portable fighting game machine project I'm working on

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

So I have a project I've been working on recently. My last laptop's screen had broken off and was just dangling breeze. Not only that, the fan was making a horrible grinding noise. For most people this thing was bound for the trash, but I decided to replace the fan and make something out of it. I successfully managed to re-wire the power button, hack the thing apart and take out anything not necessary for the computer to function, then glue it back together into one piece.

Why, you might ask? So I could stick it into a suitcase and make it a portable arcade machine of course! I've always had the idea for something like this, a way to challenge people to fighting games wherever I was, but couldn't think of a feasible way to make it happen until now. It's still in it's early stages, but I'm happy with the progress. I originally thought about putting Linux on it to run the games, but that turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. So I just re-used the Windows 7 it came with. So the thing I'm most happy about with this is that, since it's running Windows, I can install my steam games on it. Assuming the game can run on this few years old hardware and the game supports offline mode.

So that means... when it finally comes out, I'll be able to challenge all of you to TFH on it! It can already play Skullgirls just fine, so I'm confident it's hardware can handle TFH, so long as there's no crazy Always-On DRM in the game. If the devs see this, Don't do that! So you guys better hope you don't run into me if you don't want me to challenge you. Here's a picture of some of the pieces I'm working with right now, including the Frankenstein laptop. I might post some more pictures of it when it's closer to finished if people are interested.

 

[OCisbestungulate]

I'm not sure which is more awesome. This idea, or your Spiderman sheets.

Spoiler

It's the sheets

Spoiler

I kid, I kid

Spoiler

Or do I?

Silliness aside, this does look pretty cool. Keep in touch.

EDIT: Though I suspect this would fit better in the "Fan Creations" section. But that's just imo

 

[Avering]

So, will it be like Pokemon? You see us and that means a challenge?
If you use smaller controllers you might be able to squeeze them into the disk-drive's place.

 

[OCisbestungulate]

So, will it be like Pokemon? You see us and that means a challenge?
If you use smaller controllers you might be able to squeeze them into the disk-drive's place.

"!"

walk over

"Hi! I like shorts!"

begin battle

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

So, will it be like Pokemon? You see us and that means a challenge?
If you use smaller controllers you might be able to squeeze them into the disk-drive's place.

Yes, exactly like pokemon. And I actually removed the disc drive (didn't need it) and cut the space out with a hacksaw. The controllers will go in the bottom half of the suit case.

I'm not sure which is more awesome. This idea, or your Spiderman sheets.

Spoiler

It's the sheets

Spoiler

I kid, I kid

Spoiler

Or do I?

Silliness aside, this does look pretty cool. Keep in touch.

EDIT: Though I suspect this would fit better in the "Fan Creations" section. But that's just imo

I assure you that I am an adult person, despite my sheets. And I didn't know that was a section on this board.

 

[OCisbestungulate]

And I didn't know that was a section on this board.

Aye, that it be.

 

[Avering]

Hey, what are those controllers? Those are pretty neat. Also, the whole thing will need an eventual flashy-fighty paintjob.

And I also thought about making a dedicated low performance run-around gamebox, but my laptop screen tore itself out of every friggin socket thus wrecking the housing.

I assure you that I am an adult person, despite my sheets.

having awesome sheets doesn't mean you are not an adult. Hell, I have plushies sitting on my bed!

And I didn't know that was a section on this board.

Our evil overlord Mane6 shall see to the issue. But beware shall you incur their wrath again!

 

[Rich Jammer]

So I have a project I've been working on recently. My last laptop's screen had broken off and was just dangling breeze. Not only that, the fan was making a horrible grinding noise. For most people this thing was bound for the trash, but I decided to replace the fan and make something out of it. I successfully managed to re-wire the power button, hack the thing apart and take out anything not necessary for the computer to function, then glue it back together into one piece.

Why, you might ask? So I could stick it into a suitcase and make it a portable arcade machine of course! I've always had the idea for something like this, a way to challenge people to fighting games wherever I was, but couldn't think of a feasible way to make it happen until now. It's still in it's early stages, but I'm happy with the progress. I originally thought about putting Linux on it to run the games, but that turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. So I just re-used the Windows 7 it came with. So the thing I'm most happy about with this is that, since it's running Windows, I can install my steam games on it. Assuming the game can run on this few years old hardware and the game supports offline mode.

So that means... when it finally comes out, I'll be able to challenge all of you to TFH on it! It can already play Skullgirls just fine, so I'm confident it's hardware can handle TFH, so long as there's no crazy Always-On DRM in the game. If the devs see this, Don't do that! So you guys better hope you don't run into me if you don't want me to challenge you. Here's a picture of some of the pieces I'm working with right now, including the Frankenstein laptop. I might post some more pictures of it when it's closer to finished if people are interested.

This is how I'll imagine you when you're walking around with that suit case.

 

[Avering]

Now that I think about it, do you guys think TFH can run on a mini pc, ,like a Rasberry Pi? That could result in some pretty neat portable machine.

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

Hey, what are those controllers? Those are pretty neat. Also, the whole thing will need an eventual flashy-fighty paintjob.

And I also thought about making a dedicated low performance run-around gamebox, but my laptop screen tore itself out of every friggin socket thus wrecking the housing.

having awesome sheets doesn't mean you are not an adult. Hell, I have plushies sitting on my bed!

Our evil overlord Mane6 shall see to the issue. But beware shall you incur their wrath again!

The controllers are Street Fighter controllers for the Playstation 2. They came out around the same time as the 15th anniversary of Street Fighter and the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection for PS2. I'm using a Playstation 2-to-USB adapter. I felt like they were a good choice for this, in lea of being able to use actual arcade buttons.

