Show me photos of your home-built 4-Player (Quad) Contol Panel!

[IntruderAlert]

I can group player 2 and 4 and move them more to the right (plenty of space there)
but I was just worried about keeping a sort of overall balance to the CP

I guess it won't hurt to see what it looks like...

[AlanS17]

I notice some people have 3 buttons above their TB...isn't this awkward for playing games...why not just use the player 1 buttons?

[markrvp]

 but oh well. I can still play by myself with P1 and P2.

I really like playing with myself.  Um. . . I mean . . . by myself.

[IntruderAlert]

OK

I moved things around a bit so that P4 won't have to reach as far
but maybe P2's blue buttons are getting a bit too close to the edge
moved the trackball and spinner around a little too.. just checking..
oh, and how many buttons do I really need for the trackball anyway?
BEFORE

AFTER

[markrvp]

Oops, I was talking out of my own arse. 

You won't use diagonals mode, you will use 8-way mode for all joysticks.  You will need to map Player 1 & 2 Joys so that UP actually equals UP+RIGHT and so forth, but it will still work perfectly because the 8 way zones are very even on the 49-ways.

[IntruderAlert]

Here's mine.  A little less width (38" wide).

How far apart are your player 2 and 4 sticks?
Does your player 2 stick get in the way of the trackball?

that's a 48" template I'm working on
I'm amazed that you squeezed all of that into 38"
do you recommend I try to do the same?

[IntruderAlert]

OK.. here's my first attempt to trim it down to 38" wide and still keep the sticks lined up on a 45 degree angle for 49way smashtv

[markrvp]

What type of box will the top panel be mounted to?  Draw out the wood frame for the box as an overlay and let's make sure there is clearance.

[GGKoul]

I had a similar setup.

[markrvp]

I had a similar setup.

[NoOne=NBA=]

You won't use diagonals mode, you will use 8-way mode for all joysticks.  You will need to map Player 1 & 2 Joys so that UP actually equals UP+RIGHT and so forth, but it will still work perfectly because the 8 way zones are very even on the 49-ways.

It's going to take ALOT more programming than that to make this work properly.

As you have it, you will have either a 4-way stick (provided you use Q*Bert mode), or you will have HUGE deadspots on the original directions.
If UP=Up-Right, and LEFT=Up-Left, then the joystick will send no usable signal when only the Up switch is pressed.


I'm not completely sure that the following mapping will work because I haven't tested it, but it should.
It should also work on any 8-way stick--if it DOES work.

You need to map the inputs as follows:
NOTE: Red are MAME inputs, Green are Joystick inputs.

UP=(Up NOT Up-Left) OR Up-Right OR (Right NOT Right-Down)
LEFT=(Left NOT Left-Down) OR Up-Left OR (Up NOT Up-Right)
DOWN=(Down NOT Down-Right) OR Down-Left OR (Left NOT Left-Up)
RIGHT=(Right NOT Right-Up) OR Down-Right OR (Down NOT Down-Left)

Using this mapping, the original cardinal directions SHOULD send signals to 2 separate inputs (i.e. Up SHOULD trigger both the UP command, and the LEFT command).

[IntruderAlert]

...still trimming
this is about 38"x20"
will build box to suit

[GGKoul]

I had a similar setup.

[markrvp]

You won't use diagonals mode, you will use 8-way mode for all joysticks.

[IntruderAlert]

Here's 38"x20" with frame
..had to move things around a bit more
maybe I should add a few inches width ..
i'm worried about the trackball placement for one thing

[NoOne=NBA=]

I would probably never try this with regular joysticks that use switches, but I think it is going to work with the GP-Wiz 49 & 49-way joysticks.

That is exactly how the 49-way appears to MAME when using 8-way DRS mode, like you mentioned above.

I'm going to try the mapping I posted above, and see if it works.
Let me know what you find out with the analog settings.

My gut feel is that they aren't going to work either, for the same reasons mentioned above.
(X-axis=+/Y-axis=0) will have no mapping, and probably create a dead spot.

[IntruderAlert]

somebody get Randy over here!

[NoOne=NBA=]

Here's tested mappings.
I was able to simplify them once I got to testing.

UP=(Up NOT Left) OR (Right NOT Down)
LEFT=(Left NOT Down) OR (Up NOT Right)
DOWN=(Down NOT Right) OR (Left NOT Up)
RIGHT=(Right NOT Up) OR (Down NOT Left)

This will work with any 8-way stick, but will work best with round restricted sticks (Wicos/Monroes/P-360/49-way DRS)

[markrvp]

Here's tested mappings.
I was able to simplify them once I got to testing.

UP=(Up NOT Left) OR (Right NOT Down)
LEFT=(Left NOT Down) OR (Up NOT Right)
DOWN=(Down NOT Right) OR (Left NOT Up)
RIGHT=(Right NOT Up) OR (Down NOT Left)

This will work with any 8-way stick, but will work best with round restricted sticks (Wicos/Monroes/P-360/49-way DRS)

Good job. 

How do I map that in MAME with the 49-way and GP-Wiz 49?

[NoOne=NBA=]

See the thread I just started about this.
Make sure you are using the 8-way DRS mode, when you do the mappings.

Or, easier yet, use the keyboard to do it.
That way you don't accidentally hit two switches at once.

[markrvp]

Just replied with a new question in new thread.

[Rawker]

[KrawDaddy]

Iam very pleased with this layout.

