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I would like some advice/input/thoughts/mounds of cash...
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lharles:

--- Quote from: DaveMMR on June 01, 2006, 08:58:40 pm ---
--- Quote from: Mark70 on May 11, 2006, 07:09:11 pm ---For example, two trackballs is an extraordinary expense just to play dual marble madness.  In my experience marble madness is far too difficult by design to be enjoyable anyhow.  I compare it to the C64 title gyroscope, which was wonderful.  but I digress.

--- End quote ---

Balderdash!  Marble Madness is completely worth the price of "two trackball" admission (especially if you're savy and find used, cheap ones on eBay).  And if you're not crazy about the difficulty, you can always change the settings.  I'm bias since that was the game that got me wanting my own cab, but I still think you can't go wrong having a little MM tourney every now and again.  Plus it works great for Cabal and that unreleased Atari Centipede/Missle Command 2-player simo remake I forgot the proper name of....

However, I do agree that 2-player MM is not worth the CP real estate.  If you're doing 2 TBs, you need to start looking at swappable panels.  I'm actually planning two seperate panels of trackballs: 1 with a single trackball ala Centipede and another with the dual set-up (though that's down the road).  Yes, it is slightly ridiculous.  No, I'm not going modular.  Hey, for me, having a dedicated MM panel is well worth the hassle and needless expense.

Back to the panel:

So, um, that's a pretty big panel.  It could almost double as a dining room table.   ;D   

Iharles, not trying to be funny, but maybe you should look into putting an anchor into the wall to keep the cab from falling forward.  Maybe just screw that puppy into the wall directly for safety's sake.  The panel itself probably won't take the cab down.  However, someone leaning on it to reach the back might.  That whole science thingee of levers and fulcrums and such comes into play here somehow.   

BTW I'm basing this on pictures - it may be perfectly safe in real life.  I am not an engineer.  Just looks a tad dangerous from where I'm sitting.

EDIT: I just reread your post - so you were the guy who beat me out of the "trackball lot" on eBay, huh?

--- End quote ---

LOL!  I literally JUST finished playin' Marble Madness on the new control panel.  Good times.

While it may have the appearance of being likely to topple, (although I don't see that - but I'm biased), it won't...trust me.  :)  I actually tried to knock it over from the back and the sides...by running into it at a slow jog.  :)  My kids found that quite amusing...watching Dad launch himself at 'the game', (as they call it - never having owned a 'console' they have no idea what they're NOT playing...such as XBox, PS2, etc).

Anyway, it won't fall over, unless there's an earthquake...and at that point I won't be concerning myself with the MAME cabinet.  :)

To be honest, the thing that bothers me the most at this point is the lack of 'art' on the control panel and sides.  SO much black...it's, er, depressing.

Unless you're into that sort of thing...not that there's anything wrong with that.  :)

My oldest daughter and I played 'Marble Madness' and 'Cabal' a bit earlier...good times.  Who knew that I could miss trackballs so much.   ;D
DaveMMR:
I rigged up my trackball in a hasty manner to my Optipac that was lying very irresponsibly on the desk and spent a good two hours "testing" it with Marble Madness and Centipede.  I would have to say that's it been about 20 years since I've played Marble Madness properly.

But if your control panel and cabinet are sturdy and it's comfortable to play with - then "game on".   ;)

Brewser:
I just finished redoing my 2nd CP. I originally purchased the SlikStik CO blank CP to add my own stuff. I purchased a spinner and put that above the trackball on the top next to the 4 way stick and asteroids buttons. I also used the same top button joysticks you have for your player 1 & 2 sticks (or maybe that is player 2&3 or 3&4..not sure). I used the sticks for the 2nd of both dual sticks. I used the 49 ways for the first of each dual stick setup.
What I found - I kept on smacking my finger into the spinner even though it is about 7-8" away playing golden tee. The top fire sticks really suck and are uncomfortable. The 49 way stick on the right had to be mounted upside down since the connector wouldn't fit in the CP to the left.
I just purchased another SlikStik CO blank to change things around and got rid of the top fire sticks and moved my 2 - 49way to the right for both dual sticks and used 2 - Happs 8 way competition for the left side dual sticks. I moved the spinner above the 3 buttons to the right of the trackball since there was extra room and put only one button to the right of the spinner.
After almost a year I felt this would be a better setup and it cost me an additional $220 to make the change.
What I am getting at is 2 things:
1. play with your setup for awhile and you will find things that you probably wished you would have done origianally.
2. A couple observations - You will want to replace those top fire button sticks. The left spinner has no button to the right of it (unless you like to use your right hand) and you will probably hit the buttons below (basically uncomfortable). The trackballs will be an issue with the joysticks above. You have so much wasted space in the middle of the CP that you could possibly move the trackballs to the middle and move the spinners to the top.
Just some thoughts.
lharles:
Well, first of all...thanks for the response, Brewser.  :)

In relation to smackin' fingers and the such on the joysticks above the trackballs and/or hittin' the spinners, I tried hard to make sure this wouldn't happen.

On the prototype picture I posted earlier, you can actually see the angle I used that I measured based on the 'test' use of the trackballs.  Basically, I tried to act as if I was REALLY rollin' that sucker so that I could see where I would hit.   I wound up with something that seems fairly reasonable.  :)  In terms of the spinners, I definitely see room for improvement already.  The buttons that are next to the trackballs work as controls for the spinners if necessary but the configuration isn't as effective as I had hoped.  :)

In relation to the things you were getting at:

1.  Amen.  I'm definitely going to have to use this for a while and figure out what will most likely work better.  :)

2.  The 'top fire button sticks'.  Yeah, I haven't really even TRIED to put them to use yet.  I'm not sure if I'll keep em' or not...but there's issue #1 that you referenced to consider...I'll have to try it for a while and see.  Spinner button config - I'm with you on that.  Definitely wish I'd done that differently already.  :)

As for the issue of:  "You have so much wasted space in the middle of the CP that you could possibly move the trackballs to the middle and move the spinners to the top."

Being a VERY amateur carpenter was part of the cause of this.  Along with that was attaching the control panel to the existing cabinet.  If I'd had some help or a bit more experience/knowledge I probably could have done a more effective job minimizing the space used...

:)
Havok:
Looks great, except it appears you have bolted on three or four control panels onto one cabinet: I would build out the base a little to compensate for the obvious proportion difference. You built it though, so enjoy it - just my constructive criticism...
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