Author Topic: RoboPinball 2084 Controller (Read 7391 times)

quarterstringer · « **on:** July 07, 2005, 01:27:02 pm »

I already have a 4 player showcase but visual pinball doesn't look good on a TV. Since I remember playing a lot of Williams pinball machines and Robotron is one of my favorite games, also made by Williams I wanted to build something a little different - The RoboPinball 2084.

The pinball apron, plunger, and coin door part are all from a Williams pinball machine and they all have a Williams name or logo on them. The joysticks are Wico 8-way leaf switch and the buttons are translucent leaf switches. The only thing that needs to be done is to add LEDs to the buttons.

ChadTower · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2005, 01:41:17 pm »

Erm... okay. What do you play it on?

quarterstringer · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2005, 01:44:20 pm »

It's just a controller hooked up to my desktop computer.

ChadTower · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2005, 01:50:55 pm »

Ah...

pathdoc2 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2005, 01:51:43 pm »

That looks great.

KenToad · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2005, 02:05:28 pm »

That looks awesome. Do the pinball flippers under the glass work?

I need more info and more pics. Show guts, please.

Cheers,
KenToad

jcroach · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2005, 02:12:46 pm »

Quote from: KenToad on July 07, 2005, 02:05:28 pm

Show guts, please.

I agree. I'd love to see how you hooked up the plunger too.

quarterstringer · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2005, 02:21:20 pm »

I didn't take any pics while building it, because it's really a big mess underneath. The flippers don't move, but for the plunger I took a leaf switch and rounded the end of one of the leafs to stay in between the coils of the plunger spring. It hasn't come loose yet.

JamIt · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2005, 04:12:58 pm »

I love it!
With a little creativity you can probably also play the other Williams arcade titles:
http://www.klov.com/manuf_detail.php?manuf_id=1729&orig_game_id=&sort=4

Great job!
--JamIt

Rook3 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2005, 09:07:10 pm »

That's a slick litle setup. Have any top down photos?

What are you using for an interface to the PC? I-pac?

Rook

Acids · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2005, 03:11:30 am »

VERY COOL.

rchadd · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2005, 09:59:04 am »

wow cool idea

Zakk · « **Reply #12 on:** July 08, 2005, 02:45:10 pm »

That would be an awesome swappable panel for an upright cab! Very very nice!

spidermonkey · « **Reply #13 on:** July 08, 2005, 11:16:22 pm »

What a cool little project.

There's lots to look at even though its a fairly small project. I find myself strangely drawn to it as it doesn't look like your average desktop controller. Definately eye candy for a typical arcade nut like myself.

Very cool indeed.

rdagger · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2005, 12:54:51 am »

Looks great. The design really works. I like the metal apron and the overall pinball feel.
Need more pics and building notes...

quarterstringer · « **Reply #15 on:** July 09, 2005, 04:31:24 am »

Thanks for all the nice comments. Here's the view from the top. I haven't decided if I want to add some playfield art. It might look too busy with more artwork. But I do need to paint wood grain on the ball lane area.

quarterstringer · « **Reply #16 on:** July 09, 2005, 04:38:56 am »

Here the three buttons are held by just the button holders and nuts to a piece of MDF and a piece of lucite that slides out. There's about 2 feet of wire slack to give some room to work if I have to slide the buttons out.

quarterstringer · « **Reply #17 on:** July 09, 2005, 04:45:00 am »

Here you can see the right flipper leaf switch and the leaf switch attached to the plunger. I cut a rounded notch in one leaf switch to match the plunger rods shape and it just sits in between the spring coils.

quarterstringer · « **Reply #18 on:** July 09, 2005, 04:50:00 am »

There's no room for coin door mechs, so I hooked up a leaf switch to the coin reject button to activate credits. The orange button is the start button.

quarterstringer · « **Reply #19 on:** July 09, 2005, 05:02:03 am »

This is the 8-way Wico leaf joystick, the stick is removed in the picture. Both joysticks are bolted to the pinball apron. Also I just used a cheap USB game controller for the interface.

KenToad · « **Reply #20 on:** July 10, 2005, 11:33:05 pm »

Quote from: quarterstringer on July 09, 2005, 04:50:00 am

There's no room for coin door mechs, so I hooked up a leaf switch to the coin reject button to activate credits.

Very nice. Now if only you or someone else would sell me a couple of coin reject buttons with leaf switches for my Bartop, I would be so grateful. I had the idea to do that, but couldn't find the hardware, so I'm just making do with some buttons with stickers next to them that say "25 cents--Push to Insert." I would love to install a pair of actual coin reject buttons just like yours.

Cheers,
KenToad

Rook3 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 11, 2005, 02:45:11 am »

If you have a local route operator, they might sell you those parts. Or a junked door you could piece out yourself.

Nice pics BTW! I have been wondering for EVER how I was going to work the pinball plunger deal and that's a great, "simple" solution. Thanks for sharing!

Rook

jcroach · « **Reply #22 on:** July 11, 2005, 09:27:58 am »

Quote from: quarterstringer on July 09, 2005, 04:31:24 am

But I do need to paint wood grain on the ball lane area.

Instead of painting, you could try finding some pre-printed woodgrain paper from a crafft or hobby store. I've seen it in the scrapbooking and dallhouse building sections. (Don't ask!

)

Quote from: quarterstringer on July 09, 2005, 04:45:00 am

Here you can see the right flipper leaf switch and the leaf switch attached to the plunger. I cut a rounded notch in one leaf switch to match the plunger rods shape and it just sits in between the spring coils.

Nice solution. I'm still trying to decide if I want to do one of these on my control panel or not.


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