How much would you pay for an IDENTICAL arcade pad?

bb · Trick Member Joined: 27 Jul 2003

can you shpw us pictures of progress on the pad when yo start building it ?

Mysterio · Trick Member Joined: 20 Nov 2002 Location: Aiken, SC

I'll say this much; I would not pay more for a DDR pad then I would for a CF.

Yeah.

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EvilSporkMan · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:28 pm Post subject:

I'd pay $200 for a single if it meant I never had to buy another pad (durability)...That WAS the point of my RO Ignition pad, but if that thing wears out (more than the foam) and I'm still into the game it'd be worth it.

Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

I will most certainly post pictures, once we actually have something to show.

What's a "CF"?

We're trying to design this so you'd never need to buy another.

-SB
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3L3PHANT · Basic Member Joined: 30 Jul 2003

CF = Cobalt Flux

Like EvilSporkMan said, I'd pay $200 if I'd never have to buy another pad.
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ddrlegend · Trick Member Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Location: shamokin

I would pay about 300(add 50 for a bar) dollars for a single and 2x that for a double(although I would rather have just the single like you are offering) and also I was wondering if there is going to be arcade-like lights on the pad(not really needed but it would neat) and also maybe some different colors(possibly have the original colors available and have other colors available for a slightly higher price like maybe 25 dollars). I'd like to praise you on your wonderful idea of making it into different pieces because after everytime I play I have to move my metal pad into the corner and with the other people trying make arcade-identical pads that weigh 100 lbs. and are big enough to take up half my room that would give me a hernia everytime I try to move it(I defiantly don't want a hernia after I found out in school how the doctor fixes it

).

Yeah thats all that I have to say.

-ddrlegend
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Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

I'm as of yet uncertain about the lights. I know that adding them could potentially add thickness and thus extra weight to the pad, so I'm unsure if we'll decide to include them or not. It would also become a part which needs to be replaced after burnout, and I'm not entirely certain that we'd want to do that given the design will probably not allow for much disassembly without destroying the pad.

If we can come up with an eloquent solution for the lights then we'll go ahead with that. By eloquent, I mean a low-energy design which won't burn out after a brief period of time and doesn't require that the pad be thicker and heavier in order to accommodate it.

Maybe I'll have another poll about whether or not lights will be necessary to complete the experience. Since they don't at all affect gameplay, I don't see why they'd be necessary but they'd probably still be appreciated.

Like I said, we'll see.

-SB
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3L3PHANT · Basic Member Joined: 30 Jul 2003

Well if the lights will affect other parts of the pad like that, I wouldn't want the lights. They're not worth it.
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Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

Like I said, we'll have to see. I doubt we'll design different versions of the pad, so if the lights are going to invoke the need for greater thickness, we probably won't include them.

Besides, I'm pretty positive that Konami's own pad was designed to be so heavy so that it couldn't easily be stolen from an arcade. In other words, the thickness was just a way of adding additional weight. I've seen the light design and I'm confident that there would be a better way to include lights.

-SB
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Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

Thought I'd update you with some background information, mostly as to why I'm so anxious to get this off the ground myself...

NOTE: THESE ARE NOT PICTURES OF THE PAD WE INTEND TO BUILD!!!

Here is the homebuilt pad I made with the assistance of some friends:

It's a bit of a hack-job, but it works just fine, after we modified the design given to us by the instructions we used off the net.

The original directions called for two pieces of copper and solder to be used to operate the pad. We later abandoned this in favor of another design using aluminum foil as a conductive medium, gluing it to a piece of peg board and then cutting it to form a zig-zag pattern which doesn't actually touch. Then, we used a second piece of aluminum foil which is attached to the bottom of the button. When the lexan pieces bend, they touch the foil to the foil diagram below it and complete the circuit, hence triggering the button press.

This is the button harness I built from scratch, which works incredibly well.

The problem inherent in this and every other pad design I've seen is that all of them rely upon the bending of the plastic in order to trigger the sensor. This is a problem because A) It isn't at all accurate to the arcade pad, and B) No matter how durable the plastic may be, it's going to crack at some point and will need to be replaced. The final detail is the one which also has yet to be rectified:

The buttons sit flush with the rest of the pad, meaning that practicing on this isn't as worthwhile as practice on an arcade pad. I last far longer on this pad than I do at the arcade. That 1/4" lip which your foot tends to rest on can fatigue your feet more quickly, especially if you have large feet and cannot avoid hitting the lip, particularly when jumping on the pad.

It's the combination of these problems which we aim to fix, hopefully designing a pad which will perform exactly like the arcade.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, I give you Cat Cat Revolution:

So keep giving me your opinions on a price which you'd pay for a single and a double. I'd greatly appreciate it.

