Prettyfar.com

I’m not finished but it is working.
I still need to decide if I’m going to enclose it or build a cabinet/stand.

I’ll play some games while I think about it.

Cost:

$70AUD – Keyboard controller.
- Could have ripped apart a keyboard. They ghost though.

$12AUD – A drill bit I needed.

$10AUD – Big sheet of MDF.
- Would have been enough to box it if I planned/cut better.

$28AUD – Joysticks.
- Might look for paddle tips, work great though.

$35AUD – 15 buttons
� $6AUD USB gender change.
$10AUD – T molding.
$10AUD – Surface material.

Rough build log.

1. Thinking about fixing my missile command.
2. Cost too much.
3. Thinking about converting missile command.
4. Bad karma, its a classic.

5. Bought some MDF and build a basic layout.
No workbench or proper tools. Cut it freehand.

6.

Made a template for my controls. Out of a cardboard box, used a pen to make a grid. Next time I’ll use graph paper.

7.

Tried out the layout on some scrap….ah, its retarded.

8.
Second go at a template.

9.

Test went a bit better the the first. I offset the middle buttons slightly, finger length and all that.

10.

Drilled some holes. Added the player and credit ones later.

11.

Some classic arcade surface added. Nice texture.

12.

Installing the controls.

13.

So I put all the crap in ans start to wire it all together. Then I realize I have two problems.

Firstly I cant plug it into test it as the controller uses a female PS2 connector. So I cut up a few cables and fail at building a PS2 adapter, and again at a USB version. (no photo)

14.

The second problem is that both the fucking joysticks. While new and packaged nicely were both broken.

Both had missing connectors. They seemed to be snapped off right on the casing. So I soldered into the plastic over the indented stubs and then onto the control cables. Not nice but working.

15.

So to get it working I used a PS2-USB+USB gender changer+extension.

16.

Messy. But working very nicely. Buttons are a bit stiff compared to a seasoned comparison, thats ok though, just need to break them in with use.

17.

Lots of use.

Still waiting for my hardware to arrive. Pissed.
I ordered locally too but he did the whole reseller thing and “is waiting for parts to arrive from supplier”

Blah.

Not much else to do. I cant put the sides on or finish the box as I’m not sure how the hardware mounts exactly.

Did put in my player select and coin drop though.

I’ve been toying with the idea of either converting an existing cab to mame or building one from scratch.

I’ve not ruled out either, but as a test I’m building controls.
Should all go well then I can just add them to a cabinet, should I lose interest or they suck…well I’ll still be pretty happy playing arcade games on custom controls on my plasma tv.

I have dodgy workspace, the wrong tools, thats ok though I’ll muddle through.

Got half the case done today. Enough to be able to play a game or two and test the layout before commiting to anything.

Took me a few trys to get (I think) the layout and spacing I want.
In the middle between button 3 and the pencil is one of my failed attempts. I really needed graph paper rather than making my own out of a pizza box.

Looks like my encoder, micro switches and sticks will arrive next week thus I’ve wandered off and started watching tv.

Day 2.

Drilled out the buttons for the joysticks and most of the buttons.

I’m going to put in another three buttons, player 1, player 2 and coin drop. Not decided between the top middle or one of the vertical panels.