XGC Arcade Cabinet FAQ

The differences between our "Standard" and "BOSS" arcade cabinets comes down to computing and graphics processing power, storage space, and add-ons such as lighting for the marquee and the base of the cabinet or under the control deck.

We only make PC-based arcade machines - not Raspberry Pi or SOC (System On A Chip) units, such as the Pandora's Box.
We ONLY use brand-new components, not cheap, recycled second-hand ex-government or business PCs, and clearly state what our machines include on our product pages so our clients actually know (not "think" they know) what they're buying.

Put simply, Raspberry Pi/SOC machines (and low rent second-hand computers) lack the power required to run tens of thousands of emulated titles and can't run the Hyperspin/RocketLauncher or LaunchBox/BigBox "front-end" menu systems.
This lack of processing/graphics rendering power (and budget cabinet materials and electronics, such as joysticks, control boards, buttons, and screens) is why they're (usually) so cheap.
We wouldn't compromise our gaming experience with an under-powered machine and don't believe our clients should either!

Don't get us wrong, a Pi-based/Pandora's Box system can certainly play old school arcade and retro console games - up to a point - but start to struggle once you get to the fifth generation of consoles. This is why a modern PC-based system is a superior option, even for "vintage" gaming. Another factor is that a Pi system can't be upgraded with a newer CPU, more RAM, or enhanced graphics (unless you replace the entire Pi itself).
In the case of the SOC devices, you generally can't add titles as these are "baked in" to the mask ROM. although some allow upgrades. Pi-based systems are more flexible in this regard, but are limited by CPU/RAM/graphics processing power, as mentioned.
We could make (and have made) Pi-based systems, from a few hundred bucks (for a deck-style unit) up to around a grand - but the overwhelming majority of our clients want a bigger, better, faster system. We're amazed that some Pi/Pandora's Box-based "cabinet" machines are sold for AUD $2K (or more) when they should realistically be sold for around half that amount.
Please do your research to make sure you end up with an upgradable cab you'll enjoy for years.
If that's one of our PC-based machines - great - but if it isn't please make sure you're not paying over the odds for a low-spec, limited device.

Software System
Just on the gaming menu system....
We offer both the well-established and rock-solid Hyperspin/RocketLauncher system and LaunchBox/BigBox.
RocketLauncher is the "brain" behind the Hyperspin (and LaunchBox/BigBox) menu - and it is required on our machines due to the size and complexity of our systems.
RocketLauncher is continuously developed.

We offer clients the option to choose/use BOTH Launchbox/Big Box and Hyperspin!!!!

Please don't be suckered by claims that a particular menu system is in any way "better" than other menu systems.
NO front-end menu makes games play better, nor offers support for games that no other front-end can launch (one of our fave claims from people who don't understand how things work).
NO front-end menu walks the dog, delivers pizza, or makes you a coffee in the morning, etc.
NO front-end menu is used to actually "play games".
Launchbox/Big Box, like Hyperspin, Maximus, a.s.o. is only a menu system that is used to associate titles with particular "emulator" programs.

There are dozens of different emulator applications that you can use on our machines that mimic the HARDWARE (and operating system, if applicable) of old-school arcade machines, gaming consoles, computers, handhelds, and so on. The most famous of these - M.A.M.E. - is not a single "emulator", per-se. It is actually a collection of thousands of emulated machines - mostly old arcade cabinets.
Games run on these emulator programs / virtual machines.
Games DO NOT run directly from LaunchBox/Big Box or Hyperspin, or Maximus, etc.
When you launch a title from ANY front-end, it simply opens the appropriate associated emulator program (via RocketLauncher on our machines)...and the game is loaded into/played on the emulated virtual machine.
When you're done with your game, you hit the "Exit" button to close the emulator (effectively turning the emulated machine off) which returns you to the menu, where you can choose another game.

Cabinets
ALL of our machines:

