Midway 4 player CP questions

[CGRemakes]

I'm in the process of cutting out the pieces for my next cab and had a few questions.  I am going to be making a Midway cab, and am going to be using the dimmensions of the 4 player CP (NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, etc).  I would like to confirm the dimmesions:

Top: 37 x 13.5
Sides: 7 back, 5 front, 12.5 deep
Front: 35 x 5
Back: 35 x 7
Bottom: 35 x 12.5 (minus 1 1/2 for the width of the wood)

I was also wondering if someone had the measurements for the layout, and if someone knew if the joysticks are angled towards the screen, or if they are all 4 parallel to the screen.  Thanks!

[TalkingOctopus]

I believe all 4 joysticks were parallel.  

[cdbrown]

I can confirm that the joysticks are all parallel to the screen.  The button layouts were slightly rotated differently for each player and also the location of the buttons in relation to the joysticks where also different.  

As for the size of the panel I can't help you out as I can't find my measurements I had of an NBA Jam CP.  If I find it I will post but don't hold your breath.

Cheers
-cdbrown

[CGRemakes]

Thanks for the info.  That makes sense that they would be parallel.  I did kind of a "simulated" 4 player layout with my existing CP, and it felt strange with the joysticks being angled towards the screen.

[versapak]

I am going to be making a cab & 4 player control panel soon, and was wondering...



Why would you want the controls parallel to the screen? I can think of an advantage to having em parallel in games such as smash tv, but wouldn't this skew your sense of proper direction if you were playing in either of the side positions?

Just seems weird to me, but I don't want to build my panel and find that not having them parallel is the suck.

[CGRemakes]

I am going to be making a cab & 4 player control panel soon, and was wondering...



Why would you want the controls parallel to the screen? I can think of an advantage to having em parallel in games such as smash tv, but wouldn't this skew your sense of proper direction if you were playing in either of the side positions?

Just seems weird to me, but I don't want to build my panel and find that not having them parallel is the suck.

It may be just a matter of opinion, but for me it seemed like my senses were more skewed when they were angled towards the screen.  If I was running forward and wanted to go up, I would have to push diagonal relative to the character I was controlling.  I'm sure I would get used to it, but parallel just seemed better.

[Nephus]

if they aren't parallel to the screen it would throw off your sense of direction.  Moving the joystick to the direction that would correspond to your char moving up would be at an angle instead of the direction you want to move.   I mean, would you turn a Street Fighter joystick 45 degrees to jam it into a smaller CP but still have room for 2 people to play? No, it'd be almost impossible to get your orientation right.

[ForKChop]

I've got a NBA Hangtime 4p control panel down in the garage.  I'll take some pics later today and post them up.

[CGRemakes]

I've got a NBA Hangtime 4p control panel down in the garage.  I'll take some pics later today and post them up.

That would be great!  If you could get the CP layout dimmensions, and also confirm that overall dimmensions I posted that would be perfect.  

[CGRemakes]

if they aren't parallel to the screen it would throw off your sense of direction.  Moving the joystick to the direction that would correspond to your char moving up would be at an angle instead of the direction you want to move.   I mean, would you turn a Street Fighter joystick 45 degrees to jam it into a smaller CP but still have room for 2 people to play? No, it'd be almost impossible to get your orientation right.

That's what I was trying to say, but you said it much better.  

[versapak]

If you are standing at one of the angled player positions on either side though, sticks positioned parallel to the screen mean that you are now pushing diagonally to go up etc... correct?

I took my pelican arcade stick and placed it parallel to my tv, and stood to the side of it, it couldn't have felt more wrong. When I hold the controller, regardless of my positioning in the room, I want up to be a direct push forward.


Maybe I am just understanding it wrong.  


I'm more inclined to take you guys' word for it when it comes to building my cabinet than my own little test results, because I want it to feel proper for an arcade cabinet, and generally speaking, the majority here are definitely more in the know than I. Still... It just seems odd to me.

[CGRemakes]

If you are standing at one of the angled player positions on either side though, sticks positioned parallel to the screen mean that you are now pushing diagonally to go up etc... correct?

I took my pelican arcade stick and placed it parallel to my tv, and stood to the side of it, it couldn't have felt more wrong. When I hold the controller, regardless of my positioning in the room, I want up to be a direct push forward.


Maybe I am just understanding it wrong.  


I'm more inclined to take you guys' word for it when it comes to building my cabinet than my own little test results, because I want it to feel proper for an arcade cabinet, and generally speaking, the majority here are definitely more in the know than I. Still... It just seems odd to me.

I don't know that there is an absolute right and wrong answer, just a matter of personal feel.  If I'm correct, there are some 4 player arcade games that have angled joysticks as well.  Maybe this picture will help clear what I'm talking about.  It's an NFL Blitz CP.  The red arrow represents the joysticks angled.  Notice how the direction you are pushing, though you are pressing up relative to the player, it does not correspond to the direction that the character will move.  The green, however does, which represents the joysticks parallel to the screen.

[Jakobud]

If you are looking for detailed dimensions for this type of cabinet, just check my website.

[CGRemakes]

If you are looking for detailed dimensions for this type of cabinet, just check my website.

Actually, that's where I got the dimmensions I'm using.  Great plans!  Unfortunately, it doesn't have the CP dimmensions for a Midway 4 player CP.  It does have the Konami cab CP (similar, but not exact), and the Mortal Kombat 2 player CP.  I'm also looking for the layout, which it doesn't have.  (BTW, have you ever thought about providing layouts as well?)

[Jakobud]

(BTW, have you ever thought about providing layouts as well?)

Yes I am beginning to regret no getting those at the time of cabinet measurement.  I'm gonna start adding those to existing plans and getting them on all new measurements.

[quarterstringer]

I took my pelican arcade stick and placed it parallel to my tv, and stood to the side of it, it couldn't have felt more wrong. When I hold the controller, regardless of my positioning in the room, I want up to be a direct push forward.


Maybe I am just understanding it wrong.  


I'm more inclined to take you guys' word for it when it comes to building my cabinet than my own little test results, because I want it to feel proper for an arcade cabinet, and generally speaking, the majority here are definitely more in the know than I. Still... It just seems odd to me.

There are a few of us that built 4-player control panels with joysticks angled at 45 degrees and we were discussing it in this thread.

I think it depends on how your control panel is shaped. If you have 45 degree angles forcing P3 & P4 to stand that way, then I would angle the joystick at 45 degrees, that's how I built mine. But if it is a rectangular 4 player control panel then I would have all 4 joysticks facing the same way towards the screen, because you're not forcing P3 & P4 to stand at a specific angle.

I did the same kind of test you did with my 2-player panel before building the 4-player. I stood at 45 degrees and tried playing Ms. Pac-Man with a forward facing joystick and it felt all wrong. Build yours the way you think it feels right. Good luck.