WG6100 in an Asteroids Deluxe cabinet
- Thread starter Outland81
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OP
OP
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Well, I guess I've achieved the purpose of the thread by showing that the 6100 fits inside Asteroids Deluxe. So I could just say thanks and goodnight!
Except that...
Since I have this all set up, I'd like to show you some more of my work. It's kept me motivated and excited to steep myself in the process of making these groovy retro-style backgrounds. I think Space Duel looks tremendous when paired with them. I feel compelled to share.
More custom backgrounds
This is my most recent one. It's another space background (NASA/JPL/Invisible Creature, also public domain). This was all done in Photoshop.
The star field and nebula imagery behind the artwork is from the Webb Space Telescope—the Carina Nebula. I darkened it way down and increased the contrast. The artwork was also too bright, so I did the same thing to it (it took a lot of attempts to get it right). I also did much work to size the artwork correctly for the middle section. I think it might still be too big, so I'm going to tinker with it some more.
So this entire background image is a 24 x 48 Canon satin photo print, again from the library's digital lab. I cut it to fit the shape of the background—which is 1/8" foam board—and then attach it with carpet tape. I can print out just the middle area and experiment with sizes, etc. without having to print the whole image again.
I have another thread where I show more of my work on this—I had all kinds of neon effects on the contrails. I thought it was overkill, so I regrouped and did just the Saturn ring instead. Next I'd like to try making the entire thing a bumpout and put some subtle lighting behind it, kind of like the Space Invaders/Deluxe moon piece.
So this background and the puzzle background I think of as works in progress rather than all finished.
I see now that the black light tube is visible in the pics. D'oh!! Now it seems that the dark gel might be in order instead of the light. I did try the dark, and it does hide the tube. Decisions, decisions...
Alex Ann Allen mural background
Anyway, moving on. This final background is one I really love. It's the mural artwork from the 2022 library arcade, by a very talented South Bend-based artist named Alex Ann Allen. Shegave me sold me permission to use her design, which was so perfect for the arcade. I modified it for the cabinet and added strategic neon highlights, along with the Solar Quest star field pattern around the edges. I was thrilled when she approved!
Here's her work as it appeared in the arcade (before it opened)...
www.alexannallen.com
This design took a lot of tweaking to make it look dimensionally appropriate for the funny shape of the background piece. Basically I had to keep removing the shapes and patterns that were near the two folds. Once you bend the sides, the geometry changes and gets weird (out of proportion).
I kept as much as I could, and hopefully the essence of her design has been preserved here. Because the design is basically symmetrical, I decided to flip the photos so we can read the words, etc.
Please browse around her site and take a look at her work. She's done murals for retro style arcades as well as colorful, vibrant works all over the city and elsewhere.
Thanks, Alex!
Conclusion
Well, that's about it! Thanks for reading through this. I hope it's been fun and useful.
I kept looking at my spare monitor sled and thinking that it needed to be introduced to the WG6100. I'm glad I took the chance.
Maybe if Atari had had more time, they would've used this design for other games besides Asteroids Deluxe. It was really satisfying to see the 6100 frame fit so neatly into the sled. The tube sticks up a little higher than the black & white tube such that the monitor gel touches the middle of the tube. Otherwise, it's a great fit.
The future
I think the sled could even be modified to accept a vertically-mounted picture tube. You'd just need to cut a bit more wood off the front and back. The monitor bezel could easily be modified for vertical vs. horizontal. Then you could play Tempest Deluxe.
I plan on putting my spare AD pieces together to make a new cabinet for a multi-vector setup of some sort. It would be with this 6100 assembly, a modified AD control panel + overlay, custom background artwork, my monitor bezel reproduction + gel, and whatever multi-options are a good fit, with all necessary wiring, harnesses, etc. I already did some work on what the CP and overlay could look like.
Here's a thread that @andrewb reminded me about that helped inspire me to get going on this!
Except that...
Since I have this all set up, I'd like to show you some more of my work. It's kept me motivated and excited to steep myself in the process of making these groovy retro-style backgrounds. I think Space Duel looks tremendous when paired with them. I feel compelled to share.
More custom backgrounds
This is my most recent one. It's another space background (NASA/JPL/Invisible Creature, also public domain). This was all done in Photoshop.
