Make your own Arcade Machines?

[Tinkergirl]

http://www.underthepier.com/01_howtocoinmech.htm

So, through the wonders of the internet (and the fact that it connects between itself - it's like... a web!!) I found the site of Tim Hunkin - and he makes peculiar arcade machines (olde style, not like DDR or random high-tech console-like games).  There's a couple of pages on the items he uses to make his arcade machines, and I'm embarrasingly tempted (when I can manage to turn off the practical side of my brain) to make some kind of Steampunk arcade machine.

I mean - he's got his bathyscape machine (70's looking glassfibre tank) that moves and shows an underwater scene - and I've been reading up about the 20,000 Leagues rides recently - and I wonder how difficult it would be to make a 50p a go ride/machine?  20k's been done, but what about To The Earth's Core?  An underground digging one might be cool, and with smoke machines and such, as well as clever LED/flash use (not by me, obviously - I'm a rank amateur) you could have some nice malfunction effects.  Coupled with some heat bulbs (it's hot underground, of course) and a fan to clear it out, you could have something quite cool with a similar system to the bathyscape setup (videos and pneumatics).

Ideas?  What would you do, if you could make a Steampunk (or other) ride?

[Cory]

A trip to the moon, reinacting the titular scene from the Melies film. The pod would be shaped like the rocket capsule, and the video would have you first being loaded into the gun, then shot out of the barrell (with a suitable jolt to the pod), passing through clouds and meteors and stars (more inspired by Conquest of the Pole), and then straight towards the famous moon which you impact in the eye. Hitting the reverse lever, you fall backwards out of the eye and through space into the ocean (seeing some shipwrecks or the Nautilus along the way) and then are taken back to shore by a steamer.

Too bad I don't have one whit of mechanical ability. 

[Andy_W]

I went to a Victorian funfair once when i was a nipper. I loved the ones with The metal ball bearings that span around a vertical play field. I believe they have a name but can't recall. Anyone know what I am talking about?

[Datamancer]

I've never done a LARP of any kind, but it seems like it might be fun to participate in one of those Mystery Dinner Party things, but on a grander scale, where you track and hunt Jack the Ripper through the foggy streets of London.
It's not quite a "ride" but seems like it would be fun. Bloody clues, period props and 1890s forensics.

[Jake of All Trades]

I'd like to someday build a real-life version of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc/puzzle/propinballfantasticjourney/">this</a>.  I don't have the space (among other things) to construct such a thing now, but I could see myself having it as a retirement hobby.  Heavens, I'm barely in my 20s and I'm already planning/looking forward too my retirement!

You folks might also be interested in <a href="http://www.marvin3m.com/">this</a> place.  I've been there several times, and let me tell you; it does not disappoint! 

[starfighter66]

The easiest material I have found to work with for making arcade machines which requires only the most basic of tools is 3/4 inch MDF, which can be found at all builder supply stores and for not a whole lot of money which is good for when you make a mistake. one of the best programs for running a home arcade is called MAME and the roms (games) can be found here at www.rom-world.com and best of all they are free. while not steam punk a really great game created by the minds of rogue synapse "The Last Starfighter" can be found at www.roguesynapse.com - they have the knowlege to possibly help design a steampunk game or to point in the right direction. one consideration I had for building my next computer/game system was to make the computer case completely out of oak w/stained glass exterior and a working tesla coil into it and a few other clockwork gizmos.