Missile Command Project

[Thenuster]

I thought I might document my Missile Command Project – the aim of a the project being to make an upright Missile Command cabinet that looks and plays true to the original - understanding that I may no be able to get original parts, or may choose to use modern alternative parts. It was my favourite machine at the local arcade, and took a good proportion of the few 20c pieces I could afford to spend. I think I also had the highest score on that machine except for the guy that worked there who could clock up free credits at will. Then one day unannounced the machine was gone. Since that time I have only ever played emulations or knock offs (there was a good one on the Apple IIE where you could rank up – forgotten its name).

 

That was until I went to the ACMI Game Masters exhibition https://www.acmi.net.au/about/touring-exhibitions/game-masters-touring/.  They had multiple playable machines from different eras - including Robotron, Tempest, Defender, Asteriods and Missile Command!  There is nothing quite the same as playing with the full size Trak Ball and the volcano buttons! A bit rusty after more than 35 years but still had all the high scores that day.

 

I still have ambitions on scoring more than 810000 and making it to wave 256.......

 

Ideally I would have liked to find a complete original cabinet that I could have maintained but despite looking for some time I have not seen any advertised locally. I considered importing from the US but given the transport costs and exchange rates, and the inherent risks in buying and transporting, I was thinking of just making a cabinet https://www.classicarcadecabinets.com/missile-command.html and acquiring the parts needed.

 

A couple of years ago, I was having someone do some work on my pinball, and during conversation it so happens he had an old Missile Command PCB Taito – from a cocktail he converted. Not working, but I sent that off to be fixed. Around that time I also got another PCB from gumtree – advertised working but not :(, and the player 2 control panel from a cocktail ATARI MC – the three volcano buttons and small trackball.

 

Going to a cabinet place to enquire about them cutting some MDF to make a cabinet, it just so happened to be adjacent to the local arcade and party hire place which was doing some reorganising. Popped in and well he did have an old MC cabinet that had been converted to an SDI https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9396.  It was right at the back and had been there for some years...

The upright was just a shell – no monitor, control panel or side art – it did have the SDI controls and the MC marquee.   Anyway here is what I got to start with.  Notice the model number in the fifth photo - 236XX - I understand this designates this as a Missile Command cabinet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1R1fbji2d39DVJ5T7Rcxg45rbfjrr-_r1P5_tQlVSAEQ/edit#gid=0

 

Also revealed in the warehouse was a Taito Cocktail Missile Command - I grabbed it.  After a new power supply and my repaired game board:

 

[CandyLand]

Well this is interesting 🤔, I been looking for one one of those for years, Anyway, I don't know how far you plan to go with that, But someone has already done half the job for you by taking it apart...It is much easier to restore an empty cabinet as there is obviously less weight to deal with but you don't have to worry so much about overspray, The worst of it is that service door aparently...MDF is a poor choice of building material (IMO) it is dirty, heavy, chips easily, has poor screw retention, and any moisture will destroy it, you would be so much better off spending a couple dollars more for maple cabinet ply...Congratulations, that is a little sweetie 😉. 

[Thenuster]

So I have started to acquire parts - hoping to get it in a working condition then look to see about the appearance- the back panel/service door will probably be about last on the list- open to suggestions on where to get the artwork from.

Firstly picked up a control panel that had been converted to a Rastan.  They had cut a hole for the joystick and welded a sheet under the trackball cutout.

And then after a lot of work.

Around the same time I also got a reproduction trackball as opposed to the Atari Trakball from Jay on ebay, a video of them here:

I have a control panel from a MC cocktail - the three base volcano buttons, not the light up player one and two cones.  However I have purchased a full set of five second hand ones - which are hopefully in the post now.

Also I have acquired a monitor and chassis:

The original brackets holding the control panel is place are gone - so am in the process of making a couple of aluminium replacements as in the lower left of the monitor photo.

Got an AR board as well.

 

Happy New Year all.

[CandyLand]

5 hours ago, Thenuster said:

So I have started to acquire parts - hoping to get it in a working condition then look to see about the appearance- the back panel/service door will probably be about last on the list- open to suggestions on where to get the artwork from.

Firstly picked up a control panel that had been converted to a Rastan.  They had cut a hole for the joystick and welded a sheet under the trackball cutout.

And then after a lot of work.

