ideal depth of control panel?

[Extruder]

I'm in the planning stage of my first full-size cabinet and would like some advice. Is there a formula or guideline on how deep a control panel should be for comfort?
I love the bartop I just finished but am wishing the control panel was deeper so my forearms would rest more comfortably while playing.
A related question might be ideal slope angle as well, just generally how to make it more ergonomic for the player.
I've searched the forum and found a lot of opinions on button placement and joystick angles, etc but not a ton about the panel depth itself.

Thoughts? Thanks!

[PL1]

I'm in the planning stage of my first full-size cabinet and would like some advice. Is there a formula or guideline on how deep a control panel should be for comfort?
I love the bartop I just finished but am wishing the control panel was deeper so my forearms would rest more comfortably while playing.

If this is for the spinner/trackball cab you mentioned planning for here, you'll want to make sure that it is not only deep enough to comfortably rest your forearms, but also to keep from jamming your fingers against the monitor bezel when executing a vigorous "Superman" drive during a game of Golden Tee.

A related question might be ideal slope angle as well, just generally how to make it more ergonomic for the player.

Many people have used a 5 degree slope angle for the control panel.
- Leaving the panel flat can increase the feeling of cutting into the forearms of shorter players.
- Increasing the angle too much can cause problems with the trackball rolling properly.

A mockup with a monitor and 1/8" hardboard control panel resting on a pile of books/magazines on a small table should allow you to find the right combination of ergonomic layout, height, slope, and monitor distance/angle for your specific needs.

You might find it useful to carefully work through the design process described here in the FAQ.

https://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/FAQ#What_type_of_build_meets_my_needs.3F


Scott

[Xiaou2]

Unless the controllers are placed too far away from your arms reach, your control panel can be almost any depth that you choose.

Im estimating that Games like Mortal Kombat had control panels that were like 16" deep... with the joysticks being placed
in the center  (about 8" from the front edge of the Control Panel).

You probably want at least  6" to 8"  from the center of your joystick, to the front edge of the CP.   Just enough that half of
your forearms are resting on the CP.

Im also estimating the angle of a Mortal Kombat control panel..  drops about 1" in height... from the center of the joystick...
to the front edge of the CP.   Im going by photos... as I no longer have any arcade machines.

PL1  is spot on about the Trackball issue.   I think the original Golden Tee games had like 10" from the center of the
Trackball.. to the Top Edge of the CP (near the monitor)... and the monitor itself was at a pretty steel angle, to further
help prevent people from bashing their fingers into it.

You might also consider raising the height of your CP up a few inches, compared to the old arcade standard measurements...
as people have grown in average height... since the time of those games.  You dont want to have to bend your back (or
bent it too much) to be able to get your arms to rest comfortably on the CP.

Other Advice:

- Dont Angle any of the Sticks

- Dont make curved button layouts  (your hand isnt resting flat, when using buttons. Treat it like your keyboards keys... straight lines)
Put at least one long-travel pinball Leafswitch button per player, for classic and rapid-fire games.  Then learn how to "Feather" it, for
the easiest and fastest rapidfire potentials.  You might consider making it the 7th button, doubling as MK3's Run Button

- Make as little space between the buttons, as possible.  This will make it more comfortable, and easier to operate.

- If you like Defender, place a button very close to the Sticks, so you can quickly trigger it from your stick hand

- Dont have the monitor be 90 degrees (100% vertical).   Angle it, so that people of various heights, can see it easily from multiple angles.
This also helps keep your head/eyes at a decent enough distance away from the monitor.

- Cabinet side-walls, can vastly improve the machines sound.. as well as help you focus on the gameplay better... as the
cabinet walls sort of act like Horse Blinders.  This helps keep your eyes focused on the monitor.. rather than being
distracted by anything around you, in your peripheral view.

- Adding two 4" diameter Bass Shakers... will greatly add to the experience.   They produce massive vibrations, without
the need for loud subwoofers (they are almost silent, as there is no "Cone" being moved).

- Add an analog Pedal Set that slides under that cabinet, for driving games

- Add spinners, for use with spinner based driving games (like SuperSprint, Turbo, TX-1, Pole Position, and many more),
as well as for Tempest, Tron, and Mad Planets.

- Add a Button Topped stick, to be able to use for Mad Planets, along with a Spinner
(or potentially modify a sticks bat top, to have a top button)

- Make sure that you dont have to rest your arm on top of other controls, due to a poorly planned layout

- If you place two joysticks at a slight backwards diagonal from each other, you can reach either one, with a single hand,
without any comfort issues, nor accidentally bashing into the other stick, as you move one.  This could be used for having
two different sticks, per player.  For example, One 8-way on the bottom.. and one restricted 4 way, on the top.
Or a Joystick on the Bottom.. and a Spinner on the top..   etc.

- Do a live playtest, with your cardboard Mockups.. before committing to wood.  Dont just do a fit / comfort test.  You want
to actually play games.  I didnt learn how bad curved button layouts were, until I tried to play the games.  Before that,
simply laying my fingers on the buttons... Seemed comfortable.   This resulted in having to remake the CP completely.