4 player CP's. P3 & P4 comfort?

[Bones]

To get some ideas regarding design layout of a 4 player CP, I downloaded some Gauntlet II advertisement flyers which feature 4 players using this particular machine. It looked like they were closer than I imagined and P3 & P4 were at some horrible playing angles.

I have searched extensively on 4 player MAME systems which appear to be better designed and not as cramped, but the screen angles for P3 & P4 still appear pretty severe.

I know every design is different and final spacing and viewing comfort is probably subject to number of buttons, the screen angle and overall size of the CP. But, for those members who own a 4 player system (or have played as P3 or P4 on a mate

[versapak]

On my cabs control panel, players 3 & 4 are at a 45

[Xiaou2]

 In an arcade I worked at,  they had a Tekken III showcase cab...
but someone installed the joys and buttons at near 45 degree angles.   

 I tried a bunch of games.. but somehow - I couldnt get it right.  I kept pushing the wrong angles - as if the control panel were facing normal.  I dont know how people could play at an angle - unless the stick was still oriented with up at the top.

[paigeoliver]

Tekken is a way more exact game than Gauntlet.

The 4 player games were largely gimmicky beat em ups. The 4 player cabinets were also largely designed not so much to actually hold 4 people at once (this was very rare), as they were to get operators to buy the machine on the idea that he might be getting 4 players at once.

At any rate they weren't designed to hold 4 adults anyway, think more along the lines of holding 4 ten year olds, which is the age most of the classic 4-player games were targeting.

Anyway, I have you all beat, I have a 4 player cabinet that is only like 28" wide. William Pro Tennis, from 1973.

[hulkster]

in my opinion, if you are going to have a 4 player cp, then you need to build a showcase style cab.  i wanted to have 4 player capability, and like paige said, the uprights arent really good for holding 4 adults beside each other.  my cp is 50 in. wide (yes i know, but its showcase cab so shut up) and im a pretty big dude (6'3" 210lbs.)  so i have friends that come over and we all play side by side with no problems.  if you are going the 4 player route, i would build a showcase.  just my 2cents...im sure youll find another opinion soon


whats the deal with the cop smiley??

[versapak]

I guess it really is a question of how often you will actually have 4 people playing at once.


I have had 4 adults playing at once on mine, and it is a bit cramped, but not unbearably so. My control panel is 48" wide with both 3 & 4 players angled. The 45

[nipsmg]

I don't understand the issues with mounting the sticks at an angle.

Normal human beings are more than capable of adjusting for this.  When playing console games, if you're sitting on a couch that's off to a side of the tv, do you contort your wrists so that the controller is at a perfect 90 degree angle with the TV?  No, of course not.

[Shape D.]

I don't understand the issues with mounting the sticks at an angle.

Normal human beings are more than capable of adjusting for this. When playing console games, if you're sitting on a couch that's off to a side of the tv, do you contort your wrists so that the controller is at a perfect 90 degree angle with the TV? No, of course not.

Dude, i've seen people lean into jumps, thinking that the character on the screen will jump farther somehow.  but yeah, most people can deal with it after a few minutes of playing.

[GGKoul]

You have 2 options for the CP design itself

Straight across

3 XX

[hulkster]

well the whole reason i picked a showcase cab was mainly for the control panel width and to have enough space at the back of the control panel so when i play golden tee, im not hitting the class.  you really cant do all of those things effectively at once on an upright, so thus, the showcase cab.  and i know that it may not remind of you of the old school days, and to be honest, the showcase cab stuff didnt really start happening until after i wasnt going to the arcades as much, so they werent really a part of my life either.  all that to say...if you want 4 players, at COMFORTABLE angles and enough space for everyone, you are either going to have to sacrifice something on an upright (i.e. no 4 player cp/cp that is too wide for an upright/or cramped 4 player) or you will build a showcase. 

[paigeoliver]

Dude, you do know that when playing Golden Tee there is no difference in distance the ball will go with a normal stroke or a monster glass bashing stroke. I have a '99 machine. I do smooth easy strokes and my friend Dave does monster glass bashers.

I usually outdrive him by about 4 yards.

[hulkster]

yeah but its so much coooooooooler    to have the cool glass bashing stroke.  right?  right!!?!?!

[calicyco]

Hmm, ok this thread has me curious about something: What is a "showcase" cabinet?!? Versus an "upright" cabinet? Any examples you can point me to?

I am building a 4 player CP right now, I have a full mock up already made and wired, and the 3 & 4 players are at a 45 degree angle, on a 48" wide X 24" deep CP. Very similar to many other 4 player cabs I've seen on the net. So.. this will be mounted to an arcade style cabinet, with the panel wider than the cab. Is that an "upright" or a "showcase"? I don't really care what you call it, but I'd like to know what you all mean in your posts!

[Silver]

A Showcase cab is where the CP is physically seperated from the stand with monitor - think sit down tekken with a 50" screen. You don't WANT to be that close to one of those (they normally come with large monitors)

check out the MEGA cab at dreamauthentics:

http://www.dreamauthentics.com/index_mega.htm

Or even better check out hulkster's rather cool (IMHO) cab here:

http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/d/ddilday13/home.html

Thats a "showcase". Takes up *Lots* of room.....

[Bones]

I guess it really is a question of how often you will actually have 4 people playing at once.

I have 2 young kids who by the time my cab is finished will always want to play. More than likely Mum & Dad will get dragged in for a good game of The Simpsons and I think having a four player machine can only add to the fun.

I really considered the Showcase style after finding a 38" D9200 monitor for a steal. But, it's really not the look I am trying to re-create.

Thanks for all the feedback, I think I can live with minor elbow bashing for P3 & P4, so my thoughts on a 4 player system just moved forward some more.

[Bones]

I don't understand the issues with mounting the sticks at an angle.

Normal human beings are more than capable of adjusting for this.

[paigeoliver]

And I can play Q*Bert on a normal stick all day long.

[Hiub1]

My CP design has enabled me so far to have comfortable 4 player gaming sessions and good golf without hitting the glass or anything. I did angle the 3 and 4 player controls, but I do not think it was a steep 45 deg. angle. I also made my CP deep enough so that the 3 and 4 player controls were a bit further out from the screen, and visibility was greatly improved. This also enables a HUGE amount of room in front of the trackball, and allows comfortable playing of TW2005 or the bowling games that are so much fun to play. Here are some pics, and if you want I can post up the measurements.

[ras2a]

Dude, i've seen people lean into jumps, thinking that the character on the screen will jump farther somehow.  but yeah, most people can deal with it after a few minutes of playing.

This is SO true.  My mate used to do this a LOT.  He used to make these made gestures with his mouth in a sort of 'O' shape...i know that sounds ominous (lol) but, well...there you go

[LordDamo]

Dude, i've seen people lean into jumps, thinking that the character on the screen will jump farther somehow. but yeah, most people can deal with it after a few minutes of playing.

This is SO true. My mate used to do this a LOT. He used to make these made gestures with his mouth in a sort of 'O' shape...i know that sounds ominous (lol) but, well...there you go

Yep. I had a mate that did the same thing too - but if we were playing street fighter, and he lost the first round, he would kind of "chew" as his hits would land. I questioned him about this every time.
He always replyed with a shrug.

[versapak]

Dude, i've seen people lean into jumps, thinking that the character on the screen will jump farther somehow.

<==== yep