ACKade

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Project: ACKade
Featured:
State Active
Members PsychiC, Da Syntax, Prodigity, Computer1up, Stuiterveer
GitHub No GitHub project defined. Add your project here.
Description The ACKspace arcade. Game on!
Picture
ACKade.jpg
Featured article
ACKade had been flagged as a featured article and will automatically appear on the Main Page.

We have an arcade cabinet!

Now, the problem is, it doesn't work, (or worse, nobody knows its state). Everybody knows gaming can be a stress relief, so when visiting ACKspace for some social gathering or relaxing, one might recognize value in a working arcade cabinet.

synopsis

Get the arcade cabinet fully working again. Choose the path of least resistance for maximum profit.

challenge

Xopr really wants to see the ACKade working, and the challenge is running for more than a year now, so here are the conditions to win:

  • working arcade system (including monitor and buttons)
  • at least one platform/emulator working (reduced from three)
  • have at least three games working
  • deadline is 31 december 2015
  • more info on the wiki, more points to win

The prizes are

Winner! A (new) retro shirt in your size, maximum of two winners
Runner up: Awesome NES controller tin complete with mints, maximum of two winners
3rd place: your favorite delicious beverage, club mate, maximum of three winners

If you do the math, seven people can win something, if the system is up and running before the new year (2016)

.plan

  • identify the current hardware (system, buttons, screen)
  • try and quick-fix the hardware
  • determine hardware upgrades
  • determine software (emulators, shells)
  • stretch item: determine add-ons (html5 games, external [multiplayer] controllers)

current hardware

PsychiC found the PC and missing joystick...


PC Specifications :

Arcade cabinet specifications :

  • Black cabinet with red stripes , labelled "Royal Video:
  • 4-axis joystick (1 per player)
  • 3 square buttons (3 per player)
  • 1 buttons seems to be missing
  • 2 rectangular buttons (start/select)
  • 2 round buttons (below 2nd player controls for credits, nr of player)
  • 19" CRT Screen, 1280x1024 60HZ
  • Stereo speakers in top

Controller specifications :

  • Arduino Mega 2650 rev 1
  • 2 Slots for tokens/coins

implementation

  • We have some retro wallpapers! (They're in the 'My Pictures\wp' folder)
  • The system boots to steam which has a Joy2Key profile 'Joy2Key' connected to it
  • When in desktop mode, the 'Browser navigate (mouse)' profile is enabled
  • There is an on-screen keyboard in the task bar

Joy2Key profiles

There are several profiles which are attached to a process. By default, the 'Browser navigate (mouse)' profile is set.

The list of profiles currently is:

Browser Jump wheel
Stick 1 (nothing)
White 1 (nothing)
Red 1 left Player 1 jump
Red 1 right Player 2 jump
Yellow left Restart (F5)
Yellow right (no switch)
Stick 2 (nothing)
White 2 (escape)
Red 2 left Player 3 jump
Red 2 right Player 4 jump
Hidden left switch to profile 'Joy2Key' (hold 0.5sec)
Hidden right switch to profile 'Browser navigate (mouse)' (hold 0.5sec)
Browser navigate (mouse)
Stick 1 mouse pointer (slow)
White 1 left mouse button
Red 1 left right mouse button
Red 1 right navigate back (button 4)
Yellow left scroll down
Yellow right (no switch)
Stick 2 mouse pointer (fast)
White 2 left mouse button
Red 2 left right mouse button
Red 2 right navigate forward (button 5)
Hidden left switch to profile 'Browser Jump wheel' (hold 0.5sec)
Hidden right switch to profile 'Joy2Key' (hold 0.5sec)
Cave Story+
Joy2Key
Stick 1 WSAD
White 1 Z
Red 1 left X
Red 1 right (nothing)
Yellow left (nothing)
Yellow right (no switch)
Stick 2 (arrow keys)
White 2 .
Red 2 left /
Red 2 right (nothing)
Hidden left switch to profile 'Browser navigate (mouse)' (hold 0.5sec)
Hidden right switch to profile 'Browser Jump wheel' (hold 0.5sec)
nidhogg
null

stretch items

It would be cool to add extra controllers (read: jump pads) to the arcade. Connections need to be flexible and firm.

This also needs a way to run html5 games, which means: run a full OS with a modern browser (webkit/gecko) which includes native hardware acceleration.


log

//Compter1up noticed that the page for this project is way behind, a lot has changed. Maybe someone could update it? 2015-11-04

  • Placed ACKade back in hACKspace. (Da Syntax & Prodigity)
  • Replaced bulky crt with lcd and made bezel black with tape and marker (lol) (Da Syntax & Prodigity)
  • Rewired (ugggghhhh) and reconnected the buttons (Stuiterveer & Prodigity)
  • Installed a few games (Stuiterveer)

2015-11-05

  • Installed Joy2Key to support more games (Prodigity)
  • Used black tape to cover scratches in glass plate on back (Prodigity)

2015-11-06

  • Steam big picture mode now automatically starts on boot (Prodigity)
  • Tricked steam into accepting (second) controller even though it doesn't have enough buttons (Prodigity)
  • Audio jack on the front of pc is now connected internally and has audio cable hooked up to it (Prodigity)
  • Network cable has been attached to the ACKade and has been placed out of sight. (Prodigity)
  • Joy2Key now has profiles assigned to a couple of games, emulating a keyboard when it has to. (Prodigity)
  • Installed MAME with some ROMS, has its limitations due to the amount of physical buttons. 1 and 2 on keyboard are player 1/2 start buttons, 5 and 6 are for extra coins. (Stuiterveer)

2015-11-07

  • Made sure the select button on the cabinet is working by wedging a piece of paper between the button face and switch. This is only a temporary fix, we need to look into using a different holder for the switch. (Stuiterveer)