Roo's World

Lovely Lovely Beer

2012-01-11T06:16:00.000-06:00

It's actually pretty catchy...

2012-01-11T06:12:00.000-06:00

How to Piss in Public

2012-01-11T06:07:00.000-06:00

Hey boys and girls, um actually, this is probably only useful for the dudes out there. Anywho, check out this video on pissing in public the knowledge you acquire may come in handy some day. I myself am so advanced I'm currently perfecting the art of crapping in public. It involves a newspaper and an empty bucket of popcorn. Ewwwwwww

It's time.

2011-11-27T09:08:00.000-06:00

Taxi Cab Driver sounds just like Micheal Jackson

2011-11-06T18:49:00.000-06:00

Why dogs hate Halloween

2011-10-12T22:27:00.000-05:00

Squash Balls Hurt

2011-10-12T22:23:00.000-05:00

"Cameron Pilley, current world record holder for hardest squash ball ever hit (175mph), line's up his brother against the front wall for a free shot!"

Bill Gates has robot legs.

2011-10-12T22:20:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I'm so fascinated by this video. I've watched it like 10 times.

Here's one with Guile's Theme.

And finally check out the 6 billion dollar man.

Angry Birds Soccer

2011-10-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

Star Wars IV in 2 minutes

2011-10-06T16:17:00.000-05:00

2011-10-06T07:42:00.000-05:00

Battlefield 3 Beta: Jets now on Operation Metro map!

2011-10-05T13:55:00.000-05:00

This is what goes on inside your Playstation at night

2011-10-05T13:42:00.000-05:00

Why Danish speed limits are never ignored

2011-10-05T13:10:00.000-05:00

It's a clever idea but the real magic can be found in the dude's reaction around the one minute mark. Pure joy. Ahhhh boobs, is there anything they can't do?

Cosplay + Martial Arts + Special Effects = Win

2011-10-05T12:59:00.000-05:00

Holy crap! This dude makes really cool videos. Check out some of his other stuff too.

Meet the artists who worked on Gears of War 3

2011-10-05T12:47:00.000-05:00

Watch this really cool interview with the artists who worked on Gears of War 3. I'd give both my nuts and wiener to do what these guys do for a living.

More here: http://hq.deviantart.com/blog/44291080/

Pon! Crush! Crush!

2011-10-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know anything about this product but I know I need one.

Lightsabers on trains

2011-10-05T11:55:00.002-05:00

Train commuters in Tokyo use handrails that have been transformed into lightsabers.

More info here: http://www.japantrends.com/train-ad-campaign-turns-railings-into-star-wars-lightsabres/

The cutest??? Unreal Tournament 3 Weapon Mod ever

2011-10-05T11:45:00.000-05:00

Fan made craziness is why PC gaming is alive and well.

Epic Forza Motorsport 4 trailer

2011-10-05T11:32:00.000-05:00

Method Man raps about Sour Patch Kids Candy

2011-10-05T11:26:00.002-05:00

I gotta admit I at first I was like "Oh god.." but then I was like "This is awesome!"

LEGO Gears of War Lancer

2011-09-30T10:44:00.000-05:00

Oh my god, it's beautiful. It really shoots and has a working chainsaw!

Check out more of PLUM B's creations here: www.mocpages.com

Darth Vader art made out of salt

2011-09-29T11:38:00.002-05:00

And just for the lulz visit: http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

Every movie is made better with Tom Selleck's moustache

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

No words can describe this... ::tears of joy::

So Tom Brady cut his hair...

2011-09-29T07:49:00.000-05:00

Oh well at least we still have this...

Born this Way!

2011-07-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

Check out this piece of awesomeness from Comic-Con! I vow to make my pilgrimage one day...

Thor Review

2011-05-06T15:34:00.000-05:00

Holy crap this movie was good! I gotta admit my expectations weren't that high. I mean I was hoping it was good, but I just felt Thor was one of the more difficult superhero movies to make. I was hearing good things at the start of the week so I thought maybe it'll be decent. It was AMAZING! Go watch it now.

