Has anyone noticed that the quality and innovation in projects is going UP?

[BobA]

For some reason the last year has given us alot of new projects where the quality and inovation is going up at a phenomenal rate.  The bar is set higher with each new milestone.

I can think of a few reasons, you can probably think of more.

1. New hardware and supporting software.

2. Builders now have more experience under their belt.

3. The previous projects are being built on and enhanced.

4. Documention of projects is getting better and better.

Edit: Spelling

[leapinlew]

For some reason the last year has given us alot of new projects where the quality and inovation is going up at a phenomenal rate.  The bar is set higher with each new milestone.

I can think of a few reasons, you can probably think of more.

1. New hardware and supporting software.

2. Builders now have more experience under their belt.

3. The previous projects are being built on and enhanced.

4. Documention of projects is getting better and better.

Which projects stand out in your mind? Some highlights for me:

• I've really enjoyed seeing some of the mini's come together - Tomatocade and VRF's design.
• There are some really cool looking juke's being made - Specifically McCoys and Psychotechs
• The damn near perfection of Mountain, Artifact and Knievels work is great
• Knievel has come up with some pretty cool and innovative designs
• Spacies keeps making some pretty cool designs (thin wall hanging model, chicken crap cocktails and the white cocktail)
• I think TheCoder is full time arcade building now
• I'm not a fan of the mini-sticks, but Timoe has been making some killer designs. I'm anxious to see how Kaytrims sticks do

Wonder what next year will be like! 

[ratzz]

This forum is a fantastic resource...

I wouldn't know where to start, and its thanks to you guys who have made the mistakes that we who are new to this obsession have learnt by.

So its a big   to you ...

Highlight? javeryh's Bellas arcade, and documentation is second to none. The blog is in my favorites ...

[XyloSesame]

For some reason the last year has given us alot of new projects where the quality and inovation is going up at a phenomenal rate.  The bar is set higher with each new milestone.

I can think of a few reasons, you can probably think of more.

1. New hardware and supporting software.

2. Builders now have more experience under their belt.

3. The previous projects are being built on and enhanced.

4. Documention of projects is getting better and better.

I've been lurking for years and would say number four is what I see as key. The sharing and documentation inspires first-time builders like myself, and both strengthens skills and deepens knowledge shared by the masters of the craft.

[spacies]

Thanks Leapinlew.

I am honoured to be on that list with those other guys.

I could post a ton more machine build ups but I would end up boring the crap out of you guys.
Plus the documentation is a long process and because I build so many, it would take a lot of time as well. I wasn't even going to post the small machine and I was just having a laugh when I did.

I recently did a machine for a friend, which although it lacks bells and whistles, it has become one of my favourite looking machines:



And this one too:




The new hardware like illuminated trackballs and buttons, Stainless joysticks, fancy spinners that you can fit a steering wheel onto    have really push the bling factor up and made the machines look awesome. Credit to RandyT, Andy @ Ultimarc and others too.

I also agree on the fact that the builders have a lot more experience and are not afraid to tackle more difficult tasks. Mostly due to the resource here at BYOAC. Saint and his crew really can't be thanked enough.

I have a few new projects up my sleeve which I may document as I go.

Thanks again.

Watch this space.

[theCoder]

Thanks as well.  Honoured also.  I'm just having fun.  My career has shifted (to management) and I now have a huge pent up need to create.  This arcade stuff is just a phase for me.  My wife thinks I'm nuts, but she knows I need a creative outlet.  I like to document what I do because that is half the fun.  The thought that someone else may actually learn from and try something I document keeps me posting.  I'm sure some of the stuff I write is trash and "no duh" for some, but you never know.    I do know that I've learned a lot from the large knowledge base contained in this forum. 

After my LED bling phase passes, I've also got another project I'm thinking of.  Perhaps next year will be a good one as well. 

Keep creating and post those pics.   

