New project

[Csdoplr]

Hello all,
I am new here and if this post belongs someplace else please help me direct it to the correct area. I am not a heavy gamer and know almost nothing but would like to build a arcade machine. Sort of like those 412 in 1 arcade machines. I was wondering though if anyone could direct me to websites that could help me complete this project in my spare time and not cost more than 300 dollars to do. Just looking for a fun project to do in my spare time and would have steps to follow along with. I would also like to have the machine save scores and not rest after I stop playing them. Any suggestions on kits?  Not sure how to go about this any help would be appreciated!
Thank you!

[DeLuSioNal29]

Welcome to the forums!  Have you considered a bartop?

Check out www.HarumanCustoms.com

DeL

[Csdoplr]

Wow thank you so much that is amazing! Any tips for buying the hardware? I would like a wide range of classic arcade games that is also able to keep high scores when the game is turned off?
Thanks!

[realtaylor]

Wow thank you so much that is amazing! Any tips for buying the hardware? I would like a wide range of classic arcade games that is also able to keep high scores when the game is turned off?
Thanks!

The 412 game PCB does not save high scores. I think only the 60 in 1 saves high scores (but not the name). I'm fairly new to this hobby as well....don't have much experience outside of the PCB games.

I bought a used machine from a local arcade and restored it. I also bought a machine from a local vendor (it's much cheaper to build it yourself or restore an old one)

Good luck!


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[Cynicaster]

I don’t want to be all Debbie Downer, but I think you have a big choice to make here: either raise your budget considerably and get some kind of pre-packaged kit that is close to a “turn key” solution, or buckle down for a long and time consuming DIY project (which is probably still going to cost more than $300 unless you get a lot of stuff for free). 

I’m only bringing this up because the impression I got from your post was that you plan to spend a few nice Saturday afternoons out in the garage “in your spare time” to build an arcade machine, and it gets done when it gets done.  While you can build shelving units for your basement in a Saturday afternoon or two, be warned, MAME cabinet projects are absolute time vampires by comparison.    Online researching, hunting down parts, ordering parts, designing the project, making all the big cuts, assembling the project, designing the artwork, 4000 trips back and forth to Home Depot, acquiring all the tools you realize you need but don’t already have, running into unforeseen problems, solving them, etc. etc. 

My point here is not to make the undertaking seem like some kind of hellish ordeal, because it’s not at all, so long as your heart’s really in it.  In other words, it’s a lot of work--especially for a first time builder—and it has to be a labor of love. 

I’m not really familiar with the XX-in-1 boards, but from the sounds of what has been said already, you may need to use MAME if you want to save high scores on a large variety of games (I do it on my cabinet).  MAME is superior in just about every way to the XX-in-1 boards anyway, so it’s a good route to go if you are willing to spend the time fiddling with the software to set it all up (kind of intimidating at first, but really not that bad at all once you get into it). 

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Very good points, Cynicaster. I'm in the middle of another build, and I'm always surprised at how much time you can sink into research alone - some of the questions you sooner or later ask yourself:
- Which MAME version will you use?
- What frontend will you use?
- Which computer should you buy - is it beefy enough for the fancier software you want to run on it (e.g. Hyperspin)?
- How can you hide Windows?

You can work on a cab literally for years. As long it's a hobby in itself for you, it's great fun, but if you just want the arcade experience in a month or two, get a still working original cab; according to everything I've read, it should be possible to get one for a couple of hundred bucks in the US.

[paigeoliver]

 $300 budget is more than enough if he can get a fairly complete donor cabinet at $100 or less. Used PC, ask around or craigslist a 21" PC crt monitor, ipac or similar with mid-grade controls.

You can also scratch build for $300 however it almost certainly will come off looking home made as you won't have any of the coin doors, speaker grills, metal brackets, and other fiddly bits that a real cabinet would.

[GeoMan]

If you are into early (classic) arcade games only, you can do the job with a $30 Raspberry Pi 3 and spend more money to make a better cabinet.

The Raspberry Pi 3 can handle anything up to N64 and Dreamcast.

[paigeoliver]

If you are into early (classic) arcade games only, you can do the job with a $30 Raspberry Pi 3 and spend more money to make a better cabinet.

The Raspberry Pi 3 can handle anything up to N64 and Dreamcast.

And a PC picked out of the garbage will handle the same and have much better software available for it.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

I got a Pi2 for a console project but soon grew tired of having to relearn how to do everything in Linux. I would only really use one for micro projects or in other cases where there are tight space contraints...

[barrymossel]

If you are into early (classic) arcade games only, you can do the job with a $30 Raspberry Pi 3 and spend more money to make a better cabinet.

The Raspberry Pi 3 can handle anything up to N64 and Dreamcast.

I just ordered an OrangePi PC. Same or better performance compared to the RPi3 and even less than 20 bucks, shipped. 

I got a Pi2 for a console project but soon grew tired of having to relearn how to do everything in Linux. I would only really use one for micro projects or in other cases where there are tight space contraints...

Learning is fun, isn't it? I just like the fact I am learing about Linux all the time when working with RPi's or clones.

[rover45]

Wow thank you so much that is amazing! Any tips for buying the hardware? I would like a wide range of classic arcade games that is also able to keep high scores when the game is turned off?
Thanks!

The 412 game PCB does not save high scores. I think only the 60 in 1 saves high scores (but not the name). I'm fairly new to this hobby as well....don't have much experience outside of the PCB games.

I bought a used machine from a local arcade and restored it. I also bought a machine from a local vendor (it's much cheaper to build it yourself or restore an old one)

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those are good looking machines. Nice find