Basement Gameroom Build 1.0 - Layout and Questions

animesuperj

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This is sorta a continuation from my last thread about closing on my house and getting games moved in (http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=177085). I finally got around to taking some pictures of the basement, and have been thinking on how I want to go about building an arcade.

As I said in the last thread, I have three main areas where I'm able to put games. Given that the house is 111 years old, the foundation is field stone; which means two of the areas I can't really do much with the walls. The third area I think I might be able to frame in, and have more of a "finished" gameroom. I'll try to cover each area, what games will go where, and questions I have that hopefully people can help out with.

Area 1
Current games:
- Pump it Up
- Tank II

Coming down the basement steps, and making an immediate 90 degree turn to the right, you'll enter Area 1. This is one of the two areas that can't really be finished off, due to the field stone foundation. I currently have my Pump it Up machine setup, along with Tank II next to it (just where it ended up for now). This area also has a door to the backyard, which means I need a pretty decent sized walkway through. There is also a storage shelf that's built in, which sorta is also built into the steps coming downstairs.

Area 2
Current games:
- Centipede
- Galaga
- Galaxian
- Gunbird
- Ms. Pac Man
- Playchoice 10
- Star Wars Trilogy
- Tournament Arkanoid
- Tri-Sports

Coming down the basement steps, making an immediate 90 turn to the left and then walking about 10 feet; you'll hit Area 2. This is the second area that can't really be finished off due to foundation. It also contains the main electrical panel and water shutoff. Currently, I just have the games around the perimeter of the room, and they actually fit in pretty decently. It's a bit tight, but given the size and spacing of the basement, not too bad.

Area 3
Current games:
- Dance Dance Revolution Solo
- Evil Night
- Magic Bomb (8-liner)

Coming down the basement steps, and heading straight and to the right a bit; you'll go through a door into Area 3. This is actually a newer addition to the house, which sits below the deck. About half of the walls are field stone and the other half cinder block. There's also a single garage door, but we can't park in this space because it's off the back of the house. There is no possible way to drive back there. There is also a 36inch door which leads outside, but only is roughly framed out and has a screen door on it. The real downside of this Area, is there is only 1 outlet; which is on the ceiling for the one light.

Another note about the house, is the electrical panel is only 100amps. I'm currently looking into replacing this to 200.


Given the three areas, what are people's opinions of where to fit games or build a room out? My current thinking is this:
- Area 3: remove garage door and build wall in it's place, frame/insulate the room, add more outlets (how many?, amps on each?), move all classics to this side.
- Area 1: Leave as is, with only Pump
- Area 2: Leave as is, have maybe one rhythm game there and wife's drums

Basically, I'd be remodeling Area 3 since it's the "nicest" currently (floor is actually level, which the rest of the basement isn't, plus I think I can frame these walls in). If I were to go about this, what else should I look into? I already know I need to have the electrical looked at, but I'm not sure on what would need to be done to finish Area 3 (drywall, carpet). Again, any help or ideas with this would be great. I've already been sketching out ideas and thinking about it for three weeks; so other perspectives might help.
 

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A couple more pictures of Area 3. Also, the Captain America cabinet isn't mine and my friend will hopefully be taking it back soon.
 

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Keeping this going, so I have a timeline of my progress. Had the electrical looked at last night by a friend who's an electrical engineer (no, not a licensed electrician; another friend is that who's coming over soon as well), and said that I shouldn't need to upgrade the electrical supply to the house. Currently it's 100amps into the house, and his only recommendation is that whenever I decide to do this, we'll have to re-balance the load between the main and sub boxes.

Since I'm digging out the pond that the 2nd previous owners put in, and the previous owners never maintained (so it's a giant mess); that will give at least one switch back. With everything I've been reading on the forums, I'm thinking that 4 20amp breakers should be enough to power between 12 - 16 games in the gameroom as well as lights.

Also looked into sealing the walls. I've been looking at Thoroseal, but need to do a little more research into this topic; given the fieldstone walls have some larger (1/4") gaps that I'd need to fill if I wanted to use that product.

Progress for now. Slow, but at least something.
 
Well, you're doing the right thing bumping up to 200 amps. As far as electrical outlets go, you should find out what the "code" is in your area(as far as the spacing or number of outlets you can or can't have) or you may have problems later with inspectors, etc.

I would personally stay away from carpet anywhere in the basement. I recommend doing an epoxy like mine. Its cheaper, more durable, and easy to clean. If you ever get water in the basement(even a small amount); you're in trouble with carpet. And the epoxy will mop up nice.

These are just my opinions. I hope I've helped in some way.
 
gorfchampion said:
I would personally stay away from carpet anywhere in the basement. I recommend doing an epoxy like mine. Its cheaper, more durable, and easy to clean. If you ever get water in the basement(even a small amount); you're in trouble with carpet. And the epoxy will mop up nice.
I've gone back and forth about the carpet. I'd like to have it to make the floor feel warmer, and I love the effect of blacklight carpet. Putting carpet down means I'd have to get a barrier between the floor (either Delta-FL or Drycore) and then plywood (if using delta-fl), then carpet. That's going to much lots-o-$$$. Like you said, epoxy will probably be way easier/cheaper -- plus I could do a design or something fun with that.

Do you have to worry about it scratching or anything when moving games around?
 
I've gone back and forth about the carpet. I'd like to have it to make the floor feel warmer, and I love the effect of blacklight carpet. Putting carpet down means I'd have to get a barrier between the floor (either Delta-FL or Drycore) and then plywood (if using delta-fl), then carpet. That's going to much lots-o-$$$. Like you said, epoxy will probably be way easier/cheaper -- plus I could do a design or something fun with that.

Do you have to worry about it scratching or anything when moving games around?

Well, epoxy is pretty tough, but it will scratch. Even mine, which is garage grade epoxy(I couldn't find the color I want in the basement grade epoxy) is not bulletproof.

I do two things. My games are on plywood stands with carpet strips glued to the bottom so I can slide them on my own. The stands have saved my games from water damage numerous times. If I need to use the dolly to move them I am very careful when lifting and lowering the games. Leg levelers getting dragged over epoxy is just not a good thing. But overall its very durable. Cost me about $180 to do my 700+ sq ft.

Also, amazingly the epoxy warmed up the floor considerably. Before it was unbearable to walk down there with just socks on. Now its no big deal. Its a lot warmer. Shoes are no problem, either. The crud left behind wipes right up.
 
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Finally got some updates to report on this.

It took a while and a couple people coming out to see the basement, but I finally got a contractor who will take the job. Signed the contract and put down the $100 deposit, so construction will begin next spring. He'll be tearing down the walls, re-supporting the center beam in the room with a new header, building new walls and adding a door, re-siding the house, and cleaning up. The price is pretty reasonable for the work he's doing, and so far I'm happy about it.

I've been playing with how to layout the games as well, and the pictures are the best I could come up with currently. It's not a huge amount of space, so it seems to work best when the games are in two rows along the longer side walls; with a game at the "head" of the room (where the showcase cabinet is). I'm probably not keeping the showcase there, since it's massive and takes up too much space. These are the games I currently have, but there are three to four more on my want list that would go in place of the showcase.

I've also still been going back and forth about flooring. The two choices have been either blacklight carpet or stained concrete. For lighting, I was going to add a couple can lights around the perimeter of the room, with 2 to 3 florescent fixtures in the middle for blacklights. They would have to be horizontal to the 12' wall, since that's the way the beams run for the ceiling. Would that be enough blacklights for the room? I was leaning towards 3 two-bulb fixtures.
 

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