Gotcha! As
soon as you though about buying this book, you started a journey toward
absolute game-playing Nirvana! You might be a classic-arcade loving
child of the '80s, or perhaps an enthusiast of more recent, modern
–arcades. Remember playing Pac-Man at the local convenience store, or
Street Fighter at the mall’s arcade? Whatever caused Project Arcade to catch your eye,
I’m betting that somewhere down the line the thought of owning one of
these machines has crossed your mind. Wouldn’t it be great to have your
favorite arcade machine in your own den or recreation room? Imagine
your friends’ reactions when they encounter this treasure from their
past in your home. Definitely high on the “wow” factor! The problem is,
though, that it’s just one game. Sooner or later the thrill wears off,
and it starts to gather dust.
No problem -- as an arcade enthusiast, you’re probably also a game
player at home. If you haven’t found them on your own yet, you’ll
discover through the book the joy of playing near-perfect replicas of
your favorite games on your computer. The first time you play Pac-Man
on your computer, the “wow” factor is back! Between commercial and
shareware re-creations of classic and modern arcade games, and the
thousands of unique games developed for the computer, there’s a
never-ending variety to suit everyone. However, sooner or later you’ll
realize that playing Pac-Man with the keyboard lacks something. It just
isn’t the same as steering around the maze with a genuine ball-topped
arcade joystick.
So -- you can own your own arcade machine at home (Project Arcade will give you some
pointers on that), and you can play thousands of games on your computer
(I’ll get you started on that, too), but both fall short of that
perfect arcade experience. Wouldn’t it be great if you could combine
the two? Wouldn’t it be great if you could . . . build your own arcade
machine? Imagine an arcade machine with that perfect combination of
joysticks, buttons and trackballs running all your favorite games.
Picture it painted to match your decor, with your favorite game
characters decorating the sides and a lit marquee at the top saying “My
Arcade!” Wouldn’t that be awesome? The book will show you how.
Congratulations -- you’ve started down the road to game-playing Nirvana!
This
book is a culmination of 5 years of research into the subject of
interfacing genuine arcade controls to computers. It is a more polished
and portable companion to the author’s Web site, the Build Your Own
Arcade Controls FAQ (BYOAC). Most
of the research and information for this book came from the Web, and
I refer to various sites throughout. Access to the Internet while
reading the book is
useful and recommended; however it is not required. Everything you
need to get started is contained right in the book.
The
book is meant to be read from start to finish in order. I’ve kept the
technical jargon and theory to a minimum, providing just enough
background information to understand the direction I'm heading when
it comes time for the hands-on material. For those who are interested
in a deeper understanding of the theory behind these projects, I’ve
included pointers to more information where relevant.
The
book will take you step-by-step through the process of designing and
building your own arcade machine. You’ll be able to begin immediately
after the first chapter, providing you the gratification of
watching your design take shape as you proceed through the pages. In
fact, one common trap is getting to the point where the machine is
playable before it’s totally finished, and getting lost in the game
play. One day you’ll realize it’s been weeks since you’ve actually
worked on it because you’ve spent all your time playing, even though
it’s held together with string and chewing gum! That’s not a problem
though -- the The book will be waiting for you when you’re ready to
pick it up again.
I’ll
take a couple of side trips on the way. I discuss building a
stand-alone desktop arcade control panel (arcade controls minus the
cabinet) for those who want the experience but don’t want to dedicate
the space. I also cover hooking up game console controllers to your
computer, such as the Nintendo 64 or Playstation game pads, for those
who feel that they provide the best game game-playing experience.
Finally, for those who think the building part is beyond them (it’s
not, by the way), I’ll point out and review some of the various
commercial products you can buy. There is something in this book for
everyone! |
