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KeeperofLindblum

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Posts posted by KeeperofLindblum

  1. Posted

    If I understand what you're asking, you are asking if you can use the X-Arcade tankstick as a controller for the Pandoras Box you bought?

     

    I mean ideally you could probably plug it in via USB and it'd work, but the plain jane X-Arcade sticks will only work with computers out of the box because of how they work. (Default setup seems to just treat all the buttons and joysticks as keyboard inputs.) You have to get adapters for anything else. 

     

    The only thing I can figure is you'd have to just plug it in and try it. If it doesn't work, you're probably out of luck of it being a "plug and play" solution. 

  2. Posted

    59 minutes ago, ClassicGMR said:

    After you get the hardware and setup settled on you might wish to consider a front end software. I use GameEx and Launchbox (BigBox) myself but there are quite a few of them out there. :)

     

    Oh yeah I already have Launchbox all set up. I even got the license and all~

     

    I just wasn't using it here yet because I wanted to make sure it was working normally with the standalone emulator.

    • Like 1

  3. Posted

    So a delayed but minor update! This is my current setup to test and make sure I'll be happy with what I have...

     

    1226190047.thumb.jpg.eca7ec5878d8001372a537586186c774.jpg

     

    I do like having a more legit arcade stick. After the holidays settle down, I'll try to figure out some measurements and ideas to see what I want and then approach the cabinet guy I know to see what can be done!

    • Like 2

  7. Posted

    Sounds awesome ClassicGMR! 

    I've got most of the pieces I need. I really only need the "structure" to sit what I have on it. 

    I figure the final build will just be more like a dedicated entertainment center with the arcade stick (I opted for a Dualstick over the Tankstick). I have both a Windows box with frontend software and a Linux built for retro gaming. I'll go with one or the other to make it work. 

     

    That site actually has the exact item I'm interested in, but they don't seem to make it right now...

     

    Xtension_Arcade_Pedestal_Dual.thumb.png.3065d31eddf3cccc5fa4fa3a5d936def.png

    https://www.recroommasters.com/Xtension-Arcade-Pedestal-Arcade-Cabinet-p/rm-xt-ped-d.htm

  9. Posted

    A CIB game is pretty awesome if you can get one, but I can't say it's a requirement for me.

     

    If I can get it for about the same or only slightly more, I'm all down for it.

     

    I don't require it by any means though, and I've actually opted to get some of those fake, custom game cases as they look pretty snappy and better than loose carts~

     

    1644486469_Annotation2019-12-20184426.thumb.png.7ccd62617daeac6a2c9a8d9a9729b436.png

     

    (Pardon the quality, only picture I had on hand. Also those loose games have cases now as well!)

  10. Posted

    6 minutes ago, JBerel said:

    Nickel's worth or free advice, I've built custom cocktail and uprights using furniture grade oak so they looked good in the house. There's always some hidden caveat that you learn once you have the things done and sitting in your house. Usually you find the comfort level is not there for extended play and they just collect dust. The full size upright built, I ended up shortening to a sit down upright, and that's pretty nice now. I can always make a riser for it to go back to standing play.

     

    You'll find your controller panel will be the most important thing, and you'll be tempted to tweak or redo that. You can use a raspberry Pi or a refurb Core I7 from eBay for the brains. That can all be updated as you like over time. I'd recommend just doing something like below first for either a seated or standing mode play. You can us a monitor on a wall, in an entertainment center or on shelf. Point it, that gives you the full playability experience without a big ol cabinet you'll wish you had done differently pretty soon. Another nice option to consider is a conversation piece model like the barrel rigs. Home use and typical arcade hardware are not entirely on the same page, but the thought of your own authentic arcade machine is appealing, it fades fast. Also, I'd never get one of the Arcade 1 ups, they seem cheap and underwhelming.

     

    Excellent advice and pictures! 

     

    Yeah that's what I'm afraid of... is I'd get it and would just sit there a lot. 

     

    I think the most likely scenario I'll go for is more of a dedicated "arcade area" with a stand for the arcade stick, a hidden PC (got a nice i5 box), and then either a wall mounted or stand mounted monitor. 

     

    I'm also considering a "barcade" setup where it's just the smaller machine but could easily be thrown on top of something to have a comfy-ish seat like a nice pair of barstools. 

  11. Posted

    Okay a "minor" update is that I got in the X-Arcade dual stick in a couple of days ago.

     

    It feels pretty solid for the price of it. I know I can (and probably will) do better in the future, but for the cost to quality it's a lot better than the cheap Injustice fighting stick I had before. 

     

    I keep forgetting to take pictures, but here's one I sent to a few people earlier. 

