Avoiding a Frankenpanel...

[Bootay]

TopJimmy: Yep. I haven't actually decided whether to go with swappable or modular, but I personally prefer those options over a big honking frankenpanel.

Xiaou2: I see your points on both swappable and modular. For me swappable wouldn't be a big deal because I will probably load a game up and leave it running that game a while. Then when bored with it, switch it. I am not one to play a game for 15 mins then switch. So I don't care about the alleged 5 minute hookup. Modulars can look alright if done right, and since I won't always have the same game running I could care less about the artwork. Plus if done right you could put good artwork and have it flow right. I personally don't know how I will approach it when the time comes.

Vigo: LOL

[RandyT]

While I like that your opinion is not a forceful one, such as been seen by the beat-down crew here..  I have to disagree a bit with this point.  While gamepads on consoles have a staggered arrangement, its mainly because the thumb can more easily slide from one to the other, as well as hold nearly any two buttons down with the single thumb.

You can disagree.  The point is that, unless the buttons are labeled, making the mental association as to which button on the panel is associated to which button on a gamepad is easier with the offset config.  It has been for me, and that is why I am lending my support to his consideration in doing so.  It doesn't have anything to do with why they did it that way on a gamepad.

[VanillaGorilla]

Control panels are for weenies.

Go hard mode:


OHHHH YEEEEEEEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

[Nephasth]

That is one sweet ass sweater!

[Donkbaca]

that's a franken sweater

[VanillaGorilla]

that's a franken sweater

Thats a winner!

(Actually kinda looks like a Frogger sweater...)

[RandyT]

I want a rainbow-ribbon-cable-ponytail!

[MajorHavoc]

I would have to put myself in Alfonzotan's corner.  I am beginning cut lumber for a 4 player cab based on the Dynamo Showcase Cabinet.  Having a Tron stick was a must.  Then,  I fell into a sweet deal on another heavy duty 8 way flight stick. So.....I'm incorporating it into the mix as well.  Battlezone and Vindicators should play nicely with a matched set of sticks and it balances the panel out.  Yikes....I have fallen into the Frankenpanel Zone!   

[scofthe7seas]

That is one sweet ass sweater!

What's messed up, is if that guy is a quadriplegic (which that sort of interface is designed for) then somebody put that ugly ass sweater on him. So cruel.

Although he probably isn't. He's sitting up pretty straight. >_>

[Vigo]

That is one sweet ass sweater!

What's messed up, is if that guy is a paraplegic (which that sort of interface is designed for) then somebody put that ugly ass sweater on him. So cruel.

Come on, it was a gift from Bill Cosby. 

[scofthe7seas]

Come on, it was a gift from Bill Cosby. 

Haha Did you really change your avatar to snacks'n jackson??

Anyway, everybody knows the Cos' don't give out his sweaters.

[rcub3]

Now i'm curious... I haven't seen examples of modular cabs.  Any good links/pics?

[TopJimmyCooks]

http://www.beersmith.com/mame/

http://1uparcade.rmfx.com/arcade-const-panels.html

my meager effort:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=111163.0

more in a few minutes  . . . .

[TopJimmyCooks]

More HOF quality alternatives to the neck bolts:
http://arcade.tomvanhorn.com/
http://rototron.info/default.aspx
http://home.comcast.net/~bsturk/mame/controls.html

That last one, sturcade, is especially well executed.  You're going to see more if you search here but these are ones that are by guys that are not currently posting on this board. 

If you go modular, or like mine, semi modular, def. post up any questions, I've done a ton of research and I love to put my opinion out there

[rcub3]

Thanks

[mgb]

When building a panel, it comes down to what is most important to you. You can put every single control on their and have a frankenpanel. some guys like that and its cool because at the end of the day, its theirs and they are the ones using it. Others, myself included don't want a cluttered panel so we look at what we can do without and compromise.
If you don't want a frankenpanel, don't build a frankenpanel. leave out some stuff. if you can't leave anything out, you may very well just have to build a frankenpanel.
Good luck

[Paul Olson]

I think the easy way to make sure you have everything you want is just advance preparation. If you think you might want swappable or modular, design your cab with that in mind. To make a swappable cp cab, just make the cp easily removable and add connectors to the wiring harness so it is easy to unplug the entire cp. There is no need to make more than one cp if you are not sure you really want it.

