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Hey all, and welcome to part 2 of me cataloging the evolution of my new video game room. Today's focus is on the custom cocktail arcade cabinet.
https://imgur.com/30fTSmJ
First off, I'd like to mention that I 100% could not have made this on my own. My partner and I ran into John of https://www.heydorksfurniture.com/ at the Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo in 2024 and started talking with him about our need for a new coffee table. He mentioned that he had a prototype mocked up in his mind and to contact him when we were ready. I cannot stress how affordable this table was, as well as the clear and constant communication from John...A+, would highly recommend to anyone else looking to get custom gaming shelves done.
With our input, John did literally everything except programing the Raspberry Pi 3B+ that acts as the brains of the cabinet and did one heck of a job! The cabinet is covered in wood veneer and has T molding on all the corners/shelf sides, similar to a real arcade cabinet. The bottom section is basically an adjustable shelf, which is currently set to hold boxed games (i have a few more shelves and pins in storage).
Each player side is currently setup in a diamond style 4 button layout, with the 1 player side controlling the coins, Start for both players, and some additional function keys. I have spare control panels that I can drill to make a 6 button layout, but for now, we don't feel like we are missing out on anything.
https://imgur.com/4CTqXH5
Under the hood is where the real magic happens - no literally, the top flips up like a car hood so you can work on the interior! A flat panel monitor (yeah, i know...no CRT here) is half onto the top with some brackets as the "lid" is flipped up to a vertical position. Inside, you'll find the Raspberry Pi i mentioned earlier, and IPAC controller interface, a stereo amplifier, a power strip, and a wireless USB keyboard (for troubleshooting).
https://imgur.com/ag6bBaX
There is also a secret inputs section on the bottom - 2x USB ports for additional controllers and an HDMI input for the monitor. Since the speakers are wired into the monitor, and not the Pi itself, it makes it really easy to plug a Switch in for some multiplayer when friends are over.
https://imgur.com/lafzAsC
I rotated the screen in the software of the PI and added a theme that looked good vertical. Unlike most other RetroPie builds I've made, I'm painstakingly adding games on at a time to ensure compatibility and controller mapping, hence the arcade and NeoGeo only so far.
https://imgur.com/lJ4EZUn
Vertical games look amazing as you'd expect, but standard definition games have a pretty cool work around: dual monitor mode! Using a custom mapper, I can duplicate the screen so that each player has a properly arraigned screen. This part takes FOREVER and has to be applied game-by-game to work correctly, but the results are stunning, especially in person.
https://imgur.com/433kr7f
Overall, REALLY happy with the way this one came out and wouldn't change a thing (except a more powerful Pi, but that is incoming). Tune in next month, when I figure out what else to talk about lol!
Hey RfGen-ers! Its been... *checks notes* ...far too long since I’ve made a post, and with the website revitalization project under way, we all need to do our part to keep the content mill flowing!
(note: as imbedded images are currently broken, please use the attached links for images...i'll adjust once things are back to normal)
The past few years have been less than ideal for a number of factors, but for all of the bad, there has been a tremendous amount of good. One of those “good” things is that I finally bought my own home in late 2024, and figured this space would be a good place to catalog one of the coolest projects I have planned – a dedicated video gaming space!
https://imgur.com/NMubhy9
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Here is the view from the door – not much of a looker yet, but when you move in between Thanksgiving and Xmas and have to make a whole bunch of repairs to get things livable, the “fun” places tend to take a back seat.
https://imgur.com/22l5EE5
Off to the left we have:
- A crappy plastic cabinet holding controllers and cartridge games for Genesis/N64/Atari
- Two large bookcases for NES/SNES/PS2/GC/Wii/NDS/3DS
I’m really fond of my RfGeneration Golf Competition medal hung on the side, along with another controller organizer, as well as my power glove in an acrylic case just barely in shot cause I’m bad at photography.
https://imgur.com/qiXYxBL
The centerpiece of the room is currently an IKEA Kallax that holds my Flat Screen and far too many systems. I’m still working on wiring, so I don’t have my cables hidden or even properly organized yet. It’ll look better later on, I promise. Off to the left is a CRT that I rescued from the trash that looks fantastic! Its one of the weird flat glassed ones and has a perfectly clean (no scratches) screen.
https://imgur.com/SvkNwyJ
Next, two IKEA Detolf cases hold (almost) all of our Amiibos. If you ever wanted to know what too many Amiibos look like – this is it. These were awful to move. Switch/PS4/Xbone all sit on a shelf behind a bunch of Kirby and Pokemon toys.
https://imgur.com/RgvJgQv
This section is the rest of the disc games (WiiU/PS3/X360/PSX – over on the bottom right)) as well as a small Vita collection. Two more Detolfs – one for handhelds and another for the minis from the god-awful Dark Souls board game. I’m working on 3D printing some more stands/extras for the handheld case, so it’ll be in better shape when I do a more in-depth look later on. The DS minis are my white whale: they REALLLY need to get painted and I’ve only done a handful. Having all of the gray minis out finally has been giving me the motivation to fix it.
https://imgur.com/gXfwkcT
Last and absolutely not least is my custom-made shelf/cocktail cabinet. This guys needs an in-depth review soon to go over all the cool stuff I had built into it (shout out to https://www.heydorksfurniture.com/ for doing an amazing job!).
That's it for now! Look forward to a bunch of changes as I start to unpack/fix more stuff!
~Neo
On your marks, get set, and go watch this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out Horizon Chase Turbo for PC and modern platforms!
Step right up and win a prize with this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out The Coin Game for PC (early access)!
Giddyap Partner!, you'll be late for this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out West of Dead for Switch (shown), and all the other usual suspects!
It's time to Duel with this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out Ascension for PC and Mobile (and a physical card game)!
En Garde! It's this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out Nidhogg for PC!
Fire your lazors with this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch!
"Watch and Enjoy" this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out WarioWare: Get It Together for the Nintendo Switch!
Don't push the big red button with this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out PANIC! for the Sega CD!
What is truly random anyway??...this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out Zelda Randomizers (Specifically M1Z1, a Metroid-Zelda Combo Randomizer, with the Metroid parts turned off)!
Holy Hardware, Batman!... It's this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out the newly released Atari VCS console...computer...thingy!
If you like this video and want to see more like it, make sure to leave a comment below!
Game is fun, Video is Youtube...its this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out Baba is You for PC and modern platforms!
They descended from birds...they are as big as a plane...its this month's "A Brief Look At" with Neo!
This month, we check out Monster Hunter Rise for Nintendo Switch!
Go dungeon diving in this month's "A Brief Look At"
This month, we check out Curse of the Dead Gods for Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox, and Playstation!
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