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Nudder Noob intro
_) (V) (-):
Yes, a control panel is in the works. I'm working with a mock up that I'll use to test a few things before I comit to a proper one. (like you did)
I'd like to do a 2 player panel, and your right, it is tight. I've had to limit it to only 5 buttons and a joystick on each side. Button placement is still in issue at this point. I've done most of this by trial and error, usually going by what ever 'feels' right.
Cutting the sides open seems like the best option for me. Were you nervious about chopping up the sides of your cabent? Y'kno like, What if I cut this and don't like the way it looks?
Then there is the trackball issue. Such a small % of games use it, will we really 'need' one? Is it worth all the extra costs/hassles?
Also thinking of putting in a flip down panel to access the admin buttons and eliminating the keyboard all together.
This intro thread is getting a little wordy, do you think I should move it over to a project thread?
NightGod:
Don't use imageshack, if you click on the Additional Options... link on the Post page, you can upload pics here. That way we can view them in-line and don't have to worry about bandwidth overages.
severdhed:
i was very nervous about cutting out part of the cabinet, i waited a long time before i got enough guts to do it. I tried many different combos of control panels, but no matter what, i couldnt find one i liked. even without the trackball and spinner, there just wasnt enough room for 2 adults to play anything without hitting elbows. So one day i just decided to be brave and cut it out...and i was happy with the results. I figured..the cabinet only cost me $20, so if i really hated it, i'd look around for another one.
I had a trackball in my cabinet, but as you can see from the pics, it was in such a place that it was pretty much unusable(too close to the screen). I just recently built a new control panel (pics soon) and now it is in a better place, but i have a feeling that once the novelty wears off, it wont get used that much...same with the spinner. I made one out of some spare crap i had lying around, it works good...but i dont know how much i will actually use it.
if you are going to cut out part of the cabinet...measure it out and mark it off with tape so you can visualize what it will look like..make sure everything will fit. make sure you leave enough depth for the monitor, know the dimensions of your control panel before cutting also...you dont want your control panel to be too low/high when it is all done.
good luck.
_) (V) (-):
D'oh! OK Nightgod, I'll do the pictures that way from now on.
Severedhed, where do you find these $20 cabnets?!?!
Re: Cutting, I want to make this cabnet as confortable as possiable without alienating any others from using it. Therefore I need to make the right considerations for height and all of that.
Most of the time it'll be a single player experience, however, there are a number of games in my target range (80's, some early 90's) that do support simultaneous dual player action, and it will be during those games any extra room will be most appreicated I'm sure.
severdhed:
i found my cabinet by dumb luck. I looked in the phone book for Amusements, after a few calls to places that no longer existed, i found a local guy who buys/sells/services arcade games/pinball/vending stuff. I asked if he had any old empty cabinets lying around, he said he had a golden tee golf cabinet with a badly burnt monitor...he took the game boards out and said i could have it for $20. MY friend came over and we hauled it in the back of his jeep cherokee. It came complete with coin door/mechs, marquee, light, dead monitor, glass bezel, 3 buttons and a broken 3" wico trackball.
I have since gone there to get some extra buttons and such, but he isnt around much anymore...took a full time job doing something else, he only does the arcade stuff an evening or two/week. I'm hoping he stays around for a little while yet, my friend wants a cabinet..and for $20, you cant beat that.
my cabinet is also mainly used only by me, but now and then when i have friends over, i am really glad i have room for 2 people. One thing i did with mine is i made the control panel higher than most real arcade games...i have always found that they are too low and angled too steeply, that they hurt my wrists after only a very brief time playing...so i made mine so that i can rest my arms on the panel and my elbows are almost at 90degrees...this makes it very comfortable for extended play.
oh, and if i can make a suggestoin..install working coin doors, it really adds to the experience when you have to drop in a token/coin to play. ( i am too cheap to buy tokens, so i modified mine to accept steel washers i picked up at Lowes...they work good, and i dont have to worry about people walking off with them)