I went to a midnight show and chose to see it in 3D. It was also playing in 2D on a larger screen but screw that, I wanted Chris Hemsworth's hammer all up in my face. (and by hammer I mean penis) Everyone around me seemed to really enjoy the movie so hopefully they'll tell their friends to go check it out.

Bring on Captain America!

Obama confirms bin Laden killed

2011-05-02T07:54:00.000-05:00

Custom Lego Siege Tank

2011-04-20T22:34:00.000-05:00

Holy crap this thing is amazing! I wonder how much it cost to build something like this...

Virtual Boy Music Video

2011-04-19T11:31:00.000-05:00

Check out Keith Apicary's latest music video dedicated to Nintendo's little red failure the Virtual Boy.

Bonus Video: Neo Geo

Apple Store Dance

2011-04-14T16:31:00.000-05:00

This kid's internet famous for his Apple Store dance videos. Apparently all the cool people are doing it. Seriously, check out how many Apple Store dance vids there are on YouTube. Anywho, all is going well with this particular performance until Apple Store employee Handsome McDreamyface shuts him down.

Game Boy Funk

2011-04-14T15:55:00.000-05:00

Gears of War 3 is going to take over my life.

2011-04-13T03:47:00.002-05:00

Go pre-order this soon to get in on that beta. I'm really hoping I don't start kicking myself for not picking up the Epic Edition of Bulletstorm.

Mickey Mouse is one bad mother...

2011-04-10T05:24:00.000-05:00

Don't mess with Mickey he's better than you at everything, even break dancing.

My Your Highness Review

2011-04-08T09:49:00.003-05:00

Go watch this movie now. That is all.

Live Action Mortal Kombat Web Series

2011-04-08T09:09:00.003-05:00

Check out the teaser trailer for the new live action web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy. The nine episode series will premiere on April 12th, 2011 on Machinima.com

And check out the short film that jump started the whole project. More info can be found here Comingsoon.net

Build your own Legend of Zelda treasure chest!

2011-04-06T16:06:00.000-05:00

This thing is awesome. Although they should've put something in there for the video. It's a bit anti-climactic for my tastes. I would have put something cool in there, like a burrito.
Learn how to build your own @ instructables

Why don't all games allow you to re-map buttons?

2011-04-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

A disabled gamer who goes by the name iwasasgoodasany vents his frustration with games that don't allow button mapping. I have often felt the same way and I have full use of my hands! I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for this dude. I understand not all games (Kinect, Wii, Move) can be made more accessible but there are a vast number of games that would be if they allowed simple button mapping.

Warning there's some NSFW language in the video.

How to build an Arcade Stick

2011-04-02T11:26:00.074-05:00

If you've ever played a fighting game on a home console for any serious length of time, you've probably been frustrated by the inaccuracy of the analog stick/d-pad. I tend to press the buttons pretty hard and after a while the controller feels creaky and loose, and the buttons feel all mushy. I then become less accurate and it becomes frustrating instead of fun. There's a reason the best fighting game players use arcade sticks. Accuracy. You can buy a quality arcade stick or build your own. I chose to build my own and I'll show you how I did it.

First of all, be prepared to spend $130 to $200 dollars on this project depending on how many of the various tools and supplies you already own. Also, there is some soldering and very basic carpentry involved. If you want to avoid the carpentry you can buy a pre-built case. By building your own case and doing a little soldering you can save some money though.

Choosing a Joystick and Buttons

Before you begin building you should decide on a joystick and buttons. I won't go into too much detail on all the different manufacturers. All you really need to know is Sanwa and Seimitsu are the most popular brands in arcade stick components. The most popular joystick is the Sanwa JLF. The second most popular joystick is the Seimitsu LS-32. Sanwa also makes the most popular buttons. Some people prefer Seimitsu's buttons because they aren't as sensitive and prone to accidental presses as Sanwa's. For my joystick I went with a Seimitsu LS-32 because the Sanwa JLF was sold out. For my buttons I went with Seimitsu as well because I didn't want my buttons to be ultra-sensitive and I read some good things about Seimitsu buttons. I got a chance to play around with an arcade stick that had Sanwa buttons and they did feel a little too sensitive for me. I'm very happy with the feel of the Seimitsu buttons. If you want to learn more about the different joystick and button options I recommend you browse the Tech Talk Section @ The Shoryuken Forums

Seimitsu LS-32, Seimitsu KN 30mm x8, Seimitsu PS-14-DNC 24mm x3

Basic Joystick Construction

Check out this diagram. This will give you an idea of how an arcade stick is put together. There are two types of buttons, snap-in and screw-in the screw-in type require nuts to mount. I chose screw-in buttons to help sandwich my acrylic glass and HDF control panel together.

