85 replies to this topic

[BoltBait]

Now that I've finished my Pinball Cabinet (http://BoltBait.com/pinball) I'm thinking about tackling a MAME cabinet in the same vain.
 
Has anyone built one?  If so, do you have any advice for me?  Links to resources? etc.
 
Should I build a 2 player cabinet or stick with single player controls?  (I'm leaning toward single player...)
 
In addition to the standard joystick and buttons, I'd like to include:

• A steering wheel (quick release? so it is not always in the way) for pole position, etc.
• A ball control for centipede, etc.
• A knob control for tempest, etc.

Anything I'm forgetting?  (I'm not really interested in gun games.)
 
I'm most interested in the older classic games (defender, star castle, etc.)
 
As I understand it, most people use a raspberry pi for this type of thing. Is that what I should use? I was actually thinking of using an old i3 computer I have.  Would this be better?
 
What software should I use?  I know about MAME, but is there other emulators that I should be considering?
 
What about menu software--is there something like PinballX for video games?

Im thinking about using my 19 4:3 LCD monitor. Or, should I get a widescreen monitor?

Dont feel you have to answer everything. Just give your opinion on whatever you like.

Thanks!

Edited by BoltBait, 23 July 2018 - 12:12 AM.

[STAT]

I use http://www.mgalaxy.com and, of Course, MAME is a must Have, also on Arcade Cab i have:
Sega Model 2 and Sega Model 3 Emulator: Sega Rally and Daytona are awesome to Play here.
(don't fotget at this, there is a Menu at this for all the Options {Players, Screens, …})

I also have an extra MAME, and another Software with a WiiMote for Gun Games ( Bluetooth, it works! ) for example: Terminator 2 or Operation Wolf.
Also you can Play some Wii Games on PC - yes, i Play New Super Mario with JOYSTICK

A year later i mounted a Paddle/Spinner (Ultimarc Spinner, Ebay), and forgot that i could also mount a "Little" Wheel at this, Paddle is a nice to have for "Arkanoid" ( love it ).
Pole Position would be great with a Steering Wheel, but yeah it is ok with the Paddle.
( possible Wheel: Ebay, Ultimarc 6 Inch Steering Wheel For SpinTrak Spinner Unit )

PC: i think your i3 is abosutely ReadyToGo for this Stuff!

And a year later+ i bought 2 Speedlink Drift OZ, i wanted to build a Race Cab (2 Player) for the best Race Games (2019?),
works great with Sega Model 2 Emu, tested on the Arcade Cab(2 or more Screen Support - Looking wow).

 

What i have not, and now it would be good: a Trackball, one for the MAME Golf Games.

Builded in 2011 and updated every Year a Little bit, so i am not up to date, what could be the Best "now",
because i think i already have all my Favorites and much more, they are older than 2011

Edited by STAT, 16 June 2018 - 04:32 PM.

[Nemo]

Well well well....the paint on the cab is still a bit wet and already you are thinking about mame cabs 

 

 

Anyhew......yeah.....you just must give the pincab some company ....

 

The left one is an ALL vertical game setup with a GameElf (just a micro computer with all rom's build in) The right one is a

full blown mame machine, with an OLD pc. Most games do not need a half decent pc at all, so even a slow one will suffice.

(i DO however use a SSD with an E8400 C2D for quick launch and overall reasonable performance) 

Build the whole thing myself and it's almost an exact copy of the original left one. The original one i fitted out with an old

22" CRT on its side, so it's in portrait mode. The mame one has a 24" lcd in landscape mode, both have beefy subs for a pumping bass.

 

I just did a one player setup, i rarely play a 2 player game with someone else, so why invest ?

 

As with pinball X there's also a GREAT frontend for the mamecab: https://www.launchbox-app.com/big-box  such cool stuff !!

 

One side note on joysticks and buttons, i like sticks with short travel, they are just much much better for fast paced games.

Buy quality: mine is a Happs, i think they're great. Also buy good buttons, i like concave ones with light cherry switches.

 

But everyone has his own taste for the feel of the input stuff.

 

Ohh man i'm going to LOVE this buildlog as i did with your pincab, thrilled to see what you will come up with for this arcade !

[tcboogiedown]

Stat
Can you share the instructions on wiimote guns. I have spent many unsuccessful hours trying to set this up.

[STAT]

I think i made a quick Instruction on my ArcadeCab ... today/tomorrow here ...

[BoltBait]

With my pinball cabinet I started with a simple drawing.

 

Well, here's my simple drawing for my MAME cabinet:

 

These are not the final dimensions, just a rough sketch. 

 

Looks like I'll need two 4x8 sheets of 3/4" plywood this time.

 

Speakers mounted above the screen, sub inside the cabinet, lighted sign at the top.

 

Obviously, I still need to think about my controls and their placement. I still want a steering wheel and maybe trackball.

 

Feedback? Comments?

 

How tall should it be?  (I'll know how wide once I get a screen.)

Edited by BoltBait, 20 June 2018 - 01:25 AM.

[STV]

HA!   You said "finished"...  

 

I built this monstrosity of a control panel with 3/4" MDF and a put a nice textured contact paper on top.  Mounted with a piano hinge on the back so the whole thing lifts up so I can work on it, access the keyboard underneath, or switch the 4/8 stick.   

 

The Omni2 4/8 switchable joystick is to the left. The stick in the middle is the "Pac-pro" 4 way leaf. The flight stick is a "Night Mission".  I'd like to get a better flightstick but they're hard to find.

 

All sticks were acquired from groovygamegear.com. The Omni2 came with an option for "smoothjoy" switches. I definitely recommend this upgrade as you can barely feel the clicks.

