Critique my Control Panel Design?

[rdowdy95]

Hey guys this is the look I really want to go with for my Control Panel.  Nothing is labeled, so use imagination.  Above the 1st player 8-way joy there is the P1 Start and a Credit button below that is 4 admin buttons.  ESC, TAB, Enter, and Pause.  I know with the IPAC 2 I can do the whole shift thing, but I am not going to activate the shift function.  I will be the primary one that will be playing this so there is no big deal I have to worry about people pressing something they shouldn't.

[johnperkins21]

Overall I like it. Two things though, I'd think about putting those admin buttons someplace else, maybe on the front of the control panel in the center, right under the lip so they're not being hit by a stray hip. Also, maybe move those two buttons above the trackball to either side so you have a left/right button for it. They seem a little close to the trackball for some overzealous Golden Tee.

Other than that, build a mock-up and see if you like it. Since you'll be playing it more than me, and probably anyone else here, it's your comfort with it that matters most.

[rdowdy95]

Cool thanks for the advice.  I will think about the thing with the admin buttons.  I figure folks would also have the same opinion on that one.

[clockwork]

Needs more cow bell.

No 7th button for fighters? 

[fjl]

Here's mine. I'll suggest to you that your buttons are too close to the joystick. As are mine which is why I opted to slant the buttons to have a more comfortable feel and not strain my wrist and arms as much. I also plan to hide my admin buttons. Actually I plan to add a shift button underneath the panel, where no one can see unless someone feels down there. And being a shift button, it won't do any admin commands unless you hold the button down.
EX:
Hold Shift Button + P1 Button1 = On screen display
Hold Shift Button + P1 Button2 = Pause
Hold Shift Button + P1 Button3 = Cancel
etc.



Check out this thread...
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=62415.0


Also, I plan to remove the 4 way joystick and get two 360 controllers as I was informed that the frontend does the work of auto switching them from a 4 way to an 8 way joystick when starting up a game.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=62492.0

[brianoneill]

Needs more cow bell.

No 7th button for fighters? 

I have 6 button layout. What fighters use 7 buttons. I thought I had all bases covered with 6

[Loki]

Needs more cow bell.

No 7th button for fighters? 

I have 6 button layout. What fighters use 7 buttons. I thought I had all bases covered with 6

Not sure if there are fighters that use 7 buttons, but the 7th button is for the NeoGeo games... and if you like fighters you want NeoGeo

The colored buttons is the NeoGeo layout

[markrvp]

The 7 button layout is not for fighters.  There are no MAME compatible games that use 7 buttons.  That layout is so that in NeoGeo games you have 4 buttons in a more or less straight line.  Many of the NEO-GEO games have buttons:  A  B  C  D  where the 7th button is A, the 4th button is B, the 5th button is C, and the 6th button is D.

UNLESS YOU ARE A HARDCORE NEO-GEO FAN, this is not necessary.  6 buttons per player on a 2-p panel should work fine.


My critique of your panel is that there is too much material in front of the trackball.  I know this is just for appearance, but it adds no functionality and it just makes you have to lean forward to use the 4-way and spinner.

[clockwork]

I thought for sure a few of the NeoGeo fighters said 7 buttons, but maybe I wasn't playing close enough attention. But of course I only play on keyboard right now so I can't really use more than 3 buttons. If the 7th button is just mapped to A then probably not necessary. A 7th button is probably easy enough to add later anyway if you end up wanting it.

[rdowdy95]

Thanks for all the input guys.  Now on the two mouse buttons.  What if I don't play a lot of Golden Tee.  On my spins I always lift my hand on the end of the spin, but if friends come over they might bang into the buttons...I personally like them above the trackball like that.  Kind of like Atomic's Galaga CP.  There is some things with the shift button.  Some capcom games where you hold P1 start and a direction on the p1 stick lets you choose hidden characters.  One of the Marvel vs capcom games.

Also I am not much of a neogeo, if I was I would just use the capcom 6 button layout, and adapt to it. 

MK 3 would go like this:
HP, BK, HK
LP, RN, LK

 

[rdowdy95]

Take that back.  I do play alot of the NEO GEO games, but the ones I play usually just use three buttons.  The fighters like King of Fighters I will try them out like this.

Button 1234

Like this

1 2 3
4 * *

Now are there moves in that game that you have to press 3 + 4 at the same time.  That may be a little hard, but I can adapt to it I guess.  Never really played those games growing up.  I am doing the:

1 2 3
4 5 6

Cause that is the perfect setup for SF2 and Capcom fighters that I really like.  I am going to make a cardborad mockup and try to see if I think the 4 way is comfortable.

[emb]

I really like your layout, it seems to be very efficient.  If you plan on playing some bowling or golf games with your trackball, you might stub your fingers on the top left joystick, which can hurt a lot. But if it is for other games where you don't have to wind up to use the track ball, it looks like it will work very well.

[leapinlew]

I'll suggest to you that your buttons are too close to the joystick.

I totally disagree. Your spacing is fine (especially if you used that template I gave you  )

I wouldn't have a button or joystick above the trackball. Besides Golden Tee - Shuffleshot and World Class Bowling will get people doing some wild swings with the trackball.

[Donkey_Kong]

If you plan on playing some bowling or golf games with your trackball, you might stub your fingers on the top left joystick, which can hurt a lot.

This gets brought up ALL the time. Someone tell him the 'minimum comfortable distance' between TB and joysticks/spinners in such a vertical orientation? 4" 5" 6" or more?


I'm having the same design issues currently myself.

Thanks