ScoopKW's ScooperCade system (new project)

[ScoopKW]

Hi y'all from the Caribbean, home to hurricanes, moray eels, big horkin' sharks (with frikkin' laser beams socketed to their heads), etc.

The time has come.

I will be building my own cabinet, and it's the first one I've attempted.

Here's the plan:

I will be closely following Jeffrey Allen's "Supercade" System. The bottom half of the cabinet will mirror Supercade. The top half will have some modifications for the games I like to play most.

Here's the parts list. Please comment on my choices:

Hagstrom KE72 encoder (will this be enough inputs? I think so, but please advise.)

Bottom Control Panel:

4x Happ Perfect 360 Joysticks in a Gauntlet configuration
36 buttons
Happ 3" Trackball

Top Control Panel: (need some advice)

2x top-trigger joysticks for Battlezone. (one top-trigger would be sufficient, but I'm left handed, and most of my friends are righty's -- may as well get both. Good Battlezone gameplay is very important to me.) Does anyone have a recommendation for the best Battlezone-style grip?

1 Oscar V2 spinner, with two buttons nearby for Arkanoid & Tempest.

One original 4-way pacman joystick, dead center, for half the games I play, two buttons on either side for Dkong, DLair, Mr. Do, and such.


Small buttons above the second panel for Pause, Escape, "O" and "K"

Other:

2 Actlabs Lightguns (I have them preordered, but am would love to hear of a gun that does well with the "reload" feature of Area51. I've not heard much good about ActLabs guns, only that they're "adequate.")


Video: S-video on a 27" Sony monitor
Computer: Basic P4 with s-video out on an NVidia card

Front end: Using easymame right now, but don't really like it. Really need front-end advice. Especially want something that runs Mame and Daphne, with the ability to show button configuration for every game available -- I want non-computer users to be able to walk up to Scoopercade and play immediately with no coaching whatsoever.  I'll make the jpgs of the control panel for each game, with the various controls highlighted. The frontend should show game history, controls, a "how to play" blurb, etc.  It also shouldn't look like a windows environment.  (I'm happy to load linux or dos or whatever for the best possible gameplay.)

Woodworking -- 3/4" plywood. MDF and particle board falls apart in the tropics. The actual cabinet is the least of my concerns, I already make most of my furniture.

Let me know what y'all think before I splurge on hardware...

ScoopKW

--------------------

Next Project, a stand-up driving simulator -- already have the spyhunter yoke.

[markrvp]

I built my cabinet based off of Supercade as well.

[ScoopKW]

Default Mame configuration is definitely important, so thanks for the advice on the IPAC4.

As for cost -- at the risk of sounding like an ass, money isn't really a consideration. My wife is on board with this project, and knows that I'm likely to rack up $1500 per cabinet.

I'm scrimping on the video system, because I have an extra TV lying around doing not much of anything. When (not if) the Sony craps out, I'll likely replace it with a flat panel display.

My only real consideration is gameplay. I've got about 50 games that I want this thing to do VERY well, and perhaps another 100 that I don't mind if the button configuration isn't *exact*.

I can't build more than two cabinets, because I can't FIT more than two in my house. (Because I want a pinball machine and a pool table in my game room/bar, also.)

I checked the link of your system, and it looks sweet (but a tad crowded). I also like the front end. I hope a slew of people give me some front end advice, because I don't want to go through the bother of trying every single front end out there.

Oh, a piece of advice for other newbies: Get your hardware store to cut your plywood into managable chunks. Most places will do this for free, then you can cut the curves and angles with a jigsaw. This has already saved me a lot of frustration.

Pics coming after I buy buttons, joysticks, encoders and the like.

ScoopKW

[ScoopKW]

I have decided on a name and theme for my new arcade cabinet:

Total Arcade Retro-Dynamic Integrated System -- TARDIS

Guess what it's going to look like. I double dog dare ya. Parts are now ordered. My marquee is going to be frikkin' easy!

ScoopKW

PS -- It's going to be blue.

PPS -- How to build a TARDIS: http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.campbell10/season27tardis.htm

EDIT - Changed subject and added link

[AlanS17]

That's a pretty long name. Good luck fitting that onto a marquee. 

