Robotron cabinet.....kinda....scratch built

[btp2k2]

Well.....it's been a little less than 6 months since the last cabinet I built and I am starting to get restless....I need to build something!!!! I am always looking for unique and different projects.

So...I figured this would be pretty unique and different......





Sorry for the crappy quality....Not only is it a quick mockup, it is my first time using Sketchup.

In case the quality is too crappy, it is a sit down Robotron 2084 cabinet. I am still in the very early stages of planning....I will post more as it happens!

[polaris]

you gotta do it, that'd be awesome, few suggestions, controllers on arms that come down in front of you , and an external screen for viewers would be cool too.

[btp2k2]

Not sure I catch you on the controllers part....'controllers on arms that come down in front of you'

I don't get it.

I am trying to talk my wife into letting me finish the garage and turn it into an arcade, if she goes for it....Robotron 2084 gets the sit down treatment!

[Steve]

Dude, that's AWESOME you HAVE to do it 

I'd like to see some pics and some plans when completed

Can't wait to see it

[Donkey_Kong]

 

Put the biggest monitor you can squeeze in there too. My kid and i were playing Robotron today on a 42" screen and it's pretty cool big like that.

You'll be Robgod with that cab!    Awesome brother!

[btp2k2]

I have a 27 inch TV that I took out of a cabinet I retired. Robotron looked pretty awesome on it, so I might go with that on if I can't find something else for a reasonable price.

Not sure what I am going to use for joysticks yet. I have a couple of Ultimarc J-Stiks sitting around...I might use those....or use this project to test out the Ultrastik 360...not sure. If I use the J-Stiks, I have an extra Minipac that I am going to use.

The thinking is going to be done by a spare 1.2 gig Athlon with 768MB ram.....The only other games it will run is Smash TV/Total Carnage, so CPU doesn't need to be a killer.

One thing I would like to do is have it boot up straight into Robotron....Not sure how that is done though

[rockin_rick]

Really cool idea - a Robotron cockpit.  Are you planning a completely rectangular side profile as shown, or was that part of the rough draft?  I kinda like the completely rectangular shape/design.  I don't remember another cab with that shape.

What is the goal of this?  Is it a aesthetically dedicated machine, or is it to be a 'mame-afied' machine?  By mame-afied I mean with non-original/exact controls and layouts.  If mame-a-fied, then perhaps you could use some gorf-like flight sticks, and be able to play tank games and such.  Or you could add action buttons 'under' (closer to the player) the joysticks to play other games.

I wonder how it would look with some subtle lighting inside.  Maybe a red glow or something.  And/or a lit 'control panel'. 

I think that you can configure some front ends to load a specific game when started, and that you can load the front end when windows is started.  I'm pretty sure that Mala can do it, I think that some others can too.

Rick

[danny_galaga]

yeah, definitely have an external screen too. doesnt have to be as huge as the internal one of course...

[Jimbo]

Maaahhn that looks cool... jeez I wish I had the space for something like that!!

Just make sure you put the joysticks far enough forward so its still possible to play if you have really long forearms!

Love it!

[btp2k2]

I was toying with the idea of a black light above the players head.

Flight sticks would be kinda cool, but they are pretty pricey....and at least in my experience they tend to be pretty stiff.....Robotron needs a pretty smooth action.

Jimbo, luckily I am pretty long in the forearm department, so I think the short forearm guys are going to be the ones with an issue

[shardian]

The first thing I thought of with this (well after saying SCHWEET!), was of putting analog sticks in and also using it for total immersion FPS games. Wire up surround sound inside the cockpit and go.

[btp2k2]

Well, that's a little more than I wanted this to be....and with the 1.2 gig processor for brains, I don't think there are many FPS games that would play on that.

This is actually a "practice" project that just happens to be cool. My actual goal is to gain experience building a cockpit cabinet with this project and then using that knowledge to make a cockpit with modular panels so you can switch out racing and flight controls. I am quite a sim nut and would love to be able to add a little immersion into my flight sims

[btp2k2]

YEAH!

I just got the go ahead to finish the garage! That means this project just got the green light! I've been given specific instructions to finish the dry wall first and then I can build my baby

[BrentRadio]

Are the joysticks going to be on the sides? I think it would be cool to have them on the arm rests of a Captains chair.

[btp2k2]

Yeah, they are on the arm rests....the interior on my "model" is a little dark...sorry

[BrentRadio]

Ahh, I see it now. You should make the joysticks as big as the ones in the pic. I think it would be cool to have a really big red balltop joystick with a 1 inch shaft and 8 inches long.

hmmm that didn't come out right!

 

[spacies]

Cool idea.

For the knobs you could also use some cool ones from a car. Carbon Fibre etc

[More Cowbell]

Is this project done yet? I  can't wait any more! 

[csa3d]

Ahh, I see it now. You should make the joysticks as big as the ones in the pic. I think it would be cool to have a really big red balltop joystick with a 1 inch shaft and 8 inches long.

hmmm that didn't come out right!

 

Totally!  Just like this..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjv7k54YTa0[/youtube]

-csa

[btp2k2]

Is this project done yet? I  can't wait any more! 

Yeah...I built it this morning.

Just letting the paper mache dry