Cocktail 3rd Horizontal Control Panel: (Pros/Cons)

[CWorley]

I'm planning to build my first Mame cabinet soon and going with the cocktail style.  The only design issue I have left is whether to add the horizontal control panel.  If I did add it, I'd go with a larger monitor ala Whammocade.  Otherwise, I'd use the usual 19'' CRT.

Pros (for horizontal control panel):
-Ability to play to Mame horizontal games like Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat along with console games

Cons
-More economical, better looking, and an easier build

Any thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[NOP]

another con is comfort.
with a normal (classic midway cabinet for example) your knees go around the outside of the cab while you're playing it.  On the horizontal side, you're going to be doing the splits to get close enough to have a good view.

[bkenobi]

You just need a more ergonomic chair.

[robertsig]

I'm getting one built by mameroom.com in the next few weeks with custom control panel layouts.  I decided on 3-way because it allowed me to play a LOT more games than otherwise.   Crazy Climber and Robotron come to mind on the horizontal side, let alone all the 2-player games.

[Donkbaca]

Comfort is a major con for me, unlike a stand-up cab, where you can stand or sit, you have to sit and be hunched over the screen to see everything.

Another con is that if will be more difficult to set up

Another con is that it will be freakin' huge.  A 19 inch cocktail already takes up more floor space than a standup cab.  You will probably be taking up the real estate of 2 stand-up cabs.

Finally, last possible con, is that the CP may be a little cramped for 2 player simultaneous play on the horizontal CP, making it even more uncomfortable.

[robertsig]

Pro:
1) If you want, you can get three totally different control panels on there for different games (I'm doing that).  You won't end up with a Frankenpanel like on a stand-up.

2) You can put your beer on it.

[whammoed]

I'm planning to build my first Mame cabinet soon and going with the cocktail style.  The only design issue I have left is whether to add the horizontal control panel.  If I did add it, I'd go with a larger monitor ala Whammocade.  Otherwise, I'd use the usual 19'' CRT.

Pros (for horizontal control panel):
-Ability to play to Mame horizontal games like Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat along with console games

Cons
-More economical, better looking, and an easier build

Any thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.  Thanks!

Hey.  I still have that machine and still enjoy it.  The ergonomics aren't bad.  With the larger size needed for the 27" monitor, there is plenty of room on the third panel for two people.   It's really just the aesthetics of it that I don't like.   If you only want or have room for one cocktail machine I still think it's a great option.  Two uprights are more space efficient overall but may not look as good in a living room which is where mine lived when it was born.  Now that I have more room (an actual game room) I'd rather have two machines in it's place and will likely do some new builds in the coming years.  Another con to think about is that all those panels can be a bit confusing to guests.  I have a coded picture manual to help people figure out where to sit and what to do for each game.

[Donkbaca]

Well my final 2 bits is this.  People see a cocktail cabinet and they think: Sweet!  I remember playing galago on one of these at Pizza Hut.  Do you have galaga?  People remember the 2 players on each end and the screen flipping, to me that is the charm of a cocktail cabinet.  If you put three different sets of controls on the panel, and you have to sit here for this game, here for this game, here for that game, and you do the classic 2-player flip, then it would lose a lot of its charm quick

I have been thinking about a cocktail cabinet. When I build one its gonna have a 19 inch and just have the old 4 way classics, because that is what I remember...

[CheffoJeffo]

My first MAME box was a 3-sided cocktail and I have no regrets at all. It is nicely playable and versatile.

Others have said that, if they had it to do again, they would leave the 3rd side off, but I am not one of them.

[RayB]

You just need a more ergonomic chair.

HA, I used to have one of those. 

[CWorley]

Thanks guys.