Space Invaders mini cabinet

[dfmaverick]

Hello All.

I've been a long time lurker and have finally decided to start my first cabinet. I must say that this community is really great, I've read as much as I can and have picked up Saint's book.

This project is going to be for my nephews and a trial and error thing for me for a future cabinet for myself. The reason for the Space Invaders is that my nephews live next door to their grandpa(my dad)My nephews don't have the room at their place, so I know it will be at my dad's house. He liked Space Invaders, so Space Invaders it will be.

I have an old 486 from back in the day with a 13" monitor to use on this. I have spent the last month just working on the software and front end for it.( I know others will suggest that I buy another computer, but I don't want to just recycle it so I'm repurposing it). I have loaded up Vantage and GameLauncher on it. I set the gui in msdos.sys to 0, so it now starts in dos. I tried starting straight into Windows and then GL and got it to work but there were too many bugs and possibilities for errors. Plus Windows will just slow this anchor down. I attempted to start GL up in the autoexec.bat file, and it would start but when I ran a game from GL the system would reboot, so I nixed that idea. Instead I just cread a 2.bat file that will run from the CP when 2P start is pressed and then and Enter button. Works fine and won't complicate the sytem too much. For the CP I have decided to minimize the games in vantage to just a 4-way joystick(Ms. Pac/Galaga probably), two fire buttons, 1P & 2P start, insert coin, esc, & enter buttons).

Now I am into the planning of the cabinet. (I live in a townhouse in MN, so I probably won't get to the actual build until spring in a friend's garage). I can't find any Space Invader's plans out there, so I'm going to do my best to scale down what I can find on the SI cabinet. I'm going approx. 70% of a Midway style SI cabinet which will give me a 48"h, 18.75"w, 24"d cabinet when scaled down. The bezel will be approx 18" when scaled down giving me approx 30" up to the CP.

As far as building the rest, of it, I was wondering about what people would do to reinforce this cabinet. Would you create a little frame for it to be built around or do you think just the combining of all the pieces would make it very rigid. I have seen some use a 2x4 frame on a large cabinet but not sure if a frame is necessary on this one, although the part I wonder about is the overlapping of the sides of a SI cabinet.

[dmsuchy]

I don't think a 2X4 frame will be neccesary, I'd just use 1X1 stock and glue it and screw it, I think that would be plenty strong. Maybe just use the 2X4s for the base. Cool idea by the way, I always did like that cabinet design. good luck

[RetroJames]

I don't think a 2X4 frame will be neccesary, I'd just use 1X1 stock and glue it and screw it, I think that would be plenty strong. Maybe just use the 2X4s for the base. Cool idea by the way, I always did like that cabinet design. good luck

I second that, you really don't need 2x4 in the base either.  1x1 glue and screw you will be solid as a rock. 

[dfmaverick]

Thanks for the input so far guys.

That's what I was thinking. No real need to build a frame, especially with it being a shrunk down cabinet. The monitor shelf should stabilize it from side to side. I was thinking of just a base to tie it all together...I was thinking 2x2's but 1x's might be fine. Definitely will need a runner of a 2x2 or something from front to back to tie that front section to the back section, I'm thinking that might be all I need to stiffen up that middle joint with this design of the cabinet. That and the base will do fine, I believe.

If anyone else has any ideas for this cabinet while I'm designing the plans, please post.

Thanks much.

[dfmaverick]

Just a brief update:

I'm still working on the plans for the cabinet, but this is my latest version of the CPO. I modified the original SI CP to adjust for buttons I needed on the cabinet and to fit in the approximate space of the new CP(17.25" x 6" approx)

http://home.comcast.net/~richard.snodgrass/custom_si_cpo.jpg

Please post comments.

Thanks much,
Mav

[Flinkly]

i don't know if i would put system start or exit on the control panel because someone might accidentally touch it while playing emotionaly with your cabinet and then everyonee would be upset.  i was just going to stick these buttons just inside the coin door so i had easy access or put them on the back of your cab or on top.  on top might alo be bad though because someone might set there stuff up there while your playing and kill the game. 

anyways, keep what you like, that is just my opinion.

[dfmaverick]

If this were for me, there would be no admin buttons. THis is for my nephews and I want it easy for them to use.

I have contemplated putting them below the monitor; however, at this stage, I am not totally sure how much room if any I will have to move them there.

Since I am using Vantage and Gamelauncher, the Enter button really doesn't do anything, it will only be used to start up the whole thing as mentioned in the original post. The Escape button can jump the user out of the game he/she's playing, but I don't see that as a big deal. I have thought of switching the two around to put the Esc button on top to be more out of the way.

Thanks for the input...keep it coming.

[apeekaboo]

Nice CPO, but perhaps you could change places for the start/exit buttons? By placing the exit button farther away from the player, it seems less likely to be pressed by accident. Pressing the start button would not really do any harm if you're already in a game.

[RecycledPast]

You might consider only having one fire button since only 3 or 4 games support 4way w/2 buttons.  Then move the 2nd fire button to the left side of the joystick that way lefty and righty players can use it comfortably.

[Lutus]

i have that machine on the flyer, if you want some pics of the inside of the cabinet, or dimensions just let me know and i could get you some pics or whatever next monday
clay

[dfmaverick]

i have that machine on the flyer, if you want some pics of the inside of the cabinet, or dimensions just let me know and i could get you some pics or whatever next monday
clay

Clay - Any help you could give me on the dimensions would be great. I've been putting off this project a bit ( The old computer has been sitting on my dining room table since January) since I've had other things to do and the winter in MN does not give me ample space to do work.  With it warming up, I'd love to get this project going again.

Any dimensions that you could give me for me to adapt to my project would be a great help. No need to rush. Whenever you have a chance. Just post what you come up with here. I'm sure others would like dimensions to a SI cab.

"UPDATE ON WHERE I LEFT OFF"
I have purchased all control parts. Computer is set up and ready to go. Control Panel overlay has been finished and printed at Kinko's. With Zorg finishing up some of the SI Deluxe art in the Artwrok forum, I'm hoping that this will turn out very nice. Pretty much all that is left is to cut and build the cabinet to cram it all into.

[dfmaverick]

Well, after taking the summer off and totally forgetting where I was on this thing and forgetting how I did all that I had already done, I finally decided to get back on this.

Worked on the plans for this cabinet. All from scratch and designed around my equipment. I was going for the Space Invaders cabinet look. Below is a PDF of my plans, cut plans for (5) 2' x 4' sheets of 3/4" MDF, and mock ups of it after art & paint.

http://home.comcast.net/~richard.snodgrass/mini_SI_plans.pdf

My friend and I hope to get this thing started in the next couple of weeks when we can find a Saturday free.

I'll keep it updated as I go...whenever that is.

[rchadd]

You might consider only having one fire button since only 3 or 4 games support 4way w/2 buttons.