 

The flight stick switches were terrible, replaced them with some smoother microswitches.

 

The trackball is the standard HAPP and that's the "Tornado" spinner with its own USB connection. 

 

Everything else connects through the ultimarc mini-pac including all the "gold leaf" buttons.  I put a real leaf switch on the "fire"...  just didn't feel right without it.

 

Oh, and the PC is a core i3 something running windows XP on an SSD.  21" monitor set vertically.   MAME,  Maximus Arcade front end.   

[BoltBait]

Lots of great info in this thread so far.  Keep it coming!

 

STV, that's one hell of a control panel.

 

I'd like to take the minimalist approach.  I'm thinking about this layout...

 

 

Thoughts?  Any games I wouldn't be able to play? (Remember, I have no interest in gun games.)  Maybe I should include a flight stick instead of a joystick?

Edited by BoltBait, 20 June 2018 - 07:45 AM.

[DDH69]

All I have to say is .... PiPlay

 

http://www.vpforums....l=+mame +coffee

[Nemo]

The joy in the middle for me is not so handy, you'll find yourself standing to the right of the machine.

My joy is far left, spinner in the middle, above that 1 P & Coin in buttons, action button to the far right in a slightly slanted position.

 

I'll take a pic this afternoon, but it's a very standard setup. I'm not sure, but i have seen a forum member who had detachable config's

for various games (displayed them nice too) thought it was Randr but not sure...

[STV]

The joy in the middle is a 4 way dedicated for pacman and others like it.

 

The joy to the left is 4/8 switchable.  Donkeykong and its variants require a 4, scramble requires an 8.  You can't run donkey kong on an 8 way, it doesn't work. Similarly pac-man and its variants, they won't work on an 8 way.

 

The flightstick in the middle is 8 way, for tron and the other flight sims.

 

For missle control had to add those black fire buttons to the left -  vanguard caused the diamond of four reds to the right.  That's how it became the mess that it is, making accommondations for the games I wanted to play.

[BoltBait]

The joy in the middle for me is not so handy, you'll find yourself standing to the right of the machine.

OK, so I should swap the positions of the joystick and the spinner control. Thats some good feedback.

As for the 4-way vs. 8-way joystick, Id probably just have a 4-way joystick. Sounds like it would work for the games I want to play. Should I get one of those switchable ones? Which popular games require an 8-way joystick?

Edited by BoltBait, 20 June 2018 - 04:55 PM.

[STV]

I only run about 100 games and these come to mind as requiring 8 way

 

berzerk/frenzy

commando

gorf

scramble

supercobra

tron

xevious

[STV]

venture

ikari warriors

zaxxon

 

and the superzaxxon, superxevious

[STAT]

I think i made a quick Instruction on my ArcadeCab ... today/tomorrow here ...

Sorry, very busy at the Moment, i don't Forget it, coming soon ...

[BoltBait]

 

The joy in the middle for me is not so handy, you'll find yourself standing to the right of the machine.

 

OK, so I should swap the positions of the joystick and the spinner control. Thats some good feedback.

As for the 4-way vs. 8-way joystick, Id probably just have a 4-way joystick. Sounds like it would work for the games I want to play.

 

Revised control panel layout:

 

 

 

Coin In buttons will be on the front of the cabinet, like on my pinball machine.

At the bottom of the front I would also have the gas and brake pedals.

 

I was just thinking... instead of having a piece of plastic at the top of the cabinet with a light behind it, should I have a monitor up there instead that shows the name/logo of the game currently being played (you know, something like a B2S type of setup on my pinball cab)?

Edited by BoltBait, 21 June 2018 - 08:06 PM.

[DDH69]

Not the site I originally got it from, but the same images.  I used a 6 button 8 way joystick (required for Truxton) http://www.slagcoin....ick/layout.html

 

Also, here is the site for PiPlay with just about every emulator you could need. https://piplay.org/  If you go down this path I have code that makes the GPIO run keyboard input which makes the response lightning fast.  It beats the heck out of using a USB keyboard emulator on the front end.

[BoltBait]

Not the site I originally got it from, but the same images.  I used a 6 button 8 way joystick (required for Truxton) http://www.slagcoin....ick/layout.html

What game requires that many buttons?!

 

EDIT: I see that Street Fighter has a joystick and 6 buttons.  Well, I have no interest in that game, so I think I'm good with a lot less buttons.

Edited by BoltBait, 20 June 2018 - 11:41 PM.

[Wiliamo]

The Control Panel took me the most time to design. Just like measure twice and cut once, design multiple times.  I first drew the controls on a piece of cardboard to make sure my wrists were supported as well as a place for my arms to be without hitting other buttons.  Once I was satisfied, I drilled the MDF and Plexiglass.  I spray painted the plexiglass from underneath.  The two white buttons on top are Player 1&2 coin insert and start.  The five yellow buttons are MAME functions such as menu, enter, save, load and exit.  The three blue buttons on the far left are for missile command.  I love that game.  Spinner and two blue buttons are for tempest.  The middle joy stick is a four way stick for pacman which also rotates 45 degrees for Q-Bert.  The two red ones on the left of the bottom joysticks are left/right for Asteroids.  Then I mapped the three of the red buttons for fire, thrust and hyperspace.  The two bottom joysticks are eight way sticks. Note: The first two buttons in each 'group' act as a left/right mouse button.  Have Fun!

 

[BoltBait]

...The middle joy stick is a four way stick for pacman which also rotates 45 degrees for Q-Bert...

 

 

Oh, hadn't thought of that. I do enjoy Q-Bert.  How does it rotate?