Author Topic: Game Galaxy (Read 6766 times)

wintermute · « **on:** September 12, 2005, 12:45:31 am »

Well rather than continue to hijack other people threads, I'm finally going to start chronicaling my construction efforts.

wintermute · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2005, 12:53:42 am »

Because I always try to do things in a much more difficult way than they need to be, I decided to use kerf bending on the CP box. And on top of that for some reason in my design, I made the box slanted rather than the supports which hold it up, so I had to accomodate for that too. I took the measurements from my CAD drawing and marked up a 3/4 piece of MDF shelf (more expensive per square foot than a full 4x8 sheet, but much easier to put in my station wagon). You can see the cutouts for the pinball flipper buttons and the hold for the plunger button.

wintermute · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2005, 01:05:08 am »

Here's my artwork, mostly hacked together from NASAs web site. I had a friend with a plotter at work plot out my Autocad CP layout at 1:1 scale, and I cut this out of a sheet of 5/8 MDF. I had to have this special ordered since no store near me carried 5/8.

wintermute · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2005, 01:08:51 am »

Got my CPO printed from mamemarquees.com .

wintermute · « **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2005, 01:15:38 am »

Here's the kerf bending that I did on the CP box. I would NOT recommend anyone doing this. You can get 95% the same effect with just cutting seperate pieces and sanding the corners. I just have to do everything the hardest way possible. I have to say I'm surprised that it actually came out not too bad. I thought I was going to have to scrap this after I either broke the MDF while bending it, or having it not fit around the base at all.

wintermute · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2005, 01:19:03 am »

I cut out the side pieces, and the identically shaped pieces that will form the speaker enclosures. Here's the CP box with CP resting on it with CPO resting on that, with one of the side pieces where it will sort of eventually go.

wintermute · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2005, 01:23:47 am »

IT STANDS! I attached 2 of the 4 side panels to a 2x4 frame. I used those metal angle brackets because I was afraid that it wouldn't be strong enough in that area. The whole weight of the CP will be twisting in that area.

Also you can see part of my space invaders wall that I stenciled last year (with a little help from the girlfriend). It's my favorite wall in the house.

wintermute · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2005, 01:30:15 am »

CP Supports Attached! The CP supports were made from 2 triangles of 5/8 MDF glued together. I had one small problem you can see in the last picture. I split one part. I might have forgotten to pre-drill this hole. I was using like 7 screws to hold these on anyway, so I just removed that screw to make the split close up a bit. I'll glue this back together later.

walls83 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2005, 09:12:00 am »

First of all its coming along great, I cant wait to see it completed.

But...

I want to see your space invaders wall...

wintermute · « **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2005, 11:45:40 pm »

Your wish is granted...

walls83 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2005, 09:53:41 am »

ya man that is nice..

USSEnterprise · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2005, 03:35:51 pm »

who painted that?

wintermute · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2005, 11:30:26 pm »

I did, with some help from the girlfriend.

wintermute · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2005, 11:38:53 pm »

Here's a picture of one of the speakers that I'll be using. They are full range, so I'm going to see how it sounds without a sub. To design the speaker enclousures I used a freeware program called WinISD. I really don't know much about speaker design, but I messed around with the parameters until I extened the bass response of the speakers about 20 or 30 hz. If you're really interested, you can look at the graphs here: http://bighousect.com/temp/gg/ . The "Gain" plot is the main thing I was working with. The blue trace is the reference enclosure design from fostex. The Green is my design after increasing the volume of the enclosure, and changing the port tuning.

wintermute · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2005, 11:42:42 pm »

Using a hole cutter in my drill press, I cut the holes (5.75" diameter) for the speakers, and attached the two top sections of the cabinet. Then I caulked the seams with clear silicon to seal them.

wintermute · « **Reply #15 on:** September 13, 2005, 11:48:41 pm »

Ok, I'm finally up to date with getting all my pictures into this thread.

wintermute · « **Reply #16 on:** September 15, 2005, 11:04:10 pm »

I cut out the backs of the speaker enclousures. Then I cut the holes for the ports using the circle cutter in the drill press. I cut the holes to about 2.75". The ID of the ports is 3". Then I took a rabbiting bit in the router and rabbited the inside of the panel so that the PVC ports will fit into the rabbit. Then I used carpenter's goop to glue the PVC ports to the panels. To finish this off I will use a round-over router bit from the outside, and trim the 2.75 to the ID of the port, and smooth the opening at the same time. I'll also be sticking sound-deadening foam to these back panels.