The joystick is mounted to the control panel with small nuts and bolts. The joystick has a metal mounting plate that makes this easy. Simply position your joystick where you want. Mark your control panel. Then drill small holes for your nuts and bolts. Install and tighten.

The PCB or printed circuit board is the central nervous system of the arcade stick. The PCB receives commands from the buttons and stick. It sends the commands to the console resulting in your character performing actions on screen. The PCB for this project can be purchased separately but the cheapest and easiest way to obtain one is by buying a generic gamepad and extracting the PCB. I'll go over this in more detail later in the tutorial.

The Controller Box

The first thing you should do is construct a case to hold everything. Your case needs to be big enough to house all your components and it should also be big enough for you to play comfortably because your hands will be resting on it during use. You can use any sturdy material to construct your case. You can even re-purpose a sturdy container you find laying around. Check out these examples.

The Rubbermaid

The Cuban

The Strategist

The PS2

The Economist

The Swoosh

As you can see, you can pretty much build your case out of anything. I think it's best if you build the case from scratch though, this way you can decide what materials and dimensions best suit your needs. I chose to build my case out of 3/4" thick pine. I went with pine because it was cheap and easy. It's not the nicest looking wood or the hardest but I knew I was going to paint then clear coat to protect the finish. If you're going to use stain instead of paint for a more natural look, pick a hard wood that you find attractive.

click to enlarge

A few notes on my case design. I went with 3½" height because I found some pine boards that were 3½" x 3' that were pretty cheap. So all I had to do was cut them to length and that's it, no more cutting. I'm not an experienced carpenter and only have access to the most basic tools so this made it easier for me. You can go with whatever height you please as long as the components fit in your case. I could have probably got away with 3" in height though. That would have made for a slightly less bulky looking case.

My button holes for Back, Guide, and Start are 1" in diameter (to accommodate 24mm buttons). I wanted these buttons to be smaller than my main buttons. I placed these buttons at the rear of the joystick because I wanted to emulate an official Xbox 360 controller. Some people place these buttons along either side of the case for easier access. This button placement is up to you. Also, I ended up sanding these holes (a lot!) because I decided I wanted recessed buttons at the last minute. This step isn't necessary though.

You'll also have to make a little notch for the controller cord. I used a cheap knock-off Dremel tool (that I bought for ten bucks!) Why not make a wireless controller you ask? Because it's more of a hassle and you'd have to pop your arcade stick open every time you need to change the batteries (that, or devise a creative way to plug in the play and charge kit). It is possible to build a wireless arcade stick but I chose not to for various reasons. Also, on my stick there is no way to plug in a headset. There are ways around this but I wanted this project to be as simple as possible. Don't let me deter you though, if you want a wireless controller with a headset jack, it can be done. It's just more work.

Hole Saws, Corner Clamp, Wooden Dowel, Dowel Joint

Tools I used for this step:

Miter Saw - you can use a table saw or circular saw too.
Drill - with ¼" drill bit for the dowel holes, 1" hole saw for button holes
Dremel - for making the little notch where the controller's cord comes out
Sandpaper - for making my buttons recessed
Dowels - ¼" wooden dowels, used to secure pieces together
Wood Glue

The Panel

Now you need to build the panel. This is where your buttons and joystick get mounted. Your panel needs to be big enough to accommodate all your buttons and joystick and there should be some extra room for you to rest your hands while you play.

