it's your machine...do as you please.
Bought my first machine (mkII) help me modify it
- Thread starter jcar302
- Start date
it's your machine...do as you please.
Modding an MK2 isn't that difficult. Here is how mine turned out. I would say go for it of you so choose....
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About this, scorpion and human smokes' voice is cut off on all revisions of the game. It is the blood spurt that cuts it off. If you disable the blood, the voice plays fine.
I think Magog was joking a little (a lot gets lost in translation over the intranetz).
Mitsurugi-w has the right idea. and i didn't even think about re using the hinge and zbracket (but that's the kinda day i'm having today lol). you could re-use your old buttons and sticks and harness saving more money (tho new is easier and better and not that expensive). and running the 2 extra wires for run wouldn't be hard at all.
The run button is yellow.
There's little to no difference between the MK3 and UMK3 control panel overlay.
Now i for one have no issues with you finding a MK4 dedicated panel and putting a MK3/UMK3 overlay over it (don't think many others would have an issue with that either) but that's just me. As i said it's your machine your welcome to do whatever you want with it as long as you like it is all that matters
Mitsurugi-w has the right idea. and i didn't even think about re using the hinge and zbracket (but that's the kinda day i'm having today lol). you could re-use your old buttons and sticks and harness saving more money (tho new is easier and better and not that expensive). and running the 2 extra wires for run wouldn't be hard at all.
The run button is yellow.
There's little to no difference between the MK3 and UMK3 control panel overlay.
Now i for one have no issues with you finding a MK4 dedicated panel and putting a MK3/UMK3 overlay over it (don't think many others would have an issue with that either) but that's just me. As i said it's your machine your welcome to do whatever you want with it as long as you like it is all that matters
Magog
New member
Well not that there is any point as you have made all of the assumptions you like but here goes.
My MK4 is unchanged in anyway. The only difference is that there is a 6-in 1 switch in it. I didn't remove any art work, I didn't change the control panel. I didn't make a new control panel. Hell I even have all of the original wiring in place, and the MK4 board's feet sit where they had before.
To change a MKII into a UMK3 or an MK3 (and those dedicates are insanely rare yes), you need at a MINIMUM a new control panel or to drill holes in an existing contorl panel.
BUt going beyond that I read that the art work is great etc. So If you were to drill which I now read you are not...you would wreck the Control Panel and the Artwork on the Control Panel.
If you go out and pick up a UMK3 or MK4 control panel great, it will bolt right up, will looks fine etc. You aren't damaging an existing thing to "modify it". The Modify is what got me worried.
I can put my MK4 back to a stock MK4 in literaly 7 minutes, should I so like. My intention wasn't to have an MK4, or a UMK3, or MKII, but to have all of them. I picked this cabinet as it required the least (ZERO) modification to be able to play them all.
I wanted all of them in one cabinet to be playable at anytime, and I didn't change anything.
You WANT an MK3 or a UMK3. Why not go and find one? Rather then convert a MKII which is what you were talking about, sell it and look for an MK3. Yes it might take a little bit of time ti find one, but from an ease and cost standpoint it is a better option.
Your way of planning it out, is make a new Control Panel, acquire a CPO, and I guess drop in the buttons and joysticks from yours. Then buy some new RUN buttons, and bolt it onto your game. Then you plan to get a UMK3 or MK3 board and toss it in there.
It will not look right I assure you of that no matter how gifted you might be with wood it will not look right in the end. And there is added cost to do this.
Then there is the cost of a MK3 board...they aren't cheap as of late and aren't getting any cheaper.
So to "Modify" this game you are looking at an added cost of minimum $200.00. And some time committment. Is it really that much harder then driving a few town over and picking up a UMK3? Which is the game you really want in the first place? If you were to sell your MKII, and buy an MK3 I be the cost swings in your favor.
My post wasn't so much a "No no I am Mr. Collector guy don't change a thing on it", this forum has those, I am not one of them, however I hate to see a cabinet get "modified" or converted into another game, when it is in good shape and it is getting converted into a not so rare game in the first place.
Or like I said sell your machine, buy a Dynamo cabinet (they are usualyl dirt cheap), and go nuts "modding" the hell out of it. And you can put the game you actually want into it in the first place.
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Magog
New member
Also the "Modify" word is a scary one. I immediately think of computer modders and expect to see neon and glass windows, 6 new fans, maybe a water cooled PC in there for MAME etc.
While I am not so much the keep it original there is a line of destruction. Have you seen some of the crap the MAME guys do to cabinets.
My response was more so along the lines of why mess it up when there are more options. If you are just talking about the Control Panel, not too big of a deal, shit even add the run button to it fine...but the word modify evokes nasty thoughts...and I still think with a little time it would be easier to score an UMK3...MK3 not so much as those are about as rare as a non-meth Sundance.
