how's this CP layout?

[bossyman15]

i know there's some things that needs to be fixed, but let me know what need to be fixed.

just to let you know what buttons are...

the white buttons at each controls are player start button.
the two orange button next to spinner is umm spinner buttons.
the top orange button is pause

i know i haven't added trackball button yet but i dont know excat where to put it (above player 1 buttons?)

[MYX]

How wide is that? It looks like it will be immense. CP Sketcher works well doesn't it!?!
My only worry with the design is that it seems crowded. But then again, you are designing for 4 people so it will need to be a little crowded.

[bossyman15]

well i don't really know how wide my CP would be...

right now that CP lay out is 36"W 15" H

[More Cowbell]

You will want more room between the buttons. They are quite crowded as it looks now. Also, trigger stick is pretty close to track ball which could cause some busted knuckles or trigger stick when in an intense game of Golden Tee or Reactor.

[markrvp]

I like tight button spacing.  It keeps your fingers from getting tired.

You need to move the trackball dead center and the P2 & P4 controls over the same amount.  Pause button can go dead center.  Spinner comes right just a little bit to clear the P1 joystick.  Flight stick comes right to clear the P2 joystick.

The two spinner buttons should be mouse left and right.  As long as you have mouse enabled in MAME, the games will automatically default to also use mouse left and right for P1 buttons 1 & 2.

Your original panel is on top and my changes are on bottom:

[Buddabing]

You'll need to test Mark's layout with Tron to make sure the stick and the spinner aren't too far apart for comfort. Also check that you can play Robotron comfortably.

Are the red buttons to the right of the spinner for spinner games? If so, you might add one more spinner button for Star Trek.

I like this layout for the spinner buttons:

        X X
     X
  X

But you could go with


      X X
  X X

I'm also with Mark that the buttons should be close together.

I would also put the leftmost and rightmost sticks and buttons non-rotated.

     
      J
          BB
          BB

[ahofle]

Good suggestions by Mark.
I'd also swap the spinner and the spinner buttons around so the buttons are on the left of the spinner.  That would also make the spinner closer to the stick for Tron, and would make games like arkanoid easier to play.

[Tiger-Heli]

I'd also swap the spinner and the spinner buttons around so the buttons are on the left of the spinner.

[More Cowbell]

I'm tellin' ya, you're gonna be mashin' those buttons two at a time with them that close. 

[ahofle]

That's seems awkward to me, but then again, I'm left-handed.

Hehe you must've never liked Tempest.  I never realized how biased some of those games are towards right handers.

http://images.webmagic.com/klov.com/images/T/nTempest.jpg

[pointdablame]

I'm tellin' ya, you're gonna be mashin' those buttons two at a time with them that close. 

no you're not.

I've had panels with the buttons right up next to each other and there are no problems wtih double presses.  And I have fairly large hands.

[Tiger-Heli]

That's seems awkward to me, but then again, I'm left-handed.

Hehe you must've never liked Tempest.

[markrvp]

I'm tellin' ya, you're gonna be mashin' those buttons two at a time with them that close.

[More Cowbell]

I'm tellin' ya, you're gonna be mashin' those buttons two at a time with them that close.

[bossyman15]

thanks everybody for your tips!

yes i plan to make test CP using cheap wood i could find at home depot.
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one thing i don't excat understand...

You'll need to test Mark's layout with Tron to make sure the stick and the spinner aren't too far apart for comfort. Also check that you can play Robotron comfortably.

Are the red buttons to the right of the spinner for spinner games? If so, you might add one more spinner button for Star Trek.

I like this layout for the spinner buttons:

        X X
     X
  X

But you could go with


      X X
  X X

I'm also with Mark that the buttons should be close together.

I would also put the leftmost and rightmost sticks and buttons non-rotated.

     
      J
          BB
          BB

from what i see is that you like that spinner button layout but i see 4 buttons. what spinner games uses 4 buttons?

and about that sticks and button being non- rotated. are you talking about this?

[Buddabing]

Star Trek uses 4 buttons: fire, thrust, photon torpedoes, and warp.

I would put "up" the same direction on all four sticks.

I'm sure the diamond or the square pattern will both work fine. In fact, very few games need the fourth button. NBA Jam and other three-button games would probably work better if the buttons were laid out in a row.