Final project : questions and answers
What will it do ?
Play and choose from multiple retro/2D style video games via an interface.
Who's done what beforehand ?
Arcade machines exist sine the early 1970s with Pong as the first commercially successful game (Wikipedia).
Nowadays, anyone can make an arcade machine, here are some examples from past Fab Academy students with projects or assignments related to an arcade machine :
What sources will you use ?
Tutorials online (forum, internet, YouTube), machines manuals, ChatGPT for specific questions or help in coding, ...
What will you design ?
The enclosure, the PCBs for inputs and the games.
What materials and components will be used ?
Wood for the enclosure, components are mainly input ones (buttons and a joystick), I also have a monitor and speakers.
Where will they come from ?
The wood, components and speakers were bought or found by our instructor, I found the monitor in my department (it would have been thrown away).
How much will they cost ?
These are basic materials and components so the price would be quite cheap, the only "expensive" parts are the monitor and the Raspberry Pi 3.
What processes will be used ?
CNC machine for the enclosure, 3D printing for the buttons and joystick, PCB milling and soldering for the PCB modules, coding for the inputs (microPython), the games and interface (both Python).
What questions need to be answered ?
Does it work ?
Are the games fluid ?
Is the enclosure resistant ?