Joel Builds An Arcade Machine

[Murdoch]

Not sure if this kind of thing is OK in this forum. Building projects are not specifically mentioned as OK but they also not in the naughty list either. And since this is all about retro gaming and may be of interest to some, hopefully the mods will be OK with it. I wanted to create a kind of construction diary of sorts. Good way to keep focused on this little project, and also maybe get random ideas and feedback.

So I have been wanting to build my own custom arcade machine for a long time. The main thing that stopped me from pursuing it was how to do the sides justice with the basic tools at my disposal. You have got to have those curved sides, or it is just not a proper arcade machine. But now I have a contact who has a gigantic CNC rig, the sides will not be a problem. The plan had originally be to do something with a Raspberry Pi. But as I was tidying my computer shop a month or so ago, I remembered I had a basically still functional all-in-one desktop I got off of a customer. The hard drive had failed on them, but the touch glass was chipped and due to the design, it was necessary to put pressure on the glass to get inside the machine.  I warned them it would likely crack worse, and sure enough it did. They had already been of a mind to replace the computer anyway so were not upset at the news. I gave them a discount on a new tower plus in-home setup in return for keeping the old computer, thinking I could likely do something with it but not sure what at the time. So it sat in my shop collecting dust for a year or so. I realised that if it was still functional, it would make a good base for doing the arcade machine as it had an excellent 24 inch 1080p LCD panel, saving money on both the actual computer driving it and getting a monitor for the build too. So I stripped everything out of the housing to begin experimenting.

 

Here's the computer at the start...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rBY23ZCTTpoxevn17

Extracting the LCD Panel, having removed the motherboard and the like and the metal frame that everything was attached to...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/t4CxQw9BXREV3vHu9

Careful now, don't want to twist and crack the panel...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uZWzR9M2T8GkRVhK6

Success!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/65CaqBSeZ5dUFUaU9

 

The intial plan had been to simply roughly reassemble the motherboard and install and test software via an HDMI monitor like so...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SJ4iDJy7AWRgyjg26

 

Unfortunately the computer refused to start. Adding the monitor display and power cable made it start, however I was not getting a boot logo. A quick search confirmed that the computer would only output to HDMI once Windows had loaded. Not a lot of help for this situation. Now I had originally intended to mount the motherboard distinct from the LCD panel, but the display cable was much too short. So I held everything together by hand and sure enough, booting...

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bBCYMXQTtjH6MbWP6

 

After thinking, I quickly came up with a solution to the no external monitor support and the too short display cable. I reassembled everything back into the original metal frame like so...

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zNduczCnRT6rWCz16

 

But this left a problem, I did not want the weight of the panel and frame crunching the motherboard while I worked on the software setup. A couple of pieces of pine and some screws later and...

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Q6c4Pkabqq6rEnbg6

 

So yes, the first time I have used wood while working a computer. First time for everything apparently. The screw holes on the original frame will also enable easy mounting into the arcade cabinet.

 

Once that was sorted, installing Windows went fine. Set a suitable wallpaper and we're in business....

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ysA2S3FyUdr9ddqN6

 

Now it's not the most power computer, an AMD A9 with 8GB of RAM. I put an SSD in (obviously). I will likely tweak the Windows setup later, disabling needless services and the like. But I was concerned performance might not be OK. It was a bit silly to be concerned really given my MAME installation is about 16 years old. Gameplay video below showing everything smoothly. Watch and enjoy the hilarity of a man playing Final Fight with one hand - on a keyboard.

 

 

I had considered using the original all-in-one speakers, but they are often not great plus give limited room for flexibility when it comes to positioning. The next step will be to setup the joysticks. Bought this kit off an NZ auction site. Everything seems good and solid but no wiring instructions lol. Hopefully there is something online, or simple process of elimination might work....

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zwefnRaa7g8CXZdi7

 

Once those are tested and working, it will be time to begin designing the cabinet. Due to my rather severe space limitations, it will be a bartop model rather than full height. I want to design it in such a way that it can be easily be tweaked should I need to change the computer and/or LCD panel due to failure at some point. I will upload some sketches (or possibly some line art) once I get to that stage and you can all mock my terrible skills in both. I have also been experimenting with the different software frontends. Still have not decided on one just yet. Emulationstation works well, but lacks a way to quickly exit games. Launchbox supposedly has that in the paid version and I love the art it imports, but I am having trouble getting MAME working. Retroarch is almost overdesigned and clunkly interface wise, but the fact that it runs everything natively appeals. I just want a games list I can control with the joystick but it's too cluttered.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Murdoch

[Murdoch]

Right so the solution to getting MAME to work with Launchbox is to use the latest version of MAME instead of a 16 year old verison. Thought so. I already know one game I cannot find a ROM dump that works for (Aliens vs Predator) but perhaps a crafty batch file might do the trick there and run it in the old version.