[Dire Radiant]

Hmm.. "Police Box" marquee? Flashing light on top? This is souding like a nice original idea! You're going to need to build a K-9 shaped bartop to match.

[ScoopKW]

The marquee will simply read "Police Public Call Box."

The plan is to build a life-sized Tardis, with Euro-hinged doors that open and then slide back into the booth -- revealing the monitor and several drawers. Each drawer will open for a control panel or console.

Personally, I think it's going to be outstanding.

[ScoopKW]

I've also decided I'm going to build a jukebox project, shaped like a....

a...

a....

EXTERMINATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I'll use the plunger as a "next track/previous track" slot-machine-styled control.)

ScoopKW

(Beats the hell out of building an R2D2.)

[ScoopKW]

Just wanted to let everyone know I'm going to be away for a week. Work begins in earnest on TARDIS-Cade when I return.

Liked the idea about Arkeg -- too bad I already have a nice kegerator.

See ya!

ScoopKW

[ScoopKW]

Back from Vacation and TARDIS-Cade is back on track, minus a spinner.

Current status:

Wood: Ordered
Fasteners, hinges, slides, rails, etc.: Ordered
Encoders: Here and tested
Buttons and Joysticks and Trackball: Here and tested. (Check is in the mail, Ponyboy.)
Spinner: See my post in MAIN about OscarControls being closed.
Light assembly for top of TARDIS: Stolen from work.
Video System: Here and tested.
CPU: Need to assemble a dedicated TARDIS-CPU
Tools: Ready -- need a plunge router, though.
Wife: On board with project.


Artwork: VERY VERY LACKING. Probably my weakest link.   Only need to make a Panel Overlay, because side art and bezel are non-existant (remember, this is going to look exactly like the Tardis from the outside). Figure I'll go with a bluish-plasma-ish overlay for the panel. Suggestions MOST appreciated.



Plan: Build control panel first.

Yeah, sure, I've read a dozen times that once you build the control panel, you'll never finish the cab. Poppycock. My panel is going to weigh about 40 lbs. -- that won't be comfortable on my lap, y'know.

Besides, the panel is the hardest part of this project. I plan on getting it out of the way first.

Woodworking begins one week from today.

ScoopKW

[ScoopKW]

After a frank exchange of views with my wife: "No way in hell a six-foot telephone booth is going in the livingroom," I decided for a more traditional design.

Think "Xenophob" meets "Supercade."

Here's a picture of the mdf and lexan after machining the two panel tops:



Here's a picture after routing panel #1:



Painted it in the early evening. Too dark for pictures.

Wiring up the first panel tomorrow...

ScoopKW

[AlanS17]

How come everybody's got mad router skills except me? 

[Shieldwolf]

I was going to ask the same thing. The first time I heard the word router I was thinking they were talking about networking.

[AlanS17]

Oh, I've got one and I use it. It's just so foreign to me.

[ScoopKW]

How come everybody's got mad router skills except me?

[Sinner]

I've attached a PDF, that I found on the net...has some basic information in it...might be useful to you...

[ScoopKW]

Bottom half is painted and populated:




[EDIT - Fixed Link]

[Nataq]

Ok im pretty new here and seeing your panel I have a question. I will build my first control panel soon (parts are on the way) I would like to build a panel like yours. Not a 4 player ones but more of the way you built it with the lexan/plexi on top. I saw that most trackball are coming with a plate to attach it to the control panel. So to install a lexan/plexi glass on top we need to "route" (or whatever other word it is... I am not speaking english naturally, sorry a square in the wood for that plate right ? Like it shows on your pics ? There is no parts like screws that goes out on the top of the trackball plate ? Or if there is your plate is below the plexi enough so the screws doesnt come in the way ? Thanks

[Nataq]

We are seeing screws for your joysticks too. Could that have been avoided too like for the trackball ?

[ScoopKW]

To Nataq: I painted the screws black. MUCH better.

In order to make the trackball "flush" I ordered the mounting plate for the trackball, then routed out the plate space 1/8". That way, the mounting plate sat flush on the panel, and the trackball mounted onto that.

If you look closely, you can see lines around the trackball, between the wood and the metal.