...the software development costs must be very high.
It's this.
Just think of the mega-gallons of coffee needed for a single slave-programmer working in a cubicle/bedroom. Then multiply by infinity-1 per head of programmer, if it's a kennelful of them. It's an interesting fact that programming didn't really take off until the introduction of coffee to Lady Ada, way back when. Evidently she died from ODing on caffeine. Were it not for computer programmers, South America would not be making as much moolah from their exporting of coffee. Sidenote: An abacus is hitherto incapable of experiencing a floating point error, but it's quite capable of crashing, if the user rage-quits suddenly, or even accidentally.
I'm just building a coffee table Mame setup for somebody and a full set of buttons, joystick and associated bits came to ?15. Considering that is all an X-Arcade is in a box then either there is a lot of profit in these units or the software development costs must be very high.
does that include the controller board for it also ? if you see a x-arcade you do understand why it isn't cheap.. it's not the lightest of things or smallest of things to ship.. I do have a spare controller board now that I might use to build another setup with.. but I was looking into getting parts. I want something with , say a bezel that you could rotate to support screens better . e.g. 1942
it's not like the crappy plasticy fake arcade joysticks you'd get on ps1.. the ones that look like a surf board.
You can get an ipac controller for a DIY stick for $39 from Ultimarc. If you can wire a plug, you can wire a custom joystick, its really simple with one of these.
The beauty of DIY is you get exactly what you want, with buttons in the pattern you pick and the precise type of sticks you prefer. My only problem was finishing the thing, since the prototype worked so well its been in use for years now.
Have considered the X-arcade, but decided to build my own, with both Kempston and USB (by reusing a cheap digital pad). For 5? it does more or less the same job as the ipac from Ultimarc mentioned. Looking for a solid (and heavy enough) enclosure, now.
Yes that includes the controller (a USB cable and simple decoder *) and wiring loom (few bits of wire), full set (6 control buttons, 1 & 2 Player buttons and 2 more for power and boot option - all microswitch) and a joystick (8 way, steel shaft, microswitched) in other words more or less the guts of an X-Arcade. A few bits of MDF for the box or even a sheet steel box if you wanted and given I buy at retail, with the wholesale savings and bulk manufacture you could make an X-Arcade for far less than ?15. As I say a very substantially marked up product.
Personally I don't like them. They do the job and are well enough built but boy, they are ugly. I think if your doing a cab then its the quickest way to ruin it and if your using it as a PC controller then it's badly designed from an ergonomic viewpoint. I have used one and thought its overall design was very poor. Although not a problem with the X-Arcade alone if you buy any pre-built solution including if you bought a custom cabinet the one thing you wouldn't get is the ability to custom position the controls which can make a big difference to how well the thing plays. Personally I thought the X-Arcade didn't have a good layout but that is a very personal opinion which other people will disagree with as it suits them. Horses for courses on that one.
* If your going to do a Mame cabinet one of the cheapest and easiest things to use as a decoder is the USB controller out of a keyboard - Costs a couple of quid and works like a dream for Mame.
How hard/easy are MAME cabinets to build? What are the pitfalls to watch out for? Am seriously thinking about building an Ultimate 2 cabinet, plans seem easy enough to follow, not really thought about controllers yet though, but again, the ipac seems easy, unless I am missing something?
Light guns is what I am really trying to find out about though.....
So long as you have the right tools and some practical skills then very easy.
If your a capable DIY person you shouldn't have any problems. You can get some very good plans off the net which you can change to suit. All the materials are either B&Q or similar, your controller supplier and your IT supplier - who is normally yourself with an old machine.
If you want to do it on the cheap consider using a Raspberry Pi, which has a well documented Mame build, and a cheap flatscreen TV. If your using the Pi then have a look at the "Kade" interface which will do the same job as the iPac except cheaper and more flexible.
Comments
It's this.
Just think of the mega-gallons of coffee needed for a single slave-programmer working in a cubicle/bedroom. Then multiply by infinity-1 per head of programmer, if it's a kennelful of them. It's an interesting fact that programming didn't really take off until the introduction of coffee to Lady Ada, way back when. Evidently she died from ODing on caffeine. Were it not for computer programmers, South America would not be making as much moolah from their exporting of coffee. Sidenote: An abacus is hitherto incapable of experiencing a floating point error, but it's quite capable of crashing, if the user rage-quits suddenly, or even accidentally.
does that include the controller board for it also ? if you see a x-arcade you do understand why it isn't cheap.. it's not the lightest of things or smallest of things to ship.. I do have a spare controller board now that I might use to build another setup with.. but I was looking into getting parts. I want something with , say a bezel that you could rotate to support screens better . e.g. 1942
it's not like the crappy plasticy fake arcade joysticks you'd get on ps1.. the ones that look like a surf board.
The beauty of DIY is you get exactly what you want, with buttons in the pattern you pick and the precise type of sticks you prefer. My only problem was finishing the thing, since the prototype worked so well its been in use for years now.
/Pedro
Personally I don't like them. They do the job and are well enough built but boy, they are ugly. I think if your doing a cab then its the quickest way to ruin it and if your using it as a PC controller then it's badly designed from an ergonomic viewpoint. I have used one and thought its overall design was very poor. Although not a problem with the X-Arcade alone if you buy any pre-built solution including if you bought a custom cabinet the one thing you wouldn't get is the ability to custom position the controls which can make a big difference to how well the thing plays. Personally I thought the X-Arcade didn't have a good layout but that is a very personal opinion which other people will disagree with as it suits them. Horses for courses on that one.
* If your going to do a Mame cabinet one of the cheapest and easiest things to use as a decoder is the USB controller out of a keyboard - Costs a couple of quid and works like a dream for Mame.
Light guns is what I am really trying to find out about though.....
If your a capable DIY person you shouldn't have any problems. You can get some very good plans off the net which you can change to suit. All the materials are either B&Q or similar, your controller supplier and your IT supplier - who is normally yourself with an old machine.
If you want to do it on the cheap consider using a Raspberry Pi, which has a well documented Mame build, and a cheap flatscreen TV. If your using the Pi then have a look at the "Kade" interface which will do the same job as the iPac except cheaper and more flexible.