I can tell that Fighter's History isn't the most popular arcade out there by far but I came across this mess of an arcade machine and I had 10 days off of work. So with no idea what I was doing I've made real progress. I'm proud even know I still have not a clue what I'm doing most of the time.
- Thread starter Mcroberts
- Start date
I am waiting on new limit switches now to redo the controls. i honestly do know if i am going to be able to do it. The arcade sat so long only a few of the limit switches work and its prob best to change them all out but it looks like a heck of a job.
XtraSmiley
Legendary
What a great machine! Don't change the game exterior, but set it up so you can change games in and out.
You've come to the right place for help!
How much money vs work are you willing to do? If money isn't a major issue, I'd pull that wiring and get new wiring and a new PSU to start.
You've come to the right place for help!
How much money vs work are you willing to do? If money isn't a major issue, I'd pull that wiring and get new wiring and a new PSU to start.
Is that a Defender cabinet?
IIRC Fighter's history originally came in something that looked like Data-East's version of a Z-Back.
Also those are the weirdest stubbiest joysticks I've ever seen, lol.
What are your goals with this cabinet?
IIRC Fighter's history originally came in something that looked like Data-East's version of a Z-Back.
Also those are the weirdest stubbiest joysticks I've ever seen, lol.
What are your goals with this cabinet?
Yeah, I was wondering if whatever that is supposed to mount them to the control panel (nuts, bolts) have come off and the sticks are just hanging there by the handles.
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GTO77
Enthusiast
Probably cold in there.
I don't mind to put time into it. I looked some stuff up on Amazon and none of its real expensive. I'd love to fix it up for my boy he's 17. I got a switching power supply but for the life of me don't understand the power because the wireing is a mess so I stripped it all out and just threw a old atx power supply in it to make sure the board wasent junk. There are a few things in it I don't have a clue what they do.
The cabnent and controls are just like I found them. It's says Data_East on the board. I'd like to restore it to as close as new as I can and give it to my son. I just don't understand what all the wireing and switches are for.
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yes of course it does. However it was VERY VERY VERY common for arcades to put new boards in old cabinets to keep them making money. It's called a "conversion".
This is what a Williams Defender cab looks like:
you can see it looks nearly identical to your cabinet
This is what an original "dedicated" (meaning not a conversion) Fighters History cabinet looked like:
As you can see it looks NOTHING like the cabinet you have.
So the question being asked here is what do you want to do.
"Restoring" this cabinet would entail converting it back to Defender (if that is indeed the original game that was in that cabinet). Sourcing original parts, original monitor, buying stencils so you can repaint the cabinet art, etc. If you do this right here this will have the most valuable end-result, but it's also the most expensive and most challenging path, but it's also the one that does the most toward arcade preservation. Here's a good example thread of that: https://forums.arcade-museum.com/threads/my-story-my-defender-restoration.125726/
If your goal is to have an "original" Fighters History, then you need to sell this cabinet (maybe to someone who wants to restore a defender) and start searching for the correct cabinet for Fighters History.
If your goal is to just have a/any cabinet that you can play fighters history on that's your cheapest/quickest option, but the end result isn't going to have any real long term value or preservation merit, but it's a perfectly fine option if you're just looking to have something that you can play and enjoy.
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XtraSmiley
Legendary
My friend, I think this is one big project for you and although this forum is pretty awesome, I think the one you need to join is this:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/
I would not recommend advice from arcade controls unless you're building a mame cab. They're not typically going to have sound advice for a non-emulation build.
XtraSmiley
Legendary
Agreed, but seeing the condition of the cab, the lack of parts, and the timeframe, it looks like an emulation build to me.
so do you guys think I should buy a Defender board and go that way or start over from scratch? It does not have an emulator inside it if that is what an emulator build. Please don't make to much fun of how I got it working I just did what I could to get it working so I knew if the board was any good.
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Do you like Defender?
Because if you don't, there's absolutely zero reason to restore it to one.
Honestly, if you're playing on that cab now and it makes you happy, then who are we to tell you what you should do with it.
Good job on getting it running.
Because if you don't, there's absolutely zero reason to restore it to one.
Honestly, if you're playing on that cab now and it makes you happy, then who are we to tell you what you should do with it.
Good job on getting it running.
Yeah, absolutely. Jamma is a standard. Anything that uses three action buttons per player will plug just right in.
XtraSmiley
Legendary
Just to be clear, I'm not saying an "emulation" build is bad or insulting, I'm just saying, for this poster and his son, and emulator could play hundreds of games (one joystick and 3 buttons) rather than him getting PCBs for a bunch of games to run on an LCD monitor in that cab.
BYOAC forum could help a lot more getting him there than this forum, but hey, if it works, it works.
BYOAC forum could help a lot more getting him there than this forum, but hey, if it works, it works.
