink*  (hope she`s still sleeping I`m braver when her eyes are closed,

You did the deed while she was sleeping? 

[mgb]

Its good that you're enjoying your new cabinet. I still stop and look at my cab with a little proud smile when walking by sometimes.
You were a little punchy on expecting comments within an hour at night but whatever.
Good job. I hope you enjoy it. the screen is a little small but I've seen much worst with a lot more empty around it.

If you are planning t-molding however, you may wanna consider alternative options because it will be a major pain to slot a finisher cab.

[CpCaveman]

cant answer that she wasn`t even in the room so so sooo brave GOTTA RUN!!!!!

sorry was typing my dumbass reply when you posted its the main reason i`ve left the sides of my cab blank i can run a router down there as it is without any major work, its just getting hold of the proper router bit for the 10 minutes i need it, for as little as possible cheapest t-molding i`ve seen is £22, router bit £35 looked at other edging but i can see it coming away in the long term

[KeithPuetz]

I like all the relistate around the screen.

Why?

I think that was sarcasm   

You don't know Mr. Puetz.

What in the hell is that supposed to be mean? Jerk..

Yeah now that I look back on it, it is too much realistate around the screen. And seeing all of those classic bezels, I can see how that is more appealing than just black realistate. BUT, black looks nice. I liked how there was a black stripe going down the cabinet. I could appreciate it. It would look better if he came up with a design on the top portion, maybe instruction cards or something. Or attempting to create a bezel art. OR, just getting a wider or larger screen. It doesn't look bad, that's all I was saying.

[yotsuya]

I like all the relistate around the screen.

Why?

I think that was sarcasm   

You don't know Mr. Puetz.

What in the hell is that supposed to be mean? Jerk..

It is what it is, bro... three months later...

[PL1]

relistate

realistate around the screen. And seeing all of those classic bezels, I can see how that is more appealing than just black realistate.

It is what it is, bro...

. . . and what it is, is "real estate".   
[/editor mode]   


Scott

[Malenko]

Didnt see this before, but the cab looks good. I agree that it wouldnt hurt to have a bigger monitor in there, but you could break up the black with an instruction card or some art.

Just curious, do you even use the trackball?

[CpCaveman]

I`d completely forgotten about this post myself  ( thats the internet for you, just like a woman , never forgets anything embarressing ) feels like years ago now hehe, the monitor feels bigger than it is when youre using it, if that makes sense. It would have been bigger if i knew for a fact that I could definately get the bits i had up and running (now I know its not complicated at all I might not have designed it on the fly and spent a bit more time figuring out exactly what i wanted, well, you can see the space i had to work in) I know now its not exactly rocket science is it  . Thanks to  mala,mame,ebay and the "internet" oh and the guy at B&Q in morfa who cut the mdf boards to the size i wanted (and could fit in the car) 

But the montor section/bezel dooby area (dont need to know what a hammers called to hit stuff with one )  is 2ft square, and i STILL cant decide whether i want it vertical or horzontal so i made it so that its just 4 wingnuts to swap it round, and a new bezel dooby area piecey thingy can be made for a larger monitor easily. though it would have to be a flat screen as the cabs less than 2ft deep).

notice a lot of people make the lack of stickers comment but i think thats to do with the dodgy phone camera i took the photo`s with, ALL the black is textured carbon fibre vinyl which looks good (now it has LED strips highlighting it from below the marquee, and down onto the coin slot area) and my new mala layout has a carbon fibre background which lines up perfectly, I just dont want a cab built full of clip art its going to be ALL MY STUFF  MWHAHAHA , still havent even decided on my marquee design yet ) but i will be having an instruction card (cant decide on retro/cartoon/neon made a lot of designs just havent chosen a style yet)

as for the trackball (i cant play missile command without it now ) but it is a smaller version than the one i had with the "arcade kit" which was too big I thought for the control panel i made (and I`m going to swap the LEDs around so it only turns green when a buttons clicked and stays red so matches the cab) but i did a search for trackball mame games and made a list for that, Id never even heard of "snack`n`jackson

Going to have chrome t-molding as well to go with the now kickplate vinyl at the at the bottom.

Sorry got carried away... Ignore all that I actually meant to type " yes I do use the trackball , oh and I have a 3" trackball up for grabs/staying in its box for another few years" available"

[MD Draco]

Well, I've just read through; and think this is a pretty good build, all things given; I'm working on my first build as well... Have helped people get their electrics up and running in their various cabs, but when I say this; I generally mean built a computer and hooked up x arcade sticks, then configured their MAME! So this is my first real build that I'm working on doing the electrics from scratch.

