Some good news today I guess. Today I received my order from ebay finally after 2/3 weeks or so. Ordered those cheap usb joysticks from the last 2 posts below and have finally got them in my hands right now.
Now what I plan to do with these you might ask. Originally, my plans to make the control panel was to buy an i-PAC2 controller, then have all the buttons connected to the controller. What this does is when a button is pressed, the signal goes to the i-PAC controller, the controller is then connected to a usb or ps/2 keyboard which then tells the computer the input. What the controller does is makes the button pressed think a computer keyboard is being pressed. I hope this was easy to understand. If not just send an email and I will explain in full proper details. Email.
Now, my intentions with this usb joystick from ebay is quite simple. Considering its already a joystick, all it has to do is connect to a computer via usb. I'm going to be ripping these brand spanking new joysticks apart, and replacing the buttons already on it with my own buttons that I purchased from Austin Amusements a while back.
What makes this so much easier is that its all there for me. Pre made! All I'm doing is replacing their buttons with mine, and having the usb plugged straight into the MAME's computer. It'll require a bit of soldering as there were no cables when I opened up the joystick, its input is registered via touchpad from contact like your average playstation controller. So we will have to do some soldering and wiring to have the buttons reach the pcb then have the usb reach the computer. Of course, the i-PAC might be easier because of this. Both Corey and I have experience from electronics class in year 12 getting our cert etc.
What kind of post would this be without pictures? Here ya go!
Alright aligning these pictures was a pain... damn you blogger! This is the best I can do.
Pictures include comparison with an ipod touch, the package itself. The rear taken off from the back. PCB and the touchpad of the control panel, and a closeup of the pcb.
And yes, I also noticed that huge piece of stone right in the corner! Was shocked when I saw this. I'm guessing its to add weight or to prevent a gap between the back cover so it doesn't easily break. Damn chinese ebayers!!!
The development blog of a MAME created by Bono Savatdy and Corey Mudge. What is MAME? MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator. It is a built machine designed to emulate games of previous or older gaming platforms such as Atari & SNES for example.
31/01/2011 to 03/02/2011
Well it's been a while since I've posted here. Today is actually February 9, however last week Corey and I have been working in the scorching heat of summer from January 31 Monday til February 3 Thursday.
On these 4 days of working we were somewhat productive. Of course, distractions were to blame with the lack of productivity - we found the culprit....minecraft.
Right now we're sitting at the cabinet build. All panels have been cut and are now sanded down smoothly. Next step is to make the cabinet stand!
First day, Monday 31st January, Corey and I started off very dedicated. This day simply led to inspecting the shed, looking for the right tools to use, and drawing up on the board where to cut.
Second day, Tuesday 1st February, Second board was drawn and we began cutting. The handyman work was all up to Corey not being scared of the power tools like I am :) Of course we ended up having the first piece being wonky which was the keyboard drawers. By the way, all plans of the drawings were provided by Elvis from his original mame cab. You can get a copy of it here and simply click on the DOWNLOAD in whichever format you'd prefer, PDF or DXF.
(Insert Picture Here) - Space reserved
Third day, Wednesday 2nd February, after successfully cutting up the first side panel of the cab, of course the second would be a breeze. To make things easy and obvious, we just used the first panel as a template for the second. Saved us a hell of a lot of time to draw to scale and we also got the piece cut out better than the first.
(Insert Picture Here) - Space reserved
Fourth day, Thursday 3rd February, Corey and I have sorted out all the panels. This includes the two side panels for the cabinet, the floor, the roof for it, keyboard drawers and all the bridging pieces between the sides. Sanding had been done by this date and we were ready for making this cabinet stand!
(Insert Picture Here) - Space reserved
Between the four days we also manged to test some drill holes for the buttons. Following Elvis' build log, we also noticed that he used a custom made control panel for his buttons/joysticks made from OzStick I think it was. This led to us having to design our own control panel, whether we want it flat or on an angle. This was for another day to decide on whilst our main priority was getting the cabinet to stand up and ready to move to my house. Also we are awaiting for my order from ebay for the cheap usb joysticks.
That's it for today.
Of course, 4 days doesn't seem very productive to get 2 panels cut up and all the other pieces of wood for the cab. Heck we haven't even got it standing. But of course, time is an issue and we led to problems occurring with heat from the great outdoors, dates, parties, work, and of course the biggest time waster of them all... MINECRAFT!!!
Corey spent the 4 days above with me after having leave his part time job at MacDonalds after years of service. His now working with ETSA utilities so hopefully we can get this project done asap before work starts getting in the way and preventing us from finishing. Right now Corey is still uncertain when we will even start with his cabinet, perhaps when he has a week off or something. Our main focus now is getting mine up and ready.