• Are made from locally sourced matt-black laminated MDF board. Every (glued and screwed) panel we use is precision-cut in-house with computer-controlled machinery. This minimises waste and reduces our environmental footprint, and ensures a perfect fit for every component of your machine, Bottom line, this makes your machine look great inside and out, but more importantly, makes your cabinet incredibly strong and durable.
• Our decals (artwork) have a durable vinyl coating and are applied flawlessly to our precision-cut laminated panels. This ensures that there is no bubbling, lifting, or unsightly paintbrush marks showing through the skin on your machine - even under the brightest light. Speaking of decals - if you're a fan of a particular theme and want artwork that isn't in the store - just ask. We might have it on file, but if we don't, we can can create custom artwork for your machine. Just let us know. We print our decals in-house.
• Our machines have extensive, precision-cut ventilation slots - minimising the risk of overheating, and providing you with years of trouble-free use. We include shelving and additional power outlets for your console hardware, if applicable to your build.
• Our machines have a lockable door/panel, providing easy access to consoles and switchboxes, controllers, etc. but also keeping curious hands out.
• All of our upright cabinets feature heavy-duty castors on the rear which make it easy for you to move them. We recommend that at least two people do this, for safety.
• We ONLY use gold-leaf buttons for game play, which don’t contain the micro-switch of “standard” arcade buttons, and offer a zero delay response. They also have no “click” when pressed.
• Search and Pause buttons, along with hidden left/right mouse-click buttons, and pinball flipper buttons are standard on all of our cabinets (and decks).
• We use Happ joysticks in our BOSS/Standard arcades (and cocktail tables/decks/2 in 1 machines). They can be operated as 2, 4, or 8-way - and work well in ANY type of game - from fighters to platformers.
• In all of our machines, we use discrete AUTO-SWITCHING power supplies - that work for multiple international voltages - for the PC, sound, lighting, and screens. We use multiple power supplies because it reduces electronic "noise", which can come through speakers and can show up as visual glitches on displays, or can cause problems with PC components. More importantly, this provides better protection for each subsystem in the event of a power surge. If this unlucky event happens, it's much better to lose one subsystem/power supply (or just a fuse), rather than the whole machine. Our modular approach makes parts user-replaceable, should something unfortunate happen.
• All electrical components comply with the safety standards outlined in AS/NZS 3820 and the RCM, detailed in AS/NZS 4417.2.
• It's a small thing, but we're as particular about the "details" inside the cabinet as we are about the outside. We use heavier gauge wire and spade/screw terminals for most components, we use cable ties and clamps (and hot glue) to keep things neat and to ensure that components and connections don't come loose during transit or use, and provide easy access to controls that you may want to adjust for game play (or to run the machine near silently at night).
• This approach and attention to detail makes EVERY machine we manufacture durable, and easier to use, maintain, diagnose, service, and update.
  
  

Standard Arcade Cabinet
Offline vintage gaming at a great price...
Our standard cabinet features a Ryzen 5 GPU (Integrated graphics 5600G GPU).
It ships with a 32-inch Full HD computer monitor and has a discrete 2.1 sound system, with 2 additional speakers mounted above the screen.

• It is designed to run old school arcade and vintage console games only.
• It does NOT have the graphics power to run more modern titles with full eye candy settings (but is certainly capable of running many AAA titles at lower graphic levels).
• You have the option to upgrade by adding a dedicated graphics card and increased amount of RAM.
• It ships with a 2TB gaming system. See video above.
• You can add an extra hard drive to the system for new titles, media, and so on, if you wish.
• 2 or 4 Player models can be ordered.
  
  

BOSS Arcade Cabinet
Offline retro and modern gaming heaven....
Our BOSS cabinet features a Ryzen 5 CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a dedicated GTX-1660 (or higher, if you wish) graphics card.
It ships with a 32-inch Full HD computer monitor (can be upgraded to a 32-inch 4K monitor) and has a discrete 2.1 sound system, with 2 additional speakers mounted above the screen.
It also features LED light strips around the base or below the control deck and a backlit marquee.

Note: From September 2022, our BOSS, BOSS Premium, and BEAST arcade machines support both Hyperspin and LaunchBox/BigBox.
These systems are not protected (by the reboot to restore feature used on some of our systems), so you can make whatever changes you wish - at YOUR OWN RISK!!!!.
If you make changes which render your machine partially or fully inoperable, we can replace your drive(s) with a factory restoration. This entails freight costs and time for the factory restoration process. We cannot retain any of your personalisations or high score data.

• The BOSS is designed to run old school arcade games and more modern titles, including newer console emulations.
• You have the option to further upgrade the graphics card and RAM amount.
• It ships with an 8TB gaming system. See video below.
• You can upgrade/add an extra hard drive to the system for new titles, media, and so on, if you wish. Either a 12TB or 12+8TB (20TB total) option is available. You can also add a dedicated racing drive to your system (4TB).
• 2 or 4 Player models can be ordered.
  
  

BOSS Premium Arcade Cabinet
Offline retro and modern gaming heaven....
Our BOSS Premium cabinet features a Ryzen 5 CPU, 16 GB of RAM, and a dedicated GTX-1660 (or higher, if you wish) graphics card.
It ships with a massive 50-inch 4K screen and has a discrete 2.1 sound system, with 2 additional speakers mounted above the screen.
It also features LED light strips around the base or below the control deck and a backlit marquee.

• The BOSS Premium is designed to run old school arcade games and more modern titles, including newer console emulations.
• You have the option to upgrade the graphics card and RAM amount.
• It ships with an 8TB gaming system.
• You can add an extra hard drive to the system for new titles, media, and so on, if you wish. Either a 12TB or 12+8TB (20TB total) option is available.
• ONLY available as a 4 Player model.

Our Arcade Decks come in Standard, Xtreme, and Premium flavours - essentially the equivalent of our upright cabs, without the screen/cabinet/marquee etc.
The Standard/Xtreme Decks are TWO Player models, with an external PC case.
The Premium Deck is a FOUR Player, all-in-one unit.
You can add an extra hard drive to the system for new titles, media, and so on, if you wish. Either a 12TB or 12+8TB (20TB total) option is available.
Simpy hook 'em up to your TV/sound system....and have fun!

Our 2 in 1 Sit-Down (cocktail table) cabinets provide a unique combo of pinball and retro gaming in a compact form.