     

    1217192309_2.thumb.jpg.45ef085660dc6858bc513bb492b8b048.jpg

     

    It's just a plain jane version with an adapter to work on PC. (USB, PS2, or Serial)

     

    It felt really nice, but it's definitely plain. I'll have to look into an overlay...

     

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    18 hours ago, wierd_w said:

    The 1up arcade cabinets are inexpensive--

     

    Yes, they are single-game.  However, you can get inexpensive HDMI driver boards for their LCD displays.  Their controllers are direct wired normal arcade style buttons.  They can be connected to something like a Picade-X hat on a pi 4. 

     

    Then you can run MAME on it, and have the polish of an inexpensive commercially made cabinet, with the advantages of a full MAME deployment inside.

     

     

    Yeah I really wanted one of the 1Up Cabinets, but I think I'd be happier with a more "me" sized cabinet. (I'm above the average height at 6 ft.) Honestly, if I could find them discounted like some people seem to, I'd probably have done this and walked away, but I have yet to see any of the heavily discounted 1Ups in my area. :(

     

    I'll just slowly wait and invest in a more customizable (and more work) one versus the 1Up. Thanks for the information and link though!

  14. Posted

    I went ahead and ordered the X-Arcade Dualstick today (don't really need the trackball). 

     

    I'll have to start searching around after the first of the year to make choices on who to get a cabinet from, but I at least have a good link for art! Thanks again to Mksmith and TwoShedsWilson for your input!

    • Like 1

  15. Posted · Edited by KeeperofLindblum

    38 minutes ago, TwoShedsWilson said:

    The Tankstick is fine, but it is what it is. The quality is ok and it technically does everything it needs to, but if you want to end up with a nice-looking cabinet that doesn't have a Frankenstein's monster quality to it the Tankstick isn't what you need.

     

    Hooking up the controls is really pretty easy, no soldering needed. Most encoders (the good ones anyway) are clearly labeled and plug and play. The only challenge is keeping wires straight and managed. Honestly I really enjoyed hooking up the controls even when I got something wrong.

     

    My problem is a now realize I ran afowl of the "buy cheap, buy twice" rule. I want to replace my buttons and joysticks already and it hasn't even been six months.

    Thank you for your response! 

     

    I think what I might do is start with the Tankstick as a budget item. I'd definitely want to move up to the better controls once I got a cabinet though. This also allows me to satisfy my "arcade lust" until then at a cheaper price point. I just need to slowly build up and be patient. lol

     

    A couple of nice points on the buttons is the fully customization nature of choosing my own buttons, and that most of the cabinet designs you can order have pre-cut holes (that I'll probably have to file down) for putting your own buttons and sticks in. 

     

    EDIT - I figure worst case I can just sell the Tankstick later and get back like 60-80% of the cost I put into it. 

  16. Posted · Edited by KeeperofLindblum

    15 minutes ago, TwoShedsWilson said:

    I would NOT buy the Tankstick, and I own one, because it may seem like a great solution it really isn't.

     

    You're much, much better off buying a DIY kit and better hardware yourself. You're going to spend more than $400 all together and you'll be happy you did. I'd be happy to help point you at buttons and joysticks that will work better.

     

    Don't focus on the finished product. You're going to have to do it in stages and if you're like me it will drive you nuts.

     

    Edit: as far as the Pandora boxes go, they do work to varying degrees, but I don't think they're what you want. If you have an i5 available that will be absolutely perfect for what you want to do.

     

    Any particular reason why you recommend against the Tankstick? Does it sound and look better than it actually is? I think the only reason I went towards it is because I've heard of it before, and it's currently on sale for only $100+shipping. 

     

    How hard is it to wire your own joystick and buttons? I'm mostly concerned if there's any soldering involved as my soldering skills are... insanely amateur at best. 

     

    The end goal would be a really nice arcade cabinet that's closer to a multicade but a better quality item. 

  17. Posted · Edited by KeeperofLindblum

    Okay so my first jump in will be the X-Arcade stick.

     

    Should I get the Tankstick with the trackball, or am I good to save money and get just the regular Dualstick?

     

    https://shop.xgaming.com/collections/arcade-joysticks/products/x-arcade-dual-joystick-usb-included

    https://shop.xgaming.com/collections/arcade-joysticks/products/x-arcade-tankstick-trackball-usb-included

     

    EDIT - To clarify, I don't know what games would use the trackball and make it worth the extra amount. 

    • Like 1

  19. Posted

    12 hours ago, mksmith said:

    I made one myself about 3-4 years ago (took about 9 years to start!) - has a PC with Windows and mame in it with a custom front end I built.

     

    I loved doing it but as I didn't have all the right tools I compromised on width (made it wider) and with hindsight would do things a little different as the control panel and the retainers are incorrectly sized but do overall love the outcome.

