Please critique my control panel

[subzero23]

Here is what I *THINK* will be my final control panel design. The background (the generic capcom/street fighter style part) may change to something else but not the Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga part). The joysticks are two competition and 1 Galaga/Ms.Pac-Man reunion joystick. Please look it as a whole, not just the art. Will go on a Mortal Kombat/Midway style cabinet


In that one ^^ I may make the second reunion button blue so it's red-blue. I might also add words and number my buttons 1-7

Here is an alternate color scheme I may/may not use sometimes to change things up and get that slurpee color scheme goin on.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v168/blueking/Mockup3.jpg">


Also, in general and on real arcade machines, how do people remove the top part of the control panel to access the buttons if they're carriage bolts?

[quarterstringer]

You might consider moving the upper two red buttons either left or right so that the red joystick isn't in the way.

[subzero23]

Ya I gotta make sure the buttons are just far enough so the person can stick their arm around the right joystick at an angle

should I tilt the buttons 10degrees?

[paigeoliver]

This is 10 times more functional and twice as easy to use.

[Minwah]

I would just remove the 2 red 4-way buttons, and use the player 2 buttons instead.

I agree to some extent with paige about ease of use, but I wouldn't like having 2 sticks next to each other like that.  Have you considered a 4/8-way switchable stick for P1?

[paigeoliver]

Those two sticks right next to each other LOOK hard to use, but in reality (when installed in that order) they totally do not get in the way of each other. You don't bump into one when using the other because of height differences.

The short little galapac stick HAS to be on the left though.

[Minwah]

Those two sticks right next to each other LOOK hard to use, but in reality (when installed in that order) they totally do not get in the way of each other.

Yes I agree on the usability front, I just don't like the look of it!

[subzero23]

ya definately aesthetically ugly :/
So for now I think my idea is fine
for the cpo i might just go with a solid blue or blue mixture like Ultracade

there's no way in hell i'd get anything but a true reunion 4 way though for my 4way games

[neuromancer]

When I hold my arms out in front of me (which I would need to do to use the stick mounted at the top of a panel), my back gets sore.

Bob

[drunkatuw]

I've got a similar layout as you (except I added a trackball) and I have no problem with the 4-way being at the top of the CP, it's actually very comfortable to rest your forearms on the CP while playing hours of pacman and galaga.  I'd use your original design but move the buttons for the 4-way closer to the joystick as I think was suggested by quarterstring.  Then I'd move the entire player 2 setup more to the right to open up the middle of the CP so that you definitely won't have some controls in the way of others.  

As a last suggestion, I'd also suggest moving both 8-ways and their buttons higher up on the CP so that you have a place to rest your wrists while playing.

I've attached a picture of my control panel which I've been using since January and have had no complaints while playing it as of yet.