I plan to approach this project in a multi-phase process so that I have minimal backtracking (though some amount of backtracking is inevitable as roadblocks are found & new techniques are discovered).
Phase I - Research
Study the classics for inspiration and to see what it was about their art and layout I liked best. Look for examples made by other people and evaluate those I like best - download plans as needed. Read up on the technology and what requirements it will have.
Phase II - Software
The biggest challenge here is finding ROMS, art, screencapture, etc for all the games you own so that you can get everything organized and working on the machine before you even think about building the cabinet. If you can't make it work through a keyboard, it won't work through arcade controls. This includes downloading emulators and finding a front end that will let you navigate the entire mess through simple controls.
Phase III - Design
This is when the plans get finalized, including the control panel layout, cabinet construction, and artwork.
Phase IV - Control Panel Proof of Concept
Once you can navigate the games and play them via keyboard/mouse, it's time to shop for the parts you need and build a proof of concept to see that it all works. Some people skip this step and go straight to the final Control Panel construction, but as I'm no master carpenter, I'll be having my brother-in-law handle the final construction. I just need a simple ugly box that will let me test the dimensions and wiring to see that I've got the electronics side of things handled
Phase V - Construction
Once the proof of concept works, it's time to build the real deal cabinet according to the cabinet plans established in Phase III.
Phase VI - Final Wrapup
This is when all the paint, trim and final artwork get applied. Any last-minute tweaks will be done here.
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