Author Topic: NEXUS 6 (Read 4516 times)

whoozwah · « **on:** July 04, 2009, 02:53:17 am »

I'm starting developing on my second cabinet. My first one was like a rough draft (which you can check out from my sig). I called it the Quad Laser as it was based on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I'm calling this new one the Quad Laser Mark II until I get the style nailed down.

What I want to do is build a dedicated vertical cab for classic 4 way games and shmups. I have a 24" widescreen rotating HP monitor that I'll be using for the display and I think I've pretty much decided based on comments from the folks here, the shmups forum and the shoryuken forum that the Mag Stik Plus is going to be my best best for a stick that doesn't require any modifications to get the desired performance out of it. Some folks swear by the opticals such as the P360 (which is what I have on the Quad Laser) but they're pretty stiff and I want something a bit faster.

I'm gonna get the ball top sticks for them as well as the convex happ pushbuttons. My only concern at this point is the actual cabinet design. I'm trying to decide if I should follow a dynamo design or something along the lines of the pacman cabs. Space is an issue and I think a dynamo may end up being more than I really have room for.

What do you think?

Later,
Dave

IG-88 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2009, 11:52:11 am »

My first question would be why have a rotating monitor if you are doing a dedicated vertical cab?

whoozwah · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2009, 10:50:35 pm »

I just happened to have the rotating monitor. I used it to a point where I wasn't even turning it back hori anymore and thought "who am I kidding? Do it right"

So I've decided that I'm going to do a modified Ms. Pac-Man style cabinet. I've also decided that I'm going skip female disconnects when doing the wiring job and go straight up soldering. I don't muck around with the underside of the Quad Laser's control panel so I don't see where soldering the mark II would be an issue.

I still haven't decided on a visual theme though. Some of my buds were suggesting I do a ghostbusters cab but I'm not sold on it (although I'm a huge fan). I'd like to find a design that gels with the selection of games that I'm going to be putting on it which is mainly shmups and classic games (being a dedicated vertical cab and all). It's a process but if you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate the input!

edit#2: I don't know why it didn't hit me sooner. Cyberpunk. Blade Runner, Akira etc. Now we're getting somewhere. I don't know what the policy is on bumping threads but I'll more than likely bump this with pics if no one else posts on it before I have some.

whoozwah · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2009, 01:30:01 am »

Thread renamed to reflect the name I've settled on for this cabinet. I'm calling it the NEXUS 6 after the series of replicants in Blade Runner. Since it's a shmup cab, a cyberpunk theme seemed to be a perfect fit for me and I've alway loved that style. As soon as I get some artwork put together, I'll post it up.

mj147 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2009, 02:56:57 am »

If your going shmups I would go with some Seimitsu LS-32 joys. Im surprised they recommended the mag stick, folks at SRK love these for shmups and even fighters, very tight, fast joys.

mj147

BASS! · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2009, 03:11:45 am »

Well if you want to draw some serious inspiration for this project, make sure you check out Syd Mead. He is the graphic artist that did all of the concepts for the movie. If you were to deck a cab out with his art, and some cyberpunk/steampunk influences I think you could very well have an extremely beautiful machine. Take your time though, if you butcher this I am going to throw a fit.

Ond · « **Reply #6 on:** July 09, 2009, 03:55:18 am »

You're lucky, I nearly went with that name for my own cab (which remains as yet unnamed) sometime ago but I changed my mind. I'm a huge fan of Blade Runner and was before the term "Cyberpunk' was even thought of. I have a copy of the original shooting screenplay and have read most of PKD's works over the years. I'll be watching (like BASS!) to see where you go with it. As much of a fan as I am and as much as my cab is suited to the theme I prefer to create something original for my cab. I drew a 3D model of the spinner years ago, I've always meant to update it and improve it but to whet your appetite here's my original version....

Ond

BASS! · « **Reply #7 on:** July 09, 2009, 04:11:31 am »

Cool little model there man:-) If you wanna see something wild check out the spinner restoration blog the guys over at bladezone did.

http://media.bladezone.com/contents/film/production/props/spinner3/spinner_rising.php

Ond · « **Reply #8 on:** July 09, 2009, 05:24:19 am »

Quote from: BASS! on July 09, 2009, 04:11:31 am

Cool little model there man:-) If you wanna see something wild check out the spinner restoration blog the guys over at bladezone did.

