The next stage was to start producing games and to get the controls working. Pupils from the Computer Games Development class began making some games that could be played on the Arcade Machine. Our IT/AV Technician, Mr Hawthorn and some pupils who were doing Work Experience with him, worked out how to wire up the controllers and buttons and connected them to the PC. They then built a test housing for the controls out of Lego to allow them to be tested and began to research how to make the games work with the controllers. After a lot of experimenting, we discovered that by creating our games using Gamemaker, we could very easily adapt the games to work using the controllers.
Once we could play the games using the controllers, we made a menu system using the Visual Basic programming language to allow the player to choose which game they wanted to play. However we quickly found that the only way that we could get the games to launch was to use a mouse to click on a button on screen. After further research and a lot of trial and error, we discovered that we could create a menu system that could be operated from the arcade machine controls using Gamemaker (the program we used to make the games). Once all this was done, our next task was to put the PC into the casing for the arcade machine.
At the same time as the computing side of the arcade machine was taking place, another group of pupils from the C.D.T. department were researching different designs for the cabinet. The pupils then made prototypes from paper so they could get a feel for the dimensions and ergonomics of the cabinet.
Once the design and measurements were finalised, with the assistance of the C.D.T. staff, the pupils cut the wood, MDF plastic and vinyl that was going to be used to put it all together.
Over three days prior to the 2016 Summer Holiday, the cabinet was carefully assembled, the PC and monitor were installed and the casing was painted by a group of pupils, with help from CDT teachers, Computing teachers and IT/AV and CDT technicians. Once painted the machine was finished with stickers designed by the pupils and a laser cut sign showing the teamwork between Computing Science and CDT.
The final thing to do was for the pupils (and staff) to vigorously test the finished arcade machine (and beat the high scores set by members of the Senior Leadership Team!)
The arcade machine is regularly seen at P7 and S1 open evenings and has proved very popular with visitors to the school!
When we first started, it was hard to imagine how the project would evolve and we are very pleased with the final results! It goes to prove that anything is possible when you put your mind to it.
