Exactly what the title says. Post any prototypes or project you’re working on here, from custom arcade sticks to custom arcade parts.
So I’ve been working on an updated version of my ergonomic arcade stick. Without getting long winded, I wanted the next version to include the following features:
-Easier to take apart (old one had 4 screws holding the bottom on, I want to reduce that)
-Better fit and finish (I had a few moments were I was a bit too eager to put it together and left out some important touches)
-More aesthetically pleasing body lines (I was still relatively new to working with acrylic with the Mark I, so the edges were never flame polished.)
-More completely protected artwork (the artwork on the mark I is under clear plexi, but the sides are open to the elements.
-Lighting (What doesn’t look cooler with lights?)
-To be even MORE ergonomic. (The biased panel under the joystick works, but it would be more comfortable if it was lower.)
Here’s a few pictures of the “Mark I” if you’ve never seen it.
So here’s the prototypes I was working on. It’s picture intensive, so I broke up the spoiler tags.
Another warning, there are some typos, I love writing on my prototypes but in my fever to create, I don’t always spell stuff correctly or even make it readable.
#1: “Conceptual” Prototype:
Spoiler
http://i66.tinypic.com/1zmj7yt.jpg
If it looks like I just took the prototype for the mark I and cut it up, that’s EXACTLY what I did! It’s just made out of sheets of foam. Foam is easy to cut and sand, and it’s cheap! It’s the perfect medium for prototyping in my humble opinion.
http://i64.tinypic.com/ac7cxv.jpg
I mostly did this to give myself an excuse to finally throw away my old prototype. But it did give me something to measure off of and make a proper prototype.
#2: “Proof of concept” Prototype:
Spoiler
http://i66.tinypic.com/dmzgap.jpg
Didn’t cut everything quite the way I wanted to. It’s hard to see from the pictures, but the play area where the joystick is was cut a bit too long.
http://i64.tinypic.com/2hdbhvp.jpg
It feels great when you put your hands on it, but it still has some of the problems the old one had. Clear plexi slapped on top like an afterthought, and the bottom is still going to need 4 screws to hold it together. Just some kinks to work out with the next prototype.
http://i64.tinypic.com/5o84d3.jpg
The compass is to show the direction I’d like the joystick to face. It’s easier for me to “feel” where the joystick is orientated if I know duck is right where my wrist is.
#3: “Something went wrong” Prototype
Spoiler
Well, the good news is that I figured out how to fix the “artwork security” and “slow access panel” problems. The bottom of the arcade stick will slide into slots on the bottom of the arcade stick and get held on three walls. Then I only need one screw to hold it in place. The play area would also fit into slots to put a lip above the play area. This lip would keep the sides of the artwork safe, and get filled in with the plexi going in on top. But…
Spoiler
http://i68.tinypic.com/25s7e5i.jpg
…Something went wrong. The program I wrote didn’t cut everything quite the way it was suppose to.
http://i65.tinypic.com/24pb4tf.jpg
Still, I was able to at least see why everything was fitting so poorly. Who needs notepads when you can write directly on your failed prototype?
http://i66.tinypic.com/2enw9ab.jpg
Though I was initially bummed, I was just glad I didn’t make this mistake while cutting acrylic! Oh well, it was time to try again.
#4 “Working” Prototype
Spoiler
http://i67.tinypic.com/1z34510.jpg
Yes, you can plug it into your computer and play fighting games. Hahahaha. Foam is home!
http://i65.tinypic.com/2pyxftg.jpg
I did have to cut the lip down where my wrists were going to rest. The button area looks like it’s popping apart because I made the button holes too small and really had to squeeze those suckers in there! You may also notice I decided to hold it together with hot glue instead of tape.
http://i64.tinypic.com/eg2s7l.jpg
Gotta orientate those holes just perfect for the joystick.
http://i65.tinypic.com/ojqbtx.jpg
Yea, I forgot to make a hole for the wire… That’s why we prototype!
http://i67.tinypic.com/352oknp.jpg
The bottom is here…
http://i68.tinypic.com/29prw8z.jpg
And now it’s out! In the final version, I’ll solvent weld a tab for the screw to fasten to.
http://i67.tinypic.com/4j0sk3.jpg
And now let’s have a look under the bonnet…
That’s a ps3/PC zero encoder pcb, since I’m going to use this on my computer. Typically a solder-less install, but I ordered an american harnas to hook up to my american joystick with the idea that I could crimp those suckers onto the Japanese buttons. Somehow, I got a Japanese harness with American connectors. I figured I could go cry to my supplier, but I wanted to get this thing done. So I was a bad enough dude to reconfigure the harness to work on my American joystick. Turns out the American disconnects fit on the Japanese buttons just fine, and my arcade stick design is so out there that the wires wouldn’t have reached even if I got all the correct parts. So it wasn’t all bad.
And yes, that enlarged aluminum actuator is a custom design by yours truly. It makes the American joystick more responsive, shrinks the dead zone, and makes the joystick function like it has a square gate.But this is a prototyping topic, so I’ll talk about that more at another time.
#5 “Feels good!” Prototype
Spoiler
http://i66.tinypic.com/148hhf.jpg
This last prototype is just to make sure everything’s good to go.
http://i64.tinypic.com/ekrgpj.jpg
Cut to thousandths of perfection around the wire. In the final version, I’ll trap the wire with a piece of acrylic and solvent weld it in place.
http://i68.tinypic.com/4q5xk9.jpg
Here’s the wire from the other side. I did have to grove that out to get the wire to fit juuuust right.
http://i65.tinypic.com/260fsir.jpg
Did I mention I love my camera? I scaled down all these photos by like 1/5 the resolution. Cannon powershot is amazing!
http://i65.tinypic.com/wvnz1f.jpg
Final version will have wooden dowels that I can screw/glue to from the underside, removing ugly screws from the center of my play field.
http://i68.tinypic.com/2utglmc.jpg
Larger button holes, easier to squeeze the buttons in. The final version will pretty much lock directly into the clear plexi on top.
http://i66.tinypic.com/2eochg1.jpg
The slots that hold the bottom in place. Action is so smooth!
http://i64.tinypic.com/2s1lv75.jpg
I forgot to mention that I made the button side about an inch lower, since the Japanese buttons don’t take up as much room as the american ones. I do plan on doing lighting, but I shouldn’t need a prototype to help with that.
Anyway, that’s about it, hope you enjoyed! It’ll be a while longer before it’s finished, but you’ll see it in the arcade stick thread when it’s done.
So, anyone else got stuff to share?