If you want to try modular after that, make one of the swappable CPs so it accepts modular panels. I made my modular panel the same dimensions as the cp on my 4 player konami cab. 3 bolts and the panel is off.

Keep in mind that you don't have to do something just because you can. I have a lot of panels for my cp, but most of the time it is either set up in a fighter layout (mostly for testing and configuring), or a 4-way with 2 buttons.

If I want to play Tron, then it is worth the minute or two to swap the panels. If that seems to be too much work, I will just play whatever works with the panels that are on there.

Having the option to swap those panels is why I enjoy my cab so much.

There is an old, hopelessly outdated thread about my cp linked to the left under my info. I actually like the black panels because they make a good base to show off the controls, so I have never tried to come up with a way to do artwork on them.

My modular panel got expensive really quick because I went crazy buying controls. It doesn't have to be expensive though. The basic build isn't much more than a regular cp; it just takes a bit more work. I have a closet dedicated to storing the panels, but the space is worth it to me.

I just looked at that thread, and it has been almost 4 years since I built the CP! Wow, time flies. I wouldn't worry about the easier to damage concern too much. I have only damaged 2 panels in all of this time by dropping them. They are still usable, but there is an ugly dent on both of them from the MDF hitting the floor. Someday I will mount those 2 controls on new panels, but not a huge priority.

If you do go swappable or modular, try not to go crazy buying controls. Buy them when you decide you need them. I still have enough controls out in the garage to make about 50 more panels, and I never seem to have time to do it. A little bit of a waste there, but someday I will be able to play VS Karate Champ with the original joysticks.

[HanoiBoi]

If you don't want a frankenpanel, don't build a frankenpanel. leave out some stuff. if you can't leave anything out, you may very well just have to build a frankenpanel.

Hey! That's what I said!  Or at least tried to. 

[RandyT]

The only thing worse than a FrankenPanel is a panel that doesn't play the games that you love.

QFT!

[saint]

I'm not sure what to say about the half of this thread I just snipped out. Back to Frankenpanels please?

OP - I have a 4 player panel just for Gauntlet. Quartet was also another favorite 4 player game. My solution to playing Tron with a real Tron joystick though was to buy a Tron

[yotsuya]

 My solution to playing Tron with a real Tron joystick though was to buy a Tron

There you have it!

[EvilNuff]

I think that if you have a main panel that handles the vast majority of your needs you can be pretty good with that.  Then any specific controls you want such as tron, rotary joystick, etc you can just build a 2nd panel and swap the whole thing.

[alfonzotan]

I think that if you have a main panel that handles the vast majority of your needs you can be pretty good with that.  Then any specific controls you want such as tron, rotary joystick, etc you can just build a 2nd panel and swap the whole thing.

This is essentially what I'm doing.  The already-built Frankenpanel is a 95% solution... I'll also build a second swappable panel for the Star Wars yoke eventually.  Still trying to figure out where to put a USB steering wheel setup I bought years ago...

[rcub3]

I think that if you have a main panel that handles the vast majority of your needs you can be pretty good with that.  Then any specific controls you want such as tron, rotary joystick, etc you can just build a 2nd panel and swap the whole thing.

That's what i'm going to shoot for. Maybe a main 4 player w trackball cp, and an extra cp for tron, maybe a rotary, and maybe a SW yoke. The latter would be the frankenpanel that would be rarely used.

[leapinlew]

Just cause it has a tron stick doesn't mean it's a frankenpanel!!! 

If you can do it tastefully, it's not a frankenpanel. Check out this panel:


See what I mean? Tasteful is the key.

[scofthe7seas]

See what I mean? Tasteful is the key.

That could possibly be the frankenist frankenpanel that ever franked a panel. You can't judge other frankenpanels if you happen to own frankenpanel prime.

Bias.

[Vigo]

What do you mean? He limited himself to 3 trackballs.

[scofthe7seas]

What do you mean? He limited himself to 3 trackballs.

Indeed. My mistake.

[Donkbaca]

I don't get the 4 spinners...

[Howard_Casto]

Just cause it has a tron stick doesn't mean it's a frankenpanel!!! 

If you can do it tastefully, it's not a frankenpanel. Check out this panel:


See what I mean? Tasteful is the key.

