:: Workshop :: Pleiads

[level42]

I've seen this cab at the seller and I love (as always) what you're doing to it

Best part is that the original board is working

I bought a Pleiads board at the fair where we met Bruno (at Luc's stand). It was the very board that was originally in my Pleiads cocktail.(also Tehkan). My God, talk about a game that I almost forget that I own.....it's in SUCH a bad shape ....really sad.....

O well, when the Gameroom's done we'll have a bit more time (although I'll finally finish Luc's SW cockpit first ! )

[davebizarro]

Hi!
I registered here only to say: Awesome!!

I'm from Spain, and I didn't know this manufacturer, but sure it was a official license.
In that years, you can find a few versions of the same game (the official and bootlegs, with different desings cabs).
And even official licences has variations on the rom (texts, gameplay - usually to be harder/faster than original), but this seems like had no variation : still have the Tehkan (C) Maybe the gameplay here is the same than original.

And ... where you get this gem? Has Pesetas and Francs in the coin door

[DarthNuno]

Hi Davebizarro,

Thanks for taking time to register here 

It's amazing. I've NO information regarding that Spanish manufacturer 'Iresca'  ...nothing can be founded on the web ... except some pictures of that cabinet (and not a generic picture of that cabinet, but THIS cabinet, the one I own now!).

Here's the story of that cab :

That game was located in an Arcade Museum / Pop Culture located in Belgium.

Here's some of the cabinets that were in that museum (now closed ... or without all these games) 



The museum pages are still accessible by the way, here the url : http://soc.kuleuven.be/onderwijs/pop/videogames/museum.php

Few years ago, a collector from Netherlands bought all these games. So all these games were in Belgium...and as you''ll see... very great games in therms of Arcade History : Computer Space, Space Wars, Tapper,...   and that treasures went to Netherlands....

So, I bought that cabinet to that collector, and bring the game back ... in Belgium (road trip here if you've missed it  ).

I'm really curious to know if that 'manufacturer' made other cabinets But I have no information 

Why Pleiads by the way ?  I agree it's not a 'mainstream' game like Galaga, DK, ... BUT ...
...Well, I used to play that game back in the days. This game is a little bit underestimate, because it has been released in the same time than better 'shooter' game like ... Galaga by example. But I still really enjoy playing it... believe me... the sounds are so special, the shape of the aliens, the mother ship to destroy... and its final stage, when you must navigate around parked ships to hit landing pad right on  A lot of memories for me
Well, I Love It  ... and that's the reason why this specific workshop is especially important for me 

[DarthNuno]

The two metal plates for the original coin doors are damaged   



I'll use two other ones, in better condition, but as you can see ... full of rust   



Rust in not a problem ... before preparing the 'anti-rust' bath, let's prepare all the items to be 'cleaned' 


 
This button 'coin reject' has to be cleaned too...



...but how to put an item like this inside the 'remove rust' bath, without dismantle everything 

Like this   



Of course, don't forget to put in the bath all the screws...

OK, after 24 hours inside that bath, it's time to clean up manually each parts.

I used to sand manually all the needed parts, but now... I've got a Dremel ...



...and I can work faster, for a better result   



Remember the plate, so rusty ? Looks better now 



Of course, I put back the original Irecsa metal plate, and I put a new key / lock :



On location 



But hey, how can I play that fabulous game without the control panel   



Stay Tuned 

[davebizarro]

Hi,
After see your posts, a few were discussing info about this company here:

http://www.marcianitos.org/foro/showthread.php?t=24067
(in post 9 there is some information, He says it was a manufacturer mayority of licenses from Midway, but other games too)

Maybe for not be a "mainstream" game, It wasn't released by other greater/known companies, like recreativos franco, sonic or petaco, and maybe this company take the license.

By other side, other games like Galaxian or Pacman were manufactured here by many companies (some with different titles, roms modifications, different cabinets designs, etc) I like for example, the cabinet designs from Recreativos Franco, they were more like japanese version instead US. versions of Pacman and Galaxian.

Thanks for save the cabinet and for restoring it!

[funkycochise]

i Bruno,

About your rusty coin gate, You don't plan to paint them to definitely stop the rusting process ?
Else rust will come again and paint those lovely in a dusty red/orange/brown color... 

