Single player joystick+butons only layout

[MajorLag]

I've been working on the design for a cab with swappable control panels. One of the control panels I'd like to build is for single player classics. I wanted  to mimic the button layout for games that have their buttons spread out, like defender or asteroids. To that end, I came up with this (see attachment). Which is more or less exactly the asteroids layout. The red ones are buttons and the black is a 49-way. Are there any single player classics out there that would be too awkward with this aranagement? Did I leave out anything?

[NoOne=NBA=]

I would move the hyperspace button closer to the right set (like on Space Duel).
That will make it easier to play 3-button games.

The only games I see that may give you a problem are Defender and Stargate.
The left turn button isn't close enough to the stick to use as a reverse button.
I'm not sure that you can GET it close enough to the stick though.

You might also consider a 2nd stick on the other side of the buttons for games like Robotron, Crazy Climber, Black Widow, Cloak and Dagger, etc...
You may be planning to use your 2-p panel for that, but I thought it worth mentioning.

The only classic game I know that uses 4 buttons is Mousetrap, and you don't use the "Dog" button much, so you could set that to one of the turn buttons on your Asteroids layout.

[MajorLag]

I must confess to never having plaed Defender on a real defender cab. Is the reverse button usually hit with the thumb of the left hand? If so I could just include annother button on the bottom right corner of the joystick, as close as I could get, but like you said, that might not be close enough. What if I added annother button near the thrust/fire? That way you could just hit it with annother finger on the right hand. Wouldn't be as authentic, but probably a lot more playable than a button thats not close enough to the stick.

Good idea with the hyperspace, I will probably move it.

[NoOne=NBA=]

Is the reverse button usually hit with the thumb of the left hand?

Yes.

If so I could just include annother button on the bottom right corner of the joystick, as close as I could get, but like you said, that might not be close enough.

That would be the closest to the original layout.

What if I added annother button near the thrust/fire? That way you could just hit it with annother finger on the right hand.

I would mock it up first.
My first thought is that you're going to run out of fingers quick.
Never having played it though, you may not notice this as badly as you would otherwise.

My first thought for layout would be:
Index - Thrust
Middle - Fire
Thumb - Reverse
Ring - Smart Bombs

That would leave the Hyperspace button as one of your left/right Asteroids buttons.
You will reverse ALOT while playing, and need to smart bomb really quickly.
Hyperspace is a last ditch kind of thing, so moving your hand out of position slightly shouldn't be a big deal.



The best overall "classic" layout I've been able to come up with was:

                                D
J          L   R          C      B   C
                                A   

That let's you play Asteroids on the L/R-A/B/C buttons, 3-button games on the A/B/C, and Vanguard on the A/B/C/D diamond pattern.

I didn't like the extra buttons on the panel, and opted for modular though.

[MajorLag]

So, in that setup, would defender be:

Left C - hyperspace
A - reverse
B - thrust
Right C - fire
D - smartbomb

?

[NoOne=NBA=]

I would probably make L, R, and left C all Hyperspace,  but yes.

[teef two]

It depends on how big a fan you are of each game in my opinion.

Personally I'm looking at a dedicated defender control panel, a dedicated asteriods panel and a generic basic panel.

The asteroids controls were a lot, lot closer together than you have.

As you are finding, trying to incorporate all those games on to one panel is going to involve compromise. Are you going to be happy with that going forward or would it be better to bite the bullet and make three seperate panels. After all, the asteroids panel is going to be cheap as it's only buttons.

[GoPodular.com]

Copycat.   

Here's what I use:

[teef two]

God I hate it when people do that!

[MajorLag]

GoPodular,
How does the reverse button work for you, it being so far away from the stick and all?

teef two,
Yeah, I was thinking that this morning. Does happs or anyone else sell 2 way joysticks like that? Or are there any 4-ways small enough to allow the button to be placed really close?

[GoPodular.com]

It isn't far away at all, it's actually very comfortable.  Of course it's my own product so take my opinions with a grain of salt.   

Here's a couple pics to show how close it is.  The joystick is a Happ Reunion 4-way.

[MajorLag]

Yeah, that doesn't look too bad. I don't know. I'll have to create a few mockups to work with I guess. Thanks for the help guys.

Oh, and nice panel BTW GoPodular.

[GoPodular.com]

Thanks.  I've got a few more I'll be putting up on my website.

Do some cardboard mockups, you'll get it set right.

[RobotronNut]

here's a possible layout i've been playing with for a minimal "travel panel." plays a lot of games and is very comfortable, based on a paper print-out.

unfortunately, i don't know of a good way to keep such a small panel from moving around during frenzied game play (my 40-lb slikstik is barely heavy enough not to move around when i'm playing robotron).

if installed in a cabinet, i'd think this layout would do nicely. in a cabinet, where you have more space, you could move the left-most joystick and button to the left a couple of inches.

[teef two]

Well I would just go with a four way, possibly something like a j-stik (from ultimarc) and just route out a long oval in the panel so the joystick shaft can only move up and down.

In a dedicated defender panel the button would not be that close to the joystick. The distance is approx. 78.7 mm from the centre of the joystick to the centre of the reverse button (the nearest button). More than enough gap for mounting both.

This is my defender control panel design. Based on T-Stiks