As for a paint job, I'm actually going to buy a bunch of bumper stickers whenever I travel to put on the outside, so it looks like one of those suitcases from a cartoon that's been traveling around.

What kind of plushies do you have?

 

[Avering]

What kind of plushies do you have?

A husky puppy, and a white reindeer in a sweater. The old squeaky rabbit has been put away.

As for a paint job, I'm actually going to buy a bunch of bumper stickers whenever I travel to put on the outside, so it looks like one of those suitcases from a cartoon that's been traveling around.

The stickers going on the suitcase or the laptop?

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

On the suitcase. The laptop will be mounted into the suitcase. Still working out how to do that.

And huskys are adorable.

 

[Avering]

The laptop will be mounted into the suitcase

Either superglue, or if you can, drill some holes on the front cover and put screws through the whole thing, so you can pick the whole thing apart as necessary. And some holes would be needed on the suitcase to allow cooling.
Also, I meant the paintjob on the laptop, the handrest in particular, as that is the one that will be seen constantly.

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

Either superglue, or if you can, drill some holes on the front cover and put screws through the whole thing, so you can pick the whole thing apart as necessary. And some holes would be needed on the suitcase to allow cooling.
Also, I meant the paintjob on the laptop, the handrest in particular, as that is the one that will be seen constantly.

I'm probably going to put some plexiglass across the front, and spraypaint everything but where the screen is, to hide all the wires and whatnot.

 

[OCisbestungulate]

I'm probably going to put some plexiglass across the front, and spraypaint everything but where the screen is, to hide all the wires and whatnot.

Good thinking. Now I kinda hope to run into you as a random encounter.

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

Good thinking. Now I kinda hope to run into you as a random encounter.

Right now I'm mostly working on the software until I can get some peices in the mail. Trying to get the emulators to work and what not. I actually had to go into the config file to tell steam to stop bugging me that I'm in offline mode.

 

[OCisbestungulate]

Right now I'm mostly working on the software until I can get some peices in the mail. Trying to get the emulators to work and what not. I actually had to go into the config file to tell steam to stop bugging me that I'm in offline mode.

You're dedicated. I'm impressed.

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

You're dedicated. I'm impressed.

ADHD will do that.

 

[Oreo]

The controllers are Street Fighter controllers for the Playstation 2. They came out around the same time as the 15th anniversary of Street Fighter and the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection for PS2. I'm using a Playstation 2-to-USB adapter. I felt like they were a good choice for this, in lea of being able to use actual arcade buttons.

I wish I had one of those. I heard they're really good. I use the Street Fighter x Tekken MadCatz pad, and while it's similar, it's probably not as good as those. The SFxT pads are also easy to break and are currently discontinued, so the amount of time I can use them is finite.

Also, as long as you have easy access to USB slots in there, that's a cool idea. Not everyone likes playing on pad, and for people who play on stick, it may not be unusual for those people to have their stick on them and want to use that. I know people who just leave it in their car when it's not in-use, just so they have it wherever they go.

 

[Avering]

Now that I think about it, you will have a lot of work with this. You need to allow connection to the USB ports (either by turning them upward, ot using an extender), secure the whole thing (long enough screws should do the trick), and allow airflow through the whole thing. Either by turning it upside down and cutting the holes on the plastic you will be using, or making holes in the suitcase.

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

I wish I had one of those. I heard they're really good. I use the Street Fighter x Tekken MadCatz pad, and while it's similar, it's probably not as good as those. The SFxT pads are also easy to break and are currently discontinued, so the amount of time I can use them is finite.

Also, as long as you have easy access to USB slots in there, that's a cool idea. Not everyone likes playing on pad, and for people who play on stick, it may not be unusual for those people to have their stick on them and want to use that. I know people who just leave it in their car when it's not in-use, just so they have it wherever they go.

Yeah, they are pretty nice controllers. I also have a Street Fighter 4 pad by MadCatz nearly identical to those SFxT ones that I use most of the time. Even thought those use USB, I found that the buying a second PlayStation 2 one and the adapter was still cheaper that trying to buy a second MadCatz. I really like these kinds of special controllers with the 6 face buttons. Someday when I have the money I'm gonna build a real fightstick with real arcade parts. But just for fun, I don't play competitively. But if you couldn't tell, I love fighting games.

I only have 2 USB ports to work with, so I plan to plug the controls into one, and a USB hub into the other. So theoretically any USB controllers should work with it. I'd have to remap the buttons in MAME, though, but that's not too difficult. There's a third USB slot, but it's unreliable, so I relegated it to only providing power to the speakers.

Now that I think about it, you will have a lot of work with this. You need to allow connection to the USB ports (either by turning them upward, to using an extender), secure the whole thing (long enough screws should do the trick), and allow airflow through the whole thing. Either by turning it upside down and cutting the holes on the plastic you will be using, or making holes in the suitcase.

I'm using a USB hub to solve the problem of accessing the ports (which, as I mentioned, I only have two of anyway.) I'm currently working on mounting the thing, I'll let you guys know what I end up doing. As for airflow, I think I might just drill a few small holes in the suitcase. Seems the be the easiest way, and they'd be near the bottom. Just have to be careful not to spill anything on it.

 

[Avering]

I think I might just drill a few small holes in the suitcase

Just check where the holes were on the original housing, and put them there. If you have some extra space, it won't hurt to make some extra ones as well. The best would be having holes on the front, so it will be protected from the elements, but that would need flipping the whole thing.
Anyways, good luck with it!

 

[Manley_McDragonpuncher]

Taking a break from the outside stuff to get the software working. Got MAME, Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo going. And Steam of course.
Speaking of which, Have I mentioned how flarked up Skullgirls is?