Around the same time I also got a reproduction trackball as opposed to the Atari Trakball from Jay on ebay, a video of them here:

I have a control panel from a MC cocktail - the three base volcano buttons, not the light up player one and two cones.  However I have purchased a full set of five second hand ones - which are hopefully in the post now.

Also I have acquired a monitor and chassis:

The original brackets holding the control panel is place are gone - so am in the process of making a couple of aluminium replacements as in the lower left of the monitor photo.

Got an AR board as well.

 

Happy New Year all.

You would think someone would have made a reproduction of those after all these years, The traces on the back of every one I have ever seen have lifted (its not a problem aparently) but still you would think they would have made one with heavier copper...They are easy to rebuild anyway.

Edited December 30, 2022 by CandyLand

[extendo]

Those caps on the AR are generally good after all these years. Rarely have a seen a cap on the AR go bad. However I would replace the 2N3055 transistor, LM305, R30, R29 and re flow all the molex headers.

Test the AR without the game board connected, checking Voltages, connected game board. Make sure the fingers on the game board is clean, I use a graphite pen to clean them.

Some on the AR have been hacked and the tracks are bad, went ahead and made a repo board for my games with much better better components and fatter tracks.

Missile command is a cool game, dam hard to play arrrh

 

 

 

 

 

- Con

[CandyLand]

I may be interested in that project...Is that the AR2, (Red Baron) Are those fat traces poured or etched, How long have you run it have the traces lifted, could it be done in red, do you sell them, if not who printed it, does it meet or exceed OEM spec, Is it specifically Au or does that not matter as it takes voltages off center tap, total cost?

Edited January 3 by CandyLand

[Thenuster]

Thanks for the advice @extendo - just learning at the moment, and trying to avoid as many mistakes as possible.  Been reading as much as possible - seems to be a common source of issues - - would you considering making a run of those repro boards? 

The seller of the AR advised: "This PCB was repaired/tested recently (maybe a year ago) by an arcade repair place. A few decades ago I used to buy up arcade businesses in my area and this was from one of those buy outs. I still have a Missile Command but decided to sell my back up PCBs, etc." 

I note that the transistor is marked 8039 and the LM305 8026  - I presume this means they are the originals from 1980, and that it would just be prudent to replace?  Not sure where the balance is between replace and if its not broke don't fix it - is there a local Australian supplier of the components?

I went searching and found some good info on how to remove the transistor https://forums.arcade-museum.com/threads/ar-ii-question.506452/

Then fell down a bit of a rabbit hole https://forums.arcade-museum.com/threads/atari-ar-ii-mod-questions.451010/

I do wonder how is this issue addressed in my TAITO Missile Command Cocktail?

 

I have made up the brackets for my control panel and test fitted the trackball and some buttons - hopefully the remaining buttons I need will be arriving in the next few days.  Sadly the board in my cocktail is now having issues:(

[jbtech]

Hi, the Taito Missile Command cocktail uses Taitos own power supply unit so issues which apply to the Atari AR board don't directly relate to the Taito cocktail.

Having said that if you're having issues with the PCB in that machine the first thing to check would be the Voltages  (+5V, +12V and -5V) where they arrive on the PCB in case the issue is with the power supply module or the edge connector contacts.

If the Voltages all seem OK, what are the symptoms? Regards, John

 

 

 

[extendo]

On 04/01/2023 at 9:38 AM, CandyLand said:

I may be interested in that project...Is that the AR2, (Red Baron) Are those fat traces poured or etched, How long have you run it have the traces lifted, could it be done in red, do you sell them, if not who printed it, does it meet or exceed OEM spec, Is it specifically Au or does that not matter as it takes voltages off center tap, total cost?

Suites all Atari games, these are in red coz I like the colour red. They work, been tested for days with no issues. I haven't listed these as I have been busy, can be used here or OS. 

No idea about a price, designed to take the original heat sink, take your old one off and place it on the new AR board.

@Thenuster How's the project coming along mate.

 

- Con

[CandyLand]

I mostly would be interested in the traces on the back side,As they wrinkle and lift off the old OEM boards from the heat and age...But if your doing heavy copper pours that might be a game changer.

[Thenuster]

I have to say that a lot of the work has been done by, or under the direction of a local expert, with myself procuring parts, and well mainly asking questions and holding things when it comes to the wiring.

So, an update - the set of five volcano buttons, three fire buttons, and the one and two light up player buttons have arrived - will look to put them in with the trackball soon.  The cabinet was converted so don't have all the original wiring from the control panel, or to the AR board.