Does that thing merge to form Voltron?  Console ripped from the space shuttle?  I could go on.....

My 2 cents..... admin buttons.... you don't need them.  At all, period.  3 mame cabs, no admin buttons on any of them.  Why?  Well my computers came with these inventions named "keyboards".  When I need to do some settings adjustments (which is rare) I pull out this mythical "keyboard" and it has all the "keys" I need to change settings. 

Seriously admin buttons is like putting a sign on a machine that says "I would rather have my machine look like a train wreck than bend down and pull a keyboard out of the coin door."

[RandyT]

Needs more cowbell.

[yotsuya]

So when can we expect the exclusive Tru-Groovy Custom Cowbell Replica? I want mine with RGB leds!

[scofthe7seas]

I don't get the 4 spinners...

Warlords? :/

[RandyT]

So when can we expect the exclusive Tru-Groovy Custom Cowbell Replica? I want mine with RGB leds!

I'm waiting for them to release the USB 7.0 Hyper-Speed-On-The-Go™ spec., so we can do it right. 

[leapinlew]

Seriously admin buttons is like putting a sign on a machine that says "I would rather have my machine look like a train wreck than bend down and pull a keyboard out of the coin door."

Some people consider quarter/pause admin buttons. You use a coin-up button?

[drventure]

I still wish I could have justified 4 spinners for a good warlords.

But alas. As frankenpanelish as my cp is (and it's way over the top frankenpanel  ) I just couldn't do it.

But if I could figure out how to make the spinner knobs popup from flush with the CP normally, there's still a possibility 

[Xiaou2]

LINEAR ACTUATOR 6" 12V
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Linear-Actuator-225lb-Adjustable-Stroke-12-Volt-DC-/130437730202?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e5eb1cf9a

 Plus a magnetic removable wood top cover = success

 (probably need a 2" travel at most actually.  Though, you could always just sink the thing deeper as needed.. so it will always top out at the correct height)


 3 spinners = 3 player supersprint

[Howard_Casto]

Seriously admin buttons is like putting a sign on a machine that says "I would rather have my machine look like a train wreck than bend down and pull a keyboard out of the coin door."

Some people consider quarter/pause admin buttons. You use a coin-up button?

Btw admin buttons I mean ANY buttons other than those you would find on a real life arcade machine.

So no, I don't have coin up buttons, I have a coin door (rigged to coin-up when the coin return is pressed).  What's a pause button for?  In the arcades you couldn't pause games and therefore no pausing will be allowed on my panel

I don't even have an exit button.... old school "press start 1 and start 2" for me.  There are shift modifiers on keyboard encoders for those rare instances in which you need to press something odd like pause.

[leapinlew]

Seriously admin buttons is like putting a sign on a machine that says "I would rather have my machine look like a train wreck than bend down and pull a keyboard out of the coin door."

Some people consider quarter/pause admin buttons. You use a coin-up button?

Btw admin buttons I mean ANY buttons other than those you would find on a real life arcade machine.

So no, I don't have coin up buttons, I have a coin door (rigged to coin-up when the coin return is pressed).  What's a pause button for?  In the arcades you couldn't pause games and therefore no pausing will be allowed on my panel

I don't even have an exit button.... old school "press start 1 and start 2" for me.  There are shift modifiers on keyboard encoders for those rare instances in which you need to press something odd like pause.

This is how I do it too. I'm pretty sure I'll put coin-up buttons on the CP on the MKII I'm building. Pause is a hidden shift function as well as shutting down the FE.

Once a machine is setup properly, admin buttons aren't needed.

[JustMichael]

Just cause it has a tron stick doesn't mean it's a frankenpanel!!! 

If you can do it tastefully, it's not a frankenpanel. Check out this panel:


See what I mean? Tasteful is the key.

Will this control panel could hold all the controls you want, probably but moving it will be a b!+@#.  With the control panel attached, the cabinet can only go through very wide hallways and french doors, regular doors are out.  If you drive down the highway with the cab upright, you better have it strapped down or it will fly out of the truckbed.  The control panel will act like a giant wing.  I don't even want to guess at what would happen if a crosswind hit the cabinet going down the road.

On my Mame cabinet I only have 3 admin buttons.  One to enter/exit games, one to pause the game and one to reset the game (never used it).  Coins/tokens are handle by the coin door.