Second Vertical Cabinet - Suggestions/Questions

[csnow]

I currently have one vertical cab (Galaga/Ms Pac reunion) that is dedicated to 4-way one fire button games.  I recently purchased another vertical cabinet on Craigslist (file attached) to for a restoration/build based on dual 8-way Wico leafs(SHMUPS) and one 2.25" trackball for Centipede/Millipede.  The current control panel atrocity on the cabinet will be dumpstered, with a custom panel to replace it.

I would like to stay with 2 buttons unless there is a must have 8-way vertical game that uses 3 buttons that eludes me off the top of my head. Are there any killer games that require 3 buttons?

The control panel has a lot of real estate, but I am not a fan of overwrought control panels.  However, I would like to add a spinner, but I am unsure of placement.  I really like Arknoid, Tempest, and Breakout but not on a trackball. 

Where do people normally place their spinners?  I want the layout to be joystick, button 1, button 2, trackball, joystick, button 1 and button 2 with the trackball being centered.  I thought that the spinner could go above the trackball.  Since there won't be any bowling or Golden Tee games, I don't think a spinner above would interfere.  Maybe off center to one side might be better just in case.  Thoughts/opinions?

And no, that's not my garage sell garage   That was from the CL post.

[markc74]

I'm currently building a vertical cab with the same range of controls albeit with probably less space (mine's 50cm wide)



This works perfectly for me but I prefer to use the spinner with my left hand - try it on cardboard and see how you fare. For vertical trackball games (millipede/centipede) then the right hand side is the best place IMO. You don't throw the ball around like you do on golf games and so as long as it's comfortable to use with enough space on all sides then you're good. As it's a single player cabinet you need to think about how you're going to stand in front of it and how the controls feel from that position.

I had the same dilemma about buttons and ended up going for 3. Gunsmoke is better with 3 buttons and there's some good shmups that use 3 so if you have an 8 way joystick then that's what I went for. If you're sticking to 4 way then 2 buttons is enough.

[csnow]

Thanks for the feedback @markc74.  You born in 1974?  I am 1970 so we are close in age

I have thought about dropping it down to a single joystick.  I don't think I have ever played a SHMUPS game with two people ever.  As much as I try to tell myself my games are for friends and family, I am the one who mainly goes up to the family room.  The wife has no interest and the remaining kids at home are console/phone games.  We don't entertain guests much, so having two player controls is kinda pointless but I sometimes fall victim to the "what-if" "insert scenario" pops up and someone/anyone wants to play too.  Well, that hasn't happened and I am at the point I would tell them to go to one of the other 5 machines in the room...lol.  I am getting where I just put the games on I like.  Makes things much easier all around and simplifies things drastically. 

I will have to try the spinner left handed thing.  I don't have one to play with right now though.  I think for the buttons I will do a 4 button diamond pattern like the Microsoft/Sony controller.  I almost forgot about Vanguard which is 4 button diamond for fire direction.  I loved that game when it came out, especially the soundtrack.  That button layout should cover all the bases.

[opt2not]

This works perfectly for me but I prefer to use the spinner with my left hand - try it on cardboard and see how you fare. For vertical trackball games (millipede/centipede) then the right hand side is the best place IMO.

Preach on brotha. Spinner for Left Hand, because you need the precision control like you do a joystick (if you're right-handed), and trackballs for Right because the action of churning up the spin requires a bit more frantic motion than your left-hand can muster.

I have thought about dropping it down to a single joystick.  I don't think I have ever played a SHMUPS game with two people ever.  As much as I try to tell myself my games are for friends and family, I am the one who mainly goes up to the family room.  The wife has no interest and the remaining kids at home are console/phone games.

For most vertical games, including some of the older pre-jamma titles, single player is the way to go. Shmups are just annoying when playing with a partner, and a lot of the older vertical games are alternated multiplayer.
Funny story, I recently went to one of the bar arcades here in SF with a friend of mine and we got to play some 1942 while drinking some brews. I'm pretty decent at that game (current highscore holder here at BYOAC woo-woo!), and my buddy isn't so much... when it was my turn I was able to run on for a good 20 mins at time, but he would die in like 5 mins. I could imagine it was really annoying for him to have to wait that long for his turn.   I eventually started dying on purpose so he would get his turns more quickly.

[Titchgamer]

Ile just throw this in there but I have my spinner mounted on the front of my CP rather than the top.

Its sounds a little mad but I actually prefer it to being top mounted now!

Its also ambi-dextrous friendly

[markc74]

I think spinner position you just have to try and see where it’s comfortable. I did think about front mounting it and training little markc74 to control it but just couldn’t manage the fine control 

And yeah. Born in 74. Was 5 when the arcade addiction began!

As per 2 players. There’s not many concurrent vertical games that made it worth it for me. I like to stand in the middle so that’s how i laid out my controls. If i do play a 2 player game I’ll plug in a joypad and use it while the other person uses the controls.

[csnow]

Thanks for the suggestions fellas.  I am going to go with a single stick, 4 button, and try out the spinner on a cardboard mock and see how it goes. 

Can anyone point me to someone on the forum that does control panel wood work?  It isn't cost effective to buy wood tools for a single project.  But then again, any excuse to buy tools is a good one.  Seriously though, I would like to sub this part out if there are people on here who do panels.

Chris