[tivogre]

Here's mine:



I've just completed my control panel construction webpage:

http://www.ogredog.com/mame_cp_construction.htm

My on-going cabinet construction thread / web page link are here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,36000.0.html

[jelwell]

That's why Mark and I started talking about using the 49-way sticks.
As long as sticks 1&3 and 2&4 are in line with one another on perfect 45 degree angles you can
reprogram sticks 1 and 2 to work on the same angles as 3 and 4

[quarterstringer]

Oh well. Now I'm wondering what games point "UP" like gauntlet for the edge players and what games re-angle "UP" to be parallel to the player.

How are the Quad slik sticks mapped? Does everyone fix "UP" to point directly to their monitor despite the flare on the sides?

There are many threads on this, the 4-player arcade games had their joysticks pointing in the same direction, UP towards the monitor. Almost all of them were either rectangular or squarish in shape.

Many builders here have control panels with 45 degree angles for players 3 and 4 and many have also angled those joysticks at 45 degrees so that moving UP is in relation to their stance. There are a lot of people who are happy with this design.

I think it depends on the shape of the control panel, if it's rectangular have the joysticks pointing towards the monitor. If it has 45 degree angles then angle the joysticks at 45 degrees. In the end, it's your control panel, build it so it feels right to you. BTW, the SlikStik has their joysticks mounted at 45 degrees for P3 and P4.

[tivogre]

One advantage of a 4 player control panel with all sticks "up" towards the same direction (monitor) is that  the "4-player" panel is also useful for 2 player, 2-stick games.

When I first layed out my panel, I aimed the 1st and 4th stick at 45 degrees on the prototype.  That's one od the major things I changed for the final panel.  I'v played Gauntlet form all four positions with and without the 1st and 4th players at 45 degrees.

All sticks in the same direction is more natural (to me) and is how the real 4 player games (Gauntlet) are.

[gust0208]

This looks just like the picture from the Visio files I have on my website for 4-player CP layouts (based heavily on an early 4-player CP visio file from this forum).  It even has the text up the upper left-hand corner I put to remind myself of some measurements!  So I am not sure how this is just eye-balled since the Visio file does contain precise measurements...

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~gust0208/visio/

Well.. with the 49 ways could you reorient the orientation (that doesn't sound just right)
so that you could play smash tv on an angle?

YES!  GOOD IDEA! 

The Diagonals setting should work nicely as I have the player 3 & 4 joysticks rotated at exactly 45 degrees.  You would just need to map it in Mame the first time you play.

I just started fooling around with placing the sticks in line with one another and on a 45 degree angle from one another so that the 49ways can be reprogrammed for dual SMASH TV setup


Does this look too goofy?


This is just "eyeballed" right now.
Once we get a good layout I'll measure it more precisely.

[Zakk]

I did several, all of them special order. Only one (of mine) that I really liked the look of, even though I think it's crazy over-the-top, is this one.  Specifics here: http://www.mameworld.net/massive/Cabinet/Zeldamame/Zelda.htm

[IntruderAlert]

This looks just like the picture from the Visio files I have on my website for 4-player CP layouts (based heavily on an early 4-player CP visio file from this forum).  It even has the text up the upper left-hand corner I put to remind myself of some measurements!  So I am not sure how this is just eye-balled since the Visio file does contain precise measurements...

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~gust0208/visio/

Well.. with the 49 ways could you reorient the orientation (that doesn't sound just right)
so that you could play smash tv on an angle?

YES!  GOOD IDEA! 

The Diagonals setting should work nicely as I have the player 3 & 4 joysticks rotated at exactly 45 degrees.  You would just need to map it in Mame the first time you play.

I just started fooling around with placing the sticks in line with one another and on a 45 degree angle from one another so that the 49ways can be reprogrammed for dual SMASH TV setup


Does this look too goofy?


This is just "eyeballed" right now.
Once we get a good layout I'll measure it more precisely.

I did use your template but changed the layout so that players 3 and 4 are in line with and on a 45 degree angle to players 1 and 2
this way you can reprogram the 49 way sticks for players 1 and 2 to work on 45 degree angles to give you 2 parallel sticks for simultaneous 2 player dual stick games like Smash TV

[NoOne=NBA=]

this way you can reprogram the 49 way sticks for players 1 and 2 to work on 45 degree angles to give you 2 parallel sticks for simultaneous 2 player dual stick games like Smash TV

Regular 8-ways will program like this too.
I wouldn't use square restricted sticks though.
They would feel funny.

[maxxonline]

also......


FoX: http://www.taffe.us/Upload/ctaffe/2005-03-12-IMG_0398.JPG



How did you guys get the glossy look over the control panel and the side of the cab?

[markrvp]

How did you guys get the glossy look over the control panel and the side of the cab?

[maxxonline]

How did you guys get the glossy look over the control panel and the side of the cab?

[markrvp]

It looks like he used a faux marble laminate.

[IntruderAlert]

Let's say you decide to connect a dreamcast or xbox or playstation to your cab
How many buttons will each player need?
Also, if you are using 49way sticks I don't suppose it would be possible anyway would it?

[phildo77]

Heres my 4 player main panel.  This is a standup cab.  I'm using a rotatable panel so the center two player areas will change but this is the main panel.  I decided to use 2 joys for player 1 and 2 for games like Smash TV.

I would change the layout a little bit by bringing players 3 and 4 forward a little more as the angle for the screen is a little tight.  I also screwed up with the "Enter Grid" text for players 3 and 4.  It gets severed when I rotate the center panel.

The large holes on top of the panel are cup holders.

[Bones]

Mine.

[jlml]

Nice panel Mark, I really like it. Do you have a page for this?

Here's mine.

[markrvp]

Nice panel Mark, I really like it. Do you have a page for this?

Here's mine.