Heres my initial plan for a 4 player CP.

[Praxi]

Heres my initial layout for a 4 player CP.  My main goal is 4 player gauntlet/xmen/simpsons, followed closely by 2 player fighting games.  I think I will start cutting tomorrow.  I'm making it out of 3/4" MDF.  Any comments before I do?  Am I messing something up?

[Dawgz Rule]

Praxi, what do you plan on using the six admin buttons for?

[Praxi]

I haven't 100% decided yet, but I was thinking, load, save, enter, exit, power, pause.  Maybe a shift, but I seem to read a lot of bad things about those.

[Fursphere]

Shift buttons are fine.  Just realize that you might need to change some conflicting emulator settings.

[PL1]

As mentioned in this post about the logical design process, you may want to start with a game list and which emulators/front end you will be running.

Get those installed and running the way you want and your choice of admin buttons may narrow.

Most FE setups for a dedicated cabinet won't need an enter key -- Player 1 Button 1 is commonly used to launch games.

Depending on the software you're running, the load/save buttons may not be needed.   

You may also want to relocate the power button to a less noticable area to keep party guests from pressing it.

The pause and exit buttons are always a good idea IMHO.

On the subject of shifted functions vs. dedicated buttons, there are pros and cons to both approaches -- select the one that fits your needs.


Scott

[Praxi]

I think for the power button I'm going to do some type of illuminated square toggle.  I started cutting today though, got the box itself and the top cut out.  My math was wrong, so had to recut the corners on my base.  Luckily I was removing more   One question I had though, screwing everything together.  I put cleats for all the side walls, put one screw through a sidewall into the cleat, then put screws coming up through the bottom into the sidewalls.  Everything seems really solid, but I'm unclear how to hold my angled pieces tops together.  They didn't line up very well at the tops, the bottoms were fine.  Not sure if you can see it on the picture or not, but those angle pieces aren't really lined up at the top. 

[PL1]

I started cutting today though, got the box itself and the top cut out.

The good news is that you don't seem to have drilled the holes in the CP yet.

My advice is still software first or you will probably end up having to redo the CP.

Just trying to save you the expense and wasted time/effort.   


Scott

[Praxi]

I've already decided on the games, the 4 player Gauntlets, Xmen, Simpsons etc.. Occasional fighter, metal slug thrown in.  I will read a bit about the software.  Can you help me understand why I would have to rebuild my CP based off the admin buttons?  Say I put 6 buttons on, does it hurt something if I only need 4 then have 2 unused by the software?

I started cutting today though, got the box itself and the top cut out.

The good news is that you don't seem to have drilled the holes in the CP yet.

My advice is still software first or you will probably end up having to redo the CP.

Just trying to save you the expense and wasted time/effort.   


Scott

[PL1]

Can you help me understand why I would have to rebuild my CP based off the admin buttons?  Say I put 6 buttons on, does it hurt something if I only need 4 then have 2 unused by the software?

You wouldn't have to, but there have been many cases where someone didn't plan ahead and isn't quite happy with the final result after building a panel -- they often end up redoing the CP.

What if you end up deciding that you only need 2 and have 4 unused?

I'm just saying that of the 6 admin buttons you mention 2 sound great (pause, exit), 1 sounds good located elsewhere (power), and 3 are probably not needed depending on the software/configuration you use. (enter, load, save)

A 4-player panel is a large investment of time, effort, and money -- proper planning can minimize waste of these resources.


Scott

[Praxi]

Thanks for the reply PL1, I'm going to start drilling in a few hours.  I will definitely keep what you said in mind

[paigeoliver]

Build a mini panel and test out that curved button layout extensively. I have it and I absolutely hate it.

[severdhed]

i think it looks great, except for the admin buttons.   personally, after many versions of control panels in several different cabinets over the years, i'v discovered that i only really need one admin button.  the more buttons on the panel, the more confusing it is for people who aren't you.  If the buttons are there, people will press them and there will be problems.  i keep the power button on the top of the cabinet, not on the panel, which keeps people from accidentally turning it off.  i like the coin buttons on the front edge of the control panel box, instead of on the panel...not only does it reduce the cluttered look, but it simulates that reaching down to insert another coin motion that we are so fond of.  the only admin button i have on mine serves a dual purpose.  if you press it quickly, it pauses the game, and if you press and hold it for 3 seconds, it exits the game.  this works really well because it sucks really bad when someone accidentally exits the game you are playing.

as for the curved button layout, i love it.  i've built many panels over the years, with both straight rows of buttons and curved rows, and i much prefer the curved layout better.  as for everyone else, no one has ever commented to me one way or the other about it.  You will find that the biggest critic will be you.  All of the little things that annoy the crap out of you about your cabinet will go unnoticed by everyone else.  People are just so impressed with you owning an arcade cabinet that plays all of the games they remember playing from years ago, that they don't let things like button placement and things like that get in the way of their gaming.

take lots of pictures and be prepared to make changes.  I don't recommend doing artwork on your panel right away, until you use it for a few weeks and make sure you like it.  I personally have not done artwork on any of my panels, but i'm getting ready to build another unit and i may just break that streak.

[Dawgz Rule]

You will find that the biggest critic will be you.  All of the little things that annoy the crap out of you about your cabinet will go unnoticed by everyone else.  People are just so impressed with you owning an arcade cabinet that plays all of the games they remember playing from years ago, that they don't let things like button placement and things like that get in the way of their gaming.

So true. 

[Cynicaster]

I'm an unabashed advocate of admin buttons, but after over 2 years of almost daily MAME cabinet play, I only see a use for two: pause and exit.  In saying that, I don't mean "the number of buttons must absolutely be minimized therefore convenience must be sacrificed at times", I mean "I literally see no use whatsoever to having more than pause and exit".   At least, not on a MAME/MESS/MaLa setup like I'm running... not sure about other emulators and front ends, but I'd imagine anything worth running would allow you to configure things appropriately. 
 

the more buttons on the panel, the more confusing it is for people who aren't you.  If the buttons are there, people will press them and there will be problems. 

I see this claim all the time, but in my experience it's simply not the case.  Granted, I use small "radio shack" buttons for admin.  Probably anathema to most on this forum, but I like them because they take up less space, and because there is absolutely no mistaking them for game buttons on my panel. 

 

[michelevit]

Admin buttons not necessary and offer confusion to friends and family (especially children or drunks) who will inevitable screw things up.
Use a wireless keyboard to trigger admin commands like Tab,Pause, Esc, Game selection, volume.
If you absolutely need hard wired buttons, a good option is to hide them underneath within reach, but out of site.

For party time, I pick up popular game, load up a gajillion credits and tuck my wireless keyboard on my shelf or in another room.
I might change the game 3-4 times throughout the evening and guests who are often surprised to find that the cabinet is actually running Win7.