Thinking about building an accessory panel to house alternative controls - help

[SpatzST]

Basically what I mean is, my current CP is just buttons and joysticks.  I'd like to make a second panel that is primarily flight sticks (for tron and satans hollow), what else do I need? Tron uses a spinner correct? Other games require 2 spinners so I should use two?  I would need a trackball for bowling/golf.  Are there games requiring two track balls? I know marble madness has two, anything else?

Additionally, would it make more sense to make two separate cp's? One with trackballs, one with sticks? I'm thinking more small/portable here, something you could just put in your lap to play these specific games.

[Xiaou2]

Tron uses a spinner.

Most driving games use 2 spinners. Superspint uses 3 spinners,  warlods uses 4.  There are others as well... like 4 player HotRod.

 Spinners dont take much space up... so add them in.

Imo... keep trackball panel separate.   I dont think many games, if any, use a trackball + flightstick.   Spinning trackballs require a lot of hand room... and if other controllrs are nearby ... you could smash your hands into them.

 Rampart is a game that can use 2 or 3 trackballs.  Atari football I believe can use 4.   In most cases, 2 is fine... and 3 to 4... is rarely used except in parties. .. and only IF They all like that game.  Superspint however, with 3 players, is easy to get others to join in and race together.

 I suggest pull out gas pedals.. and maybe some lightswitch gear shifters.

 Lastly... are dual stick tack games.  You gotta decide if that matters.  You could always plug in usb gamepads with thosr mini analg sticks.. to play those games.

[SpatzST]

Ah. I've seen a 2 player supersprint which would be fine.  Trackball games typically ONLY use trackballs, right? So just stick two together on their own panel? I dont really have the setup for cocktail style cabinets so games like atari football and warlords aren't much of a concern. 

I know you need gas pedals for supersprint, where would you get something like that? I dont remember ever coming across any.

Also what games you are thinking of for "dual stick track" games? Smash TV? My main panel is 4 sticks so thats ok.

So trackballs on their own with a few buttons (looks like golden tee uses 4).  As for joysticks and spinners, putting them on the same panel would be ok, just need to make sure I leave room for a wheel attachment if I needed one.  Are there any games that use two flightsticks simultaneously?  If not I suppose it would be ok to do a panel like [Spinner] [Flightstick] [Spinner].  That way it will work for tron, and I can space it out enough to stick wheels on the spinner if I need.

[Xiaou2]

Ah. I've seen a 2 player supersprint which would be fine.  Trackball games typically ONLY use trackballs, right? So just stick two together on their own panel? I dont really have the setup for cocktail style cabinets so games like atari football and warlords aren't much of a concern. 

I know you need gas pedals for supersprint, where would you get something like that? I dont remember ever coming across any.

Also what games you are thinking of for "dual stick track" games? Smash TV? My main panel is 4 sticks so thats ok.

So trackballs on their own with a few buttons (looks like golden tee uses 4).  As for joysticks and spinners, putting them on the same panel would be ok, just need to make sure I leave room for a wheel attachment if I needed one.  Are there any games that use two flightsticks simultaneously?  If not I suppose it would be ok to do a panel like [Spinner] [Flightstick] [Spinner].  That way it will work for tron, and I can space it out enough to stick wheels on the spinner if I need.

 I dont remember any games that use a trackball and some other controller.    It could be useful for other games on PC.   Just remember, you will need a lot of trackball rolling space.  A minimum of a 1ft diameter circle or room.  (low things like buttons are ok.. but joysticks are too tall and hands can smash into them if too close)

 You can get a used arcade gas pedal from ebay.    You could build your own.   Or you could tear apart a PC wheels pedals. (Though, plastic pedals are not very robust)

 Supersprint I believe is a digital microswitch.  However, some games, like Outrun ... or heck, even Turbo... utilize analog (pot based) pedals.
(( Actually, Turbo is a 4 position optical unit... but as far as I know, mame does not support actual optical pedals.  It can translate Pot based input to make the game work))

 Furthermore, you can find used arcade driving wheels on ebay as well.   You could use a spinner for the 360 degree wheel games... and could pick up an arcade pot based games for games like Outrun, if you feel that these type of games dont play well with an optical (spinner) device.
The arcade wheels are far more robust than affordable pc wheels.

 Dual Trigger sticks...  theres a few tank games that can be controlled like this.   (Assault is a great one)   If you want dual trigger sticks.. get the ones that do not have a dedicated hand per use.  Meaning, get the grips that can be used from either left of right hands.

 If you did want, you could even do:   [t]     [t]      [sp]        instead of:     [t]   [sp]   [t]