The monitor has been connected to power, and wired up to the harness, and the screen lives!  For some reason there was an extra wire wrapped around a speaker wire shorting out 😞  but once corrrected  a game board was connected to it via the jamma harness that is connected to the original harness.  Light and sound, although the picture needs some fine tuning.  This is a multigame board that has Missile Command - but without control panel I couldn't access it - might try setting this up and connecting to the control panel, make it playable while sorting out pcb issues.

Regarding the game board  (and should this be posted in a technical section instead?):  The issue is that the display generates a solid blue screen in my Taito Cocktail.  The board was tested at the edge connectors and showing on or around the +5, -5 and 12V.  I have a Braze multiboard, so that was installed and the other ROMs reseated.  This blew the 5V fuse.  I wonder if this is due to it being a Taito not Atari board and power supply?  Removed the Braze kit and replaced original 6502, and fuse, board again powers on - blue screen presents again.  I note a similar issue posted here: https://forums.arcade-museum.com/threads/missile-command-no-boot-blue-screen.177486/

 

[jbtech]

Hi, the solid blue screen is usually an indication that the program is not advancing at all. as the colour pallette RAM is not being set (and nothing else is happening after that either).

There is a test input on the PCB which is worth trying, if it runs at all there should be a series of tones from the speaker (a series of low pitched tones and one or more high pitched tones indicates a RAM issue) and if that test passes, a screen with a black background should appear with results of RAM and ROM tests. There's also a crosshair to test trackball inputs and tones sound when buttons are pressed as well as colour changes - if it gets that far.

There's no 'test' switch in the Taito cocktail machine but there are test points for the 'Test' input and 'Gnd' on the PCB itself, fairly close to the edge connector and should be clearly labelled. If you can find those the procedure is to link the 'test' input to 'gnd' using a clip lead, prior to switching on. It may give you a clue if there is a RAM issue or if nothing happens at all the problem is even more fundamental than that (bad CPU, no clock signal etc.)

I don't know why the Braze kit should cause the fuse to blow if it is plugged in correctly and not faulty itself. As far as I know there is no significant difference between the Taito manufactured version and Atari original PCB.

If you'd like to try that and can find those 'test points' without any problem, let us know how that goes.

Regards, John.

P.S The Missile Command Upright project cab. sounds like it's progressing well. 👍

- feel free to start a separate topic for the game PCB issues if you like, to keep it neat.

Edited January 19 by jbtech
adding p.s.

[extendo]

On 19/01/2023 at 7:30 PM, Thenuster said:

I have a Braze multiboard, so that was installed and the other ROMs reseated.  This blew the 5V fuse.

Remove the all of the original ROMs on the board leaving the braze kit installed and see how that goes.

As Jbtech suggested, get it into test mode and have a listen to the tones, I grab my mobile and record it so that I can listen back to it.

http://www.arcade-cabinets.com/fixes/missile_command/ This link is great for MC issues that could help you get sorted.

I find the RAMs on these fail, replace the socket at L6 which is your PROM if it looks dodgy. I have even had these MC repaired, working and on the test bench something else goes.

- Con

[CandyLand]

I would start by putting a big magnifier over that board and slowly look for damage, cut traces, problem areas, focusing in closely on any previous work...Start beeping it out, then move on to some signal generation and scope.

[Thenuster]

Thanks for the suggestions - will create a separate topic for the game board issues.

Ok, so wired up the buttons to the existing harness, and using 10 pin ribbon cable connected the trackball to a Game Wizard multi game board.  I had set this up on another machine to boot straight into Missile Command.  Of course initially connected the x to the y axis.  Fixed this, and the x axis was fine, but the y was inverted - down was up - so swapped the wires over.  Was then able to start the game, player 1 and 2 worked fine, but no fire - woops had connected the fire buttons to player 2.

Playable~but screen has some lines showing, and the screen bottom compressed as per photo.  Removed to test with another chassis.  Also trackball moves fine left to right, but seems to track slow and diagonally when using up and down - I wonder if this is due to the new bearings and rollers, and they need some breaking in http://therealbobroberts.net/moretb.html

[jbtech]

Hi, getting closer to working now...

That monitor is showing a vertical wrap-around issue where the bottom lines are drawn while the vertical deflection is starting to move upwards, you can read 'game over' upside down and expanded vertically in those yellow lines which should be at the bottom of screen.