New UMK3 PCB $100.00+
New Kick Harness $12.00
Run Buttons $5.00
Control Panel Art $60.00
Wood for Control Panel $10.00?
Plexi for new Control Panel $10.00 (more if you laser cut it)
or...
MK3 Control Panel assembly $80.00+shipping at least.
You are talking an easy $200.00 to convert it over. I would be hard pressed to imagine you can't find a UMK3 for your MKII and $200.00.
If I am wrong then so be it. Hell drill the two holes and be done with...or just leave the run buttons out, only lose a few fatalities and Kabal has enough moves already.
While I am not so much the keep it original there is a line of destruction. Have you seen some of the crap the MAME guys do to cabinets.
My response was more so along the lines of why mess it up when there are more options. If you are just talking about the Control Panel, not too big of a deal, shit even add the run button to it fine...but the word modify evokes nasty thoughts...and I still think with a little time it would be easier to score an UMK3...MK3 not so much as those are about as rare as a non-meth Sundance.
New UMK3 PCB $100.00+
New Kick Harness $12.00
Run Buttons $5.00
Control Panel Art $60.00
Wood for Control Panel $10.00?
Plexi for new Control Panel $10.00 (more if you laser cut it)
or...
MK3 Control Panel assembly $80.00+shipping at least.
You are talking an easy $200.00 to convert it over. I would be hard pressed to imagine you can't find a UMK3 for your MKII and $200.00.
If I am wrong then so be it. Hell drill the two holes and be done with...or just leave the run buttons out, only lose a few fatalities and Kabal has enough moves already.
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OP
OP
Magog, i have given some thought as to how it will look.
Hence the reason i haven't purchased anything.
I'm not so sure how the color scheme would look.
Will it look perfect? Probably not, but i'd like it to look good, and IMO the only way that will happen is in a real MK cab.
If i used another cab that would be what, At least $250 in artwork alone right?
I can't/won't shop forever, so if this gets me by for a while without doing any irreversible damage to the game, i can live with that.
Considering this was the first decent shape MK machine of any type i have seen for sale period, i wasn't holding my breath for an MKIII.
Whether i could convert it back in 2 minutes or 2 hours is really irrelevant, in the big scheme of things either one is still a minimal amount of time.
My intention is not to butcher it up, my intention is to get a real MK cab and play MKIII. And at the moment this seems like my best option, unless you know of $500 good condition MKIII's in the NY NJ area, but it's likely not, seems like everyone around here wants $1100 for anything original whether is sucks or not.
Hence the reason i haven't purchased anything.
I'm not so sure how the color scheme would look.
Will it look perfect? Probably not, but i'd like it to look good, and IMO the only way that will happen is in a real MK cab.
If i used another cab that would be what, At least $250 in artwork alone right?
I can't/won't shop forever, so if this gets me by for a while without doing any irreversible damage to the game, i can live with that.
Considering this was the first decent shape MK machine of any type i have seen for sale period, i wasn't holding my breath for an MKIII.
Whether i could convert it back in 2 minutes or 2 hours is really irrelevant, in the big scheme of things either one is still a minimal amount of time.
My intention is not to butcher it up, my intention is to get a real MK cab and play MKIII. And at the moment this seems like my best option, unless you know of $500 good condition MKIII's in the NY NJ area, but it's likely not, seems like everyone around here wants $1100 for anything original whether is sucks or not.
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Hmm, I didn't know that, thanks for the info!
Yet removing the blood for MK takes half of the presentation away. Tough call.
Sammy_No_Thumb
New member
i can see both "sides" of the argument.
One side you have the enthusiasts. These guys know there are only a limited number of dedicated cabinets in nice shape. Every cab that gets mamed and modified "ruins" that original cabinet forever. It can be reverted with money and labor but it will never be truly orginal parts.
On the othe side there are Hobbyists who just want to enjoy playing the games. THey don't care so much if they are playing on a truly dedictaed cab with matching serial numbers... they just wanna have fun playing them.
I say whatever makes you happy but once you get one machine you will want another and my guess is you will eventualy become an enthusiast with the more research and time you put into it. One day you may kick yourself for "ruining" a perfectly good mk2 cab.
maybe not. just my 2 cents
One side you have the enthusiasts. These guys know there are only a limited number of dedicated cabinets in nice shape. Every cab that gets mamed and modified "ruins" that original cabinet forever. It can be reverted with money and labor but it will never be truly orginal parts.
On the othe side there are Hobbyists who just want to enjoy playing the games. THey don't care so much if they are playing on a truly dedictaed cab with matching serial numbers... they just wanna have fun playing them.
