Out of Africa (Afro Khon?) Finished

[harveybirdman]

complex indeed!

 

[Locke141]

complex indeed!

 

"Complex" => 'Complete" fixed.

I'm attaching the Marquee files so I don't have to hunt for them in the future.

[Locke141]

Marquee installed.
 














Added a small personal touch. (I know I for got the "g" in pong. Seeing how I'm dyslexic I've decided, after the fact, that it was a charming additional personal touch)

Had to remove the diffuser do to it washing out the marquee. I need to add a piece of black card stock behind the LED's, or paint the whole inside black to make it uniform behind the marquee. Some odds and ends (like the software) won't be 100% finished until we come back to Dar on our way to our next post.

[yotsuya]

Marquee installed.
 














Personally touch. (I know I for got a g in pong. Seeing how I'm dyslexic I have decided after the fact that it was a charming personal touch)

Had to remove the defuser as you could not see the the etch marquee with it. Also ether need to add a pice of black card stock behind the LED'd or paint the inside black to make it uniform in the back. Ether way that and the software won't get finished till we came back to Dar no our way to our next post.

Good job sticking with Donkey Kong. Looks like a real "Africa" edition.

[Locke141]

Good job sticking with Donkey Kong. Looks like a real "Africa" edition.

You were right 

I also had a version that I replaced the Nintendo with MAME even though I always dislike when other people do the same. If I have learned anything from BYOAC, it's the importance not to add stuff until you thought about if it's really a good idea first.

I'm hoping to get an hour or two tomorrow to do the software setup and to fix the monitor.   

[Locke141]

It came down to the wire but it's done.



Here is the marquee with the black poster board set behind it.


I forgot to take a photo with it powered off, but thats where the black back ground made the biggest difference.

I'm literally getting on a plane to the US tomorrow and finished this with out a moment to spare. I just kind of dropped a few select games on and hobbled together Attract Mode as the FE. When I'm back in September, I'll probably to some playing to get it all just right. Seeing how it's playable, I'm leaving for a month, and he will find it on the table next to his desk on Monday I'm going to call it done.

This build started off as one of those "build something with out spending any money with whats on hand" at some point I decided to spend a little to have the carving added. I think it came out very nicely and was well worth the money.
Thanks to everyone here for helping me to get it done in time and for preventing me from messing it up.

[harveybirdman]

The things I don't like about this are few and a product of your rushed production.  Great Job!


Speaking of rushed production, something about this build makes me super miss Corybee.

[JDFan]

The things I don't like about this are few and a product of your rushed production.  Great Job!

+1 -- like the top piece of the marquee box not being cut at an angle like the bottom of it is for example ! ( minor thing but does detract a bit from the overall finish)

[Locke141]

The things I don't like about this are few and a product of your rushed production.  Great Job!

+1 -- like the top piece of the marquee box not being cut at an angle like the bottom of it is for example ! ( minor thing but does detract a bit from the overall finish)

That drives me nuts. I put magnits in the wood to hold the top in place but in hind sight the v shape and the plexi in the groove would have held it in place fine.   

Other things I hate:

• The back door looks like it was made while drinking.
• I didn't get to laser cut a slick  air filter cover for the back door.
• The lack of tinted glass over the monitor.
• It was planned as a vertical build but I I made it to short by not account for the marquee box.
• The rats nest of wiring.

That said, I really like it as is. I may find a little time in the week I'll be back here to pack up and move. I'll definitely tweak the FE more to may liking. 

[dmckean]

It could still be vertical, just only put vertical games on it and make a bezel to mask off the unused portion of the monitor.

[ChanceKJ]

I seriously love this build. Both what it is and what it represents.

Awesome job! 

[mvolke1]

Really like this build a lot. Rustic, but refined.

The only thing I would do is add a bezel. That would put it over the top.

[Locke141]

Really like this build a lot. Rustic, but refined.

The only thing I would do is add a bezel. That would put it over the top.

Thanks man, I'm back in the U.S. until the end of the month. I'll only be back in Tanzinia for two weeks. I'm hoping to get the chance to add the glass. If I do, was thinking of having a bezel painted on, but I'm unlikely to have the time for all that.

[pbj]

What the hell do you do in Africa?

[Locke141]

What the hell do you do in Africa?

Build arcades and teach at an international school. My wife works for an NGO, that's what brought us. Soon we will be somewhere else.

What the hell do you do in Texis Texas?

[pbj]

Shuffle paper in exchange for money.

 

[yotsuya]

Shuffle paper in exchange for money.

 

Texis? Did Jade Helm finally cause the Sons of the Republic to finally secede?

[pbj]

Shuffle paper in exchange for money.

 

Texis? Did Jade Helm finally cause the Sons of the Republic to finally secede?

Read his signature and stop being a dick.

 

[yotsuya]

Shuffle paper in exchange for money.

 

Texis? Did Jade Helm finally cause the Sons of the Republic to finally secede?

Read his signature and stop being a dick.

 

Oh, I've read that signature many, many times. That was just a joke between two Southwestern good ol' boys. 

[Locke141]

Spelling fixed.

On vacations and posting on my IPhone so I'm catching even less then normal.

Smart phone + dyslexia = confusing

[yotsuya]

Spelling fixed.

On vacations and posting on my IPhone so I'm catching even less then normal.

Smart phone + dyslexia = confusing

You don't have to do that, Locke. PB&J is just selective when he wants to have a sense of humor. 

[mvolke1]

Really like this build a lot. Rustic, but refined.

The only thing I would do is add a bezel. That would put it over the top.

Thanks man, I'm back I the U.S. Till the end of the month then I'll only be back in Tanzinia for two weeks till we move on to our next post. I'm hopping to get the chance to add the glass, if I do was thinking of haveing a bezel panted on but I'm unlikely to have the time for all that.

If you have more spare wood, a thin piece of ply could work. I went to a Michael's craft store with my piece of plexi and they cut out a piece of picture frame matting. Looks really nice on mine.

[BadMouth]

I like how all your builds are outside the box, but don't suck. 

[Locke141]

I like how all your builds are outside the box, but don't suck. 

Thanks,
The out of the box thinking is probably a product of living in a low resource setting. A friend once told me that when they were growing up they called the TV show MacGyver Being African, "All he did was solve problems using only what ever is on hand, here we call that life."

As for the not sucking, I owed a lot to Pat for the use of the DT lab and its tools. And even more to the craftsman who hand carved the art onto the case for a very reasonable price.

[Donkey_Kong]

Nice cab Locke!

[Locke141]

A small update on the life of this build after completion.

I have a friend from my old school visiting us for Christmas. She has informed me that the build gets played everyday by many students and teachers. It's living in the foyer of the DT lab and there is a line to play during all brakes.

She has also informed me that Pat has placed a poster (With my name and photo  ) that describes the build as an excellent recycling project with a link to this build. It has become part of his recycling unit. After re-reading the thread I quickly fixed some of my most egregious spelling and grammar.

I'm going to be sending back a small hand made brass lock I picked up to keep students from opening the CP.