Thanks, yeah I checked out the restoration work some years ago, I was looking for images of the Spinner and found the restoration site. The original Spinner was just sitting in some back lot negelected until those guys lovingly restored it including a full paint job. Nice to know it's preserved like it is.

I was pretty pleased with the last release of the film Ridley Scott did it looks fantastic - I guess I'm a BR nerd, some ppl can quote Holy Grail from end-to-end lol, I can do that with BR, come to think of it I can quote most of Holy Grail as well ...sad veggies. look ... no cheating I swear "You like our Owl?" "It's artificial?" "Of course it is" "Must be expensive" "Very" "I'm Rachel" "Deckard" "It seems you feel our work is not a benefit to the public" "Replicants are like any other machine, they're either a benefit or a hazzard, if they're a benefit it's not my problem" "Have you ever retired a human by mistake..." blah blah blah lol.

whoozwah · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2009, 11:04:01 am »

I can do that with Ghostbusters...and the Goonies.

I'm not just going to base it on blade runner though. I might be pulling from other sources as well. Akira comes to mind.

Yvan256 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2009, 11:59:31 am »

"No."
"But in your position that is a risk."

I'm with these guys though. If you're going to name your cabinet "Nexus 6", I'll also be watching like a hawk!

whoozwah · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2009, 12:04:58 pm »

It's strange. No one knows what the Quad Laser is but when I change the thread name to NEXUS 6, people start coming out of the woodwork. This cab is going to take some time to build. Mainly because I have lot of stuff I have to take care of before I can start spending money on it.

To the folks that recommended the Seimitsu LS-32 sticks, I was seriously looking at those for a bit but decided on the MAGs because of the pull-turn-push 4 way to 8 way swich that doesn't require getting to the bottom side of the control panel. Some of the more avid shmup players on here said that the MAG is pretty decent for shmups also (although they swear up and down that opticals are better).

Bender · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2009, 12:48:47 pm »

"What do you mean I'm not helping?"

Ond, I'm with you, a total BR fanatic probably my favorite movie. Love the new Blu-Ray the resoration is fantastic and the special features and the original work print... just awesome!
I was waiting for years for that release

so I too will be watching with great interest

BASS! · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2009, 03:37:56 pm »

I actually bought the hddvd addon just for that movie (at frys)

HD addon - $34
Bladerunner - $10

Ond · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2009, 07:56:58 pm »

Quote from: whoozwah on July 09, 2009, 12:04:58 pm

....but when I change the thread name to NEXUS 6, people start coming out of the woodwork...

Yep! we all came scuttling over to check it out. And of course it's going to hit the 'interest' nerve, these day's Blade Runner is regarded as a great cult classic and a defining part of movie history - from which all manner of things followed, Akira included. So, no pressure or nothing

. I'm happy to contibute to some artwork when you get to that point if you like, even just some non specific cyberpunk stuff. I'm interested in what your fav shmups are, there some really cool ones out there .

brock.sampson · « **Reply #15 on:** July 09, 2009, 10:21:33 pm »

If it makes any difference I knew exactly what Quad Laser was, and no one can defeat it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3AB8f7Rxes[/youtube]

whoozwah · « **Reply #16 on:** July 14, 2009, 03:17:28 am »

Quote from: Ond on July 09, 2009, 07:56:58 pm

I'm interested in what your fav shmups are, there some really cool ones out there .

I'm big into new school manic shmups. Cave and Raizing are my fav developers.

DonPachi
DoDonPachi
ESP Ra.De.
Progear
Guwange
Battle Garegga ('cept for the near invisible bullets)
Battle Bakraid
Armed Police Batrider (Welcome to Violent City!)

those are the ones that I play the most.

I'm not under any pressure to impress anyone really. The way I see it, I'm building this for me and if I'm happy with it, that's the most important thing. That being said, I wouldn't have posted the project idea if I didn't want to hear what other people had to say about it.

whoozwah · « **Reply #17 on:** July 18, 2009, 12:14:16 am »

A potential marquee:

what do you think? I'm trying to capture cyberpunk as a whole, not just do a Blade Runner machine.

