My arcade project

[damphon]

I have been lurking for a long time now, and have been working on my arcade machine for a long time as well. I think it is about time I posted my progress. Thank you all for asking the questions I would have asked, and for posting so many great instructions.









The art work is done by Katie Tiedrich the web comic artist for http://www.awkwardzombie.com/index.php

[Drnick]

Very Nice,  Got any plans for the control panel layout/artwork yet?

[damphon]

I sent her a commission for the marquee about 4 months ago but she is really busy with collage/making a book/other commissions. When I get it I'll post it. As for the control panel I know it will have 4 players, I was going to use 4 buttons for players 3 and 4 and 7 buttons for 1 and 2. I'm thinking of making a moc-up out of cardboard is that the bast way to go?

Until I get the button layout and exact size I wont be worrying about the control panel art. I'm not sure if I'm going to ask Katie to do the art for the control panel, I don't want the control panel to appear cluttered and was thinking of doing a solid color, or a color fade. But I also dont want it to look boring.. What do you think? would adding characters to the control panel be a good idea?

[Drnick]

I would go with something simple,  a Nice colour fade that compliments the blue would be good. 1 or 2 characters would be fine I think but no more.
4 buttons for P3 & P4 is good for console games, If it's just mame then only about 3 games need a 4th button. Cardboard mockup's are definitely the way to go as you can try out a number of things.

As an aside do you think that it will be often you will be playing 4 player games,  If not then I would look at having a 2Player setup with trackball, spinner and possibly a dedicated 4way joystick.

Anyway keep us all updated as you progress.

[damphon]

I'm working on the control panel. A while ago I had found a template for a 7 button layout (6 like capcom then 1 slightly down for neo-geo) with measurements for spacing between each button. I cannot find it now, if anyone can help point me to that template I would really appreciate it.

[dzorbas]

Check slagcoin.com.

Here's the section with joystick layouts:

http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html

Dino Z.

[damphon]

Thank you. I could not find the template I'm looking for on there but I will be bookmarking that anyway. What a great site!

[PL1]

Was it something from this post?



Seems like the button spacing is a little large, though.

Try it on some cardboard to be sure.


Scott

[damphon]

That was it! Would the button spacing in the template below be better? I'll try both spacings out in cardboard form.

 

[harveybirdman]

Stoked at the additions of Nemo and Cotton... very good stuff... One of the best arcade collages I've seen

[PL1]

Found it!  This is the one I was thinking of on slagcoin.


Image: Clustered grid layout forming squares

"This is a clustered grid layout. It has more of an appropriate spacing, but the squareness still does not suit the human hand very well. Additional dots are there for making a Neo Geo layout which is more appropriate for the human hand. "

This version with either the 36 or 36.5mm spacing should work well.  This is about as close as you can get and still use a button wrench like this to tighten the nut.




Scott

[markronz]

Amazing artwork!  I love it!  Well done.

[damphon]

@PL1

Thank you, I didn't notice the dots for Neo-Geo when dzorbas sent me the link to slagcoin.com. You both just made this a lot easier for me. Thank you so much!

@harveybirdman

You recognized Cotton!!!!! None of my friends know about that game, so they were confused by her.  I also get a lot of confusion for Lupin and Sailor Moon. I guess those arcade games were not very well known..

[harveybirdman]

@ damphon

I have all the Cottons on my "cab," but my pentium 4 won't run 2 or bommerang at full speed... I don't know what's up with that.  But yeah it's a fabulous horizontal shooter series.  Right up there with some of my other faves such as Tengai, Blazeon, Blazing Star, and Raiga Strato Fighter.

[Gray_Area]

I keep seeing tampon in place of damphon.

[Seith]

I can't take my eyes off Mega Man's butt.

It looks like DK is going for the goose on ol' Megs.