Software used for Control panel layout

[mm_can]

Hi all, Im re-designing my Control Panel to add a roller ball and some additional buttons etc.  I do have a question on the software to use to help me design my layout.

Also is there any pre-defined layouts one can download and use ?? Why re-invent the wheel right ?

Thanks

Mike

[JamesS]

I used visio and downloaded the templates from here.  Worked great.

[Lance]

Does anyone have scale templates for the Ultimarc T-stick?

lance

[TalkingOctopus]

Does anyone have scale templates for the Ultimarc T-stick?

lance

http://www.ultimarc.com/controldiags.html

[mm_can]

Okay visio it is then,  I have a copy that i can 'borrow' from work for a few.  I just downloaded those templates.

Thanks again.

Now if only I could get a viso of someone peoples CP designs ....

Mike

[shmokes]

I'd be happy to send you my designs, but you're really much better off just making a new project in visio with the same dimensions as your panel and making it from scratch.  I had to work with a fairly confined space.  If my control panel were wider, even by an inch all of my 1-player and 2-player controlls would be spaced further apart.  Similarly, if my control panel were deeper all my controls would move closer to the "top" of the control panel to give players more space to rest their wrists/elbows.

Essentially you want to look at what you have to work with and maximize your available space.  You can't do that very well if you just use someone else's design, and if you plan to use someone else's design, but move the parts around on the page, well, you might as well just start from scratch as it'll be just as easy and you can set up the page size to correspond with your panel right from the get-go.

Remember to pull out guides from the rulers, though, to help you line everything up.  Just click-and-hold on the ruler at the left or top of the screen and drag a line out of it.  Then controls will snap to the guide making putting the sticks and buttons in the right place a breeze.  Let me know if you do want my designs still.  If so I could email them to you on Monday (they're on my computer at work).

[mm_can]

I guess what I really am looking for is the proper spacing for as example; a 8way 6 or 7 button layout.  Then once I had that working example I could then place it onto my layout.  

Other thought was for me to take a note pad, and a tape measure and hit my local mall, who still has an active arcade, and do some measurements.  - Of course I might get booted out, for loitering.

Mike

[NoOne=NBA=]

I would custom tailor them to what feels best to YOU.
Lay them out on a piece of paper or cardboard, and pretend to play games with them.
That will let you know how YOUR hands fall naturally while playing, and whether a given arrangement will work better than another for YOU.

[shmokes]

Check out this thread.  It has a good example of proper spacing (Pretty close to identical to a Street Fighter 2 cab, I think)

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=14157;start=msg110730#msg110730

[Lance]

Does anyone have scale templates for the Ultimarc T-stick?

lance

http://www.ultimarc.com/controldiags.html

I meant to ask if anyone had a template like the viso ones so I can arrange my layout to scale with using the other templates that are already out there.

[Sasquatch!]

Now if only I could get a viso of someone peoples CP designs ....

I've got mine up in VSD format if it'll help ya:
http://www.arcadeparadise.org/downloads.html

[mm_can]

Here is what I came up with for my layout.  Any constructive comments are welcome.  The rectangles just represent the box section of the CP.  The layout is 2x 8way with 7 button ( neo-geo ) and adding 3 more for fighting games.   Centre is of course the 3" tb, I thought I would just use player one's buttons for it, instead of having seperate buttons just for the TB.

The top section shows my custom spinner ( a old Oscar mod 1 - with all the new oscar pro encoders ) and an Ultimarc J-stick for my 4-way.  Both sides of those are 2x buttons. - not sure if im going to go with 2 on each side or not.

Take Care

Mike

[slicer_d]

You might want to take into consideration the location of the spinner/4way I know a lot of people that get crazy with the track ball in Golden Tee (including me) and I can already see people hitting there hands on that spinner.

Also IMO the straight capcom six with an extra 7th button to the left and lowered for NEOGEO is my fave that way you get true arcade setups for two machines.  But thats just my preference.

Other than those two things I think it looks good I'll take two  

[mm_can]

I thought about going with the capcom 6 and button 7 to the left and down.  Good point about the spinner, but I have yet to play golden Tee so.. not sure if that will be a issue or not.

Mike

[krick]

Anybody using TurboCAD LE?

I've just downloaded it and I'm attempting to design a control panel.

[krick]

I guess what I really am looking for is the proper spacing for as example; a 8way 6 or 7 button layout.  Then once I had that working example I could then place it onto my layout.  

Here's a thumbnail image of the MK3 button layout...



...a zip file with full size images in several formats is available here...
http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/mame/mk3_layout.zip

...
Krick

[mm_can]

Great I will take a look at these.

Mike

[Grasshopper]

Anybody using TurboCAD LE?

I've just downloaded it and I'm attempting to design a control panel.

I used it to design my first panel and I'd recommend it. I also recently got hold of a copy of TurboCAD 7 that came free with a magazine.

Can you tell me where you downloaded TurboCAD LE from? It doesn't appear to be on Imsisoft's website anymore.

[krick]

You can get it from here...
http://nct.digitalriver.com/fulfill/0002.16


You might also be interested in this Yahoo! group I just found...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TurboCAD-File-Library/

[Grasshopper]

I actually found the Digitalriver site some time ago. But it looks a bit dodgy, a bit like those phoney Ebay sites that ask you to 'verify' your credit card details. Digitalriver don't ask for your credit card details but they could sell your personal details to spammers. Maybe I'm being paranoid but I'd use a temporary email address just to be on the safe side.

