First CP revision for my new project

[stuckpixel]

So, here is my layout (pic 1). It's for a sit-down pedestal-style cab. 2 8-ways in a more or less traditional fighter setup, and a 4/8 way with 3 buttons for classic games and/or 3 player multi player.

I've got a 3" trackball diagrammed, as well as a spinner, but the spinner likely won't come for a little bit, so I'll just fill the hole with a blank. The width of the cp is going to be roughly 32".

In case it'd help, I've attached a rough mock-up of my pedestal.

Thoughts/Suggestions/Criticisms/Hate-letters?

_EDIT_ Mods, if this isn't the place to post this, go ahead and move it.

[deadkenndys1105]

Umm wow that thing is ugly and I know I would have a hard time playing on it and being comfortable.  If you want to have something you can sit down at you might want to look at some designs that are a mix between candy cabinets and cocktail cabinets.  If you built this right now it would be instantly on crapmame.  Your biggest mistake are the monitor is enclosed and you would be playing at a "custom' desk.  I pulled out my tape messurer and looked at your specs also.  I would say burn this plan and never look at it again.

[stuckpixel]

..erm thanks for the "advice".

Bear in mind, this is a rough draft, and that I wasn't asking about the design of the cabinet, I was asking about my CP. Never mind the fact that you got some of the facts wrong about the cab itself.

The monitor is _not_ enclosed, and it'd hardly be a "custom" desk. The only thing that is desk-like is the height, which was more or less the idea. At the moment, I do not have the space for a full-size cab, and the idea with this is to add a base to the pedestal (turning the T into an I), and make a separate cab for a larger monitor when my wife and I are at a point where we can afford more space.

Anyone else? With maybe, you know, some suggestions for improvement rather than anger and typos? The "Hate Letters" was a joke you realize..

[deadkenndys1105]

Im sorry about the typos and it wasn't really angry.  I was just being honest.    Oh well my fault.  Personally it would kill me to seat down and play that.  If your really cutting for space you might want to just build the controls that you can plug into your computer.  It would buy far cheaper and take of almost no space.

[stuckpixel]

Umm wow that thing is ugly

If you built this right now it would be instantly on crapmame.

I would say burn this plan and never look at it again.

It's a little hard to read these quotes and not assume hostile intent. I appreciate the fact that you are trying to help, but perhaps in the future you could speak with a little tact.

That having been said, I also appreciate the suggestion of stand-alone controllers, but that honestly doesn't interest me. I've made them in the past, novel for a few weeks, then they get ignored.

The whole idea of the cabinet is that it is a sit-down cab. Meaning that you pull chairs up to it and play it sitting down. I guess I'm a bit confused when you say it wouldn't be comfortable. Is there something specific that you're referring to? I've got it dimensioned out here, and it's plenty comfortable. The height of the CP is at about a natural level with where most peoples arms are, and there's a few inches of CP to rest the wrists on before we hit the buttons/trackball.

Never mind the fact that this post was asking about the control panel, not the cab. I'll take feedback about the cab, but what I'm really most interested in at the moment is the CP.

[javeryh]

OK, here is my $.02:

1.  Reconfigure the P1 and P2 button layout to something that's more comfortable.  I really really like the attached layout because when your hand is at rest your fingers are naturally resting on the buttons.

2.  Lose the three buttons above the trackball.  Are they mouse buttons or something?  If so they can be remapped to any of the other buttons.  You are also going to be accidentally hitting them a lot when you play games like Golden Tee and Bowling or anything else that requires hitting the trackball somewhat hard.  If they are action buttons to be used with the 4-way and spinner I'd move the trackball down a little and move those buttons up so they don't interfere.

3.  I'm not sure what those random buttons in the middle of nowhere are for (above both P1 and P2 joysticks and the topmost button).  Are they admin/start buttons?  If so you have plenty of room to group them somewhere or even move them off of the CP entirely (like to the front or something).  The CP should play well first and foremost but I am also of the opinion that it is almost just as important that it look good from an aesthetic standpoint.  Try to keep things symmetrical and pleasing to the eye - random buttons floating in the middle of nowhere don't look that great, IMO.

4.  I don't like the plain rectangular design - maybe try angling the sides a bit or putting a curve in front?

Check out Knievel's CP top for reference.  It's a great 2P layout with a spinner, 4-way and 3" trackball.

[shardian]

Have you done a mockup of the angled button setup you have? It seems as though the middle buttons may be offset a little too much. I have this setup on my desktop CP and I like it alot. There is a catch to the offset buttons though: it is only beneficial if your hand is pretty much flat against the panel - IE sitting at a desk with the cp up higher than a normal cab. On a regular cab where the controls are at about waist height, a straight button layout is better IMO.

[stuckpixel]

shardian, you called it. I have not mocked the CP yet. I definitely plan on it before actual construction, but I think you and javeyh are right about the buttons. I wanted to loosen it up a bit from the stiff 6 button SF layout, but I think my CP is a bit too loose. =)

Thanks for the PDF, that actually feels about like what I was going for, I just over-did the spacing. I'll probably end up using those.

Yes indeed the random buttons up top were player start buttons. I really wasn't quite sure where I should put them, any suggestions?

The three buttons  by the 4/8way are indeed the three mouse buttons. I am planning on having them do dual duty as mouse buttons and as buttons for that player. I guess I haven't really played a lot of trackball games besides centipede, so I don't really have a great feel for how it should be positioned. I'll try moving things around a bit. In reality I won't be using the mouse as a _mouse_ all that much, so having a larger space between the 4/8way and the trackball shouldn't be as big of a deal as I originally thought.

I agree about the boxiness. I'm debating whether or not I should go with the angled or rounded. Angled would obviously be easier to cut, but rounded might be a bit easier on the eye. Maybe I'll have to try and do some sketches to see what looks good.

I'll try to draw up a new CP tonight, thanks for the input. More is always appreciated!

[stuckpixel]

Ok, after taking into consideration the advice from javeryh and shardian, here are few more mockups. I think they both look a _lot_ cleaner, thanks for the tips guys.

Any more suggestions or are they looking semi decent? Any other ideas for the CP shape? These were really the only two I could think of off the top of my head. Any preference between the two?

_EDIT_ After looking at the mockups, I think I should pull the 2 figher setups down a bit closer, being that there is now a lip to accomidate for some wrist room. Agree/disagree?