Main > Main Forum
Give me input on my 4-player control panel
(1/2) > >>
wallyworld:
So here's the layout I think I've decided on for my 4-player control panel, and I would love some input--particularly on usability (reachability/comfortability re: control placement) and what I'll need wiring-wise.
Bones:

--- Quote ---Can I set all these controls up with an IPac4?
--- End quote ---
IPAC4 has 56 inputs. If you count all your switches/buttons (including 4 for each joystick and excluding the 49 way), and the answer is <56 then yes, you can use an IPAC4.
*You don't need dedicated inputs for each joystick as P1 8way & P1 4way can share the same inputs.


--- Quote ---Provided I can somehow support the number of buttons already here, should I have more than 3 admin buttons (at the top center of panel)? Trackball buttons count, too, right?
--- End quote ---
You need to decide exactly what you want to achieve. Playing around with the software should give you a feel for the admin buttons you think best suits your requirements. There is no right or wrong answer to this, you are creating a frankenpanel so it is never going to look like something original from the arcade anyway so you need think "practical".


--- Quote ---Are the buttons too close to the spinner?  I'm really trying to squeeze the controls into ideal positions, while still allowing for the Defender setup as Mark has done.
--- End quote ---
If you go ahead with this it will take a great deal of financial outlay and effort. I wouldn't trust anyones opinion here on a question like that. Make it out of cardboard and test it yourself.


I suggest you do a lot of searching and reading through this forum, the amount of info here is staggering. It's easy to create the monster of all CP's but this won't necessarily make it better or more fun to play.

My personnel opinion is there is just way too much happenning here and considering the enormous CP size, P3 & P4 positions look uncomfortable with those big square edges sticking out. Maybe your should thinking about a rotating CP if you really have your heart set on this many controls.

Please realise, I am not trying to shoot you down and I do wish you good luck with your design.
teef two:
Not sure why you've gone with two trackballs there. I know you want two player marble madness but that smaller trackball is going to be awkward to use having to lean across player one's joystick.

Also the 3 inch trackball looks too close to the P360 on it's right. You might find you keep hitting that.

The number of buttons there looks way too many and not set out well for player 3 and 4.

It's a matter of taste but that panel has far too much going on for my liking. Needs to be a simpler design.



KungFuJoe:
Just like you, I absolutely pulled my hair out trying to come up with a CP design.  Being a HUGE classic gaming fan, I didn't want to miss out on a single game, so I wanted to have every type of control available.  After making and trashing frankenpanel design after design, I finally decided to go modular.  There is NO way you're going to get everything you want on a single cp without huge sacrifices.  Plus another factor is control confusion...how to know which control or which joystick to use for which game will confuse yourself and others who use the panel.  If you don't want to go modular, then at least make 2 control panels that you can swap out.  It will require extra work, but think about all the work you're going to be putting into this cabinet overall...and the extra work will be small in comparison.
markrvp:
Hey Wallyworld:

Thanks for the compliment.

I'm posting a comparison of my panel and yours.  You've got more room to play with, so you may want to move a few things.  If you are not going to angle off the corners at players 3 & 4 then you may want to bring those joysticks down so that they are all in line.

A question and a couple of initial thoughts:

- What are buttons 46 & 47?
- I would eliminate buttons 51 & 52.  You only need two mouse buttons which can be placed at buttons 31 & 33 (and then mapped accordingly for Defender & Stargate).
- The 49-way is for a Trigger Stick, right?  I would move it a couple inches to the right to give you better clearance for the Defender buttons (I'm speaking from experience).
- The second trackball is throwing me right now.  I'm going to play with couple of things and I'll post later with my thoughts.
Navigation
Message Index
Next page

Go to full version