Also, I attached aluminum angle brackets to the the support arms and the back of the cabinet. I drilled holes through the CP box and used wing nuts to secure the CP box. It's very strong, but if I ever need to take the entire CP & box off, it's a snap.

wintermute · « **Reply #17 on:** September 20, 2005, 10:40:25 pm »

Ran the roundover bit around the inside of the PVC vents, it made a very nice smooth opening. I read about this tequnique on a speaker design site and I have to say I'm quite happy how the ports came out. I stuck the self adhesive gasket around the openings and then screwed the backs on. The screws just about totally compressed the gasket, but not quite. There is a small gap (probably less than 1/32, but I'm okay with that.

Bones · « **Reply #18 on:** September 20, 2005, 10:50:22 pm »

Hey man this is looking like a real interesting project. Congrats on your originality.

xonix_digital · « **Reply #19 on:** September 21, 2005, 06:24:45 pm »

I like the complexity of the design.

Mad Cad skeelz bro!

-=XD=-

wintermute · « **Reply #20 on:** September 21, 2005, 10:36:19 pm »

Thanks for the comments! It's fun to put your own design together (on paper) but the tough part is that there's no examples to go by for a lot of things, so I feel like I'm shooting from the hip pretty often. Oh well I'm sure I'll be able to play it, the question is how nice it looks. Hopefully some of this info helps other crazy people

.

I put some framing around the back where the projector will go, as well as cutting out the platform (I'm going to leave it removable so the cab is narrower for when I want to move it) , and slapping wood putty into all the seams. Here's a picture with the projector that I'll use sitting in its spot.

AmericanDemon · « **Reply #21 on:** September 22, 2005, 12:05:20 am »

I am really glad someone is finally doing this projector pedestal idea. Its been mentioned many times before, myself included. I commend you on the find work you have already done.

wintermute · « **Reply #22 on:** September 25, 2005, 09:35:51 pm »

Thanks! I can't wait to post some pictures of me playing it. But for now, here's some more work I did on the back including the shelf where the computer will go, and also me testing out some of the CCFL stuff I got behind the cabinet. I was thiking it might reflect off the walls around the back and you might be able to see it that way. Here's a little movie if you're interested in how the sound activated mode on the CCFL works. I think it could be cool:

wintermute · « **Reply #23 on:** September 25, 2005, 09:42:45 pm »

I put on one coat of oil based behr primer, sanded with my orbital sander (220 grit), and put on a second coat, using a 4" foam roller.

wintermute · « **Reply #24 on:** October 04, 2005, 11:31:26 pm »

Ok, well my first adventure with the paint sprayer came out pretty well. It's not perfect, but I can't really show the problems with the camera. Over all I'm happy. I had a friend help me carry the main cabinet back upstairs, and I installed the speakers. I'm pretty happy with the sound too, very clear, details of music you might never have noticed before come out. Bass is present, but not explosive like a sub. Gotta see what it sounds like with some games!

RayB · « **Reply #25 on:** October 05, 2005, 01:36:58 pm »

I'm curious why you chose 2600 Space Invaders over the original arcade?

wintermute · « **Reply #26 on:** October 08, 2005, 12:08:48 pm »

Well, I played a lot more space invaders on the 2600 back in the day, and honestly I like the way it looks better, I thought the player and the shields looked kinda dumb in the original. Plus I think the sprites were bigger and more blocky on the 2600, which made it easier to scale up and make stencils for.

Now for the latest update. I decided those holes for pinball flippers I cut in the front of the CP box were stupid, and much less comfortable than using a plain old arecase buttton on the angled part of the box, so I filled them in. I also drilled out all the holes in the CP top. Then I cut out an oversize piece of lexan with my jig saw, and drilled a 5/8 hole with a spade bit to clear the router flush trim bit. Then I routed all the holes out, and finally routed around the outside. Working with lexan is WAY more forgiving than plexiglass. I've cracked a lot of plexi drilling into it, but with the lexan I didn't really have to be careful at all.

