Control Panel Checklist

[Phaser Rave]

Hello, I'm new to creating arcade machines and the like. I've never even thought about it before yesterday. I want to create a control panel that will simply sit on a lap or the table in front of the player, which will plug in to a Raspberry Pi. I'll be making this as a gift for my mom. She doesn't want a big cabinet taking up space, but I don't think she'd object to a small controller so she can play on the TV.
I don't have the skill or tools for woodworking, but I know how to make 3D models, so I've got that going for me. After I get the list down, I can get the dimensions just right. I've never had any of my stuff printed before, seems like fun.

She'll primarily be playing Centipede, Millipede, and Pac-Man. I'm thinking maybe I'll make the controller specific to the first two, and make another, more generic one for most other games. That might be too costly, so I may decide to have a controller with one joystick, several buttons, and a trackball so that it fits those previously mentioned needs. Would love to make one with two sets of joysticks, but I think I'd rather keep the size down for my first control panel.

Here's what I think I need to get it in working order. If you see anything that needs to be added, or if you would recommend that I use alternative stuff, please let me know.

Centipede, Millipede
(1) Opti-Pac
(1) U-Trak Trackball
(1) Pair of the 1 and 2 player Start Logo Pushbuttons
(2) Happ buttons (1 coin, 1 fire)

Pac-Man + Generic
(1) I-Pac
(1) J-Stik Ball-Top
(1) Pair of the 1 and 2 player Start Logo Pushbuttons
(7) Happ buttons (1 coin, 6 more for other games)

Combined
(1) Opti-Pac
(1) J-Stik Ball-Top
(1) U-Trak Trackball
(1) Pair of the 1 and 2 player Start Logo Pushbuttons
(7) Happ buttons (1 coin, 6 more for other games)

[Green Giant]

Sounds like you want a 1 player panel, so I would just make 1 controller for all the games.

You could fit the trackball, joystick, and buttons easily into a small panel.  Fewer controllers and just 1 rasberry pi.

Also regarding the button totals, you only need 6 if you are doing fighting games with an 8-way joystick.  Sounds like you want a 4-way stick for old school stuff only.  I think you only need 3 buttons not counting coin/player.

[Phaser Rave]

Thanks for the tip. I've updated the list.

(1) Mini-Pac
(1) E-Stik
(1) U-Trak Trackball
(7) Happ buttons

• +3: action
• +1: shift function
• +1: coin
• +2: 1 and 2 player

[yamatetsu]

You don't need an extra shift button. You can program the MiniPAC so that for example Player 1 is the shift button. You then can assign shift functions to the other buttons.