Steel Battalion: Line of Contact — 2 Player Simulator v2.0 (Fall 2010)

Goal: Make the cockpit experience more immersive — creating the feeling of actually being in a cockpit behind the controls. Steel Battalion can now be played online via XLink Kai now that XBOX Live no longer supports the original Xbox.

Outcome — Full Immersion Version: Can still roll, but increased in size to wrap around the player. Originally used a ceiling-mounted projector with an 88" display. Integrates the original Xbox Steel Battalion controls (with USB adapter for PC), Xbox 360 Ace Combat 6 Flight Stick controllers, keyboard, and standard controllers for other integrated gaming systems. Current form uses a color TV with a Fresnel Lens to magnify and add 3D depth illusion.

Steel Battalion: Line of Contact Cockpit Simulator v3.0 (2016)

Steel Battalion is a game where you pilot a large Battletech/MechWarrior-style walking vertical tank using over 40 controls — the most immersive video game you can own. The controller can be attached to a PC with a special USB dongle.

Goal: Make them portable — wheels on the bottom, easy to move and put away. Minimize hardware by reusing existing TVs temporarily.

Outcome:

• Cockpit A: Rolls in front of a 25" TV (mounted atop an old dresser, ~3 feet above floor)
• Cockpit B: Rolls in front of the ArcadeX cabinet and uses a Fresnel lens to correct the angle and pull the image forward 3.5 feet above the controls. When up close the game image fits perfectly framed with a slight edge curve that enhances the 3D wraparound effect.

Design: Requires two Steel Battalion Kits and two copies of "Line of Contact" (the 2nd multiplayer release). The two systems are networked with a Linksys Router/Hub with the final SBLoC TEKKI patch from Xbox Live. Repurposed an old microwave stand and bookshelf with large tops added to pull controls over the player's lap and foot controls placed back to simulate a cockpit.

Steel Battalion by Capcom can only be purchased used from eBay or Amazon Marketplace.

Approximate Project Costs (April 2010)