Does anyone know how to convert LuSiD's Cabinet to a 4-Player Control Panel??

[link2005a]

I love the design, but I am looking for a 4 player cabinet. Is it as easy as just making a larger control panel? Or will I likely need to look at a different cabinet all together? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Also...if anyone knows where I can get cabinet plans specifically for a 4 player cab that'd be great!

[PCtech]

Well, I would think that the CP could be made bigger, but you would want to layout your controls (print paper templates), and mock them up on cardboard, before you do any cutting.

As far as 4Player cabs, there are many examples here (look in Project Announcements, or search for 4P CP),

What I would recommend (I am building now) is a UA2 cabinet (although many here will groan because it is common, it is less common than Lusid's design) 

The guy who runs this board, is called Saint, he actually sells a book called Project Arcade, that it excellent (I bought it myself).  The book is about $20 (check different vendors), and has step-by-step instructions for building Lusid's cab, but also has diagrams/instructions to build the UA2 (Ultimate Arcade 2) cab from mameroom.com.  Although I don't think there are specific plans for a 4P control panel, there are many links, and you can purchase mameroom.com's 4P CP plans for cheap,.

If you haven't built a cab, buy the book.  The info in there, is priceless. 
Even a total moron who has never done wood working, computers, or electronics, can figure it all out...think of it as "Arcade Cabinet building for Dummies"...like me.... :

When you start your Cab, please start a new thread in Project Announcements, and keep us updated with LOTS of pics, and progress.  It helps others, and gives the guru's something to laugh about.

"Look at how many buttons the noob has on his Control Panel"
"Oh, another UA2 cab, with crappy artwork, why cant the noobs make anything original"
"Those noobs never search, they just keep asking the same dumb questions over and over"
 

Just wear your "thick skin", and keep an open mind.  Most of these folks are great, and very helpful, some not so much (you know who you are)   

Good luck.

[link2005a]

Thanks for the info, I'll look into the UA2 cab and see what that's all about. I did buy that book already, it's definately been great in helping me understand what it takes to build one of these things. As can be expected, all the info inside the book is setup for the 2-player cab, so I was just seeing if anyone else had used LuSiD's design but for a 4-player cab.

Hopefully the UA2 is what I'm looking for and hopefully I can find the plans for it somewhere.

Thanks again for your help!

[AtomSmasher]

Just make the control panel bigger, the size of the control panel doesn't rely on the rest of the plans so you can make it as big or small as you want.

[bossyman15]

i have lusid cab and it looks fine with 4 player panel. my 4 player panel is 18" x 48"

[link2005a]

i have lusid cab and it looks fine with 4 player panel. my 4 player panel is 18" x 48"

Yeah? I'm just afraid of it looking out of place on the cabinet. The last thing I'd want is to take the time to build one and then hate how it ends up looking. I've seen a few cab's in which the control panel just completely everwhelms the entire cabinet.

[link2005a]

What I would recommend (I am building now) is a UA2 cabinet (although many here will groan because it is common, it is less common than Lusid's design) 

I checked the examples page and all the UA links (if I'm looking at the right ones) are now broken. Ultimate Arcade I, II, III, etc...none of those links work anymore. Do you happen to know another example of the UA2 design? Since I don't remember seeing them in the first place.

Thanks!

[mhermann]

I was in your shoes a couple months ago. I had my heart set on a 4-player panel. I went the standard noob LuSid route for my first attempt. I ended up going with only a 2 player CP. Since it is detachable I could make a 4 player but IMO a 4 player panel is too cramped on a design like LuSids. A few weeks ago I had a few friends over and we played 4 players via 2 addtional USB controllers and the control panel. To be comfortable the 2 players with the controlers stood behind the 2 at the control panel.

Personally, I am going to build another 4-player cab but change the design some what so it beter accomidates 4 people.

Again, this is my opinion. Good luck.

[link2005a]

I was in your shoes a couple months ago. I had my heart set on a 4-player panel. I went the standard noob LuSid route for my first attempt. I ended up going with only a 2 player CP. Since it is detachable I could make a 4 player but IMO a 4 player panel is too cramped on a design like LuSids. A few weeks ago I had a few friends over and we played 4 players via 2 addtional USB controllers and the control panel. To be comfortable the 2 players with the controlers stood behind the 2 at the control panel.

Personally, I am going to build another 4-player cab but change the design some what so it beter accomidates 4 people.

Again, this is my opinion. Good luck.

I'd like to checkout the UA2 design, but all the links are broken to them. From the sounds of it, that design is the way to go for my machine (IE a good 4 player model).

[NinjaEpisode]

My example of a UA2: 

Ninja's Monster Arcade (Click Me)

[Jeff AMN]

My example of a UA2: 

Ninja's Monster Arcade (Click Me)

Pretty sweet cabinet! How much did it cost you to put that together?

[AtomSmasher]

I'd like to checkout the UA2 design, but all the links are broken to them. From the sounds of it, that design is the way to go for my machine (IE a good 4 player model).

The project Arcade book has the UA2 plans on it, in case you can't find anything on it elsewhere.

[NinjaEpisode]

My example of a UA2: 

Ninja's Monster Arcade (Click Me)

Pretty sweet cabinet! How much did it cost you to put that together?

I stopped counting at $1500.

[Jeff AMN]

My example of a UA2: 

Ninja's Monster Arcade (Click Me)

Pretty sweet cabinet! How much did it cost you to put that together?