Because I'm working on my first build too, I'm loving watching what other people are doing looks good to me! I did manage to squeeze a trackball into the middle of mine too, and I'm loving your work!! I think the bezel is completely up to you, I have a similar thing going on; used carbon fibre for the bezel / control panel, and will use it on the front door to have the stripe of carbon down the front of the cab... It's a good look, in my opinion; however I am going for an outer bezel too with graphics on it just because I think it completes the look. I'd love to see what designs you come up with, so please keep posting

As to vertical / horizontal; depends what games you play really, mine's horizontal, as it's going to be a social machine, and most everyone I know loves the beat 'em ups, although personally, I like the shooter; but even horizontal, you get more than enough real estate (to use the term banded about in this thread) in my mind, especially when you consider some of the screens we've grown up playing on!! My first computer was running on a 14" portable TV screen, so yeah; more than enough real estate!

A lot of what I think is missed here, is that we're an international audience, and whilst it can be dirt cheap in some places to get a lot of the gear needed, for others among us, unless we have the bits lay around, it can get quite expensive quite quickly; my build has cost nearly double what I thought it would based on the fact I hadn't priced things for my country of residence, as goods seem to be more expensive here in sunny NZ, and even my cheapy 21.5" monitor wasn't exactly a steal, as people still wanted what I would deem real money for them second hand, so I found a shop soiled one at half price (about the same as the second hand jobs... but with a 12 month warranty) ... About the only things I've gotten cheap are the trackball, which made up for that in heavy postage costs from the states! Almost everything has had to be imported, even T-Molding is almost unheard of here, so I'm going to have to order some! Unless it has a completely different name of course, but I've yet to see it on my travels through the hardware stores!!

Anyway, I'm getting off track; as long as you're enjoying your work, I think that's all that's important, I know the seasoned people can sometimes think that us "n00bs" to wood working / cab building / refurbing are heretics and doing everything wrong, but it's a learning curve and we all had to start somewhere... This just happens to be our start Good luck with the rest of the build, remember to keep us posted

[Malenko]

I was only asking about the trackball because Ive seen tons of people add them and very rarely are they used, glad to see you have a game you love playing with it. I am planning to add a spinner because I cant seem to land an Arkanoid cab to save my life, of course I need to put a PC back in my cab and pull the Dreamcast to do that, but Mars Matrix is so great!

Anyways, get your cab where you want it and post more pix, we all love eye candy.

[KeithPuetz]

I like all the relistate around the screen.

Why?

I think that was sarcasm   

You don't know Mr. Puetz.

What in the hell is that supposed to be mean? Jerk..

It is what it is, bro... three months later...

I don't get why it's funny that I said something three months later.....
I just stumbled across your comment yesterday..
You think you're a lot funnier than you are.

[yotsuya]

You'd be surprised. And if I were that much of a jerk, I wouldn't have tried to help you revise your ad to better sell your Wacko, would I (which, I see, you changed to the same exact version I posted. Good luck with your sale)?

[CpCaveman]

I am planning to add a spinner because I cant seem to land an Arkanoid cab to save my life, of course I need to put a PC back in my cab and pull the Dreamcast to do that, but Mars Matrix is so great!

yeah i looked at spinners too but the cheapest (on ebay, gawd ebay makes this easy ) i`ve seen are £70 each and two of them add up to more than i paid for the PC,Monitor,wood and paint combined arkanoid works well with the trackball btw, just had to fiddle with the sensitivity settings in mame. How bigs your cab? you could put a 2 port vga (or what youre using) switch in and have both dreamcast and pc at the press of a button for next to nothing

here`s where i got my list of trackball games if youre thinking of using one instead, know what you mean about rarely used though, was just keeping my options open. have hardly played on the actual machine at all though, all the funs been in the making, think thats why i`ve slowed to a near stop, hit the boring stage of making it look pretty Best to have and not need than need and not have, really satisfying spinning it when you`re killed though

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_trackball_arcade_games

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=54597.0

oh yeah and yotsuya and keithpuetz will you two get past the pulling each others pigtails stage and have sex already, it`s embaressing to read the foreplay, and YES I`m funnier than the pair of you