[mccoy178]

It has been a pleasure to learn from the members of this forum.  I had a similar situation as Coder in that I went from running a business 24/7 to doing nothing, so my mind kept racing.  Once I found this hobby, it was love at first site.  I would contribute a lot of the improvements over the past year to three things:
1.  Better Hardware
2.  Easier Software
3.  (What I think has been the main difference), More users on the internet.  It seems that as information continues to be accessible, more and more creative people are using the internet productively.  I think that the trade off to all the noobs who ask about the "O" "K" buttons, is the innovative ideas and energy they bring to the forum.

Thanks all for your inspirations, and I'll try to continue to build exciting projects!

[javeryh]

I am also honored to be mentioned in this thread!  I think the construction quality and innovation is definitely going up around here.  It seems like every week or so someone posts a project that has an original aspect to it or some cool innovation *coughcodercough*.  I wonder how far we can take it?  In 25 years will people be looking back and getting all nostalgic about what we are doing now?

[Kaytrim]

I agree that there have been quite a few nice cabs and other projects built so far this year.  Some of the builders that come to mind are Lew, javeryh, phsyotech, Coder.  Not to mention a few noobs like Jay and his lizard inspired cab.  A lot of this I believe is due to the innovators like Randy and Andy.

Don't forget the Pinewood_Princess and her creations.

Thanks for the mention Lew, I am anxious too.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[SavannahLion]

Just to play devils advocate here.

There's a threshold where a particular hobby becomes inaccessible at the entry level for all but the very few (read: elite).

The best example I can think of off the top of my head is custom PC modding. When over clocking 300MHz Celery's were still the rage, it was still possible for the average Joe to make a trip down to The Home Depot, grab some copper tubing, fittings, acrylic, some enamel, carve out their case, and put together a very decent looking case mod. As the art became more refined, obtaining customized parts became ever easier and the PC mod quality radically improved. It wasn't long before some of the PC mods became stunning works of art. The Half-Life Strider PC will forever stay on my wish list. All of a sudden, those of us who were part of the original group who forged new ground (can't say my Badtz Maru case mod is new ground ) found themselves in a hobby surrounded by ridiculously high priced aftermarket kits that were considered must-haves or case mods that only art students could accomplish.

When the parts and tools cost of a "basic" water cooled PC exceeded the price of the high end PC components itself and anything less was not considered worthy of attention, the hobby became inaccessible to most people.

There's nothing wrong with improvements in a particular hobby. The improvements I've seen in a vast number of hobbies are just outright stunning. Electronics, robotics, scale modeling, Personal Computing, etc. There are things available now that I only dreamed of ten or fifteen years ago. Many of these improvements and innovations are drawing my attention to hobbies I haven't visited in years.

Just don't forget to encourage those people who aren't able to afford the products from GGG or Ultimarc or wherever and are left to hack apart those keyboard and joystick controller boards or making their own arcade controls with bits of wood, PVC, VCR parts and glue.

[mountain]

Thanks for that leapinlew 

Project Announcements is a great place for newbs to get ideas and to realize what is possible. Before I found BYOAC, I was Googling for cabinet images to get ideas. Hell, I may have used contact paper for my CP if I had not found BYOAC.

Several people here have the skills to build great cabinets. The ones who have the vision to create something unique, and document it, are the ones who push this hobby to the next level.

Now if we could just figure out a way to get Artifact up to Canada to document Knievels upcoming project announcement from start to finish…

[Bartman]

I think this forum is a tremendous asset to the arcade community.  I've been lurking for about a year now slowly acquiring parts for my first build.  During that time, I've been able to soak up so much knowledge from everyone here that even as a first timer, I feel pretty confident in what I'm trying.  Especially since I know if I run into a problem, I can turn to the boards for help.

Looking forward to my first build and hopefully being able to help others in the future.

[superbigjay]

Not to mention a few noobs like Jay and his lizard inspired cab...

hey hey!!
thanks for that Kaytrim...

As many other noobs, reading through the posts gave me the confidence I needed to start such a project...

So the effort put into the documentation of everyone's project definitively helps others

Jay