My home built metal DDR pad (Part IV)

[EcinPC]

Didjivibes, this is Artistic Geniuz.
_________________

Wade 2 Shaq

[tolookah]

[EcinPC]

[Andreq]

You can use a plug and play microsoft USB controller... so it automaticly detect and install. But personnaly I use a PSX-2-PC parallel converter to use it on computer... much more fun when you need it for a playstation after
_________________

My dance dance revolution metal pad pictures and stuffs : http://membres.lycos.fr/csclanbef/DDR/

[EcinPC]

[grgisme]

I have a few questions concerning the feasability of the pads I'd like to build. I won't be starting construction until January, and will be building 2 pads based on the desigsn of all the sights I've checked out. The pads will have a wood frame and the sides will be covered in sheet metal, and my goal for the top is to make it feel like arcade (but I'm not extremely picky), but not necessarily look like the arcade. The pads will have lights in them, and the arrow graphics (which I will design myself) will be holes cut into some material in order to let the light (preferably blacklight or green/blue light) shine through in that shape. That won't be so difficult; here's the hard part: I want to include the X, O, Triangle, and Square buttons where all the other designs have sheet metal, I also want to have the start and select buttons on the pad as added buttons on the top. So one dillema I can forsee is how to get the non-arrow squares to be raised up like the arcade, but still workable buttons (for easier navigation of the console DDR games). I am up for a challenge, and want to have a design distinct from the rest on the internet, yet drawing from them heavily. However as I am new to this, I'm not sure what is the best way to accomplish these things. I am open for ideas for hte pads, so if there's something you've wanted to see done or an idea you think would help, please post it here so I can start formulating what I want my outcome to look like. Help me get this ball rolling!
_________________

DDRGRGISME

[hooded__paladin]

Check out Riptide's design - the non-arrow squares can be made into arrow-squares, so you're all set. You would have to add a bit onto the frame for start and select, of course.

Another tip - for better looks and cheaper materials, leave out the triangle and square buttons. They're never used in DDR.

[grgisme]

Alright I'll check out Riptide's design more closely. And the triangle button is used in DDRMAX and DDRMAX2, its the back button which allows you to save if you have to exit, the whole start/select trick doesn't save the scores at all. And along the looks line, I'm hoping to make the non-arrow buttons just plane (not lableled, so they'd be opaque and look like the material that isn't a button. I'm open for ideas as well people, any cool design feature, throw it at me.
_________________

DDRGRGISME

[PaperNapkin]

I am currently making a ddrhomepad and I have a question about the sheet metal used. I looked everywhere in my city and the only 26 gauge sheet metal I could find was galvanized. My question is will galvanized sheet metal still work?

[grgisme]

My guess is that yes, galvanized sheet metal will work, it shouldn't make a differnece from my understanding.
_________________

DDRGRGISME

[PaperNapkin]

Alright cool, thanks grgrisme.

[DBone]

[hooded__paladin]

[pearlmaster8]

hey, i built (almost finished) a riptide pad and i had a few problems with it. firstly, the dry wall screws that he said to use as contacts ended up not conducting so i used some of the pan phyllips screws (they arent flat but they conduct) and i was wondering if that was going to cause any problems since they arent flat like the drywall screws.

secondly, the pad kinda feels like its going to break, i used the acrylic like he said, but iv seen here that people say that lucite is much better, i dont have time/money to get it, but for when i do, where could i find that? plexiglass was all i could find at home depot.

thirdly, the pad is REDICULOUSLY loud, this could be attributed to the fact that im using weird screws that he said not to use. but do you guys have any other suggestions?

fourthly, i used the spray adhesive that he said to use (actually i got a stronger one that said it would work for plastic and metal, i think it was red and had a 77 on it) to get the sheet metal to the bottom panels, but after just a little use, the strips seem to be sliding around and falling off.

fifthly, i havent yet screwed on the corner brackets (waiting for some graphics that my friend was going to make for me and also have some work to do on one of the plexiglass buttons before that can work) but i can plainly see that some of the brackets are not going to fit. he said to make the wooden corners flush and that the braces would push the sheet metal in, i made some of them flush and there is NO room to fit the corner braces in at all. do you guys recommend moving the corners (which would be kind of tricky since id have to drill a new hole pretty close to another one as well as modify all of the plexiglass buttons that are near them, might not be such a great idea) or sand down the corners so that there is a little room (also might not be such a great idea since that may make the corners too small, which some of them already are, and then i couldnt screw in the corner braces at all)

i have some other questions that i cant quite think of right now, but ill get them in when i remember. thanks in advance

[grgisme]

[EcinPC]

[joshuass]

Im almost done with my redesigned pad

New features:
- Redesigned to be thinner (1.5" thick versus 2.25")
- Homemade aluminum corner braces (they look sweet)
- Plywood base and top deck (particle board sux)
- Aluminum L-stock around the board gives it a nice finished look
- Holes in the aluminum corner braces are slotted so they can be adjusted to square up the top deck

I'll be posting pics in a little while

[FloppyFish]

Where can I find out how to make one for Xbox?

[tolookah]

[FloppyFish]

Could I then use the one I already have? Which is the one here: http://www.ddrgame.com/xbuldadarepa.html