Joust 1982 Williams Arcade Cabinet

**Updated Model**

I am so proud of my Joust arcade. The 1982 Williams cabinet is iconic for me, and I was eager to create and share it. However, this was my first commercial creation, and I have learned much in the last year. I started by trying to make a virtual representation of each cabinet part before assembling them into a complete package. I envisioned creating an arcade, including a section for repairs in the back. So, individual parts here and there was a driving force. However, that does not make for the best model. I have rebuilt the model completely to render the whole, not a collection of parts in position.

V1 = 167,476 vertices while V2 = 11,810; enough said.

The new model has no (unnecessary) interior faces, overlapping UVs, or other issues present in the original. I have also baked the textures for optimal performance and compatibility.

Notes:

• Speaker grill above the screen - Most units seemed to have speakers proud of the face with plastic moulding. Some were mounted internally with small holes cut into the wood (possibly in cases where the covers were lost). However, some units had the entire upper face covered with acoustic fabric. I opted to simply apply a fabric texture like the last case. However, the fabric was lost in all of the dark colours. So, I opted to use an acoustic mesh that would reflect some light. However, I am unaware of any units with this type of material.
• Coin Collection door - Most units did not show a collection door at all, while others had wildly different options. I am guessing that they initially might have had a chance for the lower door but that most are the product of aftermarket modifications.
• Power Switch - I found a few pictures that showed a switch was there, but few showed any detail, and none were consistent from cabinet to cabinet. Some controls were on the bottom rear panel, while others were on the top-facing rear panel. I created a 'switch' shape on the upper back panel where I thought it made the most sense.

I grew up in arcades and loved all of the classic titles. While I was a toddler when Joust was released, I still remember playing it in the late ’80s and early ’90s. It pleased me to see this game included in the book Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Once I completed the initial design (to scale based on googled blueprints), I started to work on the artwork and weathering. This process included creating separate models for the other titles that my research showed were released as conversions for the 1982 Williams Joust cabinet. Those titles are Moon Patrol, Inferno, and Robotron 2048.

I took almost fifty references into account in terms of accuracy, and many were wildly different.