center/balance CP, or make it logically ?

[jmohr1]

Tell me what you think;

I'm trying to make a panel as small and comfortable as possible. I find it comfortable to have about 3" of room around my joystick and 1" after the buttons. Logically, it would look shifted to the right by a couple inches (and I've made a cardboard mockup and everyone who's seen it has pointed it out). I have the option of adding 2" of blank space at the end for purely aesthetic purposes, or taking the first joystick over an inch and the 2nd over two and just adjusting to slightly different spacing, or just building it like my mock-up and explain to everyone why it looks a little off.

Any opinions?

[Donkbaca]

If its not balanced, how are you and the 2p going to fairly share the screen?  If its shifted to the right, it seems to me you would be in the middle of the screen, and P2 would be off to the right

[jmohr1]

In my experience players tend to stand slightly off to the left when playing anyways (probably why I use more space on the joystick side) and this shouldn't do more than correct that issue. I'm thinking functionally off-center makes more sense, it just looks weird. I'm not sure either the look or function differences really matter enough to make up my mind either way and that's why I'm looking for input. 99%+ of the panels I've looked at are centered, so I'm sure most people will lean in that direction; just looking for some discussion on the matter.

On another note, your point brings up a better counterpoint; if P2 doesn't like it, they can build their own arcade.

[DaveMMR]

On another note, your point brings up a better counterpoint; if P2 doesn't like it, they can build their own arcade.

Heh, you want your friends to like playing on it.   Otherwise, just make a one player panel and save the time and money, right?

OP:  Build a mock-up and see how it feels, comfort-wise.  But don't make the mistake of over-thinking comfort to the point of disregarding aesthetics.  You want your layout fairly symmetrical (not mirrored).  Try referencing actual arcade cabinets (particularly ones you've enjoyed playing on) and go by that. 

[jmohr1]

...you want your friends to like playing on it...
..Build a mock-up...But don't make the mistake of over-thinking comfort to the point of disregarding aesthetics...

I was of course kidding, but it is literally a matter of 2 inches, so I doubt it would really bother anyone while standing at it either way.

And I have done a mockup in cardboard, and because it makes sense to me why it is off-center, I like it. Then again, If I balance it out better, I prob won't notice any real difference and I won't get asked why it's off-center.

[DaveMMR]

I just measured my panel, here's what I noticed:   It's 25 inches wide (okay, I already knew that), the leftmost joystick center is 3.5 inches from the left wall, while the rightmost button bezel is only 1.5 inches from the right wall.   Makes sense: you need more clearance room for the joystick than the buttons.   And it doesn't look wrong or off in any way.  So I think it'll look okay.  But do a mockup, of course.   You'll get your answer that way for certain.

[RandyT]

Makes sense: you need more clearance room for the joystick than the buttons.   And it doesn't look wrong or off in any way. 

+1

Think about the space one player's entire control group occupies.  Leave the same amount of space to the left of the stick as you have between the stick and the buttons, and add an inch of space to the right of the buttons.  Consider this "box" to be the thing you are positioning.  If you leave an inch clearance to the right of the "box" on the right side, then leave that same amount of distance to the left of the "box" for Player 1.  Obviously, you can fudge this a little bit to make things fit the way you want, but don't try to go all symmetrical with the controls.  It won't look or play right.

[jmohr1]

I just measured my panel, here's what I noticed:   It's 25 inches wide (okay, I already knew that), the leftmost joystick center is 3.5 inches from the left wall, while the rightmost button bezel is only 1.5 inches from the right wall.

My mockup is similar except 30" across (due to a dedicated 4 way in between p1 and p2) and featuring  3" and 1" spaces and I believe a full 5" in the center for the 4-way. Basically sounds like a pretty similar setup to yours already.

...don't try to go all symmetrical with the controls.  It won't look or play right.

This is my thinking too, but when looking at examples online, I see more symmetrical panels than not by a huge margin. Of course on most layouts it comes out to a just a couple inches or less either way.