Critique my weecade side art!

[Kyle W]

Hey guys I have been lurking on the boards for quite some time and now I am just getting around to my first build.  My grandfather used to really love to play some of the old classics and really gave me my love for arcade games.  He was also a bomb nav for the b36 durring the korean war.  So I really started this project with some of the games he loved on the side art.  I wasn't really digging it (dig dug reference) so I decided to try and go a different direction.  This is the current side art that I am working on.  It is inspired by the B36 peacemaker.  The emblems are from his bombing group and most of the other art is just working off of that direction.  Currently I am trying to name the cab so if anyone has anything better than "Skycade" I would really love to hear it.  Here is the art so far.  Please critique this as it is my first project and I really would like it to turn out pretty nice.  One more question.  What dpi does everyone really make their art at? 

[yotsuya]

That looks sharp, my friend.

What was the nickname of his unit or the name of his plane? Those would probably sound better than anything with -cade in it.

I create my art at 300 dpi.

[dgame]

Air Base

Air Force Base

Grandpa's AFB

Lastname AFB

Firstname AFB

Nickname AFB

[PL1]

Welcome aboard, Kyle W.

"Peacemaker" or "The Peacemaker" would be a good name.

Another possibility would be "Wild Blue Yonder" or "I.P. Inbound".  (See paragraph 3 here if you're not familiar with bomber-speak.)

Maybe include some noseart or his callsign in the marquee.

I've always been partial to the SAC motto, "Peace through superior firepower."   
"S.uper A.rcade C.abinet."

I don't think these patches will make it into your design, though.   

   


Scott

[shrunkenmaster]

Looking good! Reminds me of Woodshop Flunky's "American Ace" cab:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,111377.0.html

Artwork should be at 300dpi by the way!

[Kyle W]

That little arcade is awesome.  I like the sound of "The Peacemaker"  so I mocked something up quick.  See what you guys think.  Its just a direction and not finished artwork by any stretch.

[jdbailey1206]

The embossing of "Peacemaker" looks 10x better than the inversion of "the".  Looks cool.

[PL1]

Looks good so far.

You may want to allow for a little more head and foot space so your marquee retainer doesn't impinge on the text and The Peacemaker "flies" through the clouds instead of "sits".

Rivets around the outline of the letters like the ones in your sideart and CPO might also be a nice touch.

+1 on "Peacemaker" look vs. "The" look.


Scott

[Kyle W]

Yeah good stuff here guys, keep it coming.  The rivets are happening as well to the letters.  What kind of material do I ask for when I go to the local sign place?

[PL1]

Wade007 has one option here.


Scott

[griffindodd]

Looks magnificent, don't change a thing. 

[Le Chuck]

Wowzas!  Looking sharp! 

A nice military term:  CAS - Close Air Support

a fun variation

CAS - Combat Arcade System

[Kyle W]

Wowzas!  Looking sharp! 

Thanks man!  Darkade has been a huge inspiration for me.  Just trying to get a cab that I will be proud of.  Still working on the Marquee, should have an update tomorrow. 

[PL1]

A nice military term:  CAS - Close Air Support

Leave it to the ground-pounder to associate B-36's with CAS. 

I know the B-1's can do it, but I don't think you want to call in a Danger Close strike with a B-36.    


Scott

[Le Chuck]

Apparently you've never been in need of a 2000lb JDAM like I have then 

[griffindodd]

Yeeeaaah military stuff!! (Tries to hang with the gunbangers by pretending to know what they are talking about).

'Murica!!!!!

[yotsuya]

Apparently you've never been in need of a 2000lb JDAM like I have then 

You lusting after Honey Boo-Boo's mom again?

[PL1]

As I said -- With the B-1, CAS is no problem, but the B-36 didn't have the accuracy for that role.

The B-36 used the Norden bombsight.

in testing the Norden demonstrated a circular error probable (CEP) of 75 feet (23 m), an astonishing performance for the era. In practice however it was not possible to achieve this level of accuracy in combat conditions, with the average CEP in 1943 being 1,200 feet.

In October of '43, 250+ B-17s tried to destroy the ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt

The bombardiers used Norden bombsights, but only one of every 10 of their bombs landed within 500 feet of their target.

Using the B-36 for CAS is like using a howitzer as a sniper rifle during a hostage rescue scenario.

It *might* work, but it definitely isn't the right tool for the job.

Remember one of Murphy's Laws of Combat, "Friendly fire - isn't" and be safe.


Scott

[lordnacho]

Yeeeaaah military stuff!! (Tries to hang with the gunbangers by pretending to know what they are talking about).

'Murica!!!!!

Allright, sweethearts, you heard the man and you know the drill! ---uvulas--- and elbows!

[Le Chuck]

Using the B-36 for CAS is like using a howitzer as a sniper rifle during a hostage rescue scenario.

I am never one to turn down spectre gunship support personnaly 

Incidentally I was stationed near Shweinfurt, it's quite lovely.

The B36 also fell out of inventory over a decade before the first modern arcade machines were developed so if we're splitting hairs then    It was only a suggestion. 

