First control panel: Inspiration needed!

[transfan]

First panel and I have strict requirements of 7" wide x 21" long.  It is single player. 

Does anyone have any general tips for layout?  I realize there's not a lot of palm room, but it's all I have to work with.  I'm going with a standard japanese 6 button layout in the center

Some questions:

Where/how would you put the player buttons?  I need Select, 1P, 2P, Coin, Exit

Are there any art templates with generic artwork elements such as Arrows, Player markers, numbers, etc (I found the button layout site already, I'm talking just artwork).  I'm sure someone much more talented than I has already done this!!

The 6 button layout will be used for street fighter, obviously, but also neo geo and mortal kombat: what can one do to the control panel itself to indicate that the top 3 buttons and the bottom left button translate to ABCD in neo geo mode?  Colored circles? vinyl lettering?  And what about MK?  Should I put a separate block button??  Has anyone tackled this before?


Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

[AzureKnight]

I would recommend you take a look at this thread:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59359.0

It has a lot of photos of cabinets that people have created.  This can possibly give you some ideas of what you might like or not like.  Also the Artwork section of the forums is a good place to find cp artwork.

I'm new here too, and there are a lot of resources if you look around.

[mgb]

What I personally like is using a button layout like the one on a taito viewlix cabinet.
Thid pattern has a top row of 4 buttons much like a neo geo setup and then a bottom row of 3 buttons.
You can use a pattern like that and wire it so that both the top row 4th button and the 1st button in the bottom row are in parralel.
For your top row, you can use the same button color scheme as neo geo.
some people do similiar to this setup but with the bottom row of 4 buttons or you can use two rows of 4 buttons.
Slagcoin is a great site with button layouts. google them

[Namco]

My fisrt panel had 4 buttons on the bottom row for the purpose of playing NeoGeo games with them. Having that 4th button on a "Street Fighter" layout always throws me off when playing Street Fighter. I use touch to find my way around the buttons and I can't tell you how many countless times I was hammering away on that 4th button thinking it was light kick.

On my new panel with 6 buttons only, I setup buttons 1 and 2 to be A and B and buttons 4 and 5 to be buttons C and D. I also make button 3 A+B and button 6 to be C+D. I like this layout much better and makes Samurai Shodown play like a SF2 layout.

[javeryh]

Are you sure you can't squeeze a 2P setup in there?  21" isn't much space but what fin is Street Fighter if you can't play against anyone?

[Ginsu Victim]

It can be done, but elbows will be a'bumpin'.

Mine is 23 5/8" and I know I could squeeze into 21".

[transfan]

Are you sure you can't squeeze a 2P setup in there?  21" isn't much space but what fin is Street Fighter if you can't play against anyone?

I may be able to, but I was hoping to put in a trackball for mouse control.  However I have this awesome flight stick and I may use that instead. 

Anyone wanna help with a basic design?    I need 5 admin buttons (they can be smaller) 1P, 2P, Pause, select/coin, back - Then I need two 6 (or 7) button layouts , and I would need another hole for this flight stick.  I think I would put that in the upper center

[Malenko]

you can use shifted keys instead of admin buttons, for example insert coin is hold P1 start and press P1 button 1 (or P2 button 1) to add a credit, pause is start+down, exit is P1 start + P2 start,etc  21 inched is REALLY a tight fit for a 2 player SF layout.....and a flight stick? 

[Ginsu Victim]

.....and a flight stick?  

That one had me scratchin' my head as well.

[transfan]

.....and a flight stick?  

That one had me scratchin' my head as well.

Well I need a way to access mouse functions, duh!
 

[Ginsu Victim]

I keep a logitech trackball in my coin door. I pull it out when needed.

[javeryh]

I keep a logitech trackball in my coin door. I pull it out when needed.

Same here - I can open my coin door and access a mouse and keyboard if necessary.  I rarely use them and I certainly wouldn't waste valuable space on a CP for admin junk.  Can you move your admin buttons to maybe the front panel or underneath the CP or just below the monitor?  Pics of your cab would be a big help.   

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, because once you have everything set up properly, you'll rarely need to access a mouse in the first place.

[transfan]

I keep a logitech trackball in my coin door. I pull it out when needed.

Same here - I can open my coin door and access a mouse and keyboard if necessary.  I rarely use them and I certainly wouldn't waste valuable space on a CP for admin junk.  Can you move your admin buttons to maybe the front panel or underneath the CP or just below the monitor?  Pics of your cab would be a big help.   

Because I've never played an arcade game with the 1P and 2P buttons anywhere besides the front panel!

[Ginsu Victim]

1P / 2P start are not admin buttons.

[javeryh]

1P / 2P start are not admin buttons.

What Ginsu said.  1P/2P Start buttons are necessary.  Pause, Exit, Volume, Coin, etc. are not.  That said, there are no "rules" when it comes to this stuff - the start buttons would work fine just about anywhere as long as they are clearly labeled.   It's something to consider since real estate on your CP is limited. 

[Ginsu Victim]

What Ginsu said.  1P/2P Start buttons are necessary.  Pause, Exit, Volume, Coin, etc. are not.

I have Pause next to each Start button, because they double as Select in console emus.

I added Exit about a year ago because I got tired of accidental shifted exits. I used a red button, stretched the spring to make it harder to press (plus added a Sanwa microswitch, which have more resistance), and labeled it with a good ol' Pongo label.

Volume is just a volume knob on the front by the coin door.

[Epyx]

I use the trackball as my mouse.  2 players (2 JLWs), 6 buttons each and player 1/2 buttons. Rest of the buttons (coins) are above the coin door under CP.

[transfan]

I know that everyone is trying to help and you all have tons of experience with this stuff, and I have none, and I thank you all for your input, but I think the topic is kind of getting derailed.

I have 7" x 21" of space to work with and I want to make a control panel.  

It was suggested that I try to squeeze 2 players into that space, which I'm willing to do.  However, what I really need help with is the physical layout.   How much palm space is needed? where do the buttons have to start, etc?

Do I use a trackball for playing games and as a mouse or is there not enough room?  Where should I put the 4 buttons 1P/2P plus 2 "Admin" buttons that I absolutely want on the panel?

Can anyone draw me up a diagram of what, based on their experience, they feel would work the best?

[Ginsu Victim]

A trackball with a mounting plate will take up 6" both ways. That leaves less than 15" for your main controls (no problem if you're only having a single player) and a half inch on the top and bottom (that's tight!).

[javeryh]

Try two of these.  Lay it out on your CP with some space in the middle.  If you don't use a mounting plate for the trackball you will have more room but you need a router or something to make the hole.