Before you go any further, you need to decide on a panel layout. How do you want your buttons spaced? How many buttons are you going to need? There are many different panel layouts. The most popular layouts for fighting games are 6 and 8-button slanted layouts. I highly recommend you visit Slagcoin's Panel Layouts page. Print some of those samples out at actual size. Pretend to press the buttons on your print-outs and pick one that's comfortable for you. I went with what's known as an 8-button Hori layout. After you select a layout, print it out at actual size because you will be using it as a template for drilling holes in your panel.

I made my panel out of ¼" thick HDF (high density fiber board) layered on top of 1/8" thick Lexan sheet (similar to Plexiglas or acrylic glass). I cut the HDF to size with a miter saw and I cut the Lexan sheet using an inexpensive acrylic cutting tool. Make sure to cut an extra piece of HDF to serve as the bottom cover for your case. You can even use acrylic glass for the bottom cover so that you can see the wiring from underneath. I went with HDF for my bottom cover because it was my first time building an arcade stick and I wasn't sure how neat my wiring would turn out. *Important - I had to make a small groove on my bottom cover for the cord to stick out through correctly. I used my knock-off Dremel tool for this. This groove should line up with the cord notch in your case. Check out the picture below.

I drilled through the Lexan with spade bits and drilled through the HDF with hole saws. Some people layer the material then drill through both layers at once but this wasn't working for me. After you have cut and drilled your panel do a test fitting with your buttons. You may have to sand some edges to get everything fitting together properly and feeling smooth. Also, you may want to take this time to decide what artwork, if any, you'll be sandwiching between your acrylic glass and HDF panel.

Tips for cutting/drilling acrylic glass: Use an acrylic cutting tool and a metal ruler as a guide/straight edge. After a bunch of passes with the cutting tool you'll be able to snap the acrylic sheet where you scored it with the cutting tool. Use a spade bit for drilling the joystick and button holes. It helps if you drill a tiny pilot hole first. Clamp down your acrylic sheet on top of some spare wood to stabilize it. Use a very slow drill setting and slowly carve out a circle with your spade bit. This takes time and you must be careful not to scratch or crack the acrylic. I messed up a couple sheets before I got the hang of drilling through it.

Now for the panel to stay where it's supposed to instead of falling through to the bottom of the case you need to construct panel supports. These supports are simple blocks of wood that are glued to the inside of the case. I used the same ¾" thick pine from my case for my supports. Each support is 2 7/8" tall and 1 5/8" wide. Since the supports are on the inside of your case there is a good bit of leeway in how wide and thick they are. However, since your HDF panel, acrylic sheet, and bottom cover all rest against these supports there is little leeway in terms of height. Make sure all your layers fit together nicely. Sand or re-cut if you need to make adjustments.

panel support detail

panel supports: top view

Lexan sheet, various spade bits, acrylic cutting tool

Tools I used for this step:

Drill
Metal Ruler
Miter Saw - you can use a table saw or circular saw too.
Acrylic Cutting Tool
Spade Bits - 30mm, 1"
Hole Saws - 30mm, 1"
Dremel - with drum sander attachment to smooth out any rough edges

Sanding, Priming, and Painting

Once your case is finished you'll want to sand it with a high grit sandpaper to prepare it for priming/painting. I rounded off the top corners of my case by sanding them. This took a really long time but I like how it turned out. Be careful not to sand too much! After sanding thoroughly clean your case with a damp cloth and let it dry. At this point look for any imperfections that you can fix with wood filler. After the wood filler dries sand everything again. Clean and dry once more.

Now you are ready to apply primer. Make sure to follow the instructions on the can for best results. After priming, sand the case once more using a high grit sandpaper. Clean the dust with a wet cloth and let the case dry. Now you can apply the paint the same way you applied the primer. After the paint dries you can apply several coats of clear gloss enamel to protect the finish and make it shine. This whole process can take a few days. Take your time and be patient. Look on YouTube for tips on how to do all this if you need help.

Tools I used for this step:

Sandpaper
Wood Filler
Spray Primer
Spray Paint
Clear Gloss Spray Enamel

Wiring

Next, we will begin wiring...

Finally we put it all together...

Additional resources:

*Attention: this is a work in progress. I will try to complete this tutorial by 03/01/12. I've been ~~slacking~~ really busy lately.

