Ultimate control panel set?

[PoDunkMoFo]

Looking for opinions.

I am planning on building 2 cabs with interchangeable control panels.

I want to put together several control panels.  Not sure yet how many.

I am looking for simple panels 24" wide with a manageable amount of
controls.

My question is what would your must have panels be?

Examples;

Two tron sticks with a push pull spinner in the middle
To play Tron, DOT, Tank Games, Trigger grip games etc.

Two eight ways with seven buttons each
For beat em' ups obviously

Talk amongst yourselves... Get back to me.

[markrvp]

Please read this thread:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,35938.0.html

[Avery]

I dare say this is one of those endless discussions which is part of the fun of all this.

Personally, I'm going with a modular so I can do whatever whenever, but for what you're thinking I'd recomend looking real hard at the Roswell 88201 Machine in the hall of fame.

[armax]

I was going to go the modular route but with the increased versatility of the 49-ways, it's becoming a less attractive route.

With all my controls, I'm starting to be able to condense the controls into 3 panels (gun panel, stick/button panel, driving panel). 

I mean, there is a compromise.  Unless you go the route of getting the actual joysticks for instance, it's a compromise.

My reasoning was asking myself a question, "to FUNCTIONALLY play a game, what controls do I need..."  With the 49ways, it narrowed the controls to  a few joysticks which can easily be implemented into one panel.  Anyone with a positional gun will know that these are not easily implemented into a modular control panel due to weight and the force of the movement.  I put some driving controls in the same category (certainly in the case of a yoke/270 wheel).

I'm eager to hear from modular users on the stability of the panels in relation to steering and positional guns.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I'm eager to hear from modular users on the stability of the panels in relation to steering and positional guns.

It's all in how you implement it.

I'd put my modules up against pretty much any factory driving CP.
Mine have cross-dowel nuts in 1x2 poplar that is glued/lagged to the 3/4" plywood that makes up my cabinet.
The tops are all 1x poplar as well.
I can lift the front of my REALLY heavy cab with them...but I DON'T.

Given that most of the original cabinets were made of pressboard, I'm guessing that mine will withstand alot more force.
I would point out that it doesn't get subjected to anything like that, though.
I don't mind yanking and cranking, that is done in the heat of a game, but don't EVER get mad and take it out on my controls.


As far as the functionally playing games goes, I like the original controls for most games.
What works nice for one game doesn't necessarily work nice for another.
For "most" 4-ways I prefer Wicos, but there are specific games where they just don't perform as well.
Alot of platform games require fast moves in opposite directions.
The Wicos, with their long throws, don't perform as well as other sticks on those games.

[fl0yd]

For the fighter panel, I'd go with 2 49-ways with a rotary adapter.  That combo can play damn near anything that doesn't require a trigger grip or button top.

[Avery]

It's all in how you implement it.

I'd put my modules up against pretty much any factory driving CP.

I can lift the front of my REALLY heavy cab with them...but I DON'T.

Do you have a web page for your cab out there?  (If you do I've probably seen it and just not matching a name to a machine.)  If you don't, could you post some pictures?  I'm interested in seeing what others have done.

[Kremmit]

Oughtta have a look at this, as well:
http://www.beersmith.com/mame/

[armax]

I'm eager to hear from modular users on the stability of the panels in relation to steering and positional guns.

It's all in how you implement it.

I'd put my modules up against pretty much any factory driving CP.
Mine have cross-dowel nuts in 1x2 poplar that is glued/lagged to the 3/4" plywood that makes up my cabinet.
The tops are all 1x poplar as well.
I can lift the front of my REALLY heavy cab with them...but I DON'T.

Given that most of the original cabinets were made of pressboard, I'm guessing that mine will withstand alot more force.
I would point out that it doesn't get subjected to anything like that, though.
I don't mind yanking and cranking, that is done in the heat of a game, but don't EVER get mad and take it out on my controls.


As far as the functionally playing games goes, I like the original controls for most games.
What works nice for one game doesn't necessarily work nice for another.
For "most" 4-ways I prefer Wicos, but there are specific games where they just don't perform as well.
Alot of platform games require fast moves in opposite directions.
The Wicos, with their long throws, don't perform as well as other sticks on those games.

Just wondering if you have pics of your setup.  I don't think I've seen a modular setup that strong before...

[NoOne=NBA=]

That's a pic while I was still in the design phase.
I was using insert nuts at that point, but have since replaced them with cross-dowel nuts.

I'm using the same screws from the top, but the cross-dowel nuts actually sit lower in the bracing pieces, and are alot stronger than insert nuts when you pull vertically on them.
The 1x4's that the CP modules bolt to are glued and screwed into the main part of the cabinet.



If you grab the front lip on the modules, you can actually pick up the front of the cabinet by them.
They overhang the NoOne decal by about an inch, or so.

I am actually working on a design for a "hidden hardware" method at the moment because I'm finally getting back to the artwork stage.
I just finished my new monitor bezel, after rotating my monitor to vertical only.
My current plan is to use push pins going in from the front, just above the NoOne part of the decal, and put a small piece off each of the modules, so that the pins will hold them in place.

[armax]

Hopefully you post pics of the finish product.  Nice setup 

[Avery]

OK, got to ask - it looks like you have a spinner jammed in up at the corner.  It looks like it would be imposible (or damn painful) to use.  What is it really or why is it there?

[PoDunkMoFo]

OK, got to ask - it looks like you have a spinner jammed in up at the corner.  It looks like it would be impossible (or damn painful) to use.  What is it really or why is it there?

I am guessing that is a volume control knob.  At least I hope isn't a spinner.

[Kremmit]

Nope, it's not a spinner- although every few months somebody pops up asking if you can use one for a spinner.  You can't.
http://griffintechnology.com/products/powermate/
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,27238.0.html

[Avery]

Nope, it's not a spinner- although every few months somebody pops up asking if you can use one for a spinner.

[NoOne=NBA=]

Actually that's a multi-use thingy that glows blue, and gets people to ask "Hey, what's that do?".

I didn't want to hack the power switch on the Mac that's inside, so I hooked up the PowerMate to do remote power on.

It also controls the volume, mutes, exits to the game menu, scrolls the gamelist when I don't have a joystick hooked up, and quits the game.

That's all I can think of that it does at the moment--aside from glowing blue.

[NoOne=NBA=]

Hopefully you post pics of the finish product.