The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: Boco on September 22, 2013, 12:33:24 am
-
Hey everyone. I've been working on an arcade style game for a little while. We actually created it for a game jam to make games for a newly built arcade cabinet that was then hosted in an local barcade. There's a link about it here: http://www.polygon.com/features/2013/3/14/4090234/community-service-the-story-of-chicagos-indie-city-arcade-cabinet (http://www.polygon.com/features/2013/3/14/4090234/community-service-the-story-of-chicagos-indie-city-arcade-cabinet)
However I had no part in the actual cabinet build and wanted to make my own. Long story short, I got the hand-me-down cabinet that we didn't use for the original project. So now it's my project. And I've never done any part of this before. And as will become obvious by reading me, I don't know what anything is called or how to do anything. I don't even own a drill yet. This is what I've got to start with
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/10dc314941b92b92a67e2fc5edf82326/tumblr_mszcgo4klW1srkfswo1_1280.jpg)
I started by absolutely gutting the thing. It's mostly a few pieces of wood at this point. I think I might still try gutting it some more.
Here are the things I hope to accomplish with this cabinet:
- Build a 4 player arcade stick(I have all the button/stick parts)
- Cut a foot off the back so it doesn't take up so much space
- Mount a <25" monitor I got and cover it up proper
- Replace the speakers
- Create the title plate thingy
- Give the cabinet a Victorian style look (thinking plush sides up top and those wood looking stickers for the sides.
- Replace the front with a door with functional coin slot (have the coin slot)
- Be able to host a few different games on the machine
- Make it semi-mobile
I can post about the issues I'm running into very soon, but for now here is the stick layout I designed in photoshop
(http://i.imgur.com/C6zuvZx.jpg)
Here is some old art from the game we are building it around
(http://i.imgur.com/8js2emN.jpg) (http://i.imgur.com/5fnSvZb.jpg)
And finally... this is how I work
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/fd66048ff68c32852ac5dccb727681b0/tumblr_mtab75Oyil1srkfswo1_500.gif)
Cheers!
-
Kicking finely constructed wood leads to a duel of fisticuffs in this fine establishment!
good day, sir!
I said, good day!
;D
-
Welcome Boco! (Everybody, go play Organ Trail!). :cheers:
Looks like you've got a solid cab to start with. Title plate=marquee. One thought about cutting down the depth: make sure you measure how much clearance the back of the monitor will need, you may not have a whole foot to take off. Well, unless it is an LCD monitor, in which case, hack away, as long as the cabinet doesn't become front-heavy.
-
(http://i.imgur.com/C6zuvZx.jpg)
P3 & 4's joysticks should be mounted in the same orientation as P1 & 2 even though the players stand at an angle and the buttons are at an angle. That's how almost all original arcade cabs were done.
It's been covered ad nauseum. Search "angled joysticks" in the main forum to see pics and read the debates.
-
Cool looking game! The idea of a Victorian themed cabinet is great. The artwork of the guy is well... personally I am not a fan of the style. Just not MANLY enough:
(https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/3222658281/e39483b7e72cbb90edcabb1162101f61.jpeg)
-
Cool looking game! The idea of a Victorian themed cabinet is great. The artwork of the guy is well... personally I am not a fan of the style. Just not MANLY enough:
Yea, definitely needs more animal heads mounted on the walls.
-
Just a quick update. I got a puppy so things slowed down for a little while. I also had an order for a mini-pc from China go badly. Apparently Chicago, IL, Israel isn't a real place nor do I live there.
I got the sticks working and mounted my monitor. Now I can play things! Hurrah. I had to make my own cord extensions for the rightmost player so of course sometimes the buttons stop working. I have to look into how to fix that.
(http://i.imgur.com/zeFgaJD.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/QQYoJTr.jpg)
Currently waiting on some tools for adding trim and I'm still not sure what to do for the overall design... The contact paper I used on the sticks does not stick to the existing material on the sides... I also am afraid to try and make the front bit that goes around the monitor. I need to be super duper exact. Which I am not good at.
-
Allow me to commend you on orienting your joysticks correctly on that 4-player control panel. :cheers:
-
Also worth mentioning... you can probably see a little bit in the wiring image but I made extension "drums" for the 4 player setup. And they are attached with some picture framing brackets so they are removable without tools. I'm particularly proud of those as it was my first time creating something new (a box!)
-
I have two of those same cabinets
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2
-
Just a quick update. I got a puppy so things slowed down for a little while. I also had an order for a mini-pc from China go badly. Apparently Chicago, IL, Israel isn't a real place nor do I live there.
I got the sticks working and mounted my monitor. Now I can play things! Hurrah. I had to make my own cord extensions for the rightmost player so of course sometimes the buttons stop working. I have to look into how to fix that.
(http://i.imgur.com/zeFgaJD.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/QQYoJTr.jpg)
Currently waiting on some tools for adding trim and I'm still not sure what to do for the overall design... The contact paper I used on the sticks does not stick to the existing material on the sides... I also am afraid to try and make the front bit that goes around the monitor. I need to be super duper exact. Which I am not good at.
Thats going to be "cozy" with four adults playing at once.
-
Cool! Good luck, & keep posting!
The 'title plate thingy' is a 'marquee'.
-
Man you went cosmo police galivan onthat cabs ass :lol
-
I looked for a download for that game. Is there one available?
-
the rom name is galivan
it's in Mame...
I'm sure you can get it from all the usual places.
-
the rom name is galivan
it's in Mame...
I'm sure you can get it from all the usual places.
The game in the first post with all the hats?
-
LOL
no...
just a bad joke...
sorry.
-
I'm shocked nobody has asked this yet. Why do you have 6 buttons on P3 and P4? I've never seen a game that had more than 4 buttons on a 4 player game. I could be wrong though.
-
I'm shocked nobody has asked this yet. Why do you have 6 buttons on P3 and P4? I've never seen a game that had more than 4 buttons on a 4 player game. I could be wrong though.
I'm guessing the plan is to play more than MAME games. Note Samurai Gunn (indie game) on the screen.
-
In regards to buttons: Yea it's more and indie game cab so I'm making games for it and putting others' on it too. As well, I'm ocd and not having the same number of buttons would make me upset. Plus I don't know any better.
The game is not available yet. We just finished a kickstarter for it. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hatsproductions/max-gentlemen?ref=home_location (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hatsproductions/max-gentlemen?ref=home_location) I hope to release in January. (fingers crossed) Although this cabinet project it taking up a bunch of my time.