© 2022 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets™

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

No you don't (unless using specific peripherals.....see below).
There's an instruction document attached to your machine.
Give it a read to learn about the key, remote control(s), etc. - as applicable to your build - and follow the steps.

There are instruction videos and documents in the Help & Support folder on the desktop of your machine (or on a supplied USB thumbdrive).
These constitute your owners guide.
Double-click this folder to open it and watch all videos from start to finish, and read all docs, to get a handle on how things work.

We realise that this isn't something you'll want to do when you get your new toy, but please find some time over the first few days.

While our machines are easy to use, they include some advanced features that are covered in the videos and documents.
Our systems are incredibly complex "under-the hood", but we've made things as simple as possible - and provide additional functions that will make your ownership and gaming experience better; search functions, control mode switching, easy access to sound and other controls, etc.
Once you've got your head around these features (and have some background info on emulator "quirks"), you'll be flying!

So....on this specific peripherals thing....
Attaching/detaching of external hardware - keyboard/mouse, XBox controllers, etc. is plug n play.
Attaching pedals/wheels/racing seat is pretty straighforward and quick after doing it a couple of times.
Check out the videos.

If you have lightguns, you WILL need to perform the initial calibration - regardless of lightgun make.
See the instruction videos/docs in the Help folder.
You "may" also need to perform a basic global calibration for your steering wheel or flightstick.
Calibration is simple and only takes a minute or so.
It's generally an "initial setup" thing - but you might need to recalibrate once or twice a year.....or more often if you move your machine/peripherals receive an accidental bump or two.


Have fun!

© 2022 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets™

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Yes, you can.
 
The only catch is that there's not much free space to make changes to the system or gaming drives, but you CAN add further drives which can be used as you wish - for new titles, artwork, a completely separate Windows gaming system....you name it!

Note: From September 2022, our arcade machines support both Hyperspin and LaunchBox/BigBox.
These systems are not protected by the reboot to restore feature, so you can make whatever changes you wish - at YOUR OWN RISK!!!!.
If you make changes which render your machine partially or fully inoperable, we can replace your drive(s) with a factory restoration. This entails freight costs and time for the factory restoration process. We cannot retain any of your personalisations or high score data.

© 2022 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets™

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Yes, you can save high scores.
Just use the standard options when the game ends, using your joystick and player buttons.

You should note that not "all" M.A.M.E. arcade titles save high scores. This variance is because individual arcade games present their high score data in different ways to M.A.M.E. Some games (at least 2500-3000 titles) do NOT present high score data at all, or if they do, it is not natively "understood" by M.A.M.E.
High score data can not be saved for these titles.

Regarding "save states" (basically saving your progress in a game).
On cabs with LaunchBox/BigBox:
Attach a keyboard - hold down 5 + F1 to go into the RetroArch "Quick Settings" menu.
Save/load states are found here.

On machines running Hyperspin, save states are disabled for MAME titles because activating both hi-score/save state features can cause data corruption. We made a choice to only enable hi-score saves to avoid this potential issue.

A small number of emulators may offer "virtual storage" devices (emulated memory cards/cartridges) that support game saves. Note that such features - if available - are a function of the emulator itself and may not work for all titles.

Note: Most of our arcade machines are not protected by the reboot to restore feature used on some of our systems, so you can make whatever changes you wish. You should note that if you make changes which render your machine inoperable, we can replace your drive(s) with a factory restoration - based on the current in-house system. This entails freight costs and time for the factory restoration process. We cannot retain any of your personalisations or high score data.

© 2024 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets™

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

We occasionally get asked about giant cabs and while we technically "could" make them, there's a few reasons why we don't.

• Appearance: Anything larger than 50 inches is just "too big" for arcade games when playing with the control deck a foot or two from the screen. You need to stand back from a screen above this size to take things in and without games looking like a bunch of blurry pixels - particularly old school titles. Even 50 inches is right on the edge and requires the ability to switch bezels etc.
• Balance: Larger screens make cabinets top-heavy. If kids or enthusiastic adults hang off the control deck there's a risk of the machine falling on them. The way to circumvent this risk would be to make the base deeper, but this causes problems with people actually being able to get the cabinet though doorways at their place.
• Strength: A larger screen mounted in our cabinets will be subjected to more torsional stress - particularly when transported - which runs the risk of cracking the screen. This is simple physics.
• Freight Cost: Freight calculations are based on cubic volume. Going from a 50 to 65 inch screen cabinet is likely to increase freight costs by nearly 40%. A 75-80 inch screen, expect freight to double.

Being direct, if you have a giant screen dream in mind, we recommend one of our decks - or ask us about a pedestal (essentially a deck on a stand/arcade cabinet without a screen). Simply run an HDMI cable into your wall-mounted monster display.....and have fun.
You'll save a fortune in freight, build time will be massively shorter, and your screen can be any size you want it to be.

© 2023 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Arcade Comparison Chart

All machines offer the same external features: gold-leaf player buttons, coin/player start/enter/exit/search/pause/power buttons, high quality vinyl laminated decals (gloss or matte), extensive ventilation, CNC-cut cabinetry, lockable access panel, etc.

