Project Arcade

Build Your Own Arcade Machine!

IBM PCIG / K-Lug March 2008

Tim Massaro Jon Tollefson

The Book
Remember Pac-Man at the local convenience store, or Street Fighter at the malls arcade? Tough to find these days... Wouldnt it be great to have your favorite arcade machine in your own den or recreation room? Project Arcade is for You!

Goals

Play a Double Dragon board I bought at a Swap Sale Make use of a broken laptop Do a Wood Working project with Dad Build my own arcade machine Keep it less than a Playstation Play Games and Have Fun!

Types of Machines

Desktop/Gamepad Upright & Mini Cocktail table Bartop or Counter top Cockpit Style Driving

Plan

Space available Games you want to play

See Killer List of Video Games www.klov.com

Is authentic gameplay important? Cost Skill Time Existing Equipment Buy vs Build

Anatomy of an Arcade Machine

Monitor (pc/tv/arcade) Computer (400Mhz) / Jamma/ Gamebox/Console Computer Operating System (Windows/Linux/Mac/DOS) Buttons Joysticks (4-way/8-way/switchable/analog/digital) Trackball Spinner

Leaf switch

Microswitches

Keyboard Encoders
Keyboard Hack GPWiz, & Ipac Controller

Anatomy of an Arcade Machine

Keyboard Controller (usb/ps2) Wood (MDF, Plywood) Vinyl T-molding Glass Casters Lighting Speakers Coin Door Marquee Bezel Control Panel Overlay Graphics Additional controls (steering wheels/pedals)

Emulators/PCB

PCB (printed circuit board) - JAMMA (Japanese Amusement

Machine Manufacturer's Association - wiring standard for arcade machines)

Can swap PCBs out to play different games. Also several 48 in 1 boards are available. MAME Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator emulates the JAMMA boards Other Emulator are out there as well SNES/Jaguar/Atari 2600/Sega

Where Can I Find Plans?

Project Arcade includes Upright Plans Find examples and plans on byoac.com Buy plans from arcaderoom.com Tim's is loosely based on Kyle Lindstrom's Ms Pacman free plans
http://ripplinriver.com/?page_id=4

and Zakk's HouseArcade

http://www.mameworld.net/massive/Cabinet/House/House.html

Design Tool Resources

Google SketchUp

http://sketchup.google.com/

SecondLife
(dimensions must be entered in metric)

Buy vs Build

Kaytrim Kustoms desktop gamepads X-Arcade Prebuilt Control Panels Ready to assemble, and pre-built cabs available at

Arcade Depot.com mameroom.com mikesarcade.com

More at: http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/vendors

Restoring vs Gutting Cabs

Gutted /broken cabinets can be found for <$100 Can be cost effective, but Preserve Classic Arcade Machines/Graphics

Tools Required

Tape measure Tsquare Circular Saw Drill w/ 1 1/8 Hole saw Jigsaw Sander Screwdrivers Paint Brushes Router if using T-molding Wirestripper & Crimper

quarter Button 1 orange 1.35 esc Button 1 purple 1.35 pinball Button 4 black 1.35 speaker 1 black 5.44 glass 1 1/4 grey 38.96 glass clamps 1 brass set of 4 3.96 GP-Wiz Eco 32 controller 1 23.95 wires 65ft 20 awg 1 red bell wire 5.66 65ft 20 awg 1 blue bell wire 5.66 35ft 18 awg 1 black threaded 6.99 Female connectors 1 100 Red insulated 8.99 screws 1 1.25 inch 3.57 screws 8x3/4" 1 1.98 machine bolts 1 6-32x2 0.79 wood - 3/4 sanded 1 Red Oak Sanded 42.88 Stain 1 1 pt Puritan Pine, already had 0 3/4 x 2" Corner Irons 4 (4 per package) 2.28 1/2 x 2.5" 1 (4 per package) 1.9 Draw Catch 1 1.98 Draw Catch 1 package of 2 4.87 Oak Trim 1 ironon 5.97 hinge 1 Piano Hinge 0 Casters 1 4 3" (2 locking) 4 3/4" x 10' Galv Pipe strapping 1 Monitor Strapping 1 bezel Light 1 LED 1 coin door n/a tmoulding n/a 1.85 2.59 2.99

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 4 4 1 1 1 1 1.99 0.88 12.59

1.35 1.35 1.35 5.44 38.96 3.96 23.95 5.66 5.66 6.99 8.99 3.57 1.98 0.79 42.88 0 9.12 7.6 1.98 4.87 5.97 0 7.96 0.88 12.59

Key Cost Items

Wood Glass Joysticks Buttons Controller

$43.00 $41.00 $38.00 $27.00 $24.00

$322 Total

push button wrench terminal bracket euro mini Insul stand offs 1 Pkg of 4

1 2 1

1.85 5.18 2.99 $322

Tradeoffs

4/8 Joystick (switchable from above) $29 vs a 4way and an 8 way for $10 each GpWiz Eco least expensive USB controller, required Joy2Key and only 32 contacts vs more common IPAC Spinner, Trackball essential? Not for extra cost (Optipac required) (But, depends on your fav games!) Oak wood actually cost less than MDF/Vinyl and T-molding Rectangular glass vs rounded glass

Software Front-Ends

Allow users to select games . > 20 Front-Ends available. GameLauncher, MaLa, MameWah... Menumaker for GameLauncher helps

MameWah

MaLa

Time Spent

Planning who knows? 3 days carpentry 2 days wiring

Lessons Learned

GPWiz Eco 32 emulates Gamepad not keyboard, needed Joy2Key software 2 Player games, watch for key combos (ie one player hits Enter the other Alt) Shop around for parts, Glass/Controllers big difference where you order. Mockup control panel good for getting software down Fun! (playable = hard to finish)

Legal Issues

Jamma board machines are Legal PC Games you own are legal Grey-area, roms for emulators where you own boards. A company starroms.com created a legal compilation of roms (now out of business). Mame cannot be used in machines that charge money. Not O.K. Roms for emulators are not legal ala RIAA, same as mp3 file sharing.

Legal Software

Many good legal pc games available some free, some cost. Most selection on windows. Check for configurable keys

Examples: Packages Atari Arcade Hits / Pacman pacs ChoRenSha & Prototype R-type style Ultimate Pro Pinball More can be found at:
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Cabfriendly_games

Mockup device

Handy for testing out software Test button/joystick layout Some find a good gamepad is close enough to authentic (see Kaytrim Kustom example)

Linux Considerations

Keyboard Controller software and Mame emulator runs fine LemonLauncher a good front end Some, but not as much PC game software Dosbox can be used to run old Dos games LiveCD mame projects are out there

http://advancemame.sourceforge.net/index.html http://sourceforge.net/projects/knoppixmame

Pics of The IceBox

Resources/Links

Project Arcade the Book http://www.projectarcade.com/ Byoac website, wiki and forums (very helpful) http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade.htm http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com Mameworld.net http://www.mameworld.net/ Killer List of Video Games www.klov.com IceBox under construction http://ripplinriver.com/?page_id=4 Glass http://www.onedayglass.com/ (or Hentges Glass locally)

Parts Resources/Links

Happ Controls http://www.happcontrols.com/ KeyWiz GPWiz controller http://www.groovygamegear.com/ Ipac Controller - Ultimarc http://www.ultimarc.com/ Us supplier divemaster http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?to pic=47066.0 Misc Parts http://www.therealbobroberts.net/ More Vendors can be found at: http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/vendors

Questions?