You'll notice I did screw up a little bit, I forgot to use the right side of the lexan, so the UV treatment is down now instead of up. Oh well, I didn't really plan on leaving the cab outside anyway.. heh

wintermute · « **Reply #27 on:** October 08, 2005, 12:13:28 pm »

I also decided to use CAT5 / RJ45 to make my CP easily removabe, since I have a bunch of it lying around. I wired up this box, I'm going to attach the 48 ends of the wires to the IPAC controls. Then I'm going to wire up the CP with more CAT5, and crimp on connectots to plug in to this box. Hopefully this isn't more trouble than it's worth.

wintermute · « **Reply #28 on:** October 26, 2005, 12:33:07 am »

Sorry for no update in a while, but I've made a lot of progress, just haven't been able to get time in front of the computer to post it. All painting is done, CPO is attached, T-mold is attached to CP, controls are installed, just finished wiring the LEDs tonight. Wow, was quite a lot of wiring, but, I think the effect is pretty cool. Tomorrow I'm going to try to get the controls connected.

RetroJames · « **Reply #29 on:** October 26, 2005, 09:27:52 am »

Excellent...I like this alot. Cool wall too.

Did you see that episode of Pimp My Ride where they put a projector in the trunk of a car so the trunk opens the opposite way allowing you to sit in your car, project a movie on a wall in front of you ala drive in theater?

Playing defender projected against a wall while waiting outside school to pickup the kids would be the cats meow.

markrvp · « **Reply #30 on:** October 26, 2005, 10:38:48 am »

Very nice project. I'm sorry I didn't see it until now.

A couple of questions:

1.) Where did you get your translucent Leafswitch buttons and would you recommend them?

2.) How is the balance of the pedestal? Is it front heavy or stable?

wintermute · « **Reply #31 on:** November 01, 2005, 07:23:56 pm »

Thanks! I'll have to take a few pictures showing the full project with the projector on. I still need to make some speaker grilles but that's about it.

The buttons are actually the translucent microswitch buttons from ponyboy. I'll have to take a CP underside picture as well, I used UHMW washers that I made with 2 leds on each button to illuminate them.

The balance is pretty good, the weight of the CP is pretty much directly over the base, so it doesn't want to tip over at all. Because of the projector, aggressive moves on the sticks does shake the display a little bit, but it's not too bad. I guess if I wanted to make it more stable, I could pour a bag of sand into the base, but that would make the whole thing really heavy, so I'm not going to do that unless it really starts to bother me.

markrvp · « **Reply #32 on:** November 01, 2005, 07:34:54 pm »

Quote from: wintermute on November 01, 2005, 07:23:56 pm

The buttons are actually the translucent microswitch buttons from ponyboy.

MaximRecoil · « **Reply #33 on:** November 02, 2005, 05:50:28 am »

Quote from: RayB on October 05, 2005, 01:36:58 pm

I'm curious why you chose 2600 Space Invaders over the original arcade?

Regarding Space Invaders Arcade vs. 2600 in general; Space Invaders for the 2600 is the only arcade port that I can think of that is more fun than its arcade counterpart, especially if you do the trick to get "double shot"; i.e. you're allowed 2 shots in the air instead of one, like in Galaga. Nukey Shay over at the AtariAge forums has an excellent hack of 2600 Space Invaders which makes the graphics look more like the arcade version, among other things, and retains the game play of the 2600. Its one of the hacks that I'd like to have made into a cartridge.

MameMaster! · « **Reply #34 on:** November 03, 2005, 11:37:57 am »

....wow what a great idea!.....I'm looking forward to your finished product.

....neat wall! (but a word of advice your girlfriend will never all a wall like that in your house when you get married!)....enjoy it now!

Cameronj · « **Reply #35 on:** November 05, 2005, 12:18:44 am »

Wow! Great space invaders wall!!!!!!!! I like the CP too. I can't wait until it is done!

Lave Laar · « **Reply #36 on:** December 05, 2005, 08:11:00 am »

Any updates to this one ?

I would like to see pictures of this in use.

wintermute · « **Reply #37 on:** December 05, 2005, 09:40:14 pm »

Sorry I guess I've been too busy playing to post anything.

I will get some underside CP pix up here when I have a helper to hold it while I take the picture. The cab is pretty much done except for the speaker grilles which I still have to make. Taking in-use shots is kind of tricky because usually I turn the lights off so the projector will look it's best. It's definity a lot of fun though, totally glad I built it.. But I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone that. Here's one fuzzy pic I got of some Qix action:

teetu · « **Reply #38 on:** December 27, 2005, 10:23:18 pm »

extremely cool idea- 2 thumbs up


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