On these 4 days of working we were somewhat productive. Of course, distractions were to blame with the lack of productivity - we found the culprit....minecraft.
Right now we're sitting at the cabinet build. All panels have been cut and are now sanded down smoothly. Next step is to make the cabinet stand!
First day, Monday 31st January, Corey and I started off very dedicated. This day simply led to inspecting the shed, looking for the right tools to use, and drawing up on the board where to cut.
Second day, Tuesday 1st February, Second board was drawn and we began cutting. The handyman work was all up to Corey not being scared of the power tools like I am :) Of course we ended up having the first piece being wonky which was the keyboard drawers. By the way, all plans of the drawings were provided by Elvis from his original mame cab. You can get a copy of it here and simply click on the DOWNLOAD in whichever format you'd prefer, PDF or DXF.
(Insert Picture Here) - Space reserved
Third day, Wednesday 2nd February, after successfully cutting up the first side panel of the cab, of course the second would be a breeze. To make things easy and obvious, we just used the first panel as a template for the second. Saved us a hell of a lot of time to draw to scale and we also got the piece cut out better than the first.
(Insert Picture Here) - Space reserved
Fourth day, Thursday 3rd February, Corey and I have sorted out all the panels. This includes the two side panels for the cabinet, the floor, the roof for it, keyboard drawers and all the bridging pieces between the sides. Sanding had been done by this date and we were ready for making this cabinet stand!
(Insert Picture Here) - Space reserved
Between the four days we also manged to test some drill holes for the buttons. Following Elvis' build log, we also noticed that he used a custom made control panel for his buttons/joysticks made from OzStick I think it was. This led to us having to design our own control panel, whether we want it flat or on an angle. This was for another day to decide on whilst our main priority was getting the cabinet to stand up and ready to move to my house. Also we are awaiting for my order from ebay for the cheap usb joysticks.
That's it for today.
Of course, 4 days doesn't seem very productive to get 2 panels cut up and all the other pieces of wood for the cab. Heck we haven't even got it standing. But of course, time is an issue and we led to problems occurring with heat from the great outdoors, dates, parties, work, and of course the biggest time waster of them all... MINECRAFT!!!
Corey spent the 4 days above with me after having leave his part time job at MacDonalds after years of service. His now working with ETSA utilities so hopefully we can get this project done asap before work starts getting in the way and preventing us from finishing. Right now Corey is still uncertain when we will even start with his cabinet, perhaps when he has a week off or something. Our main focus now is getting mine up and ready.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Drawings and cutting the wood will be starting on Thursday as Corey is working all week.
With my help from Elvis, it's now easy for me to simply buy a cheapie arcade stick from ebay and just rip that apart and re-solder my buttons in replace to theirs. At first I wondered if there would be a problem in ghosting or performance issues, but he said that it was all made the same and that it would all work the same. There would not be a difference for me to notice, and who cares - this is my first ever mame build and I've been a cheapass. Elvis stated that he only used the I-PAC controller on his original build because it was all that was available at the time.
With my help from Elvis, it's now easy for me to simply buy a cheapie arcade stick from ebay and just rip that apart and re-solder my buttons in replace to theirs. At first I wondered if there would be a problem in ghosting or performance issues, but he said that it was all made the same and that it would all work the same. There would not be a difference for me to notice, and who cares - this is my first ever mame build and I've been a cheapass. Elvis stated that he only used the I-PAC controller on his original build because it was all that was available at the time.
This is what I'll be purchasing from ebay. Absolute bargain, $4.15 + $10 postage. I'll have to buy two, but that's still $20 cheaper than the I-PAC Controller and will be much easier to configure. My plan is to separate the internals from the casing, replace all buttons and joysticks with my own, and simply chuck them into the cabinet. All this connects simply via USB and will be recognized by the computer as the original arcade stick, only with better quality buttons and joysticks.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Well, today is probably a good day for a major update. Today, I bought two pieces of wood, it's not enough for the whole cabinet, but enough to get the sides done and some offcuts. The 2 pieces were 2400mm x 1200mm (12mm thick) MDF - it's very solid and will be great for the sides.
I only decided to get 2 due to money issue again as few hours before this - I also managed to pick up a 21" IBM CRT screen for $25.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Few people have actually asked me what the hell is a MAME. I do have a description, but I guess I still don't provide the proper answer.
So I'll show you in pictures of what I am building!
I love this cabinet. This is the reason why I want to build one. Thanks to Elvis, he has given me the inspiration - this is Elvis' first ever cabinet, I envy him so much for his talent. I hope that mine will come out as awesome as his.
