Well, I spent the last week trying out different combinations of graphics and didn't get to a place where the machine looks better than what originally proposed. I'm not posting any of my alternative designs at this point. You can imagine what they look like without too much help as you've all seen the graphics already. I'm going to keep slugging away at variations though.
I wanted to comment on the discussion...
I can see both points of view and I appreciate them both! I like the MAME logo and look (I don't think it's lame at all). But it's certainly common place now-a-daze and therefore my use of it, by default, is certainly "lame". It's a cop-out anyway. I risk resulting in a "check out my cab that looks like like everyone elses!" thing.
I certainly have the ability to step it up a notch and I'm up to that challenge. After several days of trying different things with Illustrator and Photoshop I'm starting to realize that I can create custom graphics that rival some of the generic premade stuff out there. I can do better than your ordinary MAME design without having to go all-out custom and theming the design to my nickname or something like that (I actually find that to be somewhat cheesy).
I'm starting to like the look where the MAME logo is like a footnote or trademark. Makes me think "powered by MAME". I agree with Chris that MAME is what the cabinet is all about and my family and freinds have no idea about this community and therefore how commonplace my cabinet's design might be. It's unique to them and noting the core of the matter by putting a MAME indicator on there
somewhere makes perhaps more functional than asthetic sense. I changed my CP to use one of those blue and black grids with a blue nebulous cloud in the background. The MAME logo sits near the edge and is not a headliner. Here's what it looks like:
http://www.mamemarquees.com/product_info.php/cPath/25/products_id/87A little generic. I might go create my own to give it a little more pizzaz.
The use of (classic) character art in the marquee appeals to me and I'll persue that for the time being.
I've decided to skip side-art. I think it looks OK without it and it fits into my decor better. The machine is positioned in a corner and is generally approached from the front anyway. And that leaves the option open to me in the future.
I'm going to go forward with the blue t-molding which I agree will really make the cabinet stand-out in a way that the current black does not. I can't think of another color that would work better but I worry a bit about the blue theme ending up somewhat derivative again (another "just like every other blue-themed MAME cabinet" concern).
All of your advice and feedback has been and will be appreciated. I'll keep you posted if you are interested in what happens.
One last note: at $20 a whack for marquees, maybe I'll print a couple and swap 'em when I get the urge!
- pmc