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Control panel planning (2 u360s and buttons)
severdhed:
thats a good point.
one other piece of advice, dont bother with artwork on your control panel. There are a few people who are just so awesome that they got their control panel perfect on the first try, but if you ask around, i'm sure there are a large number of use who made panel, used it for a while, found things we didn't like, and then made another one. sometimes layouts look good on a pc screen or on paper, but once you have all of the controls mounted, the buttons just arent exactly where you would like them, or something just isn't positioned quite right. if you spend the money on artwork and then have to change stuff, you are going to have to spend that money all over again down the road. keep it plain and simple, use it for a month or so, then tweak it if necessary, then when you are happy, go for the artwork. (or don't, i like to just paint the back of the plexi glass for a very plain look)
ragnar:
Good point. I think I will wait on the art work. I did see that I can get the circles that go around the sticks for about $2 each so I think I'll grab some of those so long as shipping is not to bad. You are right though, I can always do my CP and so long as the layout is OK, I can add a graphic between the wood an Plexiglas later.
I might go up to Funspot in NH to see what I like in a CP. Angle and height are the two big issues along with monitor location in space. Not sure when I am going though, but it will be before the u360s ever get here. An other co-worker wants to go with me who also plans an eventually cabinet.
I think I do want to add vinyl eventually but it is not my primary concern right now especially when on a tight budget.
What I need to do is decide on button makes and models and order this stuff all in one shot.
Oh, Wal-Mart sells 24" LCDs starting at about $165!
ragnar:
I think for buttons, I have decided on these concave pushbuttons from Happ:
http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/5891xxl.htm
Any thoughts?
Also, I think I am going with this layout as a basis, but I will add an extra button for the thumb to get me 9 buttons. The text below is borrowed from slagcoin:
This is a precise diagram of the Sega layout used in Astro City, Blast City (the bottom middle-finger button is .5mm more to the right, and the joystick is in the higher position), Net City, and Versus City cabinets for player 1 or single player. This layout (or an almost identical one) is used in most arcade machines and controllers in Japan. It is very appropriate for quick, comfortable, and precise play. If you have not used a slanted layout like this, feel it; it may surprise you. - http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html
I'm intending to atleast borrow from the spirit of the above layout. I think it makes alot of sense since your fingers are all different lengths.
nitz:
--- Quote from: ragnar ---Don't laugh but I am considering giving each player 9 buttons for N64 support. I know .... it's a stupid idea but for an extra $8 (2 players times 2 extra buttons each) it isn't exactly a deal breaker.
--- End quote ---
I was a fairly big fan of the N64 back in the day, so I know a bit about the system and it's games. So if the only reason you're wanting 9 buttons is for N64 support, I have to recommend that you don't do it. The reason being is, that I would bet the number of games that assigned a unique function to all 9 buttons is a grand total of zero. Remember, that controller was designed to have you use the D pad or the analog stick but not both at the same time (and if I recall correctly, relatively few games even allowed you to use the D pad). When using the analog stick, the L button typically had the same function as Z or no function at all because it was impractical to press it when playing the game with the stick. The same could be said about Z when using the D pad.
As for wanting at least 8 for Mario 64 support, I'll just point out that it's a one player game and 4 of those buttons are used for camera control and not actual game play - I would just assign those 4 buttons to player 2's buttons. That same situation might come up with some other one player N64 games as well. So you should be fine for any one player game with just 6 or 7 buttons per player.
As for 2+ player games, I don't think many of them had unique assignments to more than 6 or 7 buttons. Although, MK4 does come to mind as needing 8 because I think it gave you the option to move left or right in 3D in addition to the usual 6 buttons - I don't think the arcade version had that option.
Now in spite of having said all that, my number one piece of advice is do whatever you think you'll be happy with! If you think it's going to bug you to have less than 9 buttons, then by all means have 9 buttons. It's you that has to live with and play this, not us, so do what you think is best. Just thought I'd throw this out there as something to think about.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :)
severdhed:
--- Quote from: ragnar on August 14, 2010, 05:33:30 pm ---I think for buttons, I have decided on these concave pushbuttons from Happ:
http://www.happcontrols.com/pushbuttons/5891xxl.htm
Any thoughts?
Also, I think I am going with this layout as a basis, but I will add an extra button for the thumb to get me 9 buttons. The text below is borrowed from slagcoin:
This is a precise diagram of the Sega layout used in Astro City, Blast City (the bottom middle-finger button is .5mm more to the right, and the joystick is in the higher position), Net City, and Versus City cabinets for player 1 or single player. This layout (or an almost identical one) is used in most arcade machines and controllers in Japan. It is very appropriate for quick, comfortable, and precise play. If you have not used a slanted layout like this, feel it; it may surprise you. - http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html
I'm intending to atleast borrow from the spirit of the above layout. I think it makes alot of sense since your fingers are all different lengths.
--- End quote ---
those buttons are pretty popular, they are what i use on all of my panels. just dont buy them from happ, they can be had much cheaper than that. Groovygamegear.com has them for $1.20 each, i'm not aware of anyone cheaper than that.
as for the curved layout, i like them. i used a straight street fighter layout for my first several panels, on my last one i went with a curved layout and i like it. i need to adjust the positions a little before i do my next one.. make sure you make a mock up to see how it feels, because a paper template doesn't do it justice.