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    DIY EXPANDABLE Single/Multi-Player RetroPie ARCADE Gaming Console with OpenCADE - 3D Printed

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General Discussion and Gaming
    casejoystickopencadeconsolearcade
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    • Thorr69T
      Thorr69
      last edited by Thorr69

      By twin sticks, I mean 2 sticks for 1 player. This type of control is used for games like Robotron2084 and Krull. You mention it, but I am thinking of you just taking the stick template with blank buttons and putting a second stick where the buttons would go. This would interfere with the pie, but if it's just a controller then it would be fine

      RPi 3b
      Official PSU
      Official RetroPie image
      Pandora's Box 5 controller

      jonecoolJ 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • jonecoolJ
        jonecool @Thorr69
        last edited by

        @Thorr69 Got it, but yes you can still do this. I built a MAME cab with 1&2 players. Just go into MAME and setup Player 1 stick for movement of the character and stick 2 for the fire directions. Doesn't require a single panel with both sticks on it. Just use a 2 player build for this. At least, that's my recommendation - it works fine that way with the advantage of being able to play all other games.

        Are you thinking of building a Robotron-only unit? If that's the case, it could still be done with a slight mod to the control panel to duplicate the joystick layout and the few buttons.

        Thorr69T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • Thorr69T
          Thorr69 @jonecool
          last edited by

          @jonecool
          You got your reply in before I was done. =)

          My sugesstion for a bigger palm plate could be implemented as a front panel extension that you could print up and then attach (much like you do the side panel).

          RPi 3b
          Official PSU
          Official RetroPie image
          Pandora's Box 5 controller

          jonecoolJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • jonecoolJ
            jonecool @Thorr69
            last edited by

            @Thorr69 That's a good idea! I'll put this on my todo list, I like it :)

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            • jonecoolJ
              jonecool @Thorr69
              last edited by jonecool

              @Thorr69 This weekend I spent some time on a concept for providing more room for your wrist to rest on. Printed it and tested it out, since it uses the side plate cover for support concept you mentioned (completely replaces the side cover - same screw holes/dimensions) it is very sturdy and holds up well. I have another version printing that is a bit sleeker, but wanted to get your thoughts on this design to your point of having a larger footprint for your hands to rest.

              I've also prototyped/printed the dual-joystick control panel but haven't installed/tested it yet (new stick ordered that arrived today). I'll post back once I do, next couple days.

              Trackball will be started once I can get the software setup/working and verify it works before starting the model. Software may take me awhile to figure out. Messed with it some this weekend and it's a bit more involved, apparently. Printed the official docs, just need to go through them and figure it all out/test.

              alt text

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              • Thorr69T
                Thorr69
                last edited by

                Hmmm. Well, the approach you took is quite interesting. I like that you made a module that works with your current build. My only comment is that it's on the opposite side of where I had envisioned. =D It's the button array that really needs the support. Like many people, I plant the heel of my hand down while I am using a mouse or playing an arcade game. The height of the box makes that largely impossible, particularly with how close the button array is to the front edge of the unit. It's particularly tiresome when play a shmup and you are railing on only 1 or 2 buttons and your arm isn't supported. Here is what I currently am using (while I am working out a full arcade implementation): http://www.8bitdo.com/n30-arcade-stick/
                The front image on that page shows where hand placement is for most people. The unit looks to have good distance between the lowest button and the bevel of the front edge. (The dark portion is flat, the light gray edge is beveled down.) Even in this position, the heel of her hand is on the bevel. (This image could easily be my wife. She stopped playing Galaga with me on this unit because there's no support for her hand.) The height of this unit is about 2 inches, which I think is shorter than your box design. This stick doesn't have enough space for comfort.
                This shelf is still very useful because it gives your stick hand some spreading room. For games like Pac-Man and other non-firing games, this is perfectly good.
                My implementation would be a blank box in the same shape as your current version, but at a height equal to the front edge. It would sit in front and be a place for the heels of your hand to rest. The box could have a rear cutout to accommodate the front p1/p2 buttons of the main unit. (personally, I wouldn't build those buttons on the front anyway.) It doesn't have to attach, per se, since you may not always want it there. (You could still have a side attachment port like the main box so that a 2-player implementation would work the same way as the main boxes do.)