[Biodegradable]

Building your own arcade machine, fam? Hell yeah, that's pretty damn cool in my book. I'll be curious to see how you progress with it.

[HavoX]

Niiiice.

 

Looking forward to the final product, if it ever comes to light.

[Murdoch]

5 hours ago, HavoX said:

Niiiice.

 

Looking forward to the final product, if it ever comes to light.

 

Oh it will. When though is another story. 

[Smoothandz]

Yeah, this is not OK... it's freakin cool as hell. It looks like you have a solid platform to build from. Sending you... uh...

Luck?

Prayers?

Good vibes?

Best wishes?

 

Cheers... sending you cheers or whatever kinda encouragement floats your goat.

[Murdoch]

9 minutes ago, Smoothandz said:

Cheers... sending you cheers or whatever kinda encouragement floats your goat.

 

Haha thanks. Already had another idea - make it a "convertible" cabinet. Everything important in the top bartop section so it can sit in my small back office on a bench but still have a base i can store elsewhere. Then should the occasion call for it i can bring top and base into the lounge and slot them together so it becomes a full size machine.

[Murdoch]

After many hours of downloading and testing, I have been able to rebuild my MAME library with ROMs that work with the latest version of MAME and so work with Launchbox. EmulationStation was fine if a bit basic and it lacked a game exit function - critical for being able to control the machine entirely with the joystick. Retroarch's interface is horribly clunky. I was pretty happy with the free version of Launchbox so splurged on the paid version if only for the exit game function. Now I can quite whatever game by pressing a two button combination on the joystick. However, it's "Big Box" mode (think Steam big picture) is really good and exactly what I was looking for but didn't find in the other two packages - a beautiful, easy to navigate and well presented front end that can be entirely joystick controlled and can even shut down the computer.

 

Next step will be to assemble and test the joystick kit! Exciting. Well to me anyway.

EDIT: Found a cool theme called "Coin Op". When you change your system selection the marquee on the inset machine changes. And when you select the game, the marquee and the title screen changes to match.

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Murdoch

[Redneckerz]

@MurdochHave you thought or seen the ArcadeVGA cards?

[Murdoch]

29 minutes ago, Redneckerz said:

@MurdochHave you thought or seen the ArcadeVGA cards?

 

No. A neat idea but i couldn't use one in this build even if i wanted to as its using an old all in one desktop.

[Murdoch]

Exciting updates!

 

Thrill as man turns on computer mounted on two bits of wood, impatiently waits for software to load, and wiggles a joystick!

 

 

Marvel as he connects buttons... and presses them!

 

Yes I am being very silly here but I am genuinely really thrilled to see this all starting to come together with the joysticks working perfectly and software exactly how I wanted it working.

[Murdoch]

So after much pondering, searching, browsing and measuring of available spaces, I am most likely going to get this cabinet design and give it to my buddy with the CNC rig...

 

https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/1037957055/arcade-bartop-machine-big-cabinet-table?ref=shop_home_recs_19&crt=1

 

But I am only going to get him to do the sides, and cut them off just below the control box. I preferred these sides to the designs in his other cabinets. It would be very easy to just get my friend to do the whole thing but then the design wouldn't be mine. I only want to defer to others when the tools I have at my disposal are not up to the task and such is the case with the sides. I mean I could do it with the tools I have but it would be time consuming and tedious as hell, and both sides almost certainly would not match.

 

I am almost certainly going to build the control box with the joysticks and the buttons as a distinct, self contained piece, and then slot it into the final cabinet. This will let me fine tune the positions of the various parts to get them exactly how I want them much more easily than if it were part of a bigger assembly. 

 

 

[Murdoch]

Decided to go with this one instead...

 

https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/803308763/arcade-bartop-machine-cabinet-127mm-12?ref=shop_home_recs_15

 

The design of the sides was more in line with a traditional machine I felt. I downloaded the file and edited in Librecad to remove the bits I do not need, leaving just the sides. Have forwarded this to my friend with the CNC rig for his perusal. New Zealand had to go into a snap lockdown again (apparently perspex shields at quarantine facilities that do not go all the way to the roof and having the public wander past them were not a great idea. Who knew?) so I will be impatiently waiting a few weeks before I can get him to do this for me. Fortunately no cases in the South Island where I am so it should not be too long. Once I have the sides in hand I can begin designing the control box. Thinking some cardboard mockups to start with to get a feel for joystick and button positions. I am a pretty broad shouldered guy but also have limited physical space to work with. Want to try and find a balance between spacing that will be comfortable for me but also won't be too wide for it's intended spot.

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

Really cool Murdoch!

 

About RetroArch, I found it so clunky when I tried to set it up that I gave up. Thank you for reminding me of Launchbox. I play on a tv with a controller so I always wanted to set up a frontend. It just seems very intimidating to someone who isn't really experienced with emulation beyond an intermediate level.

