So for years since the closing of galaxy world in carol stream, IL in 2012, I've been doing google image searches now and then to see if anyone has posted photos of the place (I'm very nostalgic to my childhood). By chance, I came across a blog called "clancy's arcade" that posted a bunch of photos just before they closed. Some blurry dark shots, some pretty good. I send him a message thanking him for posting them, but get no response. Fast forward 5 months, and I finally get a response. Apparently, his server held onto his message, so he didn't get it until now. We exchange a few emails back and forth, including a link to a facebook page where he's posted even more photos.
I now realize something. With my great solidworks skills, I could probably recreate galaxy world in 3d. Seriously, with a little imagination and my vague recollection of how the arcade is laid out, I could model it in 3d complete with textures taken from the photos. Solidworks lets you do a walk through inside the program, but of course that does nobody good that doesn't have the software (the free viewer may let you do a walkthrough). Sure, I could probably do it in something like half life to make it feel more realistic and accessible, but I'm not comfortable enough in game engines to do that. I mean, I have created duke nukem maps about 2 decades ago (including the building I worked at), but that's pretty limiting. Besides, I figure if I've got a solid model, if someone really desires to convert it to something else, it'll be easy to do so. Ideally, I'd like an oculus rift version of galaxy world, something that looks like this!
So anyway, I've decided to at least start working on this project, no idea how long it will take. My goal (at the very least) is to archive what was an amazing arcade in the chicago suburbs for all future generations. My hope is that it serves as a historical archive of what an arcade actually looked like, not some imagined version of an arcade by some future historian that is nowhere near accurate. Remember on futurama when they toured the history museum, and they showed the pizza parlor. The pizza spatulas were imagined as tools to spank bad employees.. Yea, like that.
So I started this morning by trying to convert the very distinct carpeting that they used. I took the clearest photo I could find, and brought it into photoshop. I then used the loop grab tool to trace a perspective box, and then warped it out flat until the circles fit inside a box. I then grabbed a piece inside the pattern, and extended it out to 4 pieces to verify. Granted this will need cleaning up (I'll probably recreate the shapes in autocad since I suck at illustrator), but at least I have something reasonable to start off with.
I now realize something. With my great solidworks skills, I could probably recreate galaxy world in 3d. Seriously, with a little imagination and my vague recollection of how the arcade is laid out, I could model it in 3d complete with textures taken from the photos. Solidworks lets you do a walk through inside the program, but of course that does nobody good that doesn't have the software (the free viewer may let you do a walkthrough). Sure, I could probably do it in something like half life to make it feel more realistic and accessible, but I'm not comfortable enough in game engines to do that. I mean, I have created duke nukem maps about 2 decades ago (including the building I worked at), but that's pretty limiting. Besides, I figure if I've got a solid model, if someone really desires to convert it to something else, it'll be easy to do so. Ideally, I'd like an oculus rift version of galaxy world, something that looks like this!
So anyway, I've decided to at least start working on this project, no idea how long it will take. My goal (at the very least) is to archive what was an amazing arcade in the chicago suburbs for all future generations. My hope is that it serves as a historical archive of what an arcade actually looked like, not some imagined version of an arcade by some future historian that is nowhere near accurate. Remember on futurama when they toured the history museum, and they showed the pizza parlor. The pizza spatulas were imagined as tools to spank bad employees.. Yea, like that.
So I started this morning by trying to convert the very distinct carpeting that they used. I took the clearest photo I could find, and brought it into photoshop. I then used the loop grab tool to trace a perspective box, and then warped it out flat until the circles fit inside a box. I then grabbed a piece inside the pattern, and extended it out to 4 pieces to verify. Granted this will need cleaning up (I'll probably recreate the shapes in autocad since I suck at illustrator), but at least I have something reasonable to start off with.
This is an awesome idea. I wish you the best of luck with this project and hope you are still successfully working on it. Saw the last post was July '15.
ReplyDeleteSome of my earliest memories are from going here on Sundays with my dad, what a great time. We used to always play the BIGFOOT game, skeeball, and he would play the arm wrestling game too.
Thanks again for doing this I cannot wait to be able to see the interior again.
I'm still debating on the best way to get the outer shell done. I have google map views saved (including feet for top view). I need to just finish modeling the outside so I can start working on the inside. I think the "bigfoot" game you mean is double axle. That one was a favorite of mine, not the greatest graphics but it was fun running over stuff. Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteHoly crap you still working on this?? This was my favorite place as a kid and trying to describe it to my kid, I do it no justice. I used to start out on Jungle King by the skeeball and work my way around the whole place. Dragon's Lair was brand new back in my day and my cousin set the record score on it! I'd love to see your progress!!
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