* Option to upgrade to 4K monitor. While higher refresh rate screens can be used, many old-school emulations don't support high refresh rates, and will not function above 60 Hz. Be mindful of this when considering a screen upgrade.
Note that all computer specs can be upgraded on user request.
Also note that computer specs are subject to periodic change as manufacturers replace/update product lines. It is company policy to choose an equivalent or (generally) higher-spec part in such situations and we will advise you of the change. In general terms, we go for the higher-spec part as manufacturers typically replace products with faster, more poweful versions.

^ Online gaming support is technically possible with any of our machines, but they are designed/set-up to be used offline. You are free to add an additional hard drive to any of our cabinets and install online titles, running through Steam or other services.

The 16TB or 32TB drive(s) and 4TB XRS Racer drive are available as an extra cost option for our BOSS & BOSS Premium models. You should note that a small number of titles may not be able to run with all graphics settings maxed out.
You have the option of upgrading your graphics (and CPU, if you wish) hardware at time of purchase.

The active marquee screen is also available as an extra cost option on our BOSS & BOSS Premium models.

Minor modifications to existing artwork are generally not charged for, or new artwork designs that we can re-use for other clients.
One-off artwork designs created by our graphic designers will attract a fee.
You also have the option of creating your own design, either yourself or as commissioned work and we can print your decals in-house.

Note: From September 2022, a number of our arcade machines support both Hyperspin and LaunchBox/BigBox.
These systems are not protected (by the reboot to restore feature used on some of our systems), so you can make whatever changes you wish.
If you make changes which render your machine partially or fully inoperable, this is your responsibility. It is strongly recommended that you make backups of critical files before making ANY changes.
We can replace your drive(s) with a factory restoration. This entails freight costs and time for the factory restoration process. We cannot retain any of your personalisations or high score data.

All electrical components comply with the safety standards outlined in AS/NZS 3820 and the RCM, detailed in AS/NZS 4417.2.

© 2023 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets™

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Yes, of course you can. Our systems support them (in particular games).

You also have the option of going for one of our dedicated shooter or racing cabs.

You should note that many “light gun” or shooting games work well and are quite playable with X-Box controllers. Depending on the encoder type installed in your machine:

• On your Xtreme Gaming Cabinet (or Boss/Standard/Deck machines built in 2020/early 2021 that feature the Mode switch): Switch to Mode 4. Switch back to Keyboard Mode by sliding the Mode switch to position 2 (BOSS) or 1 (Standard).
• On Boss/Standard/Deck machines that DO NOT have a Mode switch:
  Hold down the Player 1 Start + Button X (for 10 seconds) to switch to X-Input (XBox) mode.
  This is the DEFAULT mode on all systems from late 2022 that feature BOTH BigBox and Hyperspin.
  The switch back to Keyboard Mode command is: Player 1 Start + Button A (for 10 seconds).
• On a 2 in 1 machine:
  Hold down the Player 1 Start + Button 3 (for 10 seconds).
  The switch back to Keyboard Mode command is: Player 1 Start + Button 1 (for 10 seconds).
• On any of our machines, you also have the option to plug in/use an X-Box controller - which may be the BEST choice for some titles as it just feels/works better than the arcade controls in certain games. There will also be some titles where a camera or gun sight needs to be controlled separately to the reticule, so the extra thumbstick or D-Pad on an X-Box controller is required to make the game fully "playable". Some games actually NEED a light gun to be playable.
  

Some light gun games also work with the trackball (or a mouse, which you might find is more “accurate” when aiming).
Driving games may also work with X-Box controllers/in X-Box mode, using the arcade controls.

We support and can supply Sinden Lightguns and the Thrustmaster T300 RS/TH8A Shifter/Pedals (and the Warthog FlightStick) on our arcade machines (and XRS racing cabs).
Our lightgun system supports Sinden, Gun4IR, and AimTrak light guns.

We sell Sinden lightguns ONLY!!!
We do not – at this stage - sell other light guns.
We can, however, install suitable LEDs for the Gun4IR system on any of our arcade cabinets.
Our vpins can only use external battery-powered LEDs (there's not enough space to install LEDs in the backbox).
If you live in the USA or Europe, you can source Gun4IR guns directly from Raymond Dai (USA) or Jean Baptiste Bongrande (EU).

From late 2021, we've offered the Thrustmaster T300 RS Racing Wheel/Thrustmaster TH8A Add-ON Gearbox Shifter/Pedals - with or without our racing seat/pedestal....or the pedestal/seat on it's own, for use with your own wheel/pedals/shifter.
The Thrustmaster wheel can also be used with a PS4 or PS5 gaming console, running thru the screen/sound system on your arcade machine.

What's the down-low with guns?
Light guns (and steering wheels) come in a range of styles at different price points. Some are cheap as chips and others cost a bomb. The underlying technology used by these devices can vary widely - with certain peripherals being better suited to a particular environment (bright/dark), certain games, or a user's special needs. Different people also have a preference for a distinct style of gun or wheel.

