Dancing Tofu Gaming - GIGANAUT Dance Pad Beta (upd. 8/9)

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

UPDATE:
I'm going to Lowe's soon to check out their:
- Copper sheet
- Steel sheet
- Hardwoods

And I'll look for a few other things as well.

If all goes well, DT600 prototype alpha will be built and tested by January 13th, followed by a second prototype within a week following.
If the prototypes run smoothly, we'll start on DarkCore's DT600 Custom by February.
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skinticket · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject:

ive been doing graphics for a while now ( 5 years ) I can make you a logo

ill post one in a bit

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

Ooh. . .
Okay, but it's not really necessary.

If you do make one though, I would like it to be the same style as the one on the front page.
But preferably better.
I've got lots of pics for background, so if you do make one here's what I'd like:

- Blue sky, white clouds
- DDR-related splitter
- thumbs-up or dancing tofu (see front-page logo)
- Similar text style to the current one.

Also, I'd kind of like to have a dancing tofu arrow graphic.

So whatever you feel up to we appreciate the contribution!
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ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

2 Updates!

1 - We are now selling "Dancing Tofu Gaming Duct Tape Wallets". They are $5 each + shipping. For really complex ones, $10 each + shipping. Just tell me what you want, send $5 to [email protected] on paypal; [email protected] is our customer service line, and the paypal account is "Dancing Tofu Gaming". We don't yet have a bank account associated with our paypal account, which is why we're still unverified. If you don't have a paypal account, make one. They're easy to set up and unbelieveably useful.

2 - DT600 Prototype "Alpha [Alvin]" is now under construction! We still need to get the panels and the sheet steel.
DT600 Standard price is now set, based on the following material costs:
1/2"x4'x8' fir - $24, -------------- $10/pad
1/4"x2'x4' fir - $6, ---------------- $2/pad
72 sq ft 30g sheet steel - $71 --- $6/pad
1/8"x12"x12" lexan x8 - $38 ---- $19/pad [-$15]
dance pad chip - $5 -------------- $5/pad
12"x24" copper sheet - $19 ----- $19/pad [-$17]
Screws and bolts ----------------- $5/pad
=
------------------------------------- $66/pad* [-$32]
+
labor and service ----------------- $15/pad
=
DT600 Dance Platform ----------- $81/pad [$50/pad]

The brackets represent a slightly less showy or sensitive design, but one that will cost significantly less. These designs replace some of the more expensive materials with sheet steel, AKA the original design. The new design is necessary for detailed arrow graphics, although with the old design, it's possible to lay graphics into the metal, but I'll charge ya an extra $20 if you make me do it myself, so it would be better to just get the lexan if you want graphics.
Note that the fact that you're using steel sensors instead of copper won't make it horribly insensitive, it'll just save a lot of money and make it so that it takes a bit more work (like, %20 more) to get a reaction. The sensitivity can be adjusted using either sensor material by tightening (more sensitive) or loosening (less sensitive) the corner screws.
Pics soon!
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DarkCore · Trick Member Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada

I have a quick question...My custom DT-600 seems like a dream pad, but what would the difference be between that and a DT-[Insert number here] (The most expensive)?

It seems like mine is going to have everything I want, so what's the difference...?

-DarkCore

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

The DT500 is designed to be far better than anything. Ever.
They are to be constructed with Titanium in place of steel (much stronger, better shine), solid hardwoods instead of fir plywood, mixed sensors for better sensitivity, menu box, more customisability, thicker panels, better graphics, tougher screws, and they're easier to modify.

Your pad's on the high end of the high end as far as DT600's go, but the design basics are the same, so it's an expensive DT600, instead of a cheap DT500.

Also, a minor update on my tx1000's:
I've kind of rushed the construction a bit, but at the same time wasted a lot of time sawing by hand and using cheap materials. I haven't been able to play DDR in 3 weeks, so I just need to get it built right now. Once the DT600 prototypes are finished, I'll tear it apart again and go back to the original designs I had for it, and put up a little tutorial for how to do the same modification yourself.
Then, I'll sell it for $220 on eBay to some poor schmuck who doesn't realise that they could get a superior pad for $80. (DTG needs the money to get the DT200's in circulation; normally we're not the types to overcharge like that, although $220 for a 2" pad that has an arcade feel isn't exactly a ripoff, especially if you go out and replace the panels with some lexan)

Also, for the wallets, I'll just make 'em for whatever you can and are willing to pay for 'em.
Basic duo- and tri-fold wallets are free, just pay $0.50 for shipping and handling (AKA a stamp and an envelope)
I'm going to try to fit any and all wallets into standard envelopes to avoid annoying shipping costs, so don't be shy, BUY ONE.
Or, if that's too much for you, at least WANT one. xP
And if you can't want one, PRETEND you want one.
It's encouraging. xD
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videoCWK · Trick Member Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Location: woh

When will there be actual pictures of the pads? I'm anxious to see what they'll look like.
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MasterInuYasha · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:00 am Post subject:

Same here, lol. and pictures of these wallets? O.o

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

Pictures of the wallets coming pronto; I only have one on hand (my personal wallet), but I can take more pictures of them as I make 'em.

