Modifications
When I traded the machine to my friend, he had casually mentioned that he was going to make some modifications to it. It didn't surprise me, as it had been just over four years since the machine was built and the hardware used was by no means cutting edge at the time. A few weeks went by and I received a video in my email inbox that featured the changes made.
Control Panel
Both players were merged into a single control panel to allow two players from only one side of the machine. All of the joysticks and pushbuttons were exchanged for new ones of all the same color, resulting in a much nicer look than the rainbow of buttons I had originally installed. The player two side now has a sleek keyboard and a switch to rotate the display on the monitor for surfing the web, similar to the machines at many Internet cafes. The original control panel was exchanged for one white in color. While the gloss black was sleek, the white provides a fine contrast with the machine body and ties in well with the machine's legs with a nod to classic Japanese cocktail machines.
Monitor
The monitor went through a slight upgrade, from a 15-inch CRT to a 20-inch arcade LCD. The machine really benefits from having a larger display. This was something that I had wanted to do when I originally built the cocktail, however a 20-inch CRT would not fit in the cabinet and LCDs were still quite expensive, with the cheaper models having poor viewing angles. The new LCD has a great viewing angle and really makes the machine pop.
Sound
More information coming soon.
Artwork
More information coming soon.
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