[Murdoch]

18 minutes ago, TheMagicMushroomMan said:

Really cool Murdoch!

 

About RetroArch, I found it so clunky when I tried to set it up that I gave up. Thank you for reminding me of Launchbox. I play on a tv with a controller so I always wanted to set up a frontend. It just seems very intimidating to someone who isn't really experienced with emulation beyond an intermediate level.

 

Yeah Retroarch really just wasn't nice to use or setup. It also had bits for Videos, Music and Pictures and it was like dudes, it's a game front end. Not a media centre. I couldn't understand the motivation. Just felt like they got a bad case of feature creep and there was no real thought given to the end user experience.

 

Launchbox is free and works well as far as it goes. It can pick up games from all the big stores, loads Roms and ties them to an emulator, and loads artwork and information too. You can also setup playlists and manually load games into them, or tell it to always load it with games for a particular platform - hence the specific NES, Master System, Genesis/Mega Drive and Arcade lists you see in my screenshots. You can control it with the joystick/controller but it just moves the mouse cursor around which is a bit clunky. The pro version with Big box is definitely worth the money, and has better controller control as well as the ability to set a button combination to quickly exit the game which the emulators themselves strangely lack. Plus there's endless customisation potential with themes. With the cheapest option you only get updates for a year, but honestly I can't see much need for updates beyond that point - at least not for this particular project.

Edited August 30, 2021 by Murdoch

[Murdoch]

Sides being cut! Exciting!

[Smoothandz]

Woot woot! Looks like you are making good progress. I'm excited to see the final product. Keep up the good work!

[vyruss]

I know this isn't the exact purpose of this topic, but which CNC machine is that if it is yours?

[Murdoch]

2 hours ago, vyruss said:

I know this isn't the exact purpose of this topic, but which CNC machine is that if it is yours?

 

Not mine. Belongs to a friend so no idea.

[Smoothandz]

Yo Joel, any updates to this sweet piece of machinery?

[Murdoch]

22 minutes ago, Smoothandz said:

Yo Joel, any updates to this sweet piece of machinery?

 

Not yet. Been busy with work. Hopefully this weekend as my lady is out of town for work. Plan is to prop the two sides up with crossbars the width of the final machine and then kind of build into it. I think this will aid with visualization of how big each bit should be and use cardboard mockups to get sizing and positioning correct for each part.

[Murdoch]

1. Side marked out for the temporary support bars.

2. Dead handy measuring tool let me mark lines quickly and accurately. Love this thing.

3. Support beams in place.

 

So these beams are only temporary while i measure and build the rest of the structure into it. But it's once again made it feel all the more real. Next step joystick layout mockups!

 

Edit: and this may have already inspired a change. Considering changing this for a permanent L shaped framework. Going to ponder and sketch before deciding.

Edited November 1, 2021 by Murdoch

[Murdoch]

Cutting out the frame by hand doesn't thrill. This looks like a job for an extravagant purchase! Wanted one of these for ages.

[Murdoch]

New mitre saw is a thing of beauty. Should have got one years ago.

 

Here's the completed frame. Not screwed in yet as want to think a little more overnight in case another change occurs to me. I went with the super thick wood to try and give it some weight. I cannot help but wonder about the original DXF i got the sides from. It recommended 12.7mm thick MDF. I used 18mm and even that felt like a completed cabinet would be much too light. Thus the frame.

 

[Murdoch]

Decided to do a bit of rough photoshopping to experiment with eventual finishes. Most cabinets have t-moulding but that's expensive and challenging to fit. I have found some U moulding which is more affordable and fits, but it is not available in blue (which is my first colour choice) and needs to ship from overseas, but the grey looks OK. I may just say bugger it, round off the edges so there's a curve, and paint it.

[Smoothandz]

I have to say, the blue on black really looks great. The grey looks nice and clean, but if you can stick with the blue I think that would really give the machine a great look. 

[Murdoch]

2 hours ago, Smoothandz said:

I have to say, the blue on black really looks great. The grey looks nice and clean, but if you can stick with the blue I think that would really give the machine a great look. 

 

Yes i agree the strong blue is my number 1 choice.

[Murdoch]

Have gone with the frame as depicted above. Screws are in place and everything is fitting flat and square.

 

Time to design the controller section. Have my cardboard template started. Going to mock something up on computer then use the cardboard to see if the positions feel good.

[Murdoch]

The holes and pencil lines from my initial experiments were bothering me so time to break out the filler and sandpaper. You can see the sketch lines where the inner panels will line up on the inner left side.

[Murdoch]

This design came up on Pinterest. Thinking I might steal that Marque idea. I have less space to work with, but I like how the blue looks through the letter cut outs. Combine it with the blue edging proposed in my experiments above and I think it will look pretty neat.

 

https://makezine.com/2014/08/15/building-a-basic-arcade-cabinet/