Given the huge variety of devices/tastes/budgets/technology, and the support they would require if we carried them all, we limit light gun support to Sinden, Gun4IR, and AimTrak.
Guns reliant on sensors can be tricky to set up. We can supply and fit sensors for the Gun4IR system on our arcade cabinets, but not for the AimTrak or AE guns.
The Sindens do not require sensors to be fitted.
Guns can require ongoing calibration - sometimes on a per-game basis.
Generally, this doesn't need to be done often, but it's something to be aware of.

Depending on the type of light gun technology, ambient lighting in the room can also affect performance, so it works great at night but sucks during the day, for example. While we can calibrate light guns for your arcade machine in our workshop, it is unlikely to exactly match the lighting conditions at your place - with the end result being poor performance.
When you receive your machine, you WILL need to perform a calibration before using your light guns.

Note: Even when you calibrate "in-situ", you may need to periodically re-calibrate your light guns/system.
Some games may require you to run a calibration routine every time you play. This is how the original machine works, and can’t be changed.

We're well aware of light gun systems based on Wii remotes, coupled with a Mayflash (or similar) sensor bar. We've given them a crack and the fundamental problem is the fact that WiiMotes work in a relative fashion to the sensor bar via Bluetooth. In essence, you can point the WiiMote at the screen and shoot a target with “reasonable” accuracy - from around 10 feet away. You can then turn toward the back or side wall, looking away from the screen, and also shoot with the WiiMote.
There is not a direct relationship between the reticule (on-screen mouse pointer position) and the actual screen...merely a relative relationship of the WiiMote to the sensor bar via Bluetooth.
This relative relationship affects sensitivity and accuracy as you move toward/away from the sensor bar and ambient light conditions can also affect performance. Another problem with WiiMotes is "jitter", which shows up as a "drift" or "float" of the reticule/crosshair on-screen. This can be remedied easily enough by recalibrating the WiiMote - which you'll need to do from time to time, just like other light gun systems – but it’s certainly not a “set and forget” thing.
While using a WiiMote or two is cheap and relatively easy to implement, it does not offer the accuracy that we (or you) would be happy with - and we wouldn’t be comfortable charging our clients for a "sort of OK" gun solution.

Another popular option is the AimTrak guns, which can offer OK performance, but they can be tricky to set up (particularly when you use more than one light gun). We have found the AimTraks to be a bit "inconsistent", making it more or less impossible to use a universal calibration configuration that would work across all of our machine builds. Put another way, if you had ten guns, each would require a slightly different calibration profile (not only global settings...but per-game). We simply don't have the time or resources to do this (check/calibrate every "gun" title) for every machine we build.
If, however, you are using a couple of AimTraks on a single machine - and calibrating only for that machine/pair of guns, they work reasonably well.

The Sinden and Gun4IR light guns which we support on our machines work in a very different fashion to WiiMotes/Aimtraks...and while they will also need to be calibrated periodically, it is a very simple - universal - process that works across titles.
Sindens and Gun4IR are among the best commercial options available at the moment and we recommend them (and can supply Sindens).

Important: In the interest of being straight-up with our clients, Sindens work best in an environment where the lighting can be controlled. If you use Sindens in a room with big windows and constantly changing light, you're likely to encounter problems. If you want to use lightguns, ideally you will have a darkened environment (games also look better when it's dark), or a room where curtains/blinds can be drawn/the room lighting can be set to a consistent level.
Gun4IR is slightly more tolerant of variable light, but - like the Sindens - also works best when lighting is controlled.
The AimTrak and AE light guns are also susceptible to ambient lighting conditions.

As always, we won't compromise on our gaming experience, nor that of our clients.
The downside with Sindens and Gun4IR is that they are much more expensive than a Mayflash/WiiMote-based setup (and slightly more expensive than AimTraks and AE guns). When you place your arcade machine order, we can organise to have the Sindens sent directly to your place, saving time and avoiding double-freight handling.

The open-source (for non-commercial use) Gun4IR lightgun system works very well, but like the Sindens (which also use a camera) it's somewhat sensitive to ambient lighting conditions.
We have discussed stocking/supporting officially licensed Gun4IR products when Jean-Baptiste makes them available commercially.
In the meantime, if you wanna check it out....and are a propellerhead who can build one or two for your own use...or wish to purchase one or two guns: https://www.gun4ir.com/

Wheel options
Steering wheels are usually pretty straightforward to add via USB, but behaviour with different games can vary. As with light guns, you need to adjust/calibrate/remap steering wheels on a per-emulator or per-game basis....along with a global configuration.

Some games may work fine out-of-the-box, but you'll find most titles will require at least some calibration or remapping of controls. The reason for this variation between driving games is because there is no universal standard for arcade steering wheels. On the plus side, once you've set up a steering wheel for each game, your settings generally won't need to be recalibrated regularly (or at all).

Our XRS racing drive/machines are pre-calibrated to work with every title, but we recognise that everyone has a different idea of what "feels right" when it comes to driving (in the real world or on-screen) - our calibration is not necessarily gonna match YOUR calibration. We prefer "direct" and "tight" steering with minimal "play" in the wheel. The Thrustmaster we support allows for global calibrations/settings that are scaled to individual emulator/game calibrations, so your global preferences - if you decide to change them - will translate nicely to the majority of titles.

