So I took it upon myself to begin construction of an arcade cabinet. Sounds like an insane chore, but the expenses haven't added up quite yet. I ordered some parts a couple years ago and never had the chance to put them into anything, but the project is back on and will hopefully be completed midway through the winter.
A lot of you probably know what I'm referring to, but this isn't a tutorial, so you're welcome to read on about the experience so far. If you're not familiar with the idea, allow me to explain.
An emulator is a program that "emulates" old hardware. The NES, Apple II, MSX, Gameboy, and even the PS2 have programs out there dedicated to faking the hardware on your computer, allowing you to run all the old applications that were made solely for use with that particular piece of equipment. The most incredible program out there is called MAME, an emulator that has the only goal of providing the most authentic arcade experience right in your home. Authentic is the key word, and a wiki run or visiting the homepage will explain all the details.
Computer technology, several years ago, required your main computer be used to acceptably run the majority of games available to the emulator for the sake of horsepower. These days, we throw computers of that generation out, stash them in the garage, turn them into a print server, or gut them for parts. The odds of you having an extra computer that's relatively useless is pretty high, and if not, you're more than likely going to be able to find a friend or co-worker with a rig they could care less about from five years ago. Plus, the good news is that you probably don't have to do much in the way of parts shopping for this computer, either. So long as the computer can actually start the OS, all you'll need to do is throw a spare or dirt cheap RAM stick into it and check to make sure that your video card isn't from the 90's.
Now, here's where the whole opinion part of the conversation comes in. Yes, you can just order kits online to streamline the process, but most of us don't have that kind of money lying around, and the rewards aren't so high. See, the thing is, this is going to be a new piece of furniture that lives and breathes awesome gaming. Buying all of the premade parts can cost you from two to three grand, and in the end, you basically have yourself the IKEA of arcade machines.
Money, however, really depends on your drive, creativity, and your confidence. The cabinet really demands focus and skill in several areas, and if you're lacking in one, it might just be a good idea to order a complete component out of sheer convenience. The real reason I even bother to write this is because I just finished reading some jackass introduce the MAME cabinet idea as some expensive project he didn't need to build. That's great for some people, but for others...well...you'll see what I mean.
The Cabinet
The beast itself. This will be the monstrosity your significant other is going to hate you for. I realize that arcades are fast becoming extinct, but somewhere in town, you're going to find one. At the very least, you'll find a machine to take a look at. Arcade games game out in literally hundreds of different styles, depending on the game, the country, the maker, and God knows what else. The most basic, and thankfully common, of the arcade setups was similar to an SNK NeoGeo MVS, pictured below.
As you can see, this is a pretty basic model of arcade machine, but it's as simple a design as you're going to get. Most people build something at least similar to this, because the thing just does its functions with no flairs and few drawbacks. The one I'm currently building is going to look fairly similar to this, but with a few modifications. Oh yes, did I mention modifications?
First, a warning. If you're going to build an arcade monolith, you better get very used to pre-planning everything. Everything is important down to the size of the holes you drill and it all needs to be extremely precise. There are plans and templates all over the internet, but things tend to get fuzzy when it comes to the exact science of it all. Even if you find a plan on the internet, you'll still need to do your own work at some point, so be ready for that.
Seriously though, take a look at the MVS. Functional, simple, and boring. Sure, the machine is an awesome reminder of 90's arcade gaming, but it doesn't have a wow factor. Here's some more ideas:
The infamous X-Men 6 player standup. That's right, six players could do battle at the same time on this thing, and we all know six is better than two.The Jurassic Park shooter, which isn't a standup at all. Arcade machines can get really elaborate, especially if you've seen those boxing games at the theatre.
A different version of the NeoGeo MVS arcade system, tailored for a sit-down experience. Even the coin slot has been modified. The white version is a lot more flashier, but this thing is straight up plastic. Great design, but not practical to build.
So there's some inspiration for you. Building your own machine means you can modify everything, and that means personality. If you're going for function, then stick with the red MVS, but just taking a look at the other models shows that someone else got creative, too. If you want your marquee to be a little wider to house strobe lights and a fog machine, then you absolutely can. If you want to box up a big screen and make an arcade island for 6-player games, then go for it. You can even make a cocktail style setup if you want. The possibilities are endless. I added cup holders to mine, and I've even seen beer kegs built into these things
Go ahead and pay $600 or more for a pre-built, boring standup model is you want, but unless you're going for pure function, get inspired to mess around. Decide where you want things to go and how it should look, or even if it should look like an arcade machine at all. I can't stress enough that the cabinet doesn't just have to be for games. If you can imagine your machine having a dual-use or a really badass style, then now's your chance to make it happen. Ultimately, the cabinet is where you decide how this rig is going to function, and doing it yourself could cost as little as $100 if you already have the tools.