Random picture from the net. I love the blue lighting! It catches my eyes everytime! One day when I am experienced enough I will make something similar to this.
The side art decal is awesome. I love oldschool MAME builds. Something so retro, it deserves a 10/10.
Well there you have it. These are just example pictures from the net that I have come across and really like.
Now you know what a MAME is. It is those awesome old school arcade games you used to play as a kid. A MAME is an arcade cabinet built to play more than just a single game, hence the name - Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator!
More updates soon - Corey and I will be going to Bunnings to pick up some MDF so hopefully we can start building the cabinet asap. Whilst we wait for more money to come so we can finally purchase our order from OzStick. Stay tuned fellas.
So I'll show you in pictures of what I am building!
I love this cabinet. This is the reason why I want to build one. Thanks to Elvis, he has given me the inspiration - this is Elvis' first ever cabinet, I envy him so much for his talent. I hope that mine will come out as awesome as his.
Random picture from the net. I love the blue lighting! It catches my eyes everytime! One day when I am experienced enough I will make something similar to this.
The side art decal is awesome. I love oldschool MAME builds. Something so retro, it deserves a 10/10.
Well there you have it. These are just example pictures from the net that I have come across and really like.
Now you know what a MAME is. It is those awesome old school arcade games you used to play as a kid. A MAME is an arcade cabinet built to play more than just a single game, hence the name - Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator!
More updates soon - Corey and I will be going to Bunnings to pick up some MDF so hopefully we can start building the cabinet asap. Whilst we wait for more money to come so we can finally purchase our order from OzStick. Stay tuned fellas.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Well this isn't an update that goes towards our build log. This is just a minor update to show our button layouts.
From our previous post, you can notice there are 6 buttons for each player. We're changing this layout from the traditional 6 button game play to a 7 button layout. I do this following Elvis' layout as what he has done seems very appropriate.
From our previous post, you can notice there are 6 buttons for each player. We're changing this layout from the traditional 6 button game play to a 7 button layout. I do this following Elvis' layout as what he has done seems very appropriate.
Please note, the pictures dimensions are not accurate, this was just drawn in paint to give you an idea.
There are 7 buttons for in game play - I do this because the same reason as Elvis'. 6 Buttons (all red) will be required for games that require 6 buttons. Games that require 4 buttons, will use the bottom row (1 black and 3 red buttons). This makes the MAME compatible to play games in both 4 and 6 button configurations.
The centre button will be used as a Menu/Frontend button, which will exit games and take users to the MAME's frontend.
This is the order that will truly start the MAME's build log. It hasn't been ordered yet as I'm a cheap ass - just waiting on additional funds. Here there are the orders for the 2 black buttons required for the 7 button layout. 2 extra button hole plugs, in case we decide to upgrade to an 8 button layout for whatever reasons.
2 standard microswitches, joystick mounting bolts, the IPAC controller which will be very vital in mapping the buttons/joysticks to the computers keyboard, some overlay for the control panel, and wiring kit.
As stated before, Wednesday will be the next official update when Corey and I go and pick up some MDF. We decided on MDF as its much stronger than plywood - however people tend to not use MDF as its poisonous to work with (of course we will have our masks on).
Friday, January 07, 2011
Now that Christmas and New Years have passed, Corey and I have now started to focus directly on the MAMEs build log. We have actually been planning this project for quite some time but have been distracted by other reasons.
The design we will be following is from Elvis, someone I found searching the internet but turns out he is also a friendly OCAU member where I have also contacted him from. This is his first build log in which I will be taking guidance from. Link.
Today, I have received the first batch of buttons and joysticks from Austin Amusements. It was ordered on Monday, January 03, 2011 and surprisingly I received it in no time. I am very pleased with their delivery and order confirmation.
This is our very first MAME build, we have no experience in building cabinets or mapping the buttons to a microcontroller, so we are hoping for the best. With that out of the way, we chose the cheaper solution in our parts. I've ordered the Complete Arcade Joystick pack (2 Joysticks, 12 buttons, 1x Player 1 Button, and 1x Player 2 Button). I did this because if we however manage to give up on the MAME, it wouldn't be a problem to spend parts on the cheaper option. Of course, in future if we decide to build more, our parts will be top quality. Click here to view the button packed we purchased from Austin Amusements.
However, we are still far away from the beginning of the build. We still need to acquire some other items which will cost us more money. We are on a tight budget having pass Christmas. We are awaiting on an IPAC controller and wiring from OZStick, so until then we cannot start.
Here's the buttons which came today!
Now that we have the first batch of orders, there's no turning back.
Next update will be Wednesday, January 19, 2011 - Corey and I will be going to Bunnings to go pick up MDF for the cabinet.
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