Number of buttons on bartops?

[Arch]

Yay! Ok, so now there is no way back. I just got the shipping confirmation from Amazon on the book Project Arcade: Build Your Own Arcade Machine (which for some reason was way cheaper on the UK site than on the US site). My mind is constantly churning about my upcoming project, so some input would be great.

I have limited space, so I plan to do a bartop cab based on the design by Kator Legaz - number five from the top here: http://bartoparcade.katorlegaz.com/. What I keep wondering about is the number of buttons. Is it really possible to pull off a two player CP with six buttons on a space this limited like the designer has done here?

Another great and somewhat similar project that I like, the Wee-Cade http://www.koenigs.dk/mame/eng/stepweecade.htm has a two player CP with four buttons, and I can't really see how another four buttons could fit on that. I really enjoy playing the old games which only requite one or two buttons, but I also like the occasional Street Fighter brawl. Furthermore, I imagine those games would appeal more to my two sons when they come of age. So the choice is between a six button 2p CP and a six button 1p CP with trackball. Honestly, this keeps me awake at night, so experienced views are very welcome.

And... what do you think will be cooler: white translucent buttons with blue leds or blue tranclucent buttons with white leds? And lastly... please forgive the n00b questions, but this is the category for it, right.

[Ginsu Victim]

Just know that lighting a button with an LED of the same color is the best way to go.

[XCVG]

Putting buttons "stacked" like that would be horribly uncomfortable methinks.

As for fitting buttons on, I'm building a bartop too. The CP is actually going to be wider than the cab itself and built as a separate unit. Also consider using 24mm buttons if space is a huge concern.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Not sure this really works; the dude's designs look as if they only work on paper. What many people do is get a big sheet of paper and draw the controls they plan on using on it. Then get a buddy, sit next to each other, and see if you really could comfortably play like this. Remember that a good gaming session can last up to hours, and it's not gonna be much fun when you're rubbing elbows all the time.

[Lilwolf]

go for a 1 player with 6 buttons, and then have a plug for a secondary controller maybe?  maybe a wireless microsoft xbox360?   Heck, make the from controller able to pop off maybe and then have two?  so you can unhitch the the one player control and have a second one behind your bar (assuming you have a bar to put the bartop?)

just an idea... but two controls that close... suck...

One other standard response I give for questions like this... buy a cheap plywood, and setup the controls quickly with quick disconnects... and try it out... if you don't like it... pull it off, unplug the controls and try again.  Cheapest pressboard is like 4 bucks for a 4x8 sheet... you could make 20 control panels that one just to try...

[BobA]

The weecade panel is 450 mm wide or 17.7 inches.  The Katorlegaz is 20 inches so you have 2.3 inches more to fit the buttons.  Do a layout for yourself with comfortable button spacing and see what you feel you need.   The problem is not just fitting the buttons on the CP but also being able to get 2 full grown guys to use the CP when the controls are that close together. For comfort the control panel would have to be wider then the bartop.  I think there are examples of this but cannot seem to find a link right now.

Found the link to the bartop with full size cp