DIY drivable OutRun Arcade machine lets you live your unfinished dreams for real

We have grown up riding faux bicycles and cars, often losing ourselves in the imaginary video games. So many kids wished the reality would be as kind and sugar coated as the ones they were being exposed to. Answering the wishes of all those kids, and bringing a touch of reality to their unanswered dreams, engineer and designer Garnet Hertz has devised an 1100 pound arcade machine to rule the pavements.

SEGA OutRun Arcade Cabinet

Combining an old cabinet with a golf cart, he has recreated every little kid’s fantasy in a minimalistic way. Initially, the old golf cart was unable to take the weight of the cabinet. After being able to manipulate his sponsors into lending him the much needed extra dough, he was able to get his hands on a stronger four wheeled cart to bear the weight of the main body. Stripping the cabinet, and the golf cart of all but the bare essentials, Hertz and his team from the University of California, Irvine, welded and moulded the whole device to create a moving arcade game.

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SEGA OutRun Arcade Cabinet by Garnet Hertz

SEGA OutRun Arcade Cabinet by Garnet Hertz

The cabinet was further jazzed up with some cams, which would capture the videos from the surroundings and convert them into an 8-bit OutRun-style freeway. He kept the windshield of the cart intact, hooked up the steering column of the cart to the cabinet and spruced up the whole contraption. By doing so, he was able to add a life to the existing dead gaming model and created an on the move arcade game. As and when the people travel on the pavement, the live scenes from outside get converted into a strategic game which can be enjoyed by the person sitting inside.

Using a laptop to enhance the gaming experience and further wiring it up with a set of 6 batteries, he achieved the necessary arcade effect. Three of the batteries were placed in the front and three in the back. This helped him lower the seat considerably, giving the required geeky effect. The cart was juiced up by a set of four new wheels, all ready to conquer the roads. Hertz has ensured to make the whole contraption really smooth in the running while being easy to control. Even though he has tested out the portable arcade on busy roads, he is not too sure about the movement and safety while travelling in busy areas.

As and when the whole testing phase is over, he will be able to let the gaming arcade unleash its wrath on the streets.

Via: Popsci/TechEBlog