I stopped counting at $1500.

I imagine you have to stop counting by that point to keep from chickening out, or in my case, not get killed by the wife. 

[NinjaEpisode]

She hasn't really complained about it.  She's actually happy we have it since it tends to generate quite a bit of interest during get togethers at our house. 

[njclifford]

I have also JUST been through the same dilema... using LuSiD and wanting 4P CP.

Remember, for 1P/ 2P games you will need 6 buttons sometimes, and using that and then having another 2 players with 3 buttons will be VERY cramped.

I have gone the 2P one (simialr to LuSiD's) and will then build a custom 4P one with only 3 buttons per player.

Unless you spend a lot... then will be like Ninjas Monster Arcade, which, by the way, looks BLOODY AWESOME!

My 2c worth.

N

[DrewKaree]

This one's easy and can be done in two easy steps.

1)  Make a 4-player control panel. 
b.  Put it on your cabinet.

Problem solved!

[link2005a]

I have also JUST been through the same dilema... using LuSiD and wanting 4P CP.

Remember, for 1P/ 2P games you will need 6 buttons sometimes, and using that and then having another 2 players with 3 buttons will be VERY cramped.

I have gone the 2P one (simialr to LuSiD's) and will then build a custom 4P one with only 3 buttons per player.

Unless you spend a lot... then will be like Ninjas Monster Arcade, which, by the way, looks BLOODY AWESOME!

My 2c worth.

N

Wow, Ninjas Monster Arcade is amazing looking. I think that CP is exactly what I'd be looking to do.

[NinjaEpisode]

I have the layout, I think in AI form still if anybody wants it:

[link2005a]

I have the layout, I think in AI form still if anybody wants it:

I am planning on using other emulators as well (Atari, NES, SNES, Genesis, etc). Would your recommend putting 7 buttons for all 4 players if that's the case?

[NinjaEpisode]

Don't know of an atarai, nes, snes, genesis, or sega master system that did have 7 buttons.

Now if you're getting into psx and the newer systems, then, well, maybe.

[Scanner]

SNES & Genesis both have 6 regular buttons and select and start.

[Scanner]

Here is my Project Arcade Lusid design with a 4-player CP.  I simply extended the sides to accommodate the extra controllers.  Four player can play comfortably.

[NinjaEpisode]

For those of you that wanted the layout in .ai format grab the attached file and rename the .txt extension to .zip

[link2005a]

Here is my Project Arcade Lusid design with a 4-player CP.  I simply extended the sides to accommodate the extra controllers.  Four player can play comfortably.

Looks great! With my wood working 'skills' I could only hope to make something that nice!

[jberries]

I used LuSiD's Cabinet and created a 4 player control.  Looks o.k. to me.

I have attached the following
-a Microsoft Visio layout of the cabinet in millimeters (sorry imperial countires  ) - LiSiD's Cabinet converted to millimeters.  (Im from New Zealand)
-a Visio 4 player Layout.  This is Toms Control panel from somewhere on the web.  See jpg for quick reference
-pictures of my cabinet nearing completion.

Also
-I use a 68cm (29") TV.
-I highly recommend http://arcadeparadise.org/arcade/ap3/index.html, for building tips

Arhhh can't uplaod Visio files, PM me with your email for a copy.

[link2005a]

I used LuSiD's Cabinet and created a 4 player control.  Looks o.k. to me.

I have attached the following
-a Microsoft Visio layout of the cabinet in millimeters (sorry imperial countires  ) - LiSiD's Cabinet converted to millimeters.  (Im from New Zealand)
-a Visio 4 player Layout.  This is Toms Control panel from somewhere on the web.  See jpg for quick reference
-pictures of my cabinet nearing completion.

Also
-I use a 68cm (29") TV.
-I highly recommend http://arcadeparadise.org/arcade/ap3/index.html, for building tips

Arhhh can't uplaod Visio files, PM me with your email for a copy.

Nice, looks good!

[link2005a]

Has anyone run into problems, functionality wise or realism wise, with running NES, Genesis, SNES, Atari emulators on their Mame machine? I think I'd like to run everything I possibly could on my machine. Just wondering if there's anything I should lookout for when setting up my machine to play all these systems.

Thanks!

[ahofle]

Nope, in fact I think the older consoles (the ones without analog gamepads) play much better with arcade controls than those cheesy gamepads IMO.      One thing you might want to think about is making sure you have mouse buttons on your CP, since many of the really good console emulators seem to assume you have a mouse to navigate around.  I assume you will have a trackball on that CP as well.

[link2005a]

Nope, in fact I think the older consoles (the ones without analog gamepads) play much better with arcade controls than those cheesy gamepads IMO.      One thing you might want to think about is making sure you have mouse buttons on your CP, since many of the really good console emulators seem to assume you have a mouse to navigate around.  I assume you will have a trackball on that CP as well.

Yeah, I'm definately gonna have mouse buttons and a trackball on my CP.

You really think an arcade machine plays games from NES, Genesis and SNES better than the consoles did? Not disagreeing, I've never played them on a full size machine, but if that's the case that's great. I thought there would be a learning curve to playing those games that way.

[NinjaEpisode]

Dude, nothin beats a NES Gamepad for playin Techmobowl, RBI, or Mario Bros, but the experience of standing in front of an arcade machine playing any of a number of games is undoubtably a ton of fun.