Im looking for some feedback on my CP layout

[muell67]

Im looking for some feedback on my layout. Especially the 7 button configuration. I copied it from my candy cab but im not sure If I should go with it.  This will be used on a old TMNT cab.

[markrvp]

The spinner directly on top of the Trackball has proven (by me and others) to be a bad idea.  Too many finger injuries playing Golden Tee.  I would move it left or right of center.

[fixedpigs]

you'd probably want your four button row to be on the bottom too...

not on the top...

otherwise you'd always have to have your hand going over the three on the bottom row whilst playing neo-geo games...

[RobotronNut]

i think the placement of the 4 buttons around the spinner would be uncomfortable. try a full-scale printout of the panel and see where your fingers would fall natually.

also, the groups of buttons around the joysticks seem to have buttons for your pinkys but not your thumbs. i think it should be the other way around.

[muell67]

thanks for the feedback. Im definately going to move the spinner over to the left. About the buttons around the spinner, I was mainly positioning them for the trackball and hadnt thought to much about the spinner, do you have any recomendations on where I should move them? The seven button layout is copied from my candy cab
I dont want to just go with the straight capcom layout and add a seventh button on the left. Does anyone have a template or a pic of a somewhat radiused or angled seven button layout?

[HaRuMaN]

Is this what you're asking for?

[Tahnok]

Those buttons seem awful close HarumaN. Do you have any problems with them?

[RobotronNut]

...
About the buttons around the spinner, I was mainly positioning them for the trackball and hadnt thought to much about the spinner, do you have any recomendations on where I should move them?
...

for games with the spinner in your right hand, i can't think of any games that require more than two buttons. the most popular of these games is probably tempest:


for games with the spinner in your left hand, blasteroids requires three buttons:


and some require four (victory, star trek).

given unlimited space, i would lay out spinner buttons like this:


there is enough room around the spinner to rest either hand on the panel surface while operating the spinner, and there are enough buttons for most games. the leftmost button is not strictly necessary, but it would enable the layout to play asteroids, and it provides a pleasing symmetry.

if there's not enough space for a layout like this, buttons elsewhere in your layout will have to take over some or all of these responsibilities.

as always, verify your layout with a full-scale print-out before actually constructing a panel.

[RobotronNut]

had a problem with images in my last post. should be fixed now.

[metaHipster]

what is the second button for next to the Pstart buttons?  I'm assuming the other is Coin...

[RayB]

Those buttons seem awful close HarumaN. Do you have any problems with them?

Those are not close.

[walls83]

Those buttons seem awful close HarumaN. Do you have any problems with them?

Those are not close.

If anything they might be too far apart.. Atleast for my taste

[Lilwolf]

One of the best things I can say is..

buy some cheap wood (particle board is about 4 bucks a 4x8 sheet.  And create  a mock up.  If you can, get it all wired and use it for a week or so and try.  And heck, try it a few times and see what you like.

I've redone my 2 player fighter control panel like 5 times.  Each time I did it really nice and wish I had just tried it.  After you get it right, then finish it with nice wood, perfectly spaced,

I would recommend doing them in lines myself without the curves.  It seems like it would be comfortable, but if you aren't used to them that way, it will be annoying.  I don't lay my hand down when I play... so its not ergonomic anyway. 

But if you make a test control panel... try player 1 one way, and player 2 another and see what you like. 

[Hoopz]

One of the best things I can say is..

And create a mock up. If you can, get it all wired and use it for a week or so and try. And heck, try it a few times and see what you like.

Ditto.

[HaRuMaN]

Those buttons seem awful close HarumaN. Do you have any problems with them?

This layout fits my fingers perfectly.  I played around making cardboard mockups before I settled on a final spacing, as you see in the picture.