Control Panel Overlay input

[imtrashed]

I'm currently torn between an all-black control panel and going with some artwork, but I don't want it to be too busy.  I will be using all RGB LED buttons, a RGB LED trackball, chrome spinner, and RGB LED joysticks.  Current layout is below and also a sample of something I quickly threw together.  The design is the font (the letter O) from Arkanoid, one of my all-time favorites.  I don't like how the 6-button layouts look (overlapping graphics), but I don't have the ability to make it perfect.  Thoughts on the Arkanoid graphics?  It's minimalistic as it is, but I also don't mind the idea of plain black, since it will be pretty lit up. 
My side art is currently the old High Impact Football artwork (refurbed cab), which I may go all-black with eventually (plain black laminate).  Will be changing all my t-molding to chrome. 

[paigeoliver]

You don't want the buttons diagonal like that. They should be straight or with a very mild curve. You only saw that big diagonal from lazy operators drilling extra buttons onto converted games.

[imtrashed]

Here is another possibility I've been considering.  It matches the custom marquee I created for a bartop I have in the same room.  Not sure if it's too busy for me for a CP, though.  The red circles represent where the button holes will be. 

[paigeoliver]

I always prefer designs that don't go out of their way to highlight ever single button and joystick, as that just gives you massive room for failure in the installation department.

While your Pac-Man looking one has a different set of problems. First it is an obvious fighter panel, themed with a game that it doesn't even have the proper joystick installed to play. Second, it has text that is covered. The text should ideally go down to the bottom where it can be read.

Really light up buttons and sticks are busy enough all on their own, you might want to go with just plain black or with Capcom speckled grey as shown below, both of which are easy to find and are hard to mess up the install on.