I honestly am going to be doing a bit of soul searching on this topic. I totally get how I am part of a camp that sounds like we are criticizing every build.
Critisizm is fine.. as long as its Constructive. Theres no need for making fun of others works and or ideas. So long as thats kept in mind.. then there would never be any problem. You give your positive constructive feedback... and they can either take it or leave it.
How many people really react well to being told, forced, or Mocked... into doing something? You attract more Bees with Honey, than you do with Vinegar.
Every thread that comes up with angled joysticks, too many buttons, 4 foot wide control panels, mismatched screen ratios and sizes, etc, we are challenging their decisions because those are items that we see as overkill / feature creep / design flaws. Our experience and prior mistakes told us these are pitfalls and for a project that can cost thousands, we are genuinely trying to save others from traveling down a bad path.
Some of the things mentioned ... are factual. Some are purely Opinion based. There is a large difference in that.
Having angled sticks.. can easily create gameplay problems. Having a larger pedestal control panel... does NOT effect gameplay.. In fact.. it can Enhance the experience that is desired. The opinion, then often comes down to Looks... which again, is your Opinion, and how much you place value in looks - vs - function. You cant Lump these two vastly different things into the same pot.
As for what these things Cost... its their money.. and their desires. Why try to talk a Tron fan out of putting a Tron stick on his CP... merely because YOU feel it looks Ugly?!?!?!?! This is what they guy loves.. and he should never feel pressure and or get negative comments about his dream of playing this game with the proper controller.
The followup would often then be... well, if he really wants to play these games... he SHOULD be making multiple cabinets. And yet the answer is pretty simple.. that not everyone has the money, time, or space... to make many cabinets - vs - one. And again.. it shouldnt even be an argument. Its personal OPINION.. and you are not living in his house, looking at or playing "HIS" machine. Its His money, his machine, and his dream.
So then why attack? Out of personal injury because your opinion is different? It makes No sense at all. (although, I do not recall you being a heavy handed attacker.. especially in recent timeframes)
It seems to be a common to find these kind of issues in recent build threads. Maybe the next generation of this hobby seems to value these things I consider as mistakes as great features. That you new guys want monoliths that cover every control and play every modern game, and that's what makes a great machine.
This is somewhat like you are asking a question... and under the context that you think your are more valid... IMO.
I do not think that the Modern Timeframe is accurate to your argument either. There have always been many builders that place many controllers on larger control panels. And what makes a great machine is largely an Opinion. Usually... its main factor is "Can it play the games I want to play... correctly?'
Some people are willing to settle on controls that are inferior in function.. or play games with substitute controls that are not as accurate. And or decided not to even bother to play certain games.. because they didnt want their cabinet to LOOK cluttered. This again.. is all based on opinion. Not factual "right or wrong" mentality.
Right now, maybe I am thinking they are right. Maybe I am obsolete and don't have the scope or vision to make a machine that encompasses the wants or needs of the next generation of this hobby. I just want a machine that I can play TMNT or Commando or Rampage on...and have fun. I can't help but think that those of us who keep hammering on knowing limitations, design only for what you will play and avoid feature creep are just the fading generation of the guys who grew up in the arcades and are trying to recreate an experience. Maybe the new crowd is looking for something completely different. Maybe we are like the uncool geezers criticizing the kids for their skateboards and rap music....I don't know anymore.
Ugg. Now you are trying to use age and experience to Justify your OPINIONS on machine designs... as something that Should be valid fact.
1) What you want... and what others want are different. Learn to accept that. Do you like being forced to eat something you dont like?
Age has nothing to do with not liking "Broccoli", for example. It does Not matter how much I... and many others from my generation LOVE Broccoli. Its your mouth, your taste buds... and your money... that decide what you like or do not care for. All the convincing in the world will never change that.
2) Only what you will play? So maybe you put a spinner in your cabinet... and realized that you didnt really care to play spinner games. Does that mean that others will feel the same? NOPE. There are in fact many whom may feel completely Opposite.. and LOVE spinner games... playing them far more in frequency than other games.. that you prefer.
3) Feature Creep?! Whats that? You mean like a Phone that can not only allow you to call someone... but also to:
Play Music
Play Games
Send Text
Perform Calculations
Create & Read Documents
Surf the Internetz
Hook up with Girlz
Etc...
Ohh wait... You are saying, many features are a bad thing?! Seems generally speaking, people disagree with that in Masses.
Id have to assume you are really talking about space and comfort concerns.. and or looks again. Larger CPs can in fact be designed well and be very functional... with good comfort. But again.. no matter what... its merely your opinions against their desires in both of these respects.
THe only exceptions, may be like the example I posted in the original thread... which states that resting your hands on buttons can cause discomfort. I provided a positive example work-around, rather than a mere slap-comment. And if he does not listen nor care.. it does not bother me in the least bit... let alone spend time and energy mocking him over his difference of opinions... on HIS cabinet.
4) "who grew up in the arcades and are trying to recreate an experience" This is often a Contradictory statement. If you tell the person not to put a Tron Trigger stick on his CP... you are telling them they should not re-create their childhood arcade experience. If they want to put more controls than you do on a larger CP... its again, the same thing.
Just because the experience isnt EXACTLY the same... does not make it invalid. You dont need a full PacMan replica cabinet to have a good Pacman experience. You can have that experience with a real 4 way leafswitch controller. Sure.. there may be 8 buttons and an microswitch on the CP as well... but who cares? Its the game play and control that really defines what makes Pacman play like Pacman. Once you start trying to use a Touch Screen to play Pacman... only then are you really going against the actual Arcade Experience.
And again... AGE has nothing to do with this. Not everyone has the money nor space, to have a room filled with all of their favorite replica machines. There is Always going to be compromises. These compromises are based on their Opinions, and their resources. Nobody should be sniped because of either.
But for the record.. AGE can be a factor in knowledge, experience and opinions. For example.. if you have NEVER played with a real restricted 4 way stick... then you dont know what you are missing. You dont know why anyone would go through the trouble of putting a 2nd stick on their CP.. rather than one regular 8 way. (Or even a hybrid.. which is still lacking comparatively)
You also have a lot of former arcade goers that are from many different ages of the arcade. People like Howard came into the arcades seeing games like Mortal Kombat. Not really experiencing the hayday of the 80s... where games and controllers were Vastly different and unique. As such... he may never really understand the value of many of the older games, and their specialized controllers.
Heck... even some of the most praised machines here.... still do not replicate the true machines look, sound, and feel. There is always some form of compromise thats used. But again... this is their goal and opinion... based on their experiences and desires. Some of these peoples opinions might change in time... but maybe they wont. If they change... maybe they sell off their cab.. or re-work parts of it.
Who cares... its Their machine.
If you dont like it... then dont bother to comment, look at, nor visit them... to play it.
Finally, Im not trying to pick on you personally. But I did want to clarify the arguments typically had, and bring more light to them.