-SB
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"Dance to the music in your soul!" - Toad

Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

Apparently, if it times out, it still posts.

-SB
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"Dance to the music in your soul!" - Toad

Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

Many extra posts, darn Safari...

-SB
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"Dance to the music in your soul!" - Toad

Darkling · Trick Member Joined: 29 May 2002

A Mac user AND a cat owner. I'm impressed already.

Also, I would pay no more than what cobalt flux is charging...that's something like $300 single $550 double.

I like lights because they're shiny and thus make me very happy. What I mean is I would be more likely to buy if it had lights.

Wouldn't a heavy pad be more stable? I mean, I've played on a homepad and the bugger slid just enough to get me and my normal sized feet to trip and go off the edge (the panels were sunken like the arcade).

Ummmm what else...Oh would you be willing to do colored metal? I know a guy who does powdercoating (he did the wheels for my car) and I was thinking of doing a homepad with black metal. But hey if you're willing to make a better pad than I can make hell I'll buy yours...even if it isn't pretty colors.
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Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

Four cats, actually, but only three of them play CCR. The last one has a penchant for Mario Golf, though.

I'm anxiously awaiting the day I can buy a G5...hoo-HAA!

People seem to agree around that price point, I'll still take opinions, but it begins to look as though that's our point.

Yes, a lighter pad would slide unless the underside of it was coated with rubber or stood upon rubber feet. Believe me, slippage will be dealt with. This pad won't be going into production until it has MY approval and the approval of several other DDR nuts who will get to test, stomp and generally maul the crap out of the thing before it gets finalized. If it slips on any surface, it won't go into production until it doesn't anymore (unless you plan on putting the thing on ICE or polished stainless steel, then, I probably can't help you).

I'll think about colored metal after we get the actual design down. Chances are, though, that it won't happen, as you're the only person who has ever asked for it. It's a neat idea, I just don't know if offering pads in different colors would leave us with unsold pads on our hands (a mistake I can't afford to make).

-SB
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Istari Asuka · Trick Member Joined: 27 Oct 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ

Hey, check out Riptides pad for a homebuilt design that doesn't base contact on the plastic bending, but rather on slight vertical movement, a la arcade. His design has a couple flaws, which a couple people have dealt with in a couple ways, and which i personally have overcome

. Anyways, you could check it out. My pad will be awesome, and it's almost done. Different contact design then anyone else's used thus far. The only problem is that, yeah, it won't feel EXACTLY like the arcade, and that it's more sensitive then the arcade, if this can be counted as a problem (in a way it can). And it'll probably have lights, just gotta test them out once they're shipped to us, make sure they'll work

BTW, if i wasn't building my own pad, i'd pay between 250-350 dollars for a single pad. especially if it had a bar.

Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

ChibiShin · Trick Member Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: Ypsi or Toledo

I think the colored pad idea is a neat one, but I'd be worried that it would wear off if it's just powdercoated. I think we should more or less focus on design issues, though.
The main problem that you'll be running into is making it like a real arcade platform and having the same feel. When you step on an arcade platform you instantly feel your center of gravity shift. It's completely different from a home experience. Plus it has that lip on the panels as well. I find it would probably be difficult to make something that big and have it reinforced enough so it wouldn't fall apart, wouldn't require expensive materials, and STILL have it be practical in a sense that you can ship it without having to take out a mortgage on the house. If you can do it, my hat would most certainly be off to you and I would definitely buy two.
The reason I say all this is because it seems you're leaning towards a thinner design, at least from what I gather of the lighted platform discussion. If you go with a thinner design, you will lose that higher center of gravity, probably wouldn't be able to create enough of a lip to get that arcade feel, and also subject the pad to a whole different type of stress since it would have to be less reinforced.
I know it seems like I'm bashing you and all, but I'm just trying to provide constructive criticism during this design process. I'm also trying to keep reality in mind. If you want to make it close to an arcade platform, you'll have to do what other pad designers haven't--make it big and bulky. I'm sure you can find a way to make it able to be disassembled easily, which would certainly aid in the shipment and movement of the pad from one location to another, and still keep it well reinforced.
I guess that's all I've got to say on the matter. I just want to see this come to fruition and not be just another metal pad. I want to see a real platform. That's all.

Smash_Brother · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003

Darkling · Trick Member Joined: 29 May 2002

I agree, I don't think the height does matter, as long as the lip is there to keep me from falling off in doubles mode.
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"...Excuse me! Farmer Extremely Unhelpful! ...you're STRAW!"

"Passengers will please refrain from KILLING MY SOUL!"

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ddrlegend · Trick Member Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Location: shamokin

If you wanted height you could always just put plywood under it.
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