                Anyway, just my thoughts. Keep up the good work. =)

                RPi 3b
                Official PSU
                Official RetroPie image
                Pandora's Box 5 controller

                jonecoolJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • jonecoolJ
                  jonecool @Thorr69
                  last edited by jonecool

                  @Thorr69 Thank you again for your feedback! Wrist support extensions for the button panel. In fact, this panel can be used with a 2-player configuration and is of course optional. If you wanted one or the other or both, you could easily configure it however you want.

                  I'm also going to design the joystick-only panel and separate button panel that was mentioned earlier. That will give anyone options on how they wish to configure their OpenCADE.

                  Haven't yet tested the Robotron console, I'll get to that soon as well. After that, trackball!

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                  • Thorr69T
                    Thorr69
                    last edited by

                    Nice! I like the way you attached it to the under pinnings of the front. Have you tested the strength of it?

                    RPi 3b
                    Official PSU
                    Official RetroPie image
                    Pandora's Box 5 controller

                    jonecoolJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • jonecoolJ
                      jonecool @Thorr69
                      last edited by jonecool

                      @Thorr69 It was sturdy, but I found a better way to go that works with any configuration. The above worked just fine, but was limited to a 1-player only configuration as it would expose the support bar if used on a 2-player setup. Instead of having two different designs, just going to scrap the above but use the core elements to create one that works with 1 base or 2+ bases. Finished designing the control panels for a joystick on the left panel and buttons on the right. This really gives you the ultimate flexibility in building an arcade control panel. I'll have real pictures soon, it's printing now...

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                      New Control Panel for a larger 1-player configuration:
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                      Thorr69T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • BillyHB
                        BillyH
                        last edited by

                        Not to rain on anyone's parade, but shouldn't this topic be in the projects subforum? It'll probably get more views too there from people specifically looking for this kind of threads.

                        • First Pi: Pi 3 in a PSone case
                        • Second Pi: Pi 0 in a Retroflag GPi Case
                        • Third Pi: Pi 4 as a desktop computer
                        • Some time in 2020: Picade
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                        • Thorr69T
                          Thorr69 @jonecool
                          last edited by

                          @jonecool I like it!!!! Every little bit of support helps. This iteration is clean and modular. I totally dig it!

                          RPi 3b
                          Official PSU
                          Official RetroPie image
                          Pandora's Box 5 controller

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • jonecoolJ
                            jonecool @Thorr69
                            last edited by jonecool

                            @Thorr69 I took your recommendation and made it so :) Robotron 2084 playing in an OpenCADE console. One minor change to make and that's the cutout in the back needs to be a little deeper to support 2 USB encoders. The reason is, you can't connect 2 joysticks up to one encoder (at least, the set I purchased). So, there are two sticks, 2 encoders and 2 cables from the box. Also, each controller must have one button assigned to each of the sticks or it's impossible to configure the stick in RetroPie (and in MAME).

                            After adding 2 encoders, I then mapped the left button to insert a coin and the right button to start the game. Works perfectly, you'd need to add another button on the left/right of the box to be able to navigate RetroPie. But, the project is a success! Files will be uploaded once I do more testing and document how to set it all up.

                            rt1.jpg
                            rt2.jpg

                            Oh, new suction cup holders for the base too...

                            suck1.jpg
                            suck2.jpg

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                            • Thorr69T
                              Thorr69
                              last edited by

                              Very nice! Pretty much exactly how I pictured it!

                              RPi 3b
                              Official PSU
                              Official RetroPie image
                              Pandora's Box 5 controller

                              jonecoolJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • jonecoolJ
                                jonecool @Thorr69
                                last edited by

                                @Thorr69 This is what the pieces look like printed for a single player extended configuration. It could also easily have been a 2-player extended but I'm wanting to try some new designs for the stick+buttons on separate panels :) Of course, you can also use the suction cup holders (above) to secure it as well. Getting close to a release, just need to fully assemble with stick+buttons and test it out.

                                front1.jpg

                                front3.jpg

                                front2.jpg

                                jonecoolJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • jonecoolJ
                                  jonecool @jonecool
                                  last edited by

                                  The Expansion Pack has been released on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3491239

                                  Additional Details can be found here.

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