We set up our systems to work with the Thrustmaster T300 RS Racing Wheel/Thrustmaster TH8A Add-ON Gearbox Shifter/Pedals for the BEAST arcade machine (and our other upright arcade machine models - BOSS/Standard...and of course, the XRS racing cabs).
We think the Thrustmaster option is a great, affordable choice for arcade-sim style games, but recognise this may present the following potential issues for some clients:

• These wheels/shifter/pedals may be too expensive for some. We can’t (and won't) consider cheaper wheels as they are less precise/consistent and because they’re not as durable.
• These wheels may lack features that some clients want, or may have features that some clients don’t want. As examples, clutch pedal, gear shifter, force-feedback (vibrations and resistance).
• Some clients may hate the look/feel of the wheel/pedals/sticks - particularly if they're into full-on racing simulators.
  We specifically went for the Thrustmaster wheel/pedals/stick for use on our arcade machines with arcade style racing games.
  If you want to play hyper-realistic driving sims, you should look at higher-end hardware and a dedicated driving rig as this is NOT what our machines offer/are designed for...they are ARCADE gaming cabs.
  

So....you can choose your own wheel or you can go for the Thrustmaster T300 RS Racing Wheel/Thrustmaster TH8A Add-ON Gearbox Shifter/Pedals we selected for the BEAST and our other upright arcade models/XRS racing cabs. We calibrate/map our systems for the Thrustmaster T300 RS (and GT) wheels, so if you decide on another option, you’ll quite probably need to re-calibrate and remap (almost) everything....per system and/or per-game.

Note: Not ALL driving games on our arcade systems actually support a steering wheel. Games without steering wheel support will only work with the joystick or an X-Box controller/in X-Box mode. Obviously, all titles on the XRS racing drive/machine are specifically designed/set up to play with the Thrustmaster wheel/pedals/stick.

Closing out...
By limiting choice to only Sinden, Gun4IR, and AimTrak light guns & the Thrustmaster steering wheel/shifter/pedal models, we can offer clients a system that will work “out of the box” with minimal calibration.
These peripherals are definitely more expensive than low-end options, but they work and they will last!

As always, we want to be straight-up with our clients - even if it costs us sales - rather than "talking up" capabilities and selling people something cheap that simply won't perform the way that either they or we would be happy with.
If someone tells you that "everything runs perfectly" and "you'll never need to calibrate", they're either BS-ing or trying to sell you something....or both.

As covered above, if you're prepared to occasionally calibrate your light guns and/or wheel - and you WILL need to do this at some point (no matter if you go for a cheap or the gold-plated option) - then you'll enjoy the "hands-on" experience that these peripherals bring to the party.

© 2023 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets™

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Our arcade machines run multiple "emulators" that mimic different gaming hardware devices. There are hundreds of emulators available and hundreds of thousands of games/titles that have been created over the decades - so to make life easier - some clever people came up with the idea of "front-end" software to manage and access all emulators/games from one location.
A front-end is essentially a cool-looking menu that you can scroll through (or search) to find what you're looking for.
When you load a title, different things can potentially happen behind the scenes: the game is unpacked (data is usually compressed to maximise storage space), the appropriate emulator is launched, control maps are assigned, support files and programs are loaded, graphic settings are changed, etc.

We use the outstanding Hyperspin and LaunchBox/BigBox front-end menus on our systems, which you control with the joysticks and arcade buttons.

So...what are emulators?
Games/titles run on a number of different software programs called "emulators". These programs are so-named because they emulate the actual HARDWARE of the original machines.
Put another way, the emulator software mimics the functions and behaviour of a chip or circuit (or several chips and circuits and the base-level operating system, or BIOS) used in an old arcade machine, a game console, a handheld device, etc.
Old school computer emulations (Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, and so on) not only mimic the vintage hardware, but also the operating system used on these machines.

The most well-known “emulator” – M.A.M.E. (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) - is actually a collection of thousands of emulated machines. As the name indicates, it emulates multiple arcade MACHINES, such as Space Invaders, Frogger, Galaxian, Galaga, Asteroids, Pac-Man, trackball games, shooters, racers, classic beat-em-ups, and thousands of others.

Old arcade machines were often collections of circuit boards and chips that each had a different job. One circuit or chip would generate the background art, one would generate the "bullets", one would translate what you were doing with the joystick to move your spaceship, race car, paddle, sword or whatever - with a further circuit or chip actually drawing it on the screen.

This is very different to modern-day gaming where a general purpose computer CPU and/or graphics card is sent software instructions to do all of these jobs. More or less all arcade machines - from around 2000 onwards - take this approach. As such, more recent arcade titles generally aren't run on "emulated" hardware, as they run natively on PC hardware.

M.A.M.E. is a modern piece of software that mimics the old circuit boards and operating systems found in classic arcade machines. The original machine memory (game instructions) of these vintage cabinets has been read and stored as a ROM (Read Only Memory) file.
This ROM is read by M.A.M.E., which then loads the necessary modeled "circuits" (i.e. a virtual machine) needed for the game, and you get to enjoy some retro gaming goodness.