Don't accept food from "friends" on April Fool's Day

2011-04-01T23:02:00.001-05:00

This is how it's done. Bravo my good man!

Halo Dance Central Preview!

2011-04-01T12:51:00.002-05:00

The 1UP crew got an early look at Halo: Dance Central.
Click here to check out the video!

YouTube's 1911 April Fool's gag makes everything better!

2011-04-01T12:21:00.001-05:00

Open any YouTube video in its own window. Make sure to press the little "1911" button (bottom right) and enjoy! I want this to be a permanent feature on YouTube.

Check out Blizzard's April Fool's Day Gag

2011-04-01T11:28:00.001-05:00

Knightstand (you see what I did there?)

2011-04-01T08:35:00.001-05:00

Check out this ingenious design for a nightstand/end table that, should the need arise, be used to clobber anyone foolish enough to startle you in your sleep.

Overcoming Adversity and Destroying the Competition

2011-03-31T23:15:00.001-05:00

"Meet Mike Begum (aka "Broly" or "Legs") who has a condition called arthrogryposis. Despite his circumstances, he became one of the top Chun-Li players in Texas after playing the game for just 6 months, and is also one of the best Super Smash Bros. players in the country."

More from Cross Counter TV

Happy 20th Birthday Street Fighter 2

2011-03-31T13:32:00.004-05:00

Holy crap I'm getting old. I still remember the first time I laid eyes on a Street Fighter 2 cabinet at the arcade. I was mesmerized. I still am.
Check out 1up's coverage of the event

Bonus Video! Thank you Street Fighter 2!

Important Public Service Announcement (from the '90s)

2011-03-31T12:31:00.003-05:00

Remember kids, if any things come up on this blog that make you feel really lousy, make sure to tell your parents!

Bring on Bowser

2011-03-31T07:49:00.007-05:00

I think this is how the castle theme from Super Mario Bros. actually sounded in my head when I was 5 years old.

The voice of Halo

2011-03-31T07:31:00.002-05:00

If you're even remotely interested in the Halo games watch this video. Ahhh the trolling I would do with that voice during multiplayer matches...

Bonus Video! The Master Chief without his helmet!

Navi's Song =(

2011-03-30T16:07:00.004-05:00

Check out this music video inspired by the most annoying little fairy ever.

Link and Navi during happier times.

Cool Kinect trick #8,649

2011-03-30T15:46:00.005-05:00

"The Technology Studio in the U.K. has built itself a desktop version of the unblinking Eye of Sauron, which follows you around with its gaze. It's almost creepy enough to make you want to turn invisible." I want one!

Kids, don't try this at home. (But if you do, put it up on YouTube!)

2011-03-30T14:41:00.003-05:00

Watch this guy shoot a machete from a huge homemade slingshot. Bring on the zombies!

Press the Epic Button

2011-03-30T14:19:00.001-05:00

Go on, press it. You know you want to.

The bard is always the most useless character...

2011-03-30T13:09:00.004-05:00

Seriously, if you had to save the world from evil monsters and whatnot and you could only take like 3 or 4 dudes with you on your quest, why the hell would you invite a bard?

iPad 2 Review

2011-03-30T11:31:00.002-05:00

If you're on the fence about getting the new iPad 2 maybe this review will help. The reviewer is really thorough and he shows a lot of the cool new features that you may not know about.

Sexy Saxophone Superstar Sergio Flores

2011-03-30T11:24:00.001-05:00

If you don't know who this is, you're missing out. He's Saxophone Superstar Sergio Flores. He's seducing the world with his sexy-smooth saxophone magic. He can cure infertility and erectile dysfunction. He can save your marriage. He can play to a baby and change it's life forever. He is above the law. He is Sexy Saxophone Superstar Sergio Flores.

Let's get this show on the road!

2011-03-30T10:35:00.000-05:00

Welcome! Welcome to Roo's World (that's me, I'll be your host) Here you will find random goodness and assorted awesome. Me and my good buddy Ignacio here got the cart fully loaded, so let's get this show on the road!