Little Giant Arcade - First Cab

[Duster72]

Alright, I have officially started my first project, tenatively titled the Little Giant Arcade, after my college's nickname.

Anyway, I built my first CP but was not happy with the 49-way sticks, so I'm scrapping it and starting over.

Any feedback on this CP layout?



Full Size Image: Full Size

I know the 3 spinners seem to be a bit much, but Super Sprint and Super Off-Road are two of my favorites.

Any other feedback?



Other project details (As of now):
Altered UA2 plans
32" RCA TV w/ Component Video Inputs
Original systems: NES, SNES, Genesis, N64, Xbox, Gamecube, PS2 run through a Comonent Video Switchbox


4 Happ Competition Sticks
1 Happ Reunion Stick
3 TurboTwist Spinners
Electric Ice Trackball
Electric Ice Pushbuttons
Ipac4
LED-Wiz

[IG-88]

Wow! you're right, 3 spinners is alot. Thats going to be a pricey set-up! Which buttons are you going to use for the 4-way and or spinners? I might angle the sides or something just to make it non-rectangular. Otherwise I like it.

Sides:

[Duster72]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Regarding price, yeah it'll be expensive, but I really want to do it right.  After this I'll probably build a cocktail, then I hope to be done.  I don't want 5 of these things around my house (or at least my wife doesn't).

[IG-88]

Well, make sure you document it on here. I'll be interested to see what the final project looks like.

[KenToad]

Three spinners: yes, you will love it.  You also would be the first person I've seen with three spinners on one of those 4 player with trackball cp's.  Did I mention that the only game my wife enjoys on my arcade box is two spinner Puzz Loop?

Maybe you will have the same luck and find that your wife digs the spinners. 

Joysticks just seem to be too phallic for some women. 

Good luck,
KenToad

[motorfish]

How do you get three spinners to work? Doesn't the spinner use a mouse input?

[michelevit]

it should work fine. i have at one time 3 mice on my pc (2 usb and 1 ps2)
all three of them worked. I then installed a keyboard with a trackpad
and then i plugged in my waccam graphics tablet. all of them worked.
i could move my mouse with 5 different devices!!!

[Duster72]

Yeah, since the new mame supports multiple mice, I don't think I'll have a problem.

BTW, update: I am pretty happy with the layout.  Do you guys think the 4-way is too close to the lower stick, though?  That's my main concern.  I am just planning on using the buttons below the 4-way and spinner for each player.  In my play testing with the spinner, it was good enough for me.  It's not perfect, but hey, it's about compromises, right?

Anyway, Divemaster sent out all the parts today.  I am trying to get the artwork figured out now because I really don't want to install the buttons before the artwork is down -- it's just too much hassle, and once I start wiring I hope to not have to do much changing around.

If I get my modified UA2 plans done, I'll post them for some feedback as well.

Also, if anyone knows how to get good flames in photoshop or illustrator (like Ninja's Monster Arcade), let me know.  Might have to start a seperate thread over in artwork....

Thanks again for the replies!  I am taking lots of photos and will post them when I have something more to post than a CP that I'm not happy with.

[leapinlew]

Not sure how much room you have to work with...

but if your favorite games are super sprint/super offroad. Perhaps you should purchase one of the cabs and convert it to a mame driver? I think you'll be much happier with steering wheels and gas pedals. Playing super offroad with a spinner and buttons for gas is kind of like... half way there.

At the last auction I was at there were 4 non-working offroad games. Just a thought, because I decided Im going to build a driver cab instead of doing the controls half right.

[Duster72]

Actually, my favorite game of all time is Demolition Derby.  I own a dedicated upright, but would really like to find a 4 player cocktail version.  Unfortunately, they are nearly impossible to find.  For my next project I am planning on making a recreation of the Demolition Derby Cocktail, so that will have 4 (!) 360 wheels and pedals, which should be great for these games.

So yeah, I agree that the spinner deal is not as good, but it's going to have to do for now to tide me over.  Plus, with this machine, my Demolition Derby, and potentially a cocktail, that will be all I can fit in my house.  Oh, I also have a Firepower pin.  See, I'm running out of space!

Anyway, yeah, the spinners might be overkill, but I think it'll be worth the $$$.  I have been picking up gas pedals on Ebay, so I will probably end up putting three of them on the Cab.

There was a working offroad at the last auction I was at that went for $100.  I probably should have bought it, but I just don't have the room for it.  It was worth $100 just for parts.

[leapinlew]

Actually, my favorite game of all time is Demolition Derby.  I own a dedicated upright, but would really like to find a 4 player cocktail version.  Unfortunately, they are nearly impossible to find.  For my next project I am planning on making a recreation of the Demolition Derby Cocktail, so that will have 4 (!) 360 wheels and pedals, which should be great for these games.

So yeah, I agree that the spinner deal is not as good, but it's going to have to do for now to tide me over.  Plus, with this machine, my Demolition Derby, and potentially a cocktail, that will be all I can fit in my house.  Oh, I also have a Firepower pin.  See, I'm running out of space!

Anyway, yeah, the spinners might be overkill, but I think it'll be worth the $$$.  I have been picking up gas pedals on Ebay, so I will probably end up putting three of them on the Cab.

There was a working offroad at the last auction I was at that went for $100.  I probably should have bought it, but I just don't have the room for it.  It was worth $100 just for parts.

ahh...

sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you explain yourself, but I was just curious. I absolutely LOVE firepower. I can't own a pinball though. It just seems like too much that can break.

If the spinners are going to be just to hold you over.... hell, you might as well add 1 more. 4 player warlords is a total blast.

[Duster72]

No problem, I don't mind.  Explaining myself helps you understand so you can give me better suggestions.  BTW, the Firepower was my grandfather's and my grandma is giving it to me next month when I move, so I'm pretty pumped.  It needs some work, but it's some pretty minor stuff for a free pin.


Anyway, the original design was for 4 spinners for Warlords and Demo Derby and some 49-way sticks.  I wasn't happy w/ the 49 ways performance in 4 way mode and wasn't very excited about any of the switchable sticks, so I decided to go with 4 comps and a 4 way.  The problem is the placement of the 4-way.  If anybody has a better placement for it, I would like to try moving it around and putting the spinner back in, but it seems to ruin the symetry of the CP.  I even thought about making a stand alone spinner control with USB out.  I might still do that so I can have 4 going.


Otherwise, my wife is pushing for a change to an Indianapolis Colts theme.  Here's my first ever Photoshop creation:


Larger

Any feedback on this basic look?

[arzoo]

Since you