Some home truths...
As always, we want to be straight-up with our clients and provide facts, not marketing BS. We appreciate that this level of honesty may put some people off, but feel that it's best if potential clients have a handle on what emulation is all about and what to expect.
It is important to understand that emulators are NOT always 100% accurate and will NOT run EVERY game/title perfectly, so you may see or hear an occasional video or audio glitch, frame rate fluctuation, etc. Some titles for a given emulated system will run poorly, or won't run at all as they are simply NOT supported. Where titles are unsupported/perform poorly we remove them from menus, but given the size of our systems there may be the odd title that we've overlooked. Please get in touch if you encounter one.

Anyone suggesting that "everything runs perfectly" is lying, trying to sell you something, or doesn't have a grasp on the realities and limitations of emulation.
Don't fall for flashy marketing or a smooth talker.....and if the price seems too good to be true - there's a reason for that!
Here's the truth:
There are certain titles that can not (technically) work on a given emulator – due to an enhanced chip used in a cartridge, non-standard computer code, a dongle, or hack, etc. that a game developer may have used back in the day to make their game work on a particular machine.
Some emulators run fine, but just don't look spectacular (read the sections below....and take off your "nostalgia" glasses).

It's also important to know that emulator programs are usually side-projects or just a hobby for many developers.
These are (overwhelmingly) free, open-source apps. They are NOT commercial releases, created by a large, paid development team.
As such, you should temper your expectations and recognise the efforts of these people who choose to freely share their work.
Without their time and skill, there'd be no vintage gaming "scene".

All that being said, the overwhelming majority of supported titles run without issues - or with the odd audio/video or speed glitch, as mentioned above.

Emulator controls and use
When you send instructions (a game ROM/computer code) to an emulated machine, it behaves just like the original machine. In essence, you are loading a title onto a “virtual machine”.

If the emulated machine is a computer – say a Commodore 64 – user interaction is the same as it is on a real Commodore 64.
When you boot a Commodore 64, you'll see a blue screen with a command prompt.
This is also what you will see when you launch an emulated Commodore 64.
Your interaction with an emulated Commodore 64 will require a keyboard/mouse and possibly a joystick - just like the original machine.

Emulators don’t automatically make every old school system (or title running on these old school systems) “magically” work with the controls on an arcade machine – at least not without (sometimes significant) intervention.
This is NOT how emulators function - particularly vintage computer emulators - which WILL require a keyboard/mouse, an amount of knowledge about the original machine and the commands it used, about the software title and the commands it used, and at least some configuration on your part.
Like most vintage gaming enthusiasts, we wish it was a “click and play” experience for every title on every emulator, but it just isn’t that simple - nor is it technically feasible.
It is, however, an authentic – and decidedly “retro” experience.

Console and handheld gaming device emulators are a different prospect to computer emulators. These typically don’t have a physical keyboard and have a defined number of buttons and directional controls (D-PAD or a Thumbstick) on game controllers. Some handheld units have a touchscreen or stylus, which is emulated by a mouse.
You can use the built-in trackball and left/right-click buttons for “touchscreen” interactions in most handheld emulators (and for mouse operations in old-school computer emulators).

Emulated console and handheld machines are usually simple to set up for use on an arcade machine – and can be pre-mapped for EACH emulator, but it is NOT possible to map controls to work "perfectly" for each and every supported GAME that you run on that emulator.
This is NOT how (most) emulators work.
Emulators typically allow you to set a global control "map" for the entire emulated machine and all supported titles you choose to run will use this global map.
Console game developers used different control schemes/button (or key) mappings for each game.
In many cases, these are great to play with the "globally mapped" arcade controls – but in some titles, it can be a bit trickier to pull off certain in-game actions….so you might to need to practice a bit to reclaim your “legend” status.

While it is technically possible to override control maps per-game in SOME emulators there are particular consoles that have VERY different controllers. The most obvious one is the Wii Remote (WiiMote), which can be: used as a mouse/pointer, used vertically or horizontally, has motion sensors, can be used with or without a Nunchuck, etc. Emulating all of the various ways that a WiiMote is used with arcade or X-Box style controls is not an easy task (nor is it realistically "possible" for every title!).

You need to experiment with EACH supported title to work out how buttons are mapped – because developers used unique control schemes for each game. You can search online for individual game manuals to learn which controls each game uses.

This is true for EVERY emulator/supported title - there’s not a “universal” control scheme that every title uses in the same way – so you need to spend the time to work it out.
Don’t immediately assume a supported game is “broken” or the controls are mapped “wrong” if Button A is used to "jump" in game 1, but Button B is the "jump" button in another title.
As mentioned above, you typically set a global "map" for each emulated MACHINE, which is used for every supported title you choose to run on that particular virtual machine.
Sometimes this default emulator-level button "global mapping" layout works beautifully in a given game and in other games it makes the button mapping a bit awkward to use.
Also keep in mind the reality that certain games are not truly “playable” with anything other than the original controller(s), running on the original hardware.

