DMG/Classic Gameboy Enclosure!? n_n'

[Ghost]

Oh, the horror, the horror!

Yeah, that's too many buttons...

Perhaps deciding on the target system for the emulation will help? We don't need more buttons than our target system has...but 8 face buttons is too many, too impractical. It will involve too much hand gymnastics to play properly and that would affect the enjoyment of using the Pinekid. If it's not fun to play, it won't get used, and all our efforts will have been for naught...

[Gearsoul]

Haha~ Yeah, I did notice... However, I did 'simulate' gameplay by rapidly moving my right thumb about to the positions of the ARM-A64 buttons and found it wasn't difficult to do. The L2/R2 buttons however were a little awkward to reach.

I'll keep trying out different layouts, though 'xD

We may just have to go with the classic set of four ABXY buttons. And the four-set of Start/Select shortcut buttons.

Still as keen on the L1/R1 on the rear of the device? :0c

Oh, and the half/double speed toggle. That shouldn't take up too much space.

[Ghost]

Haha~ Yeah, I did notice... However, I did 'simulate' gameplay by rapidly moving my right thumb about to the positions of the ARM-A64 buttons and found it wasn't difficult to do. The L2/R2 buttons however were a little awkward to reach.

I'll keep trying out different layouts, though 'xD

We may just have to go with the classic set of four ABXY buttons. And the four-set of Start/Select shortcut buttons.

Still as keen on the L1/R1 on the rear of the device? :0c

Oh, and the half/double speed toggle. That shouldn't take up too much space.

I think the classic set of 4 face buttons is the way to go.

Yes! I like those rear L and R trigger buttons! I'm sure we could make it work so that it was comfortable to hold

For the half/double speed toggle, I was thinking something like this:

http://bit.ly/1Q0YmVD

What do you reckon?

[Gearsoul]

I think... I'm confused 'xD I can't tell if you're serious or not and if so which part I'm meant to be looking at!

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What colours should we go with? Black base to set off the white logo? And white buttons?

Or should we try and do something... 'iconic' like the SNES had?

[Ghost]

I think... I'm confused 'xD I can't tell if you're serious or not and if so which part I'm meant to be looking at!

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What colours should we go with? Black base to set off the white logo? And white buttons?

Or should we try and do something... 'iconic' like the SNES had?

Yep, I was definitely joking about that huge switch

As for colours/aesthetics, I think we should both do something different. I may well keep the Gameboy as standard as far as possible, but I will need to figure out a gentle way to remove the Nintendo Gameboy writing from the front. Other than that, I plan to keep it as is, I think. But you should let your imagination run wild!

..........Maybe not too wild, though

[Gearsoul]

Yeah... I'd wondered about the text myself. There's probably a product specifically for it I wonder if you could just use paint stripper.


... I have a low-grade engraver :0c Id love to try engraving the text/logo!

[Ghost]

Yeah... I'd wondered about the text myself. There's probably a product specifically for it I wonder if you could just use paint stripper.


... I have a low-grade engraver :0c Id love to try engraving the text/logo!

I guess it depends on how the text is adhered to the Gameboy. If it's embedded, it'll be tricky to remove without making an eyesore, in which case, cleaning and spray painting may be the best course of action. But if the writing is just on the surface, it might come off more easily

You should try and engrave the Pine logo! Use all the tools at your disposal!

[Nilocsemliw]

His horror has given me pause about ripping my original device open 'xD

I really like the idea of additional buttons... Will I be able to place them anywhere on the case and wire them to the appropriate places? I wanna sketch out some designs to find something unique for Pinekid(I like how it sounds a bit like pine cone ) but still usable and visually appealing. They sell all the buttons so wedging in a bunch of start/select buttons would probably be convenient for short cuts and maybe A/B buttons for things like L/R.

Haaah, I am so jealous of the pounds' conversion rate 'xD Do you just cruise around the internet laughing at all the prices? 'XD If you *do* go that route I'd love to take you up on that!

I have no such qualms about tearing a Gameboy to pieces

Theoretically yeah, you can place additional buttons (or toggles or triggers or levers or whatever) wherever you like. Wiring the buttons up and getting the Pine to actually recognise them as inputs is going to be one of the trickier parts of the project. I know that PiGrrl 2 has a special little pcb board that takes all the hassle out of this, would be good to get a similar 'input board' for the Pine.

As a Brit, I still find it amazing that we are allowed to remain as part of the European Union whilst totally rejecting the currency of that union. It's like picking and choosing the parts you want. It smacks of entitlement and aloofness...but yeah, it makes stuff fairly cheap to buy, most of the time. Though Americans seem to get the best value. A game system that costs $300 in the US will likely cost £300 here...now where's the fair about that?

With the need for all these different bits and pieces, let's hope the Pinekid doesn't end up costing that much (either in pounds or dollars)... 

You guys had better bundles than us for Black Friday last year 

I do see what you mean about the huge price difference the same thing happens for the Canadians as well.

[Ghost]

Well, my faulty Gameboy arrived and I wasted no time in gutting it out.

But the news is not good....

That battery compartment takes up so much room and gets right in the way of the Ethernet port/or USB ports (depending on which way up you position the Pine board). So that part of the back would need to be hacked off. Same story for the cartridge slot, that part of the back would also need to be removed...which doesn't leave you with a whole lot of back at all, really.

In addition, the button moulds intrude upon the inside of the case much more (deeper) than I expected. Whilst these could be snipped away, it would make remounting buttons later tricky. The screw mounts are also in the way. Again, these can be cut down, but then you lose the ability to screw the case back together effectively.

All in all, I think if you hacked up the case pretty much to pieces, you could just about cram the Pine board in there. But it would be so cramped that it would be hard to actually do anything with it, like wire up the buttons, fit a battery pack, fit a screen, etc...

Sadly, I just don't think it's feasible

Maybe we could try and make a Super Pinetendo or something instead? That would give us much more room to play with...

[Gearsoul]

.. Damn! :/

:3 Super Pinetendo sounds cool, though. The rainbow button set would be nice as well~

We actually have one of those around as well! And a couple NES ones.

If I had access to a 3D printer I could *make* a case similar in appearance/size that *would* work, and have the option for details to make it more uniquely 'Pinekid' as well.


.... I wonder if there are any local facilities around that have a public-use 3D printer...

I'd be interested to follow your progress, but my initial pledge already covers the playBox enclosure/touch screen so I don't need a console version. I'm gonna keep looking into handheld options.

I hope the Gameboy wasn't too expensive! .__.'