I've some joystick plate that i cleaned in the wayyou did, after a few hours, rust is back again. 

[DarthNuno]

About your rusty coin gate, You don't plan to paint them to definitely stop the rusting process ?
Else rust will come again and paint those lovely in a dusty red/orange/brown color... 

Opss... Yes Pierre...  ... It's a mistake, you're right.
So I remove these two metal plates + the 4 screws 



I'll use this product, in order to protect the parts from for rust 



...applying on the screws...




...and on the plates, both sides of course ...



And back to the coin door 



According the notice of the product, the metal is supposed to be a little bit more 'shiny' but I don't notice it.

[JimmyU]

Few years ago, a collector from Netherlands bought all these games. So all these games were in Belgium...and as you''ll see... very great games in therms of Arcade History : Computer Space, Space Wars, Tapper,...   and that treasures went to Netherlands....

I always thought the Budweiser version of the Tapper cabinet was the coolest cabinet I've ever seen.

[scr33n]

I used to sand manually all the needed parts, but now... I've got a Dremel ...

Dremel  great addition, an excellent working tool - the best for small parts - I have to buy one too 

[DarthNuno]

Back to the control panel, remember 



...badly hacked with a generic 4 ways joystick    



...plexi broken, a second button has been added...



Behind the panel, you can see the 4 original holes for the initial '2 way' joystick, and also the additional wires for the second button + up/down directions (because of the addition of a 4 ways joystick)   



Well, a lot of work here... let's go 

Let's remove all the buttons + screws...



Left bath : rust remover, right bath : strong soap + water 

[DarthNuno]

OK, let's remove everything of the control panel.

This Pleiads panel includes three parts (from top to down)

- bezel in Plexiglas
- metal plate
- wood plate

See from the back 



Here's the *non original* 4 ways joystick   



I'll replace that shit by a two ways /leaf : ball top one (coming from a Galaga panel) 



Here's the metal structure of the panel 



Rusty...as usual  ...



Let's remove the rust on that, and also on the two way joystick. Because it's too big for a bath, I'm applying the 'rust remover' with a paintbrush :

[DarthNuno]

Back on the 'wood part' of the control panel.

Here's the last view of the panel, and the UGLY non original 4-ways joystick! 



As already explained, the idea is to use this 2 ways joystick (leaf), that originally came from a Galaga  :



...but as you can see, it doesn't fit the panel without an 'adaptation'  Let's get back an OLD friend... my router 



Now, it should be fine for that 2-way joystick   



Quick test... yes ... it fits   





Let's draw four new holes in order to fix the new joystick :



Done 



 

[DarthNuno]

...and of course, I've to test the joystick... I cannot resist to play *at least* the game   

Check this video



 

[level42]

Lovely. Pleiads is so underrated !

I mean, this is a 1981 game and it has 4 levels, scrolling, end-boss, you name it. And it's fun to play !

Must....try.....PCB.....in.......cocktail..........

:S

[DarthNuno]

Let's check how the '2-ways' joystick will be located on the 'plexi' panel :



Perfect!   



OK, as you can see, the original 'plexi' panel (including the overlay) is broken. Let's reproduce it!

Regarding the artwork, it has been already 'vectorized'  (see the beginning of this topic).

I've just meet Marc, a very kind person, who can do 'plexi' replica, close to my house (only 5 minutes). I show him the original one, and he said : ok, just give me the 1:1 model, and I'll replicate it 

Because don't want to replicate the *bad* things done by an operator on the panel in the past (like adding that lame 4 ways joystick, or adding a second button), I'll have to do a 'rectified' panel model 

So let's take a big sheet of heavy paper, and let's do the job ...





Done 



As you can see, only 1 push button for 'fire' or 'D I S P A R O'  (see the first page of the topic  )

Let's check if my model is correct   



A last check... Does the joystick hole will match ? What about the 1/2 and fire buttons ?



Yes!!! It should be right  I'm confident  So let's give this paper model to Marc... and cross the fingers 

Until the new panel will be ready... let's play this great game   



... even better ... let's score on it 



17470 so far ... what is the world record  ... OK ... let's continue to practice then