You could try adjusting vertical hold (or Vfreq.) maybe reduce V size slightly  or adjust V pos. or V shift upwards a bit and see if it helps. If you can't get the image to fit the screen well without that happening the chassis may need a bit of attention.

The trackball shaft could be reluctant to turn freely - or it could be a slight misalignment of the optical sensors for that axis. It should be possible to see if the shaft is spinning well when the ball is moved, if so it may be worth adjusting the sensor position by loosening the screws which attach the small PCB with the sensors and moving it slightly. The mounting holes are usually elongated to allow some adjustment.

It's a bit of a trial and error process to find the position where the sensors read the slotted wheel perfectly without being too close and touching. the direction may even reverse if they were adjusted way off.

That tracking problem could also be caused by a faulty sensor or a fault in the input section of the game board but more likely just an adjustment issue. Hope that helps, regards, John.

[Thenuster]

Well spotted! I was wondering what you were talking about regarding the GAME OVER - like a Magic Eye stereogram all I was seeing was some broken yellow lines - they were rolling when on the screen itself! 

Have tried adjusting all the vertical adjustments, and that was the most stable picture - when trying to  remove the lines then lost the vertical hold - so will try another chassis.

There is a good video here on trackball adjustment including the optical board adjustments - this might be part of the issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPd7WN5QCOA

However what I see when I release the ball after a downward movement is the ball itself will move diagonally, and suspect that being new rollers without any wear grooves that even slight left to right motion engaged the other roller - maybe its bearing is also a bit smoother too - as per the Bob Roberts link above.  Anyway when I get the monitor back up and running will test moving the roller for each axis by hand separately to test for corresponding cursor movement - should show if the optical sensors need adjusting.

John - did you end up getting the cocktail trackball rollers?

[jbtech]

1 hour ago, Thenuster said:

John - did you end up getting the cocktail trackball rollers?

Not as yet, I did a sketch and then drew them up in Fusion 360 CAD with a view to getting a quote or two to have them made up in stainless. I sent it to a couple of engineering manufacturers here (no response) and tried a couple of online quotation forms which seemed like it might be quite expensive in small quantities. As a one-off item it would probably be less expensive to have a couple sets made up by a machinist manually but haven't taken it that far.

My Taito Missile Command is working but needs finishing off and only has the player 1 control panel fitted at the moment (I've also swapped the better Player 2 controls into that position). I have new bearings for the trackballs and even new yellow 2 1/4" pool balls so just need to resolve the issue with the shafts, touch up the (mainly black) paintwork on that CP and return it to the machine.

I'd put it aside to work on some other projects but need to come back to it and finish it off, also sort out a couple of intermittent monitor issues. (soon!)

Regards, John.

[CandyLand]

"Pool balls"?, Aparently I missed something here, clever...Stainless while pretty may not be your best choice for prototype most machinists will not be happy to work with it, as is is hard, brittle, prone and to work hardening/cracking and requires special tooling...It is also a high carbon metal which makes it a poor conductor (ground loop) dissimilar metal corrosion, and is prone to a condition called Galling, where repeatedly running a nut up and down the thread it will bind up and seize (cold weld I think it is technically called)...Maybe in production, but not out of the gate (*opinion)

Edited January 29 by CandyLand

[jbtech]

On 30/01/2023 at 4:48 AM, CandyLand said:

"Pool balls"?, Aparently I missed something here, clever...Stainless while pretty may not be your best choice for prototype most machinists will not be happy to work with it

Hi, yes, the balls used in trackballs are usually off the shelf sizes and 2 1/4" is a standard pool / billiards size so can be bought in sets. There's a variation which uses yellow and red un numbered balls with just one cue ball and one eightball so it's not bad value for Missile Command tables which used two yellow.

I think this is the game in question, though different sized balls are available to suit different tables.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackball_(pool)

An original ball from the Taito machine seen below the new ones, slightly faded...

I would have thought something like 304 stainless would have been a good choice for the trackball shaft with high wear resistance and not prone to corrosion long term. I realise it's not much fun to machine manually but many CNC machine shops seem to be able to handle it, possibly an expensive choice though.

I am aware of the thread binding issue with stainless nuts and bolts but there is only one thread on the shaft which retains the slotted disc and doesn't require high torque settings or even to be disassembled on a regular basis. there are a couple of steps in the diameter to allow the shaft to be hand assembled onto standard sized bearings.