The star field and nebula imagery behind the artwork is from the Webb Space Telescope—the Carina Nebula. I darkened it way down and increased the contrast. The artwork was also too bright, so I did the same thing to it (it took a lot of attempts to get it right). I also did much work to size the artwork correctly for the middle section. I think it might still be too big, so I'm going to tinker with it some more.
So this entire background image is a 24 x 48 Canon satin photo print, again from the library's digital lab. I cut it to fit the shape of the background—which is 1/8" foam board—and then attach it with carpet tape. I can print out just the middle area and experiment with sizes, etc. without having to print the whole image again.
I have another thread where I show more of my work on this—I had all kinds of neon effects on the contrails. I thought it was overkill, so I regrouped and did just the Saturn ring instead. Next I'd like to try making the entire thing a bumpout and put some subtle lighting behind it, kind of like the Space Invaders/Deluxe moon piece.
So this background and the puzzle background I think of as works in progress rather than all finished.
I see now that the black light tube is visible in the pics. D'oh!! Now it seems that the dark gel might be in order instead of the light. I did try the dark, and it does hide the tube. Decisions, decisions...
Alex Ann Allen mural background
Anyway, moving on. This final background is one I really love. It's the mural artwork from the 2022 library arcade, by a very talented South Bend-based artist named Alex Ann Allen. She
Here's her work as it appeared in the arcade (before it opened)...
St. Joe County Public Library Kids Sm(Art) Box — Alex Ann Allen
www.alexannallen.com
This design took a lot of tweaking to make it look dimensionally appropriate for the funny shape of the background piece. Basically I had to keep removing the shapes and patterns that were near the two folds. Once you bend the sides, the geometry changes and gets weird (out of proportion).
I kept as much as I could, and hopefully the essence of her design has been preserved here. Because the design is basically symmetrical, I decided to flip the photos so we can read the words, etc.
Please browse around her site and take a look at her work. She's done murals for retro style arcades as well as colorful, vibrant works all over the city and elsewhere.
Thanks, Alex!
Conclusion
Well, that's about it! Thanks for reading through this. I hope it's been fun and useful.
I kept looking at my spare monitor sled and thinking that it needed to be introduced to the WG6100. I'm glad I took the chance.
Maybe if Atari had had more time, they would've used this design for other games besides Asteroids Deluxe. It was really satisfying to see the 6100 frame fit so neatly into the sled. The tube sticks up a little higher than the black & white tube such that the monitor gel touches the middle of the tube. Otherwise, it's a great fit.
The future
I think the sled could even be modified to accept a vertically-mounted picture tube. You'd just need to cut a bit more wood off the front and back. The monitor bezel could easily be modified for vertical vs. horizontal. Then you could play Tempest Deluxe.
I plan on putting my spare AD pieces together to make a new cabinet for a multi-vector setup of some sort. It would be with this 6100 assembly, a modified AD control panel + overlay, custom background artwork, my monitor bezel reproduction + gel, and whatever multi-options are a good fit, with all necessary wiring, harnesses, etc. I already did some work on what the CP and overlay could look like.
Here's a thread that @andrewb reminded me about that helped inspire me to get going on this!
Games That Would Be Cooler On A Color Vector Monitor
I second Qix and Time Pilot, and add... MOON PATROL! Moon Patrol is being developed for the Vectrex called "Vector Patrol." I've played this a few months ago.
forums.arcade-museum.com
Last edited:
Mike Rhinehart
Active member
As a fan of Space Duel and the AD cabinet with mirrored projection, this project is amazing to me. Thanks for sharing.
This is by far the coolest thread I've seen in quite a long time. Awesome. 
Mike Rhinehart
Active member
The last set of art you used is really cool IMO. Almost like an arena (think Tron) where the best space pilots in the universe test their skills against the CPU or each other.
OP
OP
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I agree. I think it's an amazing design. I would see it on the wall when we had the arcade going and always imagined it looking really cool inside the AD cabinet...
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I'm late to this I know , adding a comment so I can find this thread again if I ever get an AD , awesome job ,, sick as the kids said years ago , don't know what they say now , I think u just missed adding some uranium glass
