Anyone layout their CP like the book? How is it?

[megashock5]

Hello,

I was planning on laying out my control panel about like the book shows, but I was wondering if anyone had done that and how they liked it.

It's the location of the 4-way stick that seems a bit odd, but I'm sure the decision came from experience (which I have none of, this is my first cab.)

thanks in advance!

[megashock5]

nobody??

[sdrob04]

Hey Megashock5,

Figured I'd write since, like you, I'm getting a bit lonely waiting for a reply to my post in this area of the message board...(wait...is that a tumbleweed blowing across the dusty lane?)

Anyway, I'm also building my first cab and spent several weeks agonizing over a control panel layout.

[GameOver]

I did mine similar to the book, but used 6 buttons for each instead of 7, and I also removed the 4 way joystick, and used 4 way/8 way switchable joysticks for both player 1 & player 2.

[megashock5]

thanks, GameOver

I wanted to do that with switchables, but they were too pricey for me so I have the extra 4-way. I too am going with six buttons per side instead of seven. I love how clean your CP came out.

It's the placement of the 4-way in the book that I'm wondering about. It seems odd, but I'm sure they know more than I do.

My next task is seeing if I can build a spinner cheap. The premade ones are darned expensive.

[namedos]

In building my first cp I've been bouncing around several different ideas.  I originally decided to go with a similar design of a slikstik classic panel.  I figured that it was a good selling item so they must have put a fair amount of research into it.

However, once I put it down on paper I'm not sure I like where the 4 way joystick is and the spinner seems odd as well.  My current layout is on a big sheet of graph paper but I want to set up a model so I've decided to order the majority of my parts and play around with them on cardboard and/or some 1/4" plywood. 

I have played 4-way games such as donkey kong with 8-way joysticks and it drove me nuts so I know I want to use a dedicated 4 way joystick.  The majority of games I plan on playing are the older, "classic" style games.

[SadGamerGeek]

I too am planning on the book layout but with the 4 way removed (again using 2x 4/8 switchable joysticks) and 6 buttons instead of 7.

It will be my first cabinet & CP and my main concern is how easy the spinner will be to use when placed behind some of the buttons. I'm worried that when the spinner is in use the left arm will get in the way of some of the buttons. Has anyone found this a problem?

Cheers,

Richard

[GameOver]

I understand about the $$$, but will tell you that Oscar's model-3 is one nice spinner!  But you're right, these things aren't exactly cheap.  Can't say how putting the 4 way joystick  towards the back of the CP would be, but I can tell you the spinner where it is on my CP is no problem at all.  It's worked out great exactly where it is -  my left arm rests on the CP inbetween the joystick & the 6 buttons, while my right arm either works one or more of the six buttons, or works one of the three trackball buttons.  Either way it's a good fit.  If anything, I would move the spinner on my CP an inch or two more to the left if I could do it again.

Good  luck on your spinner hack!  I'm sure there are others in the forum that have done it that could give pointers.

[namedos]

Hey Gameover, for the classic style games that require 4-way sticks, have you had any problems?   I've ordered two perfect 360's and if I don't really need a third joystick it would make more sense to me to put the spinner the top center of the cp rather than another joystick.  I think it would look better as well.

By the way, I like the layout and color schemes that you have used.  I do get tired of seeing everyone use black and blue as the only color choices.   

Do you have any problems with people not knowing which buttons do what?  What did you do about administrative buttons?

[GameOver]

Those 360's s/b sweet!  I've never used 'em, but think I'd get 'em if I did another cab.  The microswitch joysticks get pretty 'clicky', especially when I'm playing Robotron.  I use Ultimarc's T-stik + which allows u to switch between 4/8 way w/o going into your CP.  This is a nice feature, I don't know how the 360 switches between 4/8 way.  I think the Ultimarcs work great when playing classics that prefer 4 way control.  Again, I'm not sure how the 360 switches between 4/8 way, but expect it would get old fast if you had to go into your CP everytime you had to switch.  I decided against a dedicated 4 way only because I didn't want 3 joysticks on my CP.

Regarding the spinner, I would mess with whatever you are using to design your CP to see what arrangement works for YOU! I enjoyed spending time in Paintshop Pro arranging my controls & switching colors around until I felt I had a CP I could live with.  If you spend time planning, chances are you wont be dissapointed with your results!  If you don't have PSP, use cardboard or draw it on paper, and look at lots of examples of other peoples designs to get ideas.

For buttons, I used the I-PAC encoder which includes a 'shift' button.  This let me keep the # of buttons on my CP down to a minimum.  People only need to know which buttons to put a coin in, start a game, and escape out of a game.  I handle eveything else (cab admin).  I really didn't want a lot of buttons on my CP so the Ultimarc 'shift' solution worked out well.

Can't wait to see some pics!

[namedos]

The 4-way that I ordered is the T-stick plus I just wasn't sure yet if I was going to put it in the control panel.  Is there any way to mount the Ultimarc stick without the carriage bolts?  I thought I had seen it on retro blast with a smooth top?

I am using an I-Pac and I hadn't thought about utilizing the shift button.  I'll need to reconsider some of my layout.  Thanks!

[Shape D.]

try this for mounting you sticks.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,15162.0.html

[namedos]

Great idea, Thanks! 

[Scanner]

I did use the 7 buttons because I play the fighter's mostly.  Also MK3 needs the 7th button and it makes a nice NEO GEO layout aswell.  I used the t-nut under plexi mounting and I think the results are good.

[RTSDaddy2]

Busy day today - haven't had time to get here and post, get questions answered in some time.

For our layout, we plan to do the book's layout, minus the 4-way joystick up top - with that gone, however, I'm wondering if I would have room (we have about 32" to work with - our cab is HUGE to fit this 32" TV) to place the trackball center, then above it use the "invisible keyboard" such as used in the Secret Arcade just above it or off to the side.

[cdaters]

Hey Scanner, where did you get the artwork featured on your control panel. That is really cool!

I did use the 7 buttons because I play the fighter's mostly.

[RTSDaddy2]

I post this here mainly to apologize to Megashock, the originator of this thread...we don't have a control panel that looks anything like the book at this point, though I said we were doing the book version at an earlier point in this thread.

Now here's the funny / odd thing about it - I didn't intend to change the configuration this much when I started out!