My MAME build, phase 2 (56K Warning)

[D-Lew]

Just starting phase 2 of my build.
In case you are not aware, MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator and is used for just that. Phase 1 was getting the PC built and setup for operations with all the software and roms and such. Now on to phase 2, which deals with the cabinet. This was my first step of MANY to come today for this phase, but I think I did a pretty good job. I laid out the general design of the build. Note in this program, Gmax, I just have a general idea of the measurements after modifying the polygons and such. So I don't know the exact dimensions, but it's around 6.5' tall, 3.5' wide (at the control panel), and 3.5' deep.

After this I'll probably use a better modeling program for dimensions such as SolidEdge or maybe even Google sketchup if it can pull it off, and recreate the shape and see what it comes out with. I'm also probably going to change the MAME marquee on top to something more original later, but I'm not sure what I'll do with that just yet.

After this is done, I need to build the cabinet, hook up a TV, get the sticks and buttons, and figure out a way to hack them into a PC component so I can actually use them as inputs. Should be a challenge.

I'm going to document the rest of the build on here probably as soon as I get into the nitty gritty of it, so stay tuned if you're interested.

 

[mark thorpe]

Re: My MAME build, phase 2

cool, that looks really good, nice job!

 

[D-Lew]

I imagine it will be difficult to build, but whatever. I've never really worked with wood or anything before so I'll learn some stuff. I may modify the cabinet a little and take out the 2 degree angles that the side panels are at and just make it straight for simplicity's sake.

Thanks for the input Mark and thanks for the edit Chris.

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

lol some ppl down the street were throwing out an arcade cabinet last week in the garbage

 

[D-Lew]

WHAT!

Man you shoulda got the truck and loaded her up for me!

 

[Rubber314Chicken]

that should be fun. if you need help with the wood aspect of it, lemme know, I'm pretty good with that stuff.

 

[D-Lew]

Haha ok, thanks. I'll try to remember but I imagine it will be a couple weeks before I get going on this.

 

[sek3o1]

dang man good luck.....hopefully it wont be too hard!

 

[David Lindon]

So what kind of monitor do you use in a setup like that? Could you just use an old tv?

 

[D-Lew]

What's in the cards now is I think a 20-something inch LCD SDTV.
The reason being is, it's free and I'm low on money right now, so the project has a low budget. It's a broken TV that I think I can repair.

I wanted to get a large CRT monitor first (expensive and heavy!!!) and now a CRT TV to get the overall feel of an old arcade machine, but that can come later if I feel like it. MAME has a DirectX-powered option to put an aperture overlay over an image. So even on a nice and clear LCD screen, it still looks like it's on an old monitor. Some people use arcade monitor but it's much easier to use a video card's s-vid out and hook up to a TV.

So basically, you get images that render exactly like this (direct screen capture):