bennybingo Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Pretty cool about the Merlin board,... never heard of that before I really enjoy Dragon's Lair, a really fun game Here is a link to the Merlin Board (and other cool products for laserdisc based arcade machines): http://wood1st.com/LaserCon/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 That's a cool site Benny. There are some weird LD games listed on there I hadn't ever even heard of. Esh's Aurunmilla ? Anyone heard of that game? looks pretty cool! Similar to Dragons Lair/Space Ace Watching the gameplay vid on YouTube.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJuO6fG9Ajw#t=369 The main character is very Dirk like, but he says many, throwaway and goofy things. Plus he makes a lot of noise. (Kind of like Dirk) "Wha!? Whoh! Hu! Urgh! Wha? Oooo That was a bumpy ride!" The voice acting quality is pretty laughable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Hey bud, congrats on the arcade machine! Dragon's Lair always was really hard for me as a kid, but I was always drawn to it since it was so gorgeous, graphically. Some questions. Can you use any ol' laser disc player? I'm assuming the game's main board controls the laser disc player, and the game is just on a disc, right? If so, I have a really high quality laserdisc player (Sony) that's worth over a hundred bucks (one of the rare ones) that I don't use anymore. If it'll help you out, and it'll work, I'd give it to you for the cost of shipping. I figure it runs on something proprietary, but in the case it doesn't I hope I could help. I know what it feels like to get a new arcade machine, and I can't imagine how anxious you are to get this thing off the ground. Other questions. Have you gotten the laser disc out of the player to verify it's in there at all? Considering how it was vandalized, isn't it a possibility that someone stole the disc from the player? Also, you said you can print the graphics out for the cabinet. How would you get the vector art for it? If you need any help with the art, just let me know, I'm a graphic designer. I'd be really happy to help ya. Best of luck, please keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Hey bud, congrats on the arcade machine! Dragon's Lair always was really hard for me as a kid, but I was always drawn to it since it was so gorgeous, graphically. Some questions. Can you use any ol' laser disc player? I'm assuming the game's main board controls the laser disc player, and the game is just on a disc, right? If so, I have a really high quality laserdisc player (Sony) that's worth over a hundred bucks (one of the rare ones) that I don't use anymore. If it'll help you out, and it'll work, I'd give it to you for the cost of shipping. I figure it runs on something proprietary, but in the case it doesn't I hope I could help. I know what it feels like to get a new arcade machine, and I can't imagine how anxious you are to get this thing off the ground. Other questions. Have you gotten the laser disc out of the player to verify it's in there at all? Considering how it was vandalized, isn't it a possibility that someone stole the disc from the player? Also, you said you can print the graphics out for the cabinet. How would you get the vector art for it? If you need any help with the art, just let me know, I'm a graphic designer. I'd be really happy to help ya. Best of luck, please keep us updated! The laser disc is present and it is in great shape. The player is not. I really appreciate your offer with regards to the LDP, but unfortunately, these machines only use a very limited number of players, and none of them are Sony's. It works exclusively with Pioneer players, and only a handful of them at that. I should be able to have it up and working in about a month, but the complete restoration will take a while. As for the vector art, there are a number of good websites out there...This is the link I found with the DL artwork: http://vectorlib.free.fr Thanks for all of the input and offers to help. I really appreciate it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Use thisoldgame.com to print your stuff Awesome quality amd service, plus the guy know his stuff Trully recommended! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Use thisoldgame.com to print your stuff Awesome quality amd service, plus the guy know his stuff Trully recommended! I like the idea of having the artwork silk screened, rather than printed digitally. I have amazing wide format digital printers, but the original art was screened. I'd like to keep things as close to original as possible with the restoration. Thanks for the link! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I like the idea of having the artwork silk screened, rather than printed digitally. I have amazing wide format digital printers, but the original art was screened. I'd like to keep things as close to original as possible with the restoration. Thanks for the link! I ordered artworks form various sources, including Gameongrafx , thisoldgame. Mikesarcade, etc.. Etc.. Silkscreened is the (only) way to go when restoring original arcades I really like thisoldgame, a very professional and dedicated guy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 His stuff looks great. I'll have to keep him in mine in case I find a beat up cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 UPDATE: so, yet another eBay scammer tried to sell me a broken LDP which they claimed was tested and working. A refund is on the way...thankfully. I hope to get a working player sometime soon, but I am not holding my breath. The main board has been looked over by a well known DL technician, who says it is in good shape. He has updated it with a Merlin board, and it will be coming back to me soon. That's all for now. PS: here is a link to a fun/funny DL article one of my friends sent me today: http://stevenf.com/2014/05/21/arcade-story/ Enjoy! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) That sucks with the LDP. Are you sure its not some other component not powering it\displaying it properly? Edited May 22, 2014 by DaytonaUSA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 That sucks with the LDP. Are you sure its not some other component not powering it\displaying it properly? Nope...if the disc doesn't spin, it is dead. I don't test them in the cabinet...I test them on a CRT TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaUSA Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Nope...if the disc doesn't spin, it is dead. I don't test them in the cabinet...I test them on a CRT TV. Gatcha. That sucks. I hate sellers who claim their stuff is "tested" and it arrives doa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Gatcha. That sucks. I hate sellers who claim their stuff is "tested" and it arrives doa. Agreed. On the bright side, my arcade board has been "tuned-up" and also had the Merlin board installed. I will have that back next week, just in time for the next attempt at a working LDP to arrive. Fingers crossed!