Flat CP or Angled CP?

[RetroJames]

Arg - Cannot decide and this is important for my design.  What are peoples thoughts regarding a completely horizontal cp or one with a slight angle?  It seems most I have seen have an angle to them, but wondering if anyone went the other way, why, how did it work out?  Also, what is the optimum angle?  Thanks!

[Serpent]

For an upright cabinet I wouldn't angle it or angle it only a little. It depends very much on your height. Kids will prefer more angle, so as to reach the controls more confortably. It depends also on the vertical position of the control panel. The higher you place it the more angle you'll have to add, so as to compensate the angle of your elbows, which reduces as you elevate the panel. If the panel is low and have much angle, you're wrist and arms will hurt. If it's high and have no angle it will also be unconfortable for your wrists. Consider your height and the more confortable position for your arms when playing. For instance, a 90

[zaphod]

I angled mine so that there was about an inch rise from the front to back.  It seems to feel right.  

[john_mame]

I angled mine, and I wish I had left it flat.

[TalkingOctopus]

I angled mine 10 degrees.

[STL_Steve]

I angled mine, but now would prefer flat due to my height.  I am 6'+ and find the when they are angled its a little awkward.  But I agree, it depends on height and a short person may like it angled. Also are you going to stand or sit at the game most of the time? Maybe you can find some games at the local arcade that have a flat CP and angled and see which is best for you.  

just my .02

[Santoro]

I angled mine so that there was about an inch rise from the front to back.  It seems to feel right.  

Ditto.

[CthulhuLuke]

Mine's angled a bit more than an inch from front to back, its about 2 1/2"  but the cabinet is TALL, and the controls rest perfect for a 5'9-6'2 person, anyone else might complain a little bit, but not very much cause we have a stool that takes care of all those problems.  Having an angle is PERFECT for intense fighting games, like when my bro and I play some Super Street Fighter 2 X for the dreamcast on there, oh its on like donkey kong.

[soslo]

I've had angles on all 3 of my cabs...2 were stern cabs and I kept the natural angle (maybe 10 or 15 degrees)...but I wish I would have kept them flat.

I also have angles on the rotating panel cab...but that is necessary due to the design.

Next cab will be flat. After an hour or so, the angles caused me some pain.

[Richy]

Would It have any effect on the roll of the trckball, If It's at an angle

[DAmnb]

Left mine flat since im close to 2m (6.56feet) in length.

[Sasquatch!]

I angled mine, and I wish I had left it flat.

Heh, I'm your opposite: My last cabinet's CP was flat, and I wish I had angled it.  

[Minwah]

Try (imaginary) playing against a worktop or something the same height your CP will be at.  As the others said it will depend entirely on the height of your CP, and your own height.

I went for ~10 degree angle, it looks better like that on my design.  But I'm 6' and yet to actually play it, fingers crossed  

[zaphod]

It is all personal preference but a number of retail custom controllers are angled.  SlikStik, HotRod, and the X-arcade all have a slope to them so there must be a reason they do that.  If you are building your own cab, you can place the controller at the optimal height.

[papaschtroumpf]

My cab is a variation on Lucid's plans and the CP "box" is removable, so it's pretty easy to change. I play tested both flat and angled while I was refining the cab design with a "temporary" panel (I started angled, then cut the angle off and decided I didn't like it as much, so I ended up doing slightly angled).
Judging from the variety of answers in this thread, it seems to be mostly a matter of personal preference.

[u_rebelscum]

It depends on the height of the front of the control panel, the length of your forearm, and the height of your elbows above ground when playing.  Your wrists should be straight to slightly bent down for "most ergonomic" (but feel free to do what you want).

CP height and forearm length are self explanatory.  Height of you elbow is influenced by your shoulder height, length of upper arm, and your "game stance".  Shoulder height is influenced by your overall height, length of neck, "tallness" of head, and "game stance".  As you can see, overall height, what lots of people talk about, does have influence on the angle you want, but IMO is highly effected by other factors.  I know of a 6'3" guy with long arms who likes to stand one foot forward and bent, other foot back and straight (almost like a calf muscle stretch), which results in elbows lower than mine; thus he likes CPs lower and/or more tilted than I do.

Sure, height of CP and CP tilt influence your stance, but since you're BYO, you get two set those to your "perfect stance."

The attachment, below, is drawn with two "game stances" (abcd & efgh), two overall heights (abcf & cdgh), and two upper arm lengths (aceg & bdfh).  Since the angle matters on the ratio sizes, a person with a 36" elbow height, 38" CP front height, and 12" forearm would want the same angle as someone with a 42" elbow, 44 1/3" CP, and 14" forearm, assuming both like the same wrist bend.  (Translation: there is no scale in pic, and they're just for illustrating what I'm talking about.)

BTW, dudes in a) & d) better lower their CPs, and h) should raise the CP.

[paigeoliver]

I currently own 9 cabinets, and here is the skinny on the angles.

Time Pilot cocktail. 45 degree angle.
Dynamo Mini - No angle.
Space Firebird mini - about 75 degrees (closer to straight up and down than it is to flat).
Amazing Maze - about 40 degrees.
Crystal Castles - Maybe 5-10 degrees
Kangaroo - 5-10 degrees
Artic Mini - 30-35 degrees
Generic gambling cabinet - No angle.
Battlezone - No real angle (kind of curves down at the front though).

Now granted, none of these cabinets have massive panels. The largest panel is actually on the Dynamo mini which has around a 23"x12" panel that only has a 2.25 trackball and two buttons on it. But, the angle isn't really an issue with any of them. It did take a little while to get used to the (noticeable) drop between the first row of buttons and the second on the Amazing Maze, but once I got used to it, then it was no problem. The only REAL control panel peeve I even has is the fact that the Space Firebird mini has the two buttons OVER each other, rather than next to each other. It makes it quite hard to hit them both at once. It makes jump and shoot games like Contra a lot harder.

[hyiu]

I would say.... use cardboard... and make a full scale mock up.... actually screw the buttons and nail the joysticks on the cardboard.... then try holding it.... shaking it for like 5-10 minuts... see how it feels.... (see trashcade in the projects... haa haa...)

since its cardboard... its easy to alter....

keep doing until you feel comfortable....

that will be the best way.....

cos with different monitor layout... different height... whether you're standing / sitting playing... etc etc.... there are too many different factors that will affect whether the panel should be flat or angled.....

anyway... good luck !!...  

[DeathMonk]

I always played on the street fighter and midway cabinets with slight angles... I love teh angles.

[RetroJames]

It is tricky because the angle would make the overall cp design (see my www) much harder to build.  I am leaning towards flat, but I have a little while before I start building the cp so I will keep thinking and testing, thanks!