Last post here (Ironically)

Well, I have finally found a free website / space provider that does a decent job in regards to template customization and content management (and smart-phone friendliness).  I have created a new site at the following link:


http://bennysarcadelife.wix.com/index/


It still retains a bloggish-feel, but allows me to add / update specific pages much easier.   I'll keep this blog up for a few more month, so my VAST number of subscribers (HA!) can get transitioned.  Hopefully the new site will get 'the arcade dream' out to more people. 

Finally back!

Okay . . . wow.   It’s been a frickin’ year since I posted.  Can’t believe so much has happened and I haven’t documented anything.  If you’ve been keeping up with the web / podcast stuff Rick and I have been working on, you know that it’s been dead for some time.  Rick’s had continuing medical issues, and combined with me landing my dream job and keeping busy with the family stuff, it just wasn’t working out to keep the podcast going.  Maybe I’ll push a solo cast in the future, but I want to focus on the arcade and other ‘at-home’ projects.

Arcade life – my older son and I have been diving into the world of RC cars lately, but I’ve had a little time to tinker here and there in the gameroom over the winter.  I purchased a back-lit keyboard for the Horizons cab, and finally customized / installed bezels for the ceiling black lights (bezel pics to come soon). 

The mural is slowly moving forward again as well.  After installing furniture sliders on the pinball machine, I was able to move it out enough so that I could start on the planet Saturn.  The moon is going to need another coat of white paint with Rit color brightener to make it reflect better under black light.  That reminds me – I’ll be adding a new section that includes some tech / how-to posts for you home gamers out there.  That’s about it for now.  Since the weather is improving, I should be able to start on the cocktail cab soon.

Let's talk PINBALL!!!

So the wife thought it would be a cool idea if I looked into getting a pinball machine this year, since the tax return was so good (I know, she really is AWESOME!!).  After weeks of research and looking around for the 'right' machine, I ended up getting a Gottlieb Surf Champ pinball machine, straight out of 1976!

Save for a couple of minor items, the pin looks and play great!  I'm just happy of the fact that the arcade is actually starting to look like an 'arcade', instead of a basement with one lonely cabinet.  Livin' the retro-gaming dream for sure!!  Next up, getting the basic build of the cocktail cab started!!

And the next arcade cab is . . . .

So, I'm about done with the second RetroMameArcade podcast, and my podcast partner in crime, Rick, is going to build a side-by-side player cocktail cab for his first project.  I figured it was fitting that I start working on my next cab as well, since the Horizons cab is done (WooHoo!).  My plan is to do a traditional, pac-man style cocktail, with actual pac-man joysticks, etc.

I'll be showing progress of the build in the cabs section of the blog, as well as the RetroMameArcade website.  Hopefully I'll be purchasing supplies (pushbuttons, MDF Panels, etc.) within the next couple of weeks.  I'm pretty stoked!!

Finally - a real update!!!!

So yeah . . . it's been a slow year for the arcade.  But it IS still moving.  Progress on the space mural, as well as the Horizons cab.  I've got the control panel front cover and the back access door installed.  All that's left to finish on the cab is the filler panel between the control panel front and the keyboard drawer, a filler between the screen bezel and the control panel top, a little painting and the first cab will be at 100% completion!!

Well . . . I still have to finish up the batch file front-end for Horizons as well, but that's not a big deal, really.  Once this cab is finished, I'll most likely start work on either the cocktail cab or the Hyper 3D pinball cab.  Stay tuned!!

Mini Arcade Tour

I thought it would be fun to create a little video of the arcade space, to show the slow but steady progress. Hopefully I can make some good progress during Christmas, as I'll finally have some time off from work and school. Check out the vid below!