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Agreed. On the bright side, my arcade board has been "tuned-up" and also had the Merlin board installed. I will have that back next week, just in time for the next attempt at a working LDP to arrive. Fingers crossed!!! Is there a way to repair those broken LDP ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Yup...there is one reputable guy who lives all the way across the country. I could ship it to him to fix it, but after parts, labor and shipping, I would be into it for about $300. Knowing that the fixed players don't necessarily last, I will continue to look for one that works right out of the eBay box. I've gotten refunds so far on all of the busted players, so if the next "tested and working" one arrives actually WORKING, I will have only spent $100 on an LDP. Not bad at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Yup...there is one reputable guy who lives all the way across the country. I could ship it to him to fix it, but after parts, labor and shipping, I would be into it for about $300. Knowing that the fixed players don't necessarily last, I will continue to look for one that works right out of the eBay box. I've gotten refunds so far on all of the busted players, so if the next "tested and working" one arrives actually WORKING, I will have only spent $100 on an LDP. Not bad at all. Humm..... I might want your broken LDP if you ever want to get rid of it Let me know benny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wongojack Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 This thread shall be legend! All the best in your pursuit of Dragon's Lair perfection. I can't stand using my Digital Leisure versions on my DVD player: even on my PS2 with a joystick, the game just doesn't play like it should. You will definitely NOT have that problem when you're done! Good luck, and keep the pics a comin'. Cool thread - I mostly wanted to post here to follow. I could use some custom printed side art as well Regarding the Digital Leisure versions of the game: I have them and they run in Daphne for me in a MAME cab. In the PS2 they are virtually unplayable, but in a more modern DVD player, they work quite well. I've played all the way through DL and Space Ace using the Xbox 360 + controller, and I thought it was really a great experience. It is still different than playing them on the arcade machine, but I found it very satisfying. I liked those DVDs so much that I decided that I never need to buy another version of the game Wii, XBLA or otherwise. For the 360, the d-pad works as the arcade joystick stick and all the buttons are the action button. It doesn't matter which one you press. I think the analog stick works as the joystick too, but who would use that <scoff>. The game is only expecting input in a window of time around when the action should take place. In the arcade version you would hear a tone indicating "stop pressing stuff dummy and watch the cartoon." When using the DVDs on the 360, if you press an input when the game isn't expecting one -no tone- it acts like you are just pressing a button on a DVD remote and brings up the freaking navigation on-screen-display. This is less annoying than it sounds and you quickly learn to avoid this problem with repeated play. You also learn how to exit that menu fast! The DVDs have nice extra features including various game difficulties and a sort of "theater mode" that let you watch all the scenes. They also have vintage interviews and information about the other LD games of the era. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Humm..... I might want your broken LDP if you ever want to get rid of it Let me know benny They weigh a ton, so shipping wouldn't be very reasonable to Canada…I bet you could find a broken one locally for less than the cost of me shipping it to you…if not, for free! Check your local e-waste facilities…it seems they get a ton of these things and can't find homes for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 They weigh a ton, so shipping wouldn't be very reasonable to Canada…I bet you could find a broken one locally for less than the cost of me shipping it to you…if not, for free! Check your local e-waste facilities…it seems they get a ton of these things and can't find homes for them. Sadly no, I won't find this locally Just to give you an idea, Arcade cabs sell for about twice as much as in US Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Sadly no, I won't find this locally Just to give you an idea, Arcade cabs sell for about twice as much as in US Well, I was planning on scrapping the LD-v1100 that came with the cabinet…if I come up with a newer model that works. Once I have the situation under control, and I have a working player in the cabinet, I will let you know. I just want to wait and make sure that I don't have to resort to sending it out to a repair service (and repairing it would be a very last resort). If (when) I end up getting rid of the 1100, you can have it...just pay actual shipping. But, I am warning you…it is a freaking tank!!! It must weigh 35-40 lbs at least! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Well, I was planning on scrapping the LD-v1100 that came with the cabinet…if I come up with a newer model that works. Once I have the situation under control, and I have a working player in the cabinet, I will let you know. I just want to wait and make sure that I don't have to resort to sending it out to a repair service (and repairing it would be a very last resort). If (when) I end up getting rid of the 1100, you can have it...just pay actual shipping. But, I am warning you…it is a freaking tank!!! It must weigh 35-40 lbs at least! Excellent! Thanks man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Excellent! Thanks man No problem. I will let you know how things work out this week when the LDP arrives. I really want to get this DL cabinet working, so I can spend some time on my Tempest cabinet, which has had some wonky monitor issues for some time now. As you can see, Lola is getting antsy to play!!! ...at least that is the excuse I give to my wife!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghsqb Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 I have wanted one of these for most of my life…. 00F0F_9Q08L4tZwUb_600x450 copy.jpg Let the restoration begin!!! Congrats Benny, I am so jealous. Like you I have wanted one of these most of my life, and know first hand how hard they are to find. Any I've come across in my travels have all been Daphne'd. I'm just gonna live vicariously through you for a while if you don't mind. Congrats again man, looking forward to reading the story of the restoration. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted May 29, 2014 Author Share Posted May 29, 2014 Well folks…. IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!! There is still so much to do, but at least she has more than a pulse now! Please excuse me now, while I go and play until my eyes bleed! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghsqb Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Excellent! Thanks man If it will help, I have a USA address but live in Canada. Could have it shipped to my address I could bring it across and ship it to you. You're in Montreal aren't you? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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