Conductivity is irrelevant and the balls are made of plastic and not a dissimilar metal. The idea is not to go through a series of prototypes but hopefully get the replacement right in the first pass, it's not a complicated shape...

Sadly not interchangeable with original Atari / Happ components which have been reproduced already. Here was a scan of the actual shafts, wear and all with dimensions roughly sketched on.

- open to suggestions if there is a more suitable material for long term use or recommendations for a machine shop who could run off a small batch at an affordable price.

I'll look for those CAD .step files and attach them below if that is any help. Regards, John.

http://www.jbtech.linkpc.net/shaft1.step     http://www.jbtech.linkpc.net/shaft2.step

Edited February 18 by jbtech
adding links

[jbtech]

20 hours ago, Thenuster said:

However what I see when I release the ball after a downward movement is the ball itself will move diagonally,

- I forgot to mention, that effect could be due to the third shaft or bearing which locates the ball in contact with the two main roller shafts. it contacts the ball in a diagonal direction so would tend to 'steer' the ball slightly if it is left to free wheel under its own momentum.

Interestingly the USB / PS2 trackball controller below which uses a 3" ball, has a 'cheat' button for golf and bowling games which disables the x axis for that perfect straight-ahead shot. Not helpful for Missile Command, of course.

 

 

[CandyLand]

3 hours ago, jbtech said:

Hi, yes, the balls used in trackballs are usually off the shelf sizes and 2 1/4" is a standard pool / billiards size so can be bought in sets. There's a variation which uses yellow and red un numbered balls with just one cue ball and one eightball so it's not bad value for Missile Command tables which used two yellow.

I think this is the game in question, though different sized balls are available to suit different tables.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackball_(pool)

An original ball from the Taito machine seen below the new ones, slightly faded...

I would have thought something like 304 stainless would have been a good choice for the trackball shaft with high wear resistance and not prone to corrosion long term. I realise it's not much fun to machine manually but many CNC machine shops seem to be able to handle it, possibly an expensive choice though.

I am aware of the thread binding issue with stainless nuts and bolts but there is only one thread on the shaft which retains the slotted disc and doesn't require high torque settings or even to be disassembled on a regular basis. there are a couple of steps in the diameter to allow the shaft to be hand assembled onto standard sized bearings.

Conductivity is irrelevant and the balls are made of plastic and not a dissimilar metal. The idea is not to go through a series of prototypes but hopefully get the replacement right in the first pass, it's not a complicated shape...

Sadly not interchangeable with original Atari / Happ components which have been reproduced already. Here was a scan of the actual shafts, wear and all with dimensions roughly sketched on.

- open to suggestions if there is a more suitable material for long term use or recommendations for a machine shop who could run off a small batch at an affordable price.

I'll look for those CAD .step files and attach them later if that is any help. Regards, John.

Oh now I see, Yes 304 would be a good choice for wear resistance...Problem is however, stainless is some ugly stuff to machine, my steel guy litterly told me not to ever come back the last time I brought him something like that, I thought he was actually joking but aparently not.

[Autosteve]

You could try using mild steel bar and blue the metal once the shape is machined. The blueing process will harden the steel....(gun barrels) and while not entirely rust proof, it is far less prone to rust. It is also an easy process to blue the metal yourself.

Heat the metal till "straw colour" and dunk slowly in oil. Make sure the metal is shaped before blueing as the blueing process is only skin deep and further machining will remove it. You can also reverse the blueing process of the metal by heating the metal to "orange in colour" and allow it to cool naturally.

The use of "blued metal" is quite common in arcade machine parts.

[CandyLand]

Just curious...Wouldn't you want a neoprene sleeve or something on that shaft for traction anyway?...Then it really wouldn't matter if it was painted/tinned steel...Although polished stainless and an 86 durometer skateboard wheels could really be hard to beat in terms of reliability, they are actually on bearings.

[Autosteve]

1 hour ago, CandyLand said:

Just curious...Wouldn't you want a neoprene sleeve or something on that shaft for traction anyway?...Then it really wouldn't matter if it was painted/tinned steel...Although polished stainless and an 86 durometer skateboard wheels could really be hard to beat in terms of reliability, they are actually on bearings.

Just the pool ball rolling on the metal shaft wore the metal shafts thinner as the part itself never broke, it just wore out and at the bearings or bushes contact points as well through memory.

These on the Taitos were replaced regularly. Not the whole trackball assembly, just these shafts.

Edited January 30 by Autosteve