CP - check it out!

[cbmeeks]

What do you guys think of this layout?

Also, I designed this in PageMaker if anyone wants the template.

-cb

[Pasqualz]

nice meeks! My only comment is that the spinner looks like it may be too close to the trackball.

[cbmeeks]

yeah, I wondered about that.

My concern is the trackball getting in the way of the 4-way

I like the idea of the pause and the exit on the side.  :-)

[jdfriesen]

I agree with the spinner being too close to the trackball.  My only other concern, also trackball related, is with the buttons right beneath it.  This would probably only matter if you're also planning on using the TB as a mouse, but wouldn't the heal of your hand then rest on the buttons?

John Friesen

[spauldingd]

Nice, I also worry about the spinner placement.  Some games, like marble madness require pretty violent movement of the trackball and you are likely to hit your hand.  I also personally prefer the mouse buttons to be above the trackball so I can operate it more like a real mouse (one-handed).

I'm not saying my layout is better, but you might have a look and see what you think.  I have all the same things you have:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=18852


Putting the mouse buttons on top does cause some problems with space to rest your hand for the 4-way joystick, buy my layout works well as I spaced them far enough apart.

[Doc-]

I would add a seventh "thumb" button to the two main six button layouts.  In addition to being the "run" button on some games, the thumb button lets you come close to some popular game layouts such as Asteroids and Defender.

[Xphile]

Hmm... how often will you be using the mouse buttons as "mouse buttons"?

Perhaps if you had your 3 mouse buttons above the trackball,
you could map your upper 3  buttons (to the right of the 4 way) through
 them and eliminate a set of buttons.. in other words just drop the 4-way
buttonset down a few inches and use them as you mouse buttons..

or even eliminate both sets of buttons and just use the 1,2,3 of the 8-ways
 buttons as both the mouse buttons and the 4 way buttons..:-)

(not saying you did, but sometimes people get a little button happy
and end up with a really complex looking panel when less would do the
 same amount of work.. in the end, it'll be whatever you are
comfortable with..get some cardboard and cut it to you panel
dimensions and play with placement - you'll soon find what you like and
what you don't :-)

[Lilwolf]

Mouse buttons... gatta move.

but take note... you can move them really really far away and still be comfortable.  You want some room to take a decent swing at the trackball... and still have you fingers on the button..

but the big thing here... I highly recommend.

Get a cheap piece of crap press board.  You can get a 4x8 for a 2 or 3 bucks.  And build up your idea.  Don't do any finishing at all.  And all cabling should be transferable (your using quick disconnects right?)

So you can test it.  Probably create 2-3 control panels with the one crap board... And test it.   Dont really mount it, just clamp it down if possible.
 
you WILL find that you wnat to make small changes.  

I would even say... play with the crap cp version for a week or so.  Play most your favorite games.  Then start working on a nice version.