     

    Make sure you have the correct tools and appropriate plans for the cabinet you wish to make and cost everything from materials, sideart, marquees, buttons, joysticks etc. You may actually be surprised as to the cost. As I'm in Australia $ conversion and delivery fees were a killer and it certainly cost close to $1k (if not more). Can't remember if that included the PC I bought through auction. 

     

    Since making it I eventually added additional buttons for multiple-button games (now covering the Nintendo logo) and are thinking about color matching the red on the control panel background to 'fill' in the edges to the sides of the cabinet.  Would love to make another one just so I could fix my mistakes from the first.

     

    IMG_20191205_194721.jpg

     

    IMG_20191205_200806.jpg

    This looks awesome! This is what I'd adore to have, but mine will probably end up a bit more generic. 

     

    12 hours ago, mksmith said:

    mikesarcade.com has a whole stack of parts and gameongrafix.com has all the required art.

    Definitely saving this "gameongrafix" link! That was one of my bigger concerns was finding a proper art supply. 

     

    41 minutes ago, Keatah said:

    Looks like you decided to roll your own. And that's a good thing considering the age and unreliability of original ratbaggy hardware. Not to mention it's bulky and only only plays one game.

    Yeah I definitely prefer to make my own. I don't want to cannibalize a authentic cabinet that at least has a chance of being fixed or saved. 

     

    Also realizing that my hopes were way too high that I could do this on a budget.... XD
    I'll just have to slowly build up towards what I want. Ideally, I'd like to start with a nice arcade stick setup and then find a cabinet build I can buy that'll fit the X-Arcade stick (normal not the tank). 

  21. Posted

    I think I've decided to take a bit of a step back and maybe build up towards a full setup...

    I think I'll do something akin to "building my own", but it'll mostly just be putting various pieces together slowly. lol

    Going to start with an investment in an X-Arcade stick, and then use that to buildup and eventually get a barcade or a full cabinet that fits it. 

    https://shop.xgaming.com/collections/arcade-joysticks/products/x-arcade-dual-joystick-usb-included

  22. Posted

    So I've been tinkering with the idea of having a full sized arcade cabinet in my house (now that I have a house of my own and room), but I'm hitting a bit of a wall as to what method I should use... 

     

    Feel free to jump down to the bottom for the highlighted "Questions I want definitely answered" if you want the short version of this thread.

     

    I have the following options to choose from I figure:

     

    1. Buy the real deal arcade cabinet. 
      1. Pros - Would be really awesome and authentic
      2. Cons - Expensive and a lot of work to fix it (depending on condition)
    2. Buy a pre-made Multicade 
      1. Pros - Large selection and ready to go
      2. Cons - Almost as expensive if not more so than the "real deal". Also may be closed off and stuck with random nonsense
    3. Buy a nice DIY kit
      1. Pros - Can customize it and make what I want, cheaper then previous methods
      2. Cons - Art is extra and most of these use a Raspberry Pi*
    4. Make it all myself (to a point)
      1. Pros - By far the cheapest method. Can tailor exactly what I want. Use what I already have
      2. Cons - Clearly the most work. Will require tools and knowledge I may not have or will have to borrow

     

    Now it's probably already obvious which ones I'd prefer... Option #3 and #4. I have several pieces that could be use for either project.
     

    • Two LCD monitors (Square SCEPTRE and Rectangle ACER)
    • Old Workstation PCs (Intel i5s) - *The reason I put a Raspberry Pi as a con... I don't want to buy one.
    • USB Arcade Stick (PS3 Injustice one.)


    I have the following guidelines for what I'd like to end up with. Feel free to give input/opinion on any of this!

     

    1. Prefer a stand up arcade to a barcade. However cost may prevent this!
    2. Prefer to keep cost under $200. Absolute max is $400.
    3. Prefer to use what I have versus buying more. (I'm fine getting a Raspberry Pi if it's overwhelmingly the better choice.)
    4. Maximum game system capability needed is PS1. (Any higher up is just bonus.)
    5. Ideally nothing overly complex.** 

     

    **This is a vague statement because I'd prefer avoiding major skills or tools I don't have. (I suck at soldering. My art capability is non-existent.) I can borrow a few odd power tools if I do the "Make it all myself" method. 

     

    Now the final bit of this post are the "Questions I want definitely answered"

     

    • Linux Build VS RaspPi - Who wins?
    • Depending on answer above, suggested software?
    • What's a good place to get art printed?
    • USB Arcade Stick VS Buying Buttons & Sticks - The better choice?
    • If I buy the Buttons & Sticks - Is wiring these difficult? Do they require programming or soldering?
    • Should I get over the work and just do it all myself?

     

    Again! Any inputs and opinions are greatly appreciated! Even if you just have a set of good links or stores to hit up. 

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