The Control Panel
Arguably the most important part of the process, the control panel is where your hands meet the game. Quality is key here, because this is what you're going to use the most. You're the one who has to slam down on the buttons, so it's up to you what those controls should look, feel, and play like. The most widely recommended option, and I can't argue with the choice, is the control panels from X-Arcade.
Pictured above is the Tankstick in all its glory. You really can't go wrong choosing it. Even if you just want the controls minus the cabinet, one of these can save you a lot of trouble. You can simply plop one of these into you cabinet and be ready to go with minimal fuss. It's also $200.
Now, you're probably not going to save a lot of money doing it the hard way. That very same setup can easily cost you the same amount of cash if you were to buy the parts individually. However, the huge bonus to doing it on your own is that, once again, you can customize.
As I mentioned before, you have to live with the button placement, and you should be the one to choose now it all feels. Don't get be wrong, this bad boy is fine the way it is, but do the buttons light up? No. Is there a big, shiny red button for you to slam down on in a Punch-Out! game? No. Does the trackball glow? Nope. You won't even find Pac-Man styled ball-top joysticks here, either.
A great site, groovygamegear.com, has loads of customization packed into its website. Feel free to choose a different site if you want to, but just browsing the site can give you all kinds of crazy ideas when it comes to the overall look of your cabinet. Go ahead, look.
The downside is that you have to wire everything up yourself. So if you want a massive beast of a cabinet capable of playing every game ever made with its proper peripherals, that'll run you a lot of dough, and then you have to link everything up to a card that translates the input so a computer can understand it. That's more money, and now you have to learn basic electronics. Tutorials are everywhere, though, so getting what you want is a little less headachey.
The Display
Thank God for HDTV's, or this part could have become expensive and annoying in a hurry. You can use your old computer monitor if you like, but a throwaway monitor probably isn't going to be big enough. Arcade screens were never really that big, to be honest, so you could easily get away with a monitor with the bonus of it being the natural means of video output on a computer.
HDTV's, though, are getting cheap enough to where you can get one for pretty cheap that has a VGA slot for your computer, and the size range is wonderful. Depending on your ultimate goal for the machine, a good 32' TV isn't going to set you back much and will work just fine as an arcade screen. The emulator itself even provides video filters to make it look like you're playing on an old CRT screen from the arcades, so screw authenticity in hardware. There are some people that really give themselves a headache going down the authenticity route, because you not only have to find and buy a CRT, but you need to buy and setup special video cards and outputs just to get the computer to talk to it.
Plus, if you build your cabinet the right way, you can always yank that TV right back out for use elsewhere.
The Audio
Stick some old computer speakers into the right slots, and it will sound just fine. Stick some car audio equipment in there, and your arcade can effectively become a house encompassing vibrator.
As I said, this is really about customization. No one can tell you how to do the audio right, because that's entirely up to you. Most arcade machines double as a jukebox due to the software that the front-end runs on. If you have an old value boombox that you've since ditched for a 5.1 surround system, yank it out and use it.
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I seem to have gone the outline route for the whole thing, but the whole point is that it shouldn't feel as expensive a project as its made out to be. You don't need to spend $3000 on a boring, standard arcade unit when you can build your own the way you want. The little costs add up here and there, but you can really get a system like this off the ground with things you can find everyday for free or dirt cheap. A lot of people have an old computer, monitor, and speaker system that they aren't using, and if you have access to the right tools, you may find yourself getting your project built for $500.
On the plus side, you really don't need to limit this project as a game project. What people don't tell you is that making the cabinets yourself can not only be cheaper, but completely functional ego-furniture for your house. That monstrosity that your significant other hates may just be welcomed as a great internet-terminal for your house bar or a jukebox for the house. The cabinet can light up like downtown Tokyo, or it can be made to match a rustic living room. You can build anything onto these things. From dispensers to extra shelf space, from cup holders to iPod charging docks, these machines can serve a function.
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