Need advice on Control Panel Layout

[Jukingeo]

Hello, I just recently obtained a cabinet for my MAME project.  It was a "Time Killers" cabinet last, but was converted from something else.  The cabinet is a Jamma cabinet therefore it has the nice front slide out tray for the controls and it even has the power supply and coin door (hanging off hinges).   However, this cabinet also has a lower foot rest and a recess to accomodate a foot pedal!  That means this cabinet was originally a driving game.  BONUS!  While at this time I am not building multiple control panels for it, I am not closed off to the idea.  At least I know I can easily handle driving games.

My dilema right now is with setting up a control panel.  I have decided on a two player, two joystick set up.   I have a few two joystick games that I would like to play such as Vindicators and Smash TV.  This would necessitate the  the need for 2 8 Way joysticks per player.   I figured for classic games I would use restricter plates.   I had in mind of using 6 buttons per player and these would be located between the two joystics and arranged vertically instead of the normal horizontal.   I don't like fighting games too much so the orientation of the six buttons from the normal six horizontally doesn't matter to me.

I also wanted to include a trackball in the middle of both sets of controls.

I know this can be done, but what I don't want is an extremely WIDE front panel that extends past the cabinet sides too much.

So the question is, how can I accomplish this while still maintaining a comfortable set up and not having hands bang into each other.  The panel is pretty LONG as opposed to wide and originally the Time Killers game had one 8 way and FIVE buttons arranged vertically.  There is plenty of room up and down wise.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Please EM responses directly to me.

Thank YOu

Jukingeo@optonline.net