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orc.one

Beginner
Joined
Apr 7, 2020
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Location
Alaska
Hi, I'm Scott, referred here via Mr. Whalen.

So I've been going slightly weird, taking up an old hobby (electronics) and trying my hand at merging it with something relatively new to me—arcade games. Some folk may be unfamiliar to the perpetual indoor experience, but since I live this every winter here in Alaska, I'm ready to commit some real weirdness.

Since I'm new to arcade games, what better way to start than by working on several cabinet/case design projects? (In, I might stress, a material I have next to no experience with, but really like the look of—stainless steel. I don't even have any arcade games to begin with. What could go wrong? Don't worry, real experts are standing by to advise me.)

My first project (Martensite) is a series of case designs for arcade PCBs for a kind of consolization. Due to the nature of the Neo Geo MVS arcade system, I figured I'd start there, so I've been gathering dimensions for the PCBs and trying to discern where the cartridge ports are located so I can build some models in LW3D.

I'm not certain yet of actually building this, but I think I'd like to at least design it and see how far I get. Cost may be a factor; stainless steel isn't trivial to work with.

The second project (Zorch) is a design for accommodating several JAMMA arcade PCBs, playable one at a time and selectable from the outside of a case in a manner and implementation yet to be determined; I'm imagining some sort of backplane with JAMMA connectors suited to accommodate a modest collection inside a case, all sharing audio, controller, video out and other options from a common console.

I have a lot to read and learn, but I'm taking some design inspiration from old UNIX hardware design.

So basically, by the time I finally do collect a few arcade PCBs, I'd like to be ready to display them inside a large, opaque metal case and not really see or handle them, but still have them wholly available for play on whatever display I find convenient. And I will likely call it art no matter how it winds up.

I can't wait to get started.
 
Godspeed in your journey and endeavours mate! The community can never do with enough creators and innovators. Take it easy up there.
 
I like the sound of project Zorch, both in its names and idea. It reminds me of the VME crates that I worked on in my first job. Would be cool to see several PCBs all connected to a single backplane in a big enclosure. Good luck on your projects and welcome.
 
I like the sound of project Zorch, both in its names and idea. It reminds me of the VME crates that I worked on in my first job. Would be cool to see several PCBs all connected to a single backplane in a big enclosure. Good luck on your projects and welcome.
Thank-you everyone!

Heh. If memory serves, the VME bus was designed for the 68000—which, according to various sources (ok, wikipedia), most of the arcade games I'm interested in ultimately collecting use.
 
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