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CP layout & controls - appreciate feedback
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MNW:
Thanks for the replies & the 4 cents!

This gives me some good info to try out a prototype or 2...

I think I am going to try:
2 u260s with 6 buttons each
spinner
trackball


--- Quote from: codefenix on November 15, 2011, 10:19:03 am ---34" seems excessive to me -- It's a control panel, not wings.

--- End quote ---

Glad to hear that the smaller CPs work well.  Most of the items I have seen on these boards seem to go go larger.  I think I will give 26" or 28" wide a try and see how it looks.
markronz:
1)  Just to clarify something a little more regarding the 4 way joysticks.  It's sort of covered, but not 100% clear from the above posts.  But if you have U360s, then theres no need for a 4 way joystick.  THAT IS, unless you prefer an actual hardware restriction in how a true 4 way joystick moves.  The normal U360 as it comes does not restrict movement to 4ways mechanically.  It does restrict it to 4 way via software.    However, even if you are the type who prefers real mechanical restriction, Ultimarc does offer "front mount restrictor plates" which allow you to add that mechanical restriction feel if you desire.

2) As others have said, the 7th button is often used for NeoGeo games, because that always had a row of 4 buttons on all those games.  Note, you don't NEED a row of 4 for that.  You could just have the fourth button on the bottom row if you dont care about the authenticity for NeoGeo stuff.  I personally don't find that it makes Neo Geo games any harder to play if that 4th button isn't on the same row, but that's just me.

If I can give you one tip I learned from my first CP, just be wary of what you put above your trackball.   I have an Exit admin button and I placed it above my trackball.   As you can imagine, every time I play Golden Tee, I accidentally exit the game.  So be sure to make a test control panel, and actually use it to play the games you like first, before you build the real deal one.
MNW:
markronz - thanks for the advice. 

1 - are the "Front Mount Restrictor Plates" easy to work with or do I need access from underneath the CP?

I am trying to design my CP to keep it not too big, but not too cluttered.  It is looking like the spinner might be above the track ball and I can see how that could get in teh way for Golden Tee.  I need to re-read some of these threads to get a bit more inspiration and will then post a layout for some "Constructive Criticism"
amendonz:

--- Quote from: markronz on November 15, 2011, 12:47:49 pm ---
2) As others have said, the 7th button is often used for NeoGeo games, because that always had a row of 4 buttons on all those games.  Note, you don't NEED a row of 4 for that.  You could just have the fourth button on the bottom row if you dont care about the authenticity for NeoGeo stuff.  I personally don't find that it makes Neo Geo games any harder to play if that 4th button isn't on the same row, but that's just me.

--- End quote ---

yeh, so

1 2 3
4 X X

that works ok, i prefer

2 3 4
1 X X
markronz:
Well, I can't personally speak as to the ease of use of the restrictor plates as I do not have them myself yet.  However, it seems very easy.  I know that you do change up the restrictor from the top by hand.  No need to get access to the bottom of the CP to change this up.
See this thread here for more info on them, along with some pics and I think a review in there somewhere:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=109572.0

About your spinner placement above the trackball, thats your call.  I mean, since it's not going to have as much room as the real golden tee machines, you're not going to be able to do the full arm violent swing at the trackball like you might in a bar.  Chances are you are going to be doing more of a two thumb swing at the trackball.  Whether or not you will hit the spinner, I don't know.  You'll have to play with that and see if it works for you.   

Also, regarding control panels, you shoudl definitely check out the control panel database sticky thread.   You can learn a lot by looking at what others have done.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59359.0
As much as you can learn from looking though, there is a lot of personal preference that goes into it.   So by all means read all you can, look at all the examples you can, but in the end build what fits your style, and what works for you.
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