The Yahoo group looks interesting. If anyone wants my (fairly basic) templates then I'd be happy to upload them somewhere.

[unclet]

I would make sure you have enough room between the trackball and the right joystick, so the player using the trackball does not fit his right forearm into the right joystick.   Maybe not a problem.... ahrd to tell.   Just create a mock control panel from some scrap wood and stand in front of it and pretend.   This is what I did, and it helped a lot  (even got my wife involved to help pretend   )  

PS:  Would you want to add a Pause button, some pinball buttons on the side or right/left mouse click buttons next to your trackball?  Just extra ideas.   I use my trackball as a mouse all the time.

[Brad Lee]

I usually use photoshop for my layout designs. Make each item on a seperate layer so they can be moved around.

I start with a 24x8" document, for the first stage I use 32dpi to get my rough layout. each pixel is 1/32 of an inch then, pretty common for measurements.

FOr the T-sticks(Ive got the older model with the side lever) I:
make a layer with a square thats 2.5"x3.5"(the box uinder the panel, to make sure it fits)
make a layer on top of that with a 2"x2" circle(the dust washer)
make a layer on top of that with a 1.5"x1.5"  circle(the ball top of the stick)
center everything
merge the layers together

For buttons, I use the same formula, with the size underneath the panel on one layer, and the size of the bezel on the top of the CP

For my spinner, its the oscar pro disk, so thats 3.5"x3.5" circle on the bottom, 2" circle knob on top



To lay everything out, I use the outside dimensions, to make sure theres room for everything.
I make all the "bottom" layers the same color so when I get it situated, I select that color, delete it, and then Im left with just whats covered/unseen on the CP, for over printing purposes

THen I blow it up to 300dpi, and its pretty jagged so I recreate those circles with proper dimensions and line em up with the jaggy originals.

I then take the layer with my circles, lock it, and move it to the top of my layers while I do the artwork

[mm_can]

I am sold on Visio, I can use layers etc, lock them so I won't move them by accident.  Also the grid in Visio works really well, letting me space things perfectly right down to the mm.

I do have a side question tho.  On the typical 6 button arrangement, 'read the capcom style'.  If I was to place the 7th button like i see Slickstick do, or so many others, to the left and down.  What is the spacing offset for that button ?

PS:  Would you want to add a Pause button, some pinball buttons on the side or right/left mouse click buttons next to your trackball?  Just extra ideas.  I use my trackball as a mouse all the time.

I use jpac so a shifted key works as my pause.

Mike

[krick]

I am sold on Visio, I can use layers etc, lock them so I won't move them by accident.  Also the grid in Visio works really well, letting me space things perfectly right down to the mm.

I hear a lot of people mention Visio.  I used it a LOOOONNNGG time ago on Windows 3.1.   What version of Visio are people using here?  I've seen Visio 5 on ebay for about $30.  I really don't want to spend 200+ for the newer versions if I don't have to.

I do have a side question tho.  On the typical 6 button arrangement, 'read the capcom style'.  If I was to place the 7th button like i see Slickstick do, or so many others, to the left and down.  What is the spacing offset for that button ?

If you look at the MK3 measurements I posted above, they place the "run" button 1.5 inches left and 1.5 inches down from the lower left button.

[krick]

I've been playing around with TurboCAD and here's my 7 button layout that's a cross between the SF2 and MK3 layouts...



The TurboCAD file is here...

http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/mame/7button.tcw

[mm_can]

I hear a lot of people mention Visio.  I used it a LOOOONNNGG time ago on Windows 3.1.  What version of Visio are people using here?  I've seen Visio 5 on ebay for about $30.  I really don't want to spend 200+ for the newer versions if I don't have to.

I have visio 2002, but I was lucky I had a copy at work.  It is expensive, but really nice for all types of drawings.

Thanks for the layout!! I am re-looking at my CP right now.

Mike

[orntar]

I have visio 2002, but I was lucky I had a copy at work.  It is expensive, but really nice for all types of drawings.

i use autocad 2000. i use it at work for my job and have a copy at home too.  it is *really* cost prohibitive other wise ($3500). but such a great tool! (i hate visio)

[Pete Harcoff]

This is the layout I use (designed in Visio using the templates from this site):



Click for bigger version

I'm really happy with it and glad I did my layout this way as opposed to having the "7th button" on the bottom left.  There's about an 1/8" of an inch between the bezels and I find it extremely comfortable to use in both Capcom and SNK fighting games.

[krick]

Here's another interesting layout I found on the web...
http://web.njit.edu/~jal0737/Neo-Geo/Universal_Joysticks.htm

[mnapuran]

One thing you REALLY need to watch, as I've seen some examples in this thread, is not to put your buttons too far apart!  It makes playing a real pain in the butt.

Here's how I ended up doing mine...





-Mike

[mm_can]

I finally finished my layout drawing with Visio.  I did a few mockups of the button spacing and layout, and kid-tested it

Red line is the CP shape.
Blue line is the enclosure box

Best thing to do, so you don't have to re-measure and transpose to your wood, is to get your drawing plotted.  I think that will help me alot.

Take Care

Mike

New layout (final)





Mike's Ultracade v2