Main > Main Forum
I would like some advice/input/thoughts/mounds of cash...
lharles:
...well, not mounds of cash. I'd like that, generally, but I'm not really asking anyone here for that. :)
Anyway, I'll try to minimize my babbling, (it's an affliction), and get to the point.
I have a preliminary design for my control panel 'top'.
LINK:
"http://static.flickr.com/49/132217131_69d1392f26_o.jpg"
Just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts about the layout of the major controls on there. I know they're not labeled but I think the top half of the picture is an effective illustration of what is on there.
With a huge effort, I'm restraining myself from writing a 245 page description of what I've done so far, why the thing is so big, and so on...
I swear, in the end, it'll at least make sense to me. :)
Thanks in advance...
Lharles
destructor:
I'm interesting how you want to press upper buttons, even if these are start buttons. You want to lie down on panel? Left and right joysticks looks as for players 3 and 4 that will be stand at the right side of the panel, but what this player (3 or 4) will see on the monitor? In center of panel I see topfire joystick. 1 topfire joystick? I think best is 2 topfire joysticks (or trigger joysticks) for 2-hand games. For spinner I think 2 buttons for every side of spinner are better than 1. The same for trackballs. 2 or 3 buttons for every trackball side. In your panel middle button over trackball is useless.
BobA:
I'd mock it up on a piece of cardboard to see what is comfortable for you to reach and what will get in the way.
PCtech:
hmmm...can't see the pic, or get to the link (probably websense problem @ work)
But from what I can see (absolutely nothing) looks pretty good! ;D
unclet:
I am assuming the joystick farthest to the left is the player3 joystick and the one farthest to the right is for player4. I am also assuming when you have player3 and player4 using your cab, then the trackballs will not be used for any gameplay.
If so, then I would recommend moving player3's buttons down and to the right a bit. You can then move player3's joystick down some as well which will result in the joystick not being on top of the buttons anymore. It will also allow player3 the ability to see the monitor better since player3 will be standing more at the corner of your cabinet rather than at the left side at a 90degree angle. I would also recommend you do something similar to player4's joystick buttons (ie: moving player4 joystick to the left some and bringing the 4 buttons down lower a bit).
After moving the joysticks for player3 and player4 around a bit, it seems like you might even be able to reduce the depth (front to back) of your control panel. Seems like a lot of wasted space just to have 4 buttons on the top left and top right of the panel. seems like these buttons can be move lower somewhere and then reduce the size. I can hardly make out anything on your pictures so I am assuming the depth of your control panel is 24inches right now ... which seems a bit deep to me. I have a 4player control panel and I believe my depth is 18 inches.
Do you need three mouse buttons for each trackball? I would recommend two each (unless you really think you need them), then move the buttons for the left trackball to be on the right side of the trackball instead of on top of it and move the right trackball buttons to the left side of the trackball. This would save you more room for player3 and player4 joysticks as well.
Since you like buttons a lot, have you decided to put in some left/right flipper buttons and a plunger button for pinball games (ie: VisualPinball, FuturePinball, etc..)?
I am assuming you have some "Coin Up" buttons on the top of your control panel as well. You could move these buttons to be located on the vertical front face of your control panel ... not on the control panel top (like you currently show them). This would save you more room on the top of your control panel as well......
hety ..... you asked for opinions right ..... :P