Newbe question regarding 2 player layout controlpanel

[Bartype]

Hello,

i am building an arcade cabinet and i am now designing the control panel (see picture). I hope some of you can tell me is this layout is a usable one or otherwise have some tips.

Secondly, what is the standard hight (from the ground) of the control panel?

Thanks in advance for your replies...

Regards,
Mart

[Epyx]

I would opt for a bit wider if you really want to have a mouse in between so you can place it between the two joys...right now it looks a bit uncomfortable and akward how everything is placed.  You can have a flush mounted trackball and 6 buttons per joy with just a hair over 25", so another 1.5".  What is the width of your cab?

Secondly, what is the standard hight (from the ground) of the control panel?

Not sure what the official height is as I am sure it varied from cab to cab throughout the years. I know for me personally, I like to have my controls at roughly 35".

[shateredsoul]

If you are thinking of letting friends and kids play.. I'd say take off "Tab" and "Service". I've heard stories about people's kids and visitors messing up configurations because they press all the buttons (plus you can have a wireless or a mini keyboard hidden somewhere).

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, never put TAB or SERVICE on a control panel if you're not the only person who plays it.

[Bartype]

Thank you for the replies!

the cabinet width is about 60 cm or 23.6", and i know, i can make the control panel wider, but most examples i have seen with a (much) wider cp than the cabinet itself don't look stylish or beautiful to me. Now i know, it must by first be easy to play with... But still i hope to find a compromise in which i can leave width of the cp the same as the cabinet... Maybe letting the trackball come a little bit more to front so there is more space behind it and between the joysticks ?

And these 'tab' and 'service' buttons aren't absolutely necessary indeed, but i needed some examples. What other buttons are handy to have at reach ?

[Ginsu Victim]

I hide most admin functions somewhere else (inside the coin door, on the bottom of the control panel, on top of the cabinet).

My CP only has pause/select and exit, and then I have shifted functions thanks to the ipac. The top of my cab has a shutdown button that is also TAB, and shifts to SERVICE. Inside the coin door I have TEST, Speed up (for skipping through rom checks, etc). I have the player 2 coin reject rigged up with a microswitch so I can press it for credits.

[shateredsoul]

How about a "genre" or "favorites" button?

Maximus Arcade and Hyperspin both have an option to make different lists.. but some frontends don't distinguish between a favorite's list and genre (Hyperspin does make this distinction).

[Epyx]

the cabinet width is about 60 cm or 23.6", and i know, i can make the control panel wider, but most examples i have seen with a (much) wider cp than the cabinet itself don't look stylish or beautiful to me.

Agreed, and that is why I was asking.  If it was wider I would say match the width...it isn't so maybe compromise on some of the controls? Then again...if it is comfortable for you...stick with it

[severdhed]

layout looks ok, definitely make a mock up to scale to see how it feels.  i tried a few times but just coudlnt find a comfortable layout for 2 people at that width, i ended up making mine 30" wide, which only sticks out a few inches on each side, but made all the difference in the world.

you don't really need dedicated buttons for the trackball, you can easily use the player 1 or player 2 buttons (depending on which hand you use your trackball with).

+1 on removing the admin buttons.  i only have pause and exit on my panel.  while it is convenient to have a TAB button, it really sucks when people come over to play and keep hitting it.  even shifted commands are difficult if you have small kids who will be playing it.

[Bartype]

Well, i have altered the layout a little (the trackball comes a little bit more to the front) and implemented it this way. I still have to connect everything, but at first glance it feels ok.

I have started a project description at announcement, so, you could take a look there...