One last point we'd like to cover when discussing mapping of controls to titles is the sheer number of them. Over the years we've globally mapped and individually mapped thousands of titles, but we simply don't have the time or resources to do this for every supported title (90K+). We're confident that the overwhelming majority of titles are mapped correctly, but there will inevitably be the odd game that we've overlooked. It's not the end of the world as things can be re-mapped, but - because we're not into BS-ing our clients - we wanted to point this out. Just let us know via email if you come across a title that is misbehaving and we'll see if we can help out.

Other emulator features and info
Emulators sometimes add features that were not available on the original machine, such as the ability to save your progress.
Only a handful of emulators do this by also providing an emulated storage location (a virtual memory card/cartridge or disk).

Similarly, some emulators allow you to save high score data. M.A.M.E. - which is a collection of old arcade machines - allows you to save scores for many titles, but not all, due to the way that score data is parsed. For such titles, you can play them without problems, but can not save high score data.

Emulators may also allow changes to graphic settings. This enables "upscaling" of the original game to the size of your screen and the application of "filters" or "shaders". Filters/shaders - if available for the emulated machine - basically change the way the overall game image is shown on the screen.
Just on this...if looking through your nostalgia glasses - 8/16 bit graphics were truly crappy by today's standards, but the inherent flaws of much smaller, low resolution CRT screens used with the original machines made games displayed on them look better.
Modern TVs and monitors expose and magnify the limitations of 8/16 bit graphics and machines. Filters can help, by “taking the edge off” low-resolution graphics, but there’s a point where it becomes a blurry mess because there simply aren’t enough pixels in the original game data to make Ms. Pac-Man look like a supermodel.
Old-skool gaming is about simple goals, simple controls and fun, not razor-sharp eye candy.

To explain further and to clarify a misconception/misinformation, old school titles are upscaled to the size of your screen, not magically "converted" or "remastered" as high definition games.

• Old arcade games were 8 bit 320 x 240 pixel (or lower) resolution...so a total of 76,800 pixels were used to create everything you see onscreen. Old arcade games also ran on a 12-20 inch CRT monitor.
• Newer arcade games from the late 80's through the 1990s bumped things up to 640 x 480 resolution (a total of 307,200 pixels), 16 bit graphics, and upsized to 24 inch CRT monitors.

For comparison...1920 x 1080 screens have 2,073,600 pixels and 4K - 3840 x 2160 screens have 8,294,400 pixels.
Your phone probably has 25 - 30 times the resolution of vintage arcade screens!

While old school arcade titles can be run to fill a modern 32 inch, 50 inch, or even 100 inch Full HD or 4K screen through upscaling, this is NOT "remastering" of vintage games in high definition.
The original number of pixels are used for characters/sprites in retro titles and are multiplied and made bigger to fit larger, high resolution screens when upscaled. You can also apply processes such as oversampling and filtering to subjectively "improve" colours, sharpness, to reduce "jaggies", and so on - but there's a limit to this because there simply isn't a lot of data in the original game code....so these processing "tricks" are making a guess. Sometimes the guess is good and the picture looks subjectively "better"....and sometimes it (objectively) looks like garbage.
At the end of the day, upscaling and filtering etc. involves some cool maths to make the picture fill your bigger, higher resolution screen, but it doesn't (and can not) make vintage games look like the latest Playstation or XBox title.
The ONLY way to make games truly high definition is to actually "remaster" them by replacing the in-game graphics and animations....and updating the game code.

The way modern displays work emphasizes the "blockiness" of 8 and 16 bit graphics.
Old CRT monitors had inherent characteristics due to the way they generated images on the screen, such as scanlines and tube "glow", which made retro games look "better".
Programmers and game art designers actually took advantage of these CRT display characteristics (or flaws, if you prefer) to save memory, and to make their 8 or 16 bit artwork and animations look smoother.
We replicate these aspects of CRT screens with software shaders on our machines because without them, the flawless nature of modern monitors expose these programming "tricks"...and can make retro games look horrible.

All emulated machines are run in their original aspect ratio - which is generally 4:3 (or 3:4 in "vertical" arcade games - where the manufacturer actually turned the screen sideways in the cabinet).
As screens on our machines are "widescreen" (16:9 aspect ratio), bezels (artwork) or black bars are shown to the left/right of emulated machines that ran in 4:3, 3:4, 5:4, etc. ratios.
In some cases, we use a "full frame" bezel to the left/right AND top/bottom, with a smaller, centered game "window". This is mostly done for handheld emulations as the original devices have extremely low resolution monochrome or 4-bit colour LCD screens, and simply don't scale well to a 32 or 50 inch FHD or 4K screen.

While you "can" switch the screen aspect to full, pan and scan, or zoomed modes, this isn't true to the original machine(s) and results in stretched images, with squares becoming rectangles and circles looking like ovals.
This not only looks terrible, but also makes in-game controls less accurate, so we really don’t recommend switching the aspect ratio as it will make your gameplay experience worse.
Stick with the default display geometry and enjoy the vintage goodness as it was originally intended.

© 2022 Xtreme Gaming Cabinets™

Disclaimer: All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Sure is:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VE6cW_qDeN7zGzE0rKPyLJpQU3ZpH5L7

Note that we (and our graphic design partners) have even more artwork available, and we can work with you to create custom decals.
The files shown in the link are our most popular designs.