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Cocktail build inspiration wanted


Jrousselo

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So I've always wanted a 2 player cocktail arcade. And last week I found myself with about 6 hours of free time in a woodshop, and a 4×8 sheet of oak ply- so I decided to just do it. I based my build off of an original pac-man cab. Everything is assembled and I'm ready to cut in my monitor- here is where I'm in need of some inspiration. I'm building this for my 6yr old son, and I know the first thing he will ask when I fire it up is "where is turtles and Mario like we play downstairs?" I have a tournament solitaire conversion cab running HS and my "BARCADE" custom HS cut into the side of my bar in the basement. I've seen the cocktail cabs with side controls for the horizontal games but I'm not a fan myself and I'm looking to keep the look of the original 2 player cab. So anyone have any personal insight on handling the horizontal game play on a 2 player cocktail cab???

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I tried all options I had available.

19"-4:3 19"-16:9 dual 19"-16:9 dual 17"-16:9 dual 17"-4:3 dual 17"-4:3.

After an hour of playing around I settled on a 24"lcd I had in the workout room. It looks awesome with vertical games and when mame is set to cocktail and splits the screens into the equivalent of dual 17" play windows.So I brought my son downstairs for some beta testing,and he is in agreement.

Now it's time to sink this screen.

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As phulshof said. You can just force games into cocktail mode. Mame/Mess supports cocktail mode for horizontal games where the screen will be split into two halves. The cocktail mode in Mame/Mess is a simulated mode used to simulate how some arcade companies would have a dipswitch to accommodate their horizontal games on vertical cocktails by rotating the picture and mirroring it. Simulated mode has its perks. It can be used on just about every game. There are a few odd exceptions but they are very few.

 

A 23-24" widescreen monitor should split into something very similar to a 17" 5:4 aspect monitor. Not bad IMO. I've always wanted a cocktail cab myself.

 

As an example, here is windjammers running in cocktail mode

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As phulshof said. You can just force games into cocktail mode. Mame/Mess supports cocktail mode for horizontal games where the screen will be split into two halves. The cocktail mode in Mame/Mess is a simulated mode used to simulate how some arcade companies would have a dipswitch to accommodate their horizontal games on vertical cocktails by rotating the picture and mirroring it. Simulated mode has its perks. It can be used on just about every game. There are a few odd exceptions but they are very few.

 

A 23-24" widescreen monitor should split into something very similar to a 17" 5:4 aspect monitor. Not bad IMO. I've always wanted a cocktail cab myself.

 

That's also why I recommend a 16:10 monitor, which in portrait becomes 10:16. 2x5:4 in cocktail becomes 5:8, which is the exact same aspect as 10:16, so no black borders whatsoever. Using it for 4:3 in cocktail will leave a small black bar at the bottom and top, but less than when you use a 16:9 monitor. The same goes for full-screen vertical games (no-cocktail mode): it will leave a small black bar at the bottom and top, but less than when you use a 16:9 monitor.

 

As for screen size comparison:

A 24" 16:9 monitor in cocktail mode is like a (24*9/SQRT(16^2+9^2))*(5/4)=14.7" 4:3 monitor for each player.

A 24" 16:10 monitor in cocktail mode is like a (24*10/SQRT(16^2+10^2))*(5/4)=15.9" 4:3 monitor for each player.

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That's also why I recommend a 16:10 monitor, which in portrait becomes 10:16. 2x5:4 in cocktail becomes 5:8, which is the exact same aspect as 10:16, so no black borders whatsoever. Using it for 4:3 in cocktail will leave a small black bar at the bottom and top, but less than when you use a 16:9 monitor. The same goes for full-screen vertical games (no-cocktail mode): it will leave a small black bar at the bottom and top, but less than when you use a 16:9 monitor.

 

As for screen size comparison:

A 24" 16:9 monitor in cocktail mode is like a (24*9/SQRT(16^2+9^2))*(5/4)=14.7" 4:3 monitor for each player.

A 24" 16:10 monitor in cocktail mode is like a (24*10/SQRT(16^2+10^2))*(5/4)=15.9" 4:3 monitor for each player.

 

 

You definitely know more about it than i do. :sweat:

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  • 3 weeks later...

I will post some pics later today! It's taking shape so all I can think about is leaving work so I can get home and get back to my build. I scored some 50's - 60's style diner stools this weekend, they kind of "make" the entire build.

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Here is a few pics of the build. Finishing the top today, just got home and the T-molding I ordered was waiting for me!!! I found 2 of these stools

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I will cut them down to the appropriate height for the cab, and I have a friend at a local steel fabrication shop designing new bases for them so they can be free standing.

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I haven't decided if the top of the cab will be fixed to the cabinet or if it will attach to and open with the back access door, still playing with some different hinge ideas. I'll start the control panels after the top is covered with the piano black vaneer I have.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It looks really nice... I always liked the console game at pizza hut when I was a kid. Did you use biscuits when joining the wood together? If so, we're they pretty easy for a large panel? I have only used them on small things. Thanks

Thanks, that is what I was going for. Yes biscuit joints for the assembly. I had to use some jigs, to get the biscuits where needed on the larger pieces but yes quick and easy. Plus strong as anything, this is going to be in my sons room so it being used as a jump pad isn't out of the question, this cab should hold up for 30+ years.

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  • 2 years later...

So.... long over due update. The cocktail cab is now over 2yrs old and I can honestly say there are way more "gaming hours" than "tinkering hours" logged on this cab. It is by far my favorite build to date.  My son and I go rounds on galaga & bosconian at least twice a week. I ended up using HyperTate but I'm not really sure who to thank for this gem , so I will give props to JeepGuy and anyone else who put time in on Vertical Themed HS.   Here are some updated pics of the cab. IMG_20180606_23175.jpg.66edc257b305dd85267b7490892c65bf.jpgIMG_20180606_4336.jpg.19f44a8b376a08f5a1b7a8fe2575d042.jpgIMG_20180606_2576.jpg.e3e91eff26c81d313fe6ffe8db801e31.jpgService Access. IMG_20180606_33997.jpg.0badbcc4a56022ab4ceadb0639a77344.jpgThe inside of the cab. IMG_20180606_53444.jpg.127441e531194a33fcd7bf790cf329da.jpgUnderneath shot of the panel.IMG_20180606_57702.jpg.5f270bcf4bdb2e3fa226544184d715b7.jpgBack of the cab which has a  USB Jack, power button and detachable power cord.IMG_20180606_21137.jpg.f117a70239d4c24864e4c03b9d20333f.jpg

Player 2 CP. 

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