CP Layout Suggestions wanted...

[Sinner]

Can you guys give me some help on this CP...I've been going nuts trying to figure out what to do with it...I want an all around 4 player CP...
The picture below is 48"x20"and the base (not shown) is cut in such a way that I can put pinball flipper buttons 15" on either side of center (30" apart)...
I think a flight stick might be something else I want to add...for now I have HAPP Super, and T-Stick Plus joysticks...HAPP 3" TB...HAPP buttons...ipac4...optipac...
What now???

[markrvp]

I have my spinner where you do and find that a lot of people who play my cabinet tend to jam their fingers into it when playing Golden Tee.  You might move the spinner left and then you can put a Tron stick to the right like this:

[Sinner]

I have my spinner where you do and find that a lot of people who play my cabinet tend to jam their fingers into it when playing Golden Tee.

[markrvp]

I have mine wired to the player 1 inputs (as well as the player 1 8-way joy, 4-way joy, and directional buttons).  That way I didn't have to remap anything in MAME.

An original Tron stick (like I have) has a very large base.  It requires a big hole in the CP and I mounted mine from the top (flush mounted with panel).  I have two of the 49-way Tron sticks ordered from 1up.  He is outsourcing the shafts and he said they should be ready in a couple of weeks.  Those take up less space on the panel.

[Sinner]

I have mine wired to the player 1 inputs (as well as the player 1 8-way joy, 4-way joy, and directional buttons).

[markrvp]

The trick is finding an original.  The one I found on Ebay was in a populated Tron panel that I paid $76 for.

To use the 49-way stick, you have to have a GP-Wiz 49 which appears to the computer as a USB gamepad.  You can use this at the same time as the I-pac.  The whole stick from 1up is around $80 plus the GP-Wiz 49 Max at $34.95 (also available in Eco for $22.95).

The Tron stick isn't the cheapest addition to your cabinet and it is also not the most used stick, but it is really, really nice for Tron, Discs of Tron, Zaxxon, and some other games.  I am building a panel with two of these so I can also play Assault and Battlezone with semi-authentic Tank controls.

[Sinner]

Sweet, maybe someday I can have swappable panel, but for now, I guess I'll settle for one big one, with a lot of junk on it...I'll see if I can source an original Tron stick, and if not I'll be sure to look at getting the 49...
Thanks for the information...

[Sinner]

Would this be something close to a Tron stick?

http://www.happcontrols.com/joysticks/50997000.htm

[markrvp]

Yes, that is basically what 1up is selling, except with a 49-way or Happ Super base.  His are also less expensive.

The thing in Tron is that you want 4-way movement in the Light Cycles game.  8-way joys make it almost impossible to do well.  That is the advantage of the 49-way in that you can digitally select 4-way mode.

[Sinner]

Yes, that is basically what 1up is selling, except with a 49-way or Happ Super base.

[Sinner]

How about something like this...the black part is the top piece of wood...

[markrvp]

Looking good.  I have 3 observations:

1.) Move the Tron stick right a little bit so that it is directly over the middle of Player 2's buttons.

2.)  A few of your start buttons are directly behind controls which you would have to reach around.  I prefer the start buttons to be unobstructed and easy to reach.

3.)  Move the buttons for Players 1-4 higher.  A good general rule of thumb is that the second row of buttons should be on the same line as the center of the joystick.  If you place your hands down in "game playing" position, you'll see that your fingers on your right hand rest higher than the palm of your left hand (which holds the joystick).

Minor things, but they will affect how much you enjoy playing the CP.

[Sinner]

Looking good.

[markrvp]

Looks good.

[Sinner]

Looks good.

Thank you...I'm hoping I can start on it this weekend...I have everything but some 2x4, artwork and the lexan...I think I can get most of it done, but I doubt I'll even get to the artwork part by then...I still have to design it...something classy in a red motif I think...wish me luck...

[Ldsfunaz]

looks good to me too, 1 question, what are you doing about coinage, i don't think you mentioned hidden buttons or strictly using real coins....

[Sinner]

looks good to me too, 1 question, what are you doing about coinage, i don't think you mentioned hidden buttons or strictly using real coins....

Well, I want to buy a new 4 player coin door, but they're really expensive, so for now I will have 4 coin buttons on the under side of the CP, or I may just use a shift key to add coins...I was thinking that I would put escape on the CP and pause and shift on the top of the cab...but that hasn't been decided yet...I'm still trying to figure out which admin keys I want to have...then I'll decide what the best placement will be...