As for the pads, yes, I will take pictures of all the pads, and hopefully I'll get a better camera soon so that I don't need a lighting environment that takes 10 minutes to set up just to take a decent picture.

Sorry we've been so slow with stuff lately; I was being stupid and wanted to get this stuff available ASAP, and I wasn't considering how disgustingly busy I was going to be this month.
I have about 15 birthdays to keep track of in January, one of which is mine, and I'm also dealing with finals, an upcoming solo contest, and allergies.
But hopefully February will let me have more time to make pads, and summer will definitely give me long hours with nothing to do but build DDR pads, go to work, look for work, and play video games. =)
So if all goes better than it is now, then we should be picking up the pace sooner or later and start cranking out some high-quality Dance Platforms for you!

EDIT: nevermind, my camera's batteries decided to be dead; recharging.
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trob xD · Trick Member Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Location: Ohio

I'm looking forward to seeing these DT's.

Which one is the least expensive again, lol?
How much does a bar cost on it*

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

trob xD · Trick Member Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Location: Ohio

so, a bar is going to boost the price alot?
:/

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

Trexxen · Trick Member Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Location: Knoxville, TN

I'm still loving this. I get my job and a bank account unsupervised by my parents this summer, so I'll probably pick up a DT 200...and I STILL have no fracking clue how to use GIMP, but I'll work on that.

By the way, do you ever get on AIM? =P
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EGI wrote:

Huh, I didnt know Oasis had freezes.

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

Unfortunately, I very rarely get on AIM because I find the interface waaaay too 90's. If anyone knows any good Multi-Protocol IM Programs I could use, please share. (preferably one that has AIM, MSNM, YIM, and GTalk, with all their individual features enabled.)

We're going to get our own bank account after the stress of finals week is over. Steve's just recently turned 18, so I'll ask him to set up an account in a couple weeks, then we'll verify our PayPal and we should be able to start receiving money via PayPal without a 20% fee.
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Discoman · Maniac Member Joined: 23 Nov 2002

Tofu, give Trillian a shot. It doesn't have ALL of the individual features of AIM MSN and YIM but it has most. It's also a much easier to look at interface. I hate the new AIM interface personally.

There's been a lot of hype about these pads, and I'm hoping we see something out of this soon. To the point of better understanding the DT line, I'd like to know how many pads you have actually made so far (I hear the word prototype but I don't see specifically where one was built), what kinds they were, any photography, so on and so forth. This looks like it could be a great boon to the DDRFreak community (and others obviously) if executed right.

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

I have to admit, I've made 0 actual pads to date, but I've fully dissected 3, and modified my pads (tx1000 second party) time and time again.
That's part of the reason we're willing to offer so much product warranty. We want our customers to come back and tell us every problem they have, so we can fix it. I want people to feel really, really comfortable buying from us, especially right when we're just starting out.
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Flound3r · Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:20 pm Post subject:

With such a flexible warranty, I don't see why anyone WOULDN'T want to buy a DT. Might be better than making my own pad...

Also...

Happy Birthday DT! How old?
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Wow my sig got messed up.

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

Well, flound3r, there's actually a very good reason not to be so ready to buy from us: validity.
As DiscoMan revealed, we've sold nothing but 2 wallets thus far. Our total revenue is $12. There aren't contracts, and there aren't certifications. We could quite possibly be con artists. Only one regular DDRFreak member has ever met me in he flesh (MTJ), and we only met briefly. That's why we go with PayPal, so that we can take a bit more of the risk away from ordering from DTG. PayPal is super-secure, so if we try to scam you, they'll get us. =)
Unfortunately, we can't give the same comfort with cash and check orders, but we don't really like those anyway, because we don't have any notification that you've sent it until it arrives, and as much as I love being able to just trust peoples' goodness of heart, I like to know that I'm not getting scammed either.

Here's how we try to avoid scamming (will become optional once we're more established; only required for pads over $100):
Step 1 (client): Order pad
Step 2 (DTG): Design pad
Step 3 (client): pay 1/2 expected material cost
Step 4 (DTG): construct pad
Step 5 (client): pay construction fee ($20/hour, 25% max)
Step 6 (DTG): Package pad and put in the vehicle of DTG
Step 7 (client): Pay service fee and the rest of the material cost
Step 8 (DTG): purchase shipping from least expensive reliable shipper
Step 9 (pad): arrive at client's address
Step 10 (DTG): calculate shipping discount (up to 80% of subtotal pad profit; only for orders of $200 or more)
Step 11 (client): pay adjusted shipping fee.

Please note that we will personalise orders. If we like you a lot, you'll pay less. If you're a prick, we'll cushion the price. So be safe: be nice to us and ours.
Example: DarkCore is supportive, asks a lot of very good questions, and is a neat guy; he's gonna save a good amount of money buying from us.
We haven't found anyone we dislike yet.

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