A newb and his panel...

[syph007]

Yes I'm a newb, I admit it.  I think I'm one step past the very first stage... in that I know what kind of panel I want, and what games I actually want to play.  I want a panel for fighters and tank games (Assault!).   I see two options, a separate panel for each, or somehow combine on one panel and hopefully NOT look too franken.

I know some sticks like the CO2 have all the controls in a horizontal line, but wow no way am I making something that wide.  Cabinets don't need wings.

I threw together an arrangment that I think would work.  The normal joysticks are happ 360's, the top fires I was was thinking prodigy top fire (since they are 4/8 swapable with that top lever).  This would let me play my fighters and then just move a hand up to get at a 2nd joystick.  This would also work for smash tv, and I could also use both topfires in an SP game of anthing else that needed two sticks with two buttons.  This would also give me dual 4 way or dual 8 way. 

Now obviously since they arent in horizontal alignement, it's not perfect.  But Id rather do that than have the super wide panel.  Has anyone else done anything like this, and liked/not liked it?  Is there a better layout than this?  Is this already a franken and should I just build 2 panels?

Thanks in advance.

[TOK]

If you're not into Golden Tee or other games that require you to fast-spin the trackball, I think that's a pretty cool setup. I remember someone recently using ball top sticks with an integrated topfire button. That might work for you and let you eliminate one set of sticks.

[syph007]

Ah, so the player 1 topfire stick would be in the way for trackball games?  I had hoped that wouldn't be a problem, but I've never played golden tee, so I wasn't sure.

[miles2912]

Check your button placement.  The holes should be 1.5" center to center all around.  The joystick can be further away but the holes need to be close to reach them.

D-

[johnperkins21]

Ah, so the player 1 topfire stick would be in the way for trackball games?  I had hoped that wouldn't be a problem, but I've never played golden tee, so I wasn't sure.

Your spinner is more in the way than the topfire, although that's pretty close for big hooks. Also, how to you anticipate reaching the buttons when using the topfires? It looks like you'll have to switch hands, and you're still pretty close to having them cross. The more I think about what I want to do, and the games I want to play, I've decided on a modular system. Depending on your needs you might want to really consider this idea.

[syph007]

Ah ok.  The spinner could move to one side.  The right makes most sense I suppose.   I put the spinner in the middle so it could be operated by either hand.  In tron, you'd want the left had there, right hand on p2 topfire.  For any other spinner game, like arkanoid, I'd want my right hand on the spinner, left hand on p1 buttons.  Do most poeple use a spinner with the left or right hand?

I inteded the top fires to be used by the right hand only, so button access was not something i considered.  Is there a game that you'd want a topfire stick and access to buttons?   I assumed once you were going to use buttons you would just used the normal stick.  The only real purpose of the topfires for me was so I could play tank games by not having to add a 2nd panel.

[ahofle]

I basically took the same approach as you with my panel.  Playing games like Assault, Battlezone, and Tron were mandatory for me.  My panel has the topfires a little higher than in your diagram however (I wanted to be able to rest my hand without it pressing any buttons).  I've been pretty happy with it, and the spinner is sufficiently far from the trackball to not cause any issues in Golden Tee.  Having a highball trackball also seems to help this.  Just move the trackball as far down as possible, and move the spinner up a good amount and you should be fine IMO.

My ultimate goal is to replace the 8way topfires I have (where did you get dynamically switchable 4/8 way ones???) with analog sticks like THIS with tank/tron style handles.  That would give me pretty much perfect controls for Tron, and allow easy switching between 8, 4, and even 2 way for tank games.

Oh, and one other thing...Make sure you mock this up with the controls mounted loosely in some stiff cardboard and try it out for yourself.  That's the best way to tell if you'll like it.

[19rjs99]

Is there a game that you'd want a topfire stick and access to buttons?

Ninja Gaiden uses a topfire and 2 buttons for each player. You could just use 3 buttons though.

[syph007]

ahofle,

The top fires I was thinking of using were the groovygamegear ones.  I like the fact that they were top switchable.

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=192

So you have your sticks offset too then... how does it feel for tank games having the right one higher up?  That was my only concern, but I like that idea better than a wider panel.

I have been watching those new ultimarc 360 sticks as well, but I've kinda already made up my mind on what I want to use, and I'm too impatient to wait for reviews long range use etc...

[ahofle]

Actually, I use both topfires at the same time when playing tank games, not staggered like that (mine are even more 'staggered' than yours though).  This way, they both have the same feel and are both level.  I actually prefer the shorter throw of the topfires for games like Robotron too.  Of course this eliminates 2 player simultaneous 2 stick games like Smash TV, but there are much fewer of those games (I usually just break out a USB gamepad for that anyway ).  Are there any 2-player simultaneous tank games?  Vindicators comes to mind, but I can't play that anyway because you need two buttons on the sticks, not one.  If you really want the topfires to be for each player's right hand only, I would personally line them up with the other sticks.  I don't think a few extra inches in width would qualify your CP as having wings. 

Thx for the link on the topfires.  Those are pretty nifty, although they take up quite a bit of real estate with that mounting plate.