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Another CP Layout needing feedback
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Martoon:

--- Quote from: pointdablame on September 01, 2004, 09:06:59 pm ---that panel is a bit too deep for my liking.  I'm not convinced that you'd enjoy using the controls toward the monitor for an extended period of time... but that's just me.

Your layout itself looks pretty good, however.  I would rotate the P1 buttons as was suggested though

--- End quote ---

Yeah, I am going to pull everything back a bit, and make the panel not so deep.  But if I rotate the P1 buttons, it won't be by much.  I like the players facing the monitor in parallel, not angled in toward the center.
Martoon:

--- Quote from: XtraSmiley on September 01, 2004, 09:11:38 pm ---Some of my favorite trackball games require the use of a button or two also.  I don't see easy to hit buttons with your ball.  I mean, they are all within reach, but are they at an angle that is comfortable to tap?  I'm horrible with pictures though, I need the real deal to feel something out.  Good luck, looks great so far.

--- End quote ---

That's a good point.  Initially, I had the P1 and P2 buttons straight to the right of each joystick, so the P1 buttons were right by the trackball, but now the trackball's a little lonely.  Maybe I should put the mouse buttons left and right of the trackball instead of above it.
Tilzs:
Don't make the CP any larger than you have to. It seems like there is a lot of dead space on the sides as well, if I was making that CP i'd make the controls spread out a little bit more across the width.

For sure don't make it so deep though. There really is no need.
Xiaou2:

 Ok, i messed with this a little for fun...

 By making a v angle in the bottom, i was able to move the
trackball lower - thus giving it a lot of space away from the other controls so that your hands do not fly into them.

 I also moved the topfire and spinner closer to you for more comfort... and swapped thier order.  Being a bit closer together so as can use with both hands at the same time.  You can also see that you can reach them without arms hitting the other controls and buttons.   You could also use the mouse buttons next to them if needed.

 Added a coin in button next to start.  not sure which admin buttons needed... but you could line more up at the top anyways.

 I did realized (now) that if you stood in the middle, you might be poked a bit by the point... you could either curve it a little more... or flatten out a smaller straight edge (about 5 inches).    Now that I think about it... smoothing the curve out would prolly be the best idea.

DougHillman:

--- Quote from: Martoon on September 01, 2004, 07:12:38 pm ---Okay, to give an idea of scale:  The entire panel is 34" wide and 20" deep.  The spinner and top-button 8-way are 14" (to center) from the bottom edge.  It's a slight reach, but not too bad.  I could move everything down a little.  It's just that I've heard people say you don't want the controls too close to the bottom edge, because you want some wrist/arm support if you're sitting at the cab on a barstool.  But it could probably come down a little.

And the angle of the buttons feels about right like it is, for both players.  Like DougHillman said, your hands angle inwards.  We tried having two of us stand there each pretending to hold a joystick and buttons, and our hands fell naturally and we were facing the screen square on.

I could move the controls out to the sides a little more like people suggested, but not too far.  I want to use the joysticks for two-joystick games (Robotron, etc.), and if they got much further apart they wouldn't be too comfortable.

The reason I have the bit of extra width is, once again, for support when sitting on a barstool.  The pic below shows the angle of the player's arms.  I didn't want them going off the edge.  But it looks like I could definitely bring the edges in a couple inches, if I round off all the corners (so your arms won't be resting on a corner).

And yes, the whole thing is deeper than it needs to be.

So I think I'll:

Pull everything down a little, and get rid of some of the depth.

Round off the corners.

Lose some of the width off the sides.

--- End quote ---

Have you actually mocked this up at the height you're planning and sat at it on the stools?

In over 2 decades of video gaming, I've seldom (if ever) encountered a situation in which I've actually got my entire forearms laying on a control panel.   Won't work unless you're sitting aweful low or your CP is positioned pretty high.  Don't think it would be terribly comfortable either way.

 
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