How many people in the room have actually called CAS in combat?  *raises hand lonelily. 

[PL1]

No worries.

Just trying to keep things in line with OPs theme of the B-36 Peacemakers his grandfather worked on in Korea.

(Tries to hang with the gunbangers by pretending to know what they are talking about).

No need to pretend, Griff.

This is the AC-130 Spectre.

World's Deadliest Aircraft - AC130 Part 1


Scott

[jeremy0203]

Looks sweet. Only thing I would refine is that instructions text area.

[PL1]

Forgot to ask earlier, what functions will you use for the 3 buttons on the front?


Scott

[Kyle W]

Forgot to ask earlier, what functions will you use for the 3 buttons on the front?


Scott

I have really no idea at the moment.  They were in the plans for the weecade and I kinda was wondering what they were for myself.  I won't have the circles printed on the final CP artwork but will probably install bucks into those locations.  Should have an update on the marquee tonight.

[PL1]

Thought maybe you wanted to have Pause and/or Exit.

will probably install bucks into those locations.

   Anything bigger than a 6-pointer won't look right on a weecade.   




Scott

[Kyle W]

Ok small update.  Added the same beveling effect on "THE" and added rivets, lots of rivets.

[Kyle W]

Ok added some wings from the B36, what do you guys think?  Is this a decent direction or is it getting to busy?

[PL1]

Rivets are looking great. 

Headspace looks better, but the footspace still has "Peacemaker" resting on the bottom instead of flying through the clouds.

Consider making the letters less "deep" so the Peacemaker is wheels up.

Not quite sold on the wings  -- if you do decide to use them then you definitely need to be wheels up.

Consider shifting the "The" back so it's not forward of and overshadowing "Peacemaker"?


Scott

[Felsir]

The wings look like pasted on afterwards (which may be true, but in a good design that shouldn't show). Stick to the letters, they are the star of the show.
Scott made some good suggestions, so nothing to add.

[dandro]

Looks neat!! you could always also incorporate the B36, since I am seeing you play with the wing integration... Either way this thing is going to look great!

[mgb]

The artwork looks great

[Kyle W]

Looks neat!! you could always also incorporate the B36, since I am seeing you play with the wing integration... Either way this thing is going to look great!

I think having the planes in the sky is a cool ideal.  The issue is I am having a real hard time finding planes that are high enough resolution at the angle I want to place them in the comp.  I modeled the wings in maya so that I could get the right kind of angle.  I suppose if I could find a b36 model I could do it, but I don't want to spend the time to model that plane right now.  I really just want to get this stuff done so I can move on to the next step, but at the same time I want this cab to look great.  Its a balance I guess and I am doing my best to keep it that way.

[dandro]

yeah, I suppose not a whole lot of high resolution photos exist of that bomber. or any of it's era.  Either way, it's still looking good! 

[Kyle W]

Ok guys here are some renders of how things are coming along.  I am going to "fly" the marquee logo, so that is left to do.  I am thinking that I am almost done with this unless someone has a really great suggestion.  Let me know what you think.  What do you think about the red T molding?

[PL1]

How would the marquee look if the "THE" was either removed or put on the same level as "PEACEMAKER"?

That would give you more altitude for "flying" the title.

I wonder how t-molding.com's light gray would look on this.    It made me think of weathered aluminum aircraft skin.

I think having the planes in the sky is a cool ideal.  The issue is I am having a real hard time finding planes that are high enough resolution at the angle I want to place them in the comp.

Guess what's parked about 30 minutes from my doorstep.

LMK if you want photos from a particular angle/composition.


Scott

[jdbailey1206]

I think the red t-molding gives it a nice 'pop'.  Grey t-molding would just blend into the sideart and it would begin to look muddy.

[Kyle W]

How would the marquee look if the "THE" was either removed or put on the same level as "PEACEMAKER"?

That would give you more altitude for "flying" the title.

I wonder how t-molding.com's light gray would look on this.    It made me think of weathered aluminum aircraft skin.

I think having the planes in the sky is a cool ideal.  The issue is I am having a real hard time finding planes that are high enough resolution at the angle I want to place them in the comp.

Guess what's parked about 30 minutes from my doorstep.

LMK if you want photos from a particular angle/composition.


Scott

Thanks for the offer!  I think right now I am just going to leave the marquee the way it is after flying the bottom.  Then I am going to let it percolate. 

I tried the light gray and it looked nice, but it didn't have the pop that the red has.  I think with the red it will give it a little more of that "Hey you, come over here and play me" feel. More of an attractant. 

Other than flying the logo, I think that I am pretty much done with the art.  I am hoping my mdf comes in today, or tomorrow so I can get to work getting the case painted up and put together so I can make final measurements and make sure that the art is the correct size.  When it comes in I will start a new thread in the project announcements area. 

Thanks for all the input guys, and keep it coming. 

Kyle

[mgb]

I like the idea of the light gray t molding

[Kyle W]

Ok I did a test with chrome molding, and it is growing on me. 

[Drnick]

Yep Chrome would look Sexy with the plane panel artwork.