BASS! · « **Reply #18 on:** July 18, 2009, 07:48:51 am »

I don't know what it is but the eyes of the girl bug me. Could you try darkening them and the mouth/nose? Also, no texture on the words. Maybe a little glow or lighting effects though.

Yvan256 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 18, 2009, 08:24:57 am »

The person on the left, in reversed colors and with the lines and bubbles... it all looks too much "stylized art" to be cyberpunk IMHO. A bit cliché, but I would go with Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell instead.

I like the vertical windows effet you did with the Blade Runner screenshot, it's very clean. If that's not Blade Runner, well, it sure looks like it.

Small note about the font you used though: if you look at a Blade Runner poster, the "lines" in their font are much thinner than yours.

(I'm assuming this is the font you used, it looks very similar)

You could try to simply lower the top part of the letters so that the line becomes thinner, it just might do the trick.

And now that I'm looking at the glow behind the main tower in the Blade Runner poster above, I'm with BASS! for the glowing effect idea.

Apart from those details, the concept itself is really interesting, can't wait to see the final result!

whoozwah · « **Reply #20 on:** July 18, 2009, 07:01:00 pm »

that is indeed the font I used. I fixed it. I also removed the texture and added a glow effect tinted slightly orange. BTW, the cityscape shot is actually from the Dark Knight and the severed cyborg head is actually a GITS wallpaper. I'll upload the modified one shortly.

EDIT: I made some of the suggested edits and added something new. Just trying stuff out. Nothing's nailed down yet.

AcidArmitage · « **Reply #21 on:** July 18, 2009, 08:26:16 pm »

i would lose that white grid in the BG and make the city span the whole marquee (with a fading away effect)

Yvan256 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 18, 2009, 08:52:10 pm »

Quote from: whoozwah on July 18, 2009, 07:01:00 pm

that is indeed the font I used. I fixed it. I also removed the texture and added a glow effect tinted slightly orange. BTW, the cityscape shot is actually from the Dark Knight and the severed cyborg head is actually a GITS wallpaper. I'll upload the modified one shortly.

EDIT: I made some of the suggested edits and added something new. Just trying stuff out. Nothing's nailed down yet.

Okay, now I read "NEXUS-6"... on the other one I was almost reading "HEXUS-6".

The severed cyborg head looks a bit creepy to me, I'd prefer something anime-style, not life-like. Then again it's not my cab, so if you like it, keep it!

whoozwah · « **Reply #23 on:** July 18, 2009, 11:10:10 pm »

Quote from: AcidArmitage on July 18, 2009, 08:26:16 pm

i would lose that white grid in the BG and make the city span the whole marquee (with a fading away effect)

I couldn't figure out a way to span the entire marquee without it looking goofy.

I did however 86 the grid. After looking at it for a while I decided it looked too amateurish. Once I removed it though I found that there was a big empty space between the head and the cityscape that needed to be filled, along with the bottom left corner. How about some smoke? I also personally like the realistic cyborg skull better than the anime one so I think I'm going to stick with that.

system01 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 19, 2009, 01:34:19 am »

I'm not liking the cyborg head either.

What about something like this, cropping everything to the left of the face and having the building lights fade into the windows you have?
http://www.bestps3themes.com/images/bladerunnerpreview.jpg

And I would suggest something else with the text. It's the colors (I think). The bright red over the blue look rookie-ish. It looks cheap over classy. I dunno. Maybe make them darker and a bit transparent, so that you know they're red, but not standing out so much. I know, put the scanline-anime-girl in there, center the text horizontally, darken the text (to match the movie poster), then size down the text and put a black bar behind it, across the entire thing. I'd also say ditch the glow.

Just my thoughts.

Yvan256 · « **Reply #25 on:** July 20, 2009, 01:24:11 pm »

Idea: the scan-like Blade Runner giant screen idea but with an anime screenshot from GitS?

vertygo · « **Reply #26 on:** July 20, 2009, 03:31:44 pm »

what about something more along these lines ?

http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/warner/images/blade_runner_final_cut/pack3.jpg

simple, almost arcade-like, but definitely recognizable as BR.

"Humans Only. Playing this MAME machine constitutes your agreement in taking the Voight-Kampff test."

"Capilary dilation of the so-called blush response

… fluctuation of the pupil, Involuntary dilation of the iris"


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