Tardis themed Barcade

UrbanDragon

My Barcade - a while back my brain combined "Mr. Do's Castle" with Dr. Who and came up with Dr. Who's Magic Tardis. Eventually that led to my barcade cabinet.

Dell 20" 1280x1024 monitor, I bought a cabinet kit from e-bay as I've little skill with woodworking modified it so that my x-gaming tankstick would fit comfortably, added an Ultimarc Spinner, then hand painted, drew the characters for the marquee and put it together in Photoshop for printing. There's a USB powered LED light behind the marquee and I'm using a USB Soundblaster and mini amp for sound.

Lurker

That is very nice and I like the idea of a Tardis , but ya, it is overshadowed a bit with the tank controller. I would think you should be able to redo and widen the back, bottom and support brace I presume is being used to hold the monitor and keep the side pieces. That would result in something wide enough to fit the control deck.

Ooh Ooh, what would put it over the top would be to set up an arduino or similar with the master power switch as a trigger so when you turn the system on, while it is booting the arduino plays the Tardis materialization sound and have an LED in the top lantern flash.

Is the side just paint? What I mean is, did you add trim pieces for the doors or is it all paint? Because The side looks three dimensional. Very well done.

UrbanDragon

@lurker - yeah, widening things would make it a bit better, but a bit beyond my desire and tools :) I tried my hand at cutting my own wood and just don't have the knack/desire to buy more power tools.

The Arduino idea is one I've had - I've got an Arduino kit here might look into that.

Side is all paint, Didn't do so great on the windows but am pretty happy overall.
Thank you :)

UrbanDragon

Also, at some point I may do the tank stick up to look more like some era of Tardis control panel, just have to come up with the right idea / design.

Clyde

@urbandragon To give the controller a similar design to the rest of the cabinet was also my first thought to integrate it visually. At the moment, it looks a bit too much like it was just dropped onto the cabinet. A TARDIS-like control panel is a great idea.

Having finished my own cabinet last weekend, I know how much one can want to "just finish the damn thing" after a while, but I think it would be really worth it to put some more work into your cab to perfect an already great design.

All in all, I really like your idea of a TARDIS cab and I awe at your hand-drawn artwork. Also, I second @Lurker that a flashing lantern on the cab would be the almost-literal cherry on the cake. ;)

UrbanDragon

@clyde Thanks - the hard part will be coming up with a design that evokes the Tardis control panel, but I'll get there :)

I'll revisit the beacon light as well, for now I have a solar garden light that will light up when it's dark out, it doesn't flash, but it's at least a lamp.

caver01

@urbandragon FUN!!!

I think I will submit that my cocktail-style arcade is also a TARDIS, only my TARDIS has a working chameleon circuit (Dr Who nerd alert) which makes the cabinet blend-in as a road case.

Great idea with the Police Box design!

Clyde

@caver01 said in Tardis themed Barcade:

@urbandragon FUN!!!

I think I will submit that my cocktail-style arcade is also a TARDIS, only my TARDIS has a working chameleon circuit (Dr Who nerd alert) which makes the cabinet blend-in as a road case.

But not anything else, I guess? Then it's just stuck in another state than @UrbanDragon's. :p

caver01

@clyde said in Tardis themed Barcade:

But not anything else, I guess? Then it's just stuck in another state than @UrbanDragon's. :p

Oh, ha ha ha, yeah, you are right. My chameleon circuit broke when my TARDIS arcade dropped in on a bunch of roadies at a Stevie Nicks concert. Been a road case ever since.