I say whatever makes you happy but once you get one machine you will want another and my guess is you will eventualy become an enthusiast with the more research and time you put into it. One day you may kick yourself for "ruining" a perfectly good mk2 cab.
maybe not. just my 2 cents
Legendary Arcade
Member
Mortal Kombat fun
Best way to go is simply create or find an MK3 panel to swap back and forth that way everything is original and resale will be saved. You also might want to think of picking up the MK2 "challenger" chip set and the UMK3 "Juggernaut" chip set.....when you get your UMK3 board. both chip sets are fun with the hidden characters unlocked and can be swapped back to make pcbs original. Sounds to me like you just want to enjoy your machine. Adding a Marquee and another CP will make it like a two in one. Does the back of the arcade have the Mortal Kombat II midway sticker on it? As well as inside game?
Best way to go is simply create or find an MK3 panel to swap back and forth that way everything is original and resale will be saved. You also might want to think of picking up the MK2 "challenger" chip set and the UMK3 "Juggernaut" chip set.....when you get your UMK3 board. both chip sets are fun with the hidden characters unlocked and can be swapped back to make pcbs original. Sounds to me like you just want to enjoy your machine. Adding a Marquee and another CP will make it like a two in one. Does the back of the arcade have the Mortal Kombat II midway sticker on it? As well as inside game?
OP
OP
I'll have to check for the sticker, moving to a new house in a month and put the game at the mrs. sisters house, because moving it in and out of two basements doesn't seem like fun and the sister's place is a slab so...
I've been thinking of doing one of those jamma splitters (or whatever you guys call it) and running mkII and mkIII.
Saw the zeus chip on ebay and thought "great more money i'm going to have to spend".
Figured i'd get it where i want it, then add the chip, because if there's anything i learned from working on my car, if you add too much at once, finding problems is like a needle in a hay stack.
As for the fun, yup. I figure there will be some serious homefield advantage to having the real thing at my house.
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I've done without the zeus upgrade for the past 6 or so months, i don't mind not being able to play as noob or human smoke. From what i read the challenger upgrade for MK2 is the cat's meow of upgrades, I just picked up a bunch of MK boards and one of the MK2's already has the upgrade so it should be fun/interesting (hope it's an original upgrade and not a recent prom swap).
Those Jamma Splitters work well and many MK collectors and others have used them with great success, they do require some modification tho also to get everything to work right.
the sticker should look something like this:
Those Jamma Splitters work well and many MK collectors and others have used them with great success, they do require some modification tho also to get everything to work right.
the sticker should look something like this:
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OP
OP
I was under the impression if i only split it 2 ways for now it was plug and play. Not true?
I thought it was the 6 or 8 way that needed alot of extra work.
Legendary Arcade
Member
Split mk
Depending if you get a wired split button or a remote control pcb switcher. If you get a non remote switcher just keep the button inside coin door somewhere do not drill a hole for it. I had the zeus set but it replaces Stryker and Shang Tsung. Get the Juggernaut chips, it is more expensive but has all characters unlocked for play and is more challenging even when you set difficulty to very easy.
Depending if you get a wired split button or a remote control pcb switcher. If you get a non remote switcher just keep the button inside coin door somewhere do not drill a hole for it. I had the zeus set but it replaces Stryker and Shang Tsung. Get the Juggernaut chips, it is more expensive but has all characters unlocked for play and is more challenging even when you set difficulty to very easy.
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there use to be an issue with wiring diodes into the kick harnesses, adding a test switch, and -5v. i think some or all of these have been addressed or fixed by whomever makes the switcher but i'm not 100% positive.
OP
OP
I was thinking of getting this one, any objections?
http://www.jammaboards.com/store/2-in-1-multijamma-switcher-pcb-gbs-8118-/prod_324.html
http://www.jammaboards.com/store/2-in-1-multijamma-switcher-pcb-gbs-8118-/prod_324.html
Legendary Arcade
Member
Looks good, but check ebay first, I see em go go for 30 plus shipping now and again
Magog
New member
I have heard of alot of issues with that switcher, but have also heard it is revamped and now works better. If you get it please post your thoughts on it, as I may get one for my Killer Instinct cab.
I have a thread up here somewhere on my Multi-MK project, and Zenomorp does as well, along with hugely useful info on the 6-in-1 switcher. He built my LK harness, and wired in all pof the diodes, without him my project wouldn't work.
Goodluck with the multi concept, if I can be of help let me know.
OP
OP
Good to know, maybe i'll just stick with it new then, this way if it doesn't worth right i can return it.
Magog
New member
Couple of things to note. MK games require the -5 volt line. And on the 6-in-1 there is no test switch wired up either, or at least not diodes. Either way you may need to mod the board to get it to work...any good with a soldering iron?
