Gauging interest: Repro Starblade mirror domes

HHaase

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I think I found a place that can handle brand new mirror domes for Starblade, and have shot them an e-mail for a price quote. At the moment I haven't got a clue on pricing but am going to try and have them done as close to original as possible. It could be $75 each, it could be a few hundred per dome. Once I know I'll post up the prices.

I've never dealt with this type of product before, so I haven't got a clue how price will scale with quantity. I'm going to do it one way or another, as I want a new dome for my own machine, but I really need to gauge how many I'll be needing to do.

So if you're interested, please post up or PM me and let me know.

-Hans
 
Now that I have my original, but broken, dome unmounted it looks like it's just a glossy black opaque acrylic. Other than the dome shape there's nothing fancy to the material at all, and the dome itself is just a plain bubble with no oddball shaping to it..
The acrylic is the most scratch resistant of available materials, but also easy to break. So I am considering a few options here to try and improve on the original piece. Either way, we're likely looking in the $200-$300 range for a replacement dome.... plus shipping. One option is going with thicker acrylic, using 1/4" instead of the original 1/8". This should cut down the flex and breakage, but at the cost of double the weight and thus shipping much more expensive.

PETG or Polycarbonate would be other options. These would be lighter and stronger, but more expensive for the material, and will scratch easier if you don't get any coatings on it when it's made. I can also stick with the original 1/8" thickness due to the strength increase and weight reduction. Not sure the cost difference though between 1/4" acrylic and 1/8" PETG or Polycarbonate. I'll know more early next week on the cost breakdown. The scratching issue can be dealt with by using the right cleaners for it, Plexus would be my top recommendation no matter what the material.

I had also considered a true mirror backing on a smoke plexi dome, but then we're talking about changing the visuals of the game, and a LOT more expensive. Given those considerations, I'd rather stick with the same visual as the original dome.
 
Talked to a couple plastics places, and they recommended just keeping the design the same as original, with the 1/8" acrylic instead of going thicker or with a different material.

Price looks like it would be $250 if I ordered them one at a time, any additional quantity I assume would be less.

-Hans
 
Dude,

I used to have a beautiful Starblade which I restored and sold on because I needed the space, I still miss it. I sold it with many spares including an unmarked dome mirror.

Many of these suffered cracked mirrors, but I do not think you will get much Starblade love here.

I recommend that you go over to www.dragonslairfans.com and tell them about your repro mirrors. There are some big Starblade and Galaxian3 fans over there.
 
The irony is that I had a thread over there as well, and they said "wow, nobody interested here? Try KLOV!".

Not a problem, better to find out there's no interest before I order a dozen of the things instead of after

-Hans
 
The irony is that I had a thread over there as well, and they said "wow, nobody interested here? Try KLOV!".

Not a problem, better to find out there's no interest before I order a dozen of the things instead of after

-Hans

A shame, I used to have people asking me all the time if I had a spare dome to replace a cracked one.
 
I posted up on the other page some contact info for the shop I'm going to have make me a new one, so the info is at least out there now.

Not many places that can do it, due to how shallow the dome is, but it's possible and the price isn't too bad at all.

-Hans
 
Never heard of this game before.. Looks really cool. Did it ever come in
an UR version or was it always a cockpit?
 
Never heard of this game before.. Looks really cool. Did it ever come in
an UR version or was it always a cockpit?
 
As much as I love Starblade, I do have to admit it probably would have been an awful game in an upright. The gameplay is actually kinda dull. It's the cabinet that makes it work, and the dome is the key to it everything.

It's hard to describe it, and it's a game you need to play to see how awesome the effect really is. When you sit down and start playing the game there is a depth to everything that just sucks you into the world. You just want to reach out and see if you can touch the ships, it feels like you're really looking out a viewport into space. Then add in the 4 channel true surround sound, plus the vibration effect in the seat, and you've got a really kick-ass experience.

If only they had done the sequel to it. That Orbs cockpit system plus improved graphics... who the hell needs NASA? Instead of a shallow parabolic dome, the Orbs system had almost a full globe around you.
http://kotaku.com/5849339/the-greatest-arcade-cabinet-that-never-was

Unfortunately, Blue Planet got shelved, but the cabinet sorta resurfaced as a Gundam multiplayer setup, similar to the Battletech Tesla pods. Now if only I wouldn't have to go to Japan to play it.
http://amunthegeek.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/gundam-cockpit-arcade-game-2/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNSodeMJ2u0

-Hans
 
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