Rotating joystick for Qbert project

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skr:
Ver nice print indeed, the multicolor thing turned out awesome!
Which printer are you using?

severdhed:
Thanks. I'm using the Anycubic Cobra 3

Xiaou2:
Do a test, and try mounting the Spinner to the Front of the Cabinet (mounted horizontally, like a volume dial)

Another option, is a Spring Mounted mechanism... where you can raise and lower the spinner... by pressing
it.. or using a mounting assembly that can be raised and lowered (which might be similar to the lever
on your Qbert stick... just in a different vector)

To play games like Tron, Mad Planets, and more... you would want a small fire button on the top of your stick

I believe Ive seen ball-top joysticks, that have a small button on top

Check out the Wico Command joysticks. They made balltops and long bat joysticks, that have the top mounted button
These also have a Rubber Centering Grommet, making them feel much better for Classic Arcade games

Additionally, at least ONE of your buttons should be a Pinball Leafswitch Button (long travel leafswitch). These
are excellent for Rapidfire games, like Halleys Comet, Asteroids Deluxe, and Galaga. You can "Feather" them on/off
by Vibrating your finger.. which makes them fire extremely fast.. while also reducing finger Fatigue by a factor
of 1000 (compared to microswitch buttons)

As for the Trackball... Having it that close to the monitor... may lead to some hand injuries, when trying to roll it
forwards fast. Some time ago, I came up with the idea for a Flip-Out trackball assembly. When the trackball flips
out from the Control Panel... it would make the Trackball be several more inches away from the monitor.. giving
you a lot more space.

You might look into making a Flip Out Trackball module, to give you the additional room to spin it at full speed,
without hitting the monitor

Edit: There is another possible solution to the Trackball issue.. where you could make the entire Control panel slide
forwards away from the Main Base. You would need to devise a locking mechanism, to prevent it from sliding
freely, once its slid away from the main base.

You would also want to remove that raised LIP on the edges of the control panel.. as otherwise your hands
will smash into it, when rolling the ball to the right

Xiaou2:
Example Mockup

In this example... you have a Balltop with the top Button added

A flip out Trackball

Four Buttons (top left button = A Pinball Leafswitch button)

Pinball Buttons on Both sides of the Cabinet, for playing Virtual Pinball tables

A spinner on the Front of the Panel

A possible alternative spinner location, on the Side of the cab.. though, this would
probably have to be raised higher up (my mistake)

And, add one Bass Shaker Transducer in the cabinet, for a subwoofer like vibrational effect
(even greater vibrations, without the air movement. they sell them at Partexpress)

And finally... If one does the Flip Trackball method, it would be best to round all of the corners,
to prevent any hand scrapes

You would also need a small post or Lip to pull the Trackball up

severdhed:
thanks for the feedback. i have no need for joysticks with buttons on them, tron doesn't interest me. this is a vertical classics cabinet, not a do everything cabinet. i like the feel of microswitchh buttons. i love the JLW joystick. i had a wico stick once that came in a DK cabinet, i hated it. it was so stiff and hard to move, i want to play games, not get a forearm workout. i have no desire for pinball games. the spinner will be fine where it is. the trackball will also be fine where it is. it is only really there for centipede and millipede. i have a trackball in my pedestal cabinet if i want to play golf or bowling games, but i very rarelly do.

i plan on having about 30 games on here that are actually good. i've built quite a few cabinets already so i know what i like and what i don't when it comes to controls.

anyway, my trackball arrived on friday, so i modeled the last panel, it fit perfectly on the first try!

i made a new test panel so i can test everything while i set up the pc. i'll probably hold off building the cabinet until spring at this point.

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