Main > Main Forum

opinions on my control panel layout

Pages: << < (3/4) > >>

krazy_kenny1:


--- Quote from: efjayel on June 01, 2007, 06:27:28 pm ---I would think the spinner is in a wrong location cause if you try to rest your hand while using the spinner, your wrist will end up pressing the p1 action buttons not to mention, it won't be very comfortable. Although, while using a spinner your hand doesn't position itself in a manner that allows it to rest. So that's just really my opinion on that option.

As for the admin buttons, it's likely you will accidentally bump them when doing a fast forward roll motion on the trackball. This is why I put my admin button all the way to the left. I left the top section of the trackball completely clear to prevent any accidental nudging of buttons.

Currently I plan to have only one visible admin button on the CP. It will serve only as an exit from the game. Although It will also have Player 1 and player 2 credit buttons on the cp but I don't really consider those as admin buttons. I'm still thinking of adding mouse buttons though.

--- End quote ---

You're right about the admin buttons and the trackball.  I think I'll put the two left-most admin buttons under the other two to make a square.  That should clear up the area over the trackball.  Something like this:

http://www.comicfanboy.net/images/controlpanel4.png

DaveMMR:


--- Quote from: BobA on June 01, 2007, 01:20:53 am ---No mouse buttons?   Are you goiing to ever need to navigate in windows?

--- End quote ---

I'm not remarking to tinkle in the fire but why do people put dedicated mouse buttons on an arcade cab?   I hook up the main buttons to the Optipac (assuming you're using one) and I can point and click with relative ease.  Plus I assume everyone tries to hide Windows - except for maintenance when you can just hook up one when the need arises.  I could imaging having them for PC games but I think the only ones worth using on a cab have remappable controls?   I don't know - just want to hear opinions on the matter.  They seem gratuitous to me.

But I don't mean to hijack - sorry. 

The panel has a similar layout to mine and it's been comfortable for me.  However, I don't have a spinner (I only added a trackball to cut down on panel swap) so I have a bit more space above the trackball.   You may not have room for one.  Is swapping panels an option?  Oh, and on my panel (once again, similar in layout to yours), the trackball played fine for most games.  But Golden Tee won't have many repeat visits (not the panel's fault - its depth is shallow by design, so you're whacking glass most of the time).

urbecrisch:

DaveMMR, that's why I made my panel a few more inches wide and deep for the purpose of playing GT & Bowling without breaking all my fingers.  As you can see from my PICS (not so clear) I have plenty of room for my trackball since the CP is deep and my monitor is angled.  To answer your question about mouse buttons, I am adding two to my CP cause I plan on using GameEX as my FE and I will be using the CAB as a jukebox and also to browse the internet from time to time.  The buttons will be black and won't be too visible with the art I'm putting on my CP.

DaveMMR:


--- Quote from: urbecrisch on June 02, 2007, 01:12:11 am ---DaveMMR, that's why I made my panel a few more inches wide and deep for the purpose of playing GT & Bowling without breaking all my fingers.

--- End quote ---

My cabinet's a replica of Centipede so widening/deepening the CP can only be done by completely breaking the lines of the original (plus some reconstruction).  Not worth it for me for GT.


--- Quote from: urbecrisch on June 02, 2007, 01:12:11 am ---To answer your question about mouse buttons, I am adding two to my CP cause I plan on using GameEX as my FE and I will be using the CAB as a jukebox and also to browse the internet from time to time.  The buttons will be black and won't be too visible with the art I'm putting on my CP.

--- End quote ---

Right, but I still say they're more than expendable if you're using other FEs and don't use it as a web browser.  And if you use an OptiPac (or reconfigure inputs via software/hardware/hacks), even if you do want/need mouse buttons, you can always use the main buttons for them.  I only bring this up as a space-saver/button-reducing tactic.

Ka-razy Kenny, did you provide the Height/Width on the panel?  I didn't catch it if you did.  With encoder shift buttons (or moving them off the panel), you really only need a couple of start buttons and then get the spinner from GGG* with takes a whole lot less space.   This way you'll have plenty of space to work the spinner.  But the best way to test it is to make a mock-up on heavy cardboard, or even cheap wood (don't tell anyone, but I actually cut two "test" panels as I had extra wood that could very well be upgraded to final for testing purposes -- I called them dress rehearsals) and "feel it out".

*If you already bought a spinner, then forget that sentence.

krazy_kenny1:


--- Quote from: DaveMMR on June 02, 2007, 12:01:18 pm ---
--- Quote from: urbecrisch on June 02, 2007, 01:12:11 am ---DaveMMR, that's why I made my panel a few more inches wide and deep for the purpose of playing GT & Bowling without breaking all my fingers.

--- End quote ---

My cabinet's a replica of Centipede so widening/deepening the CP can only be done by completely breaking the lines of the original (plus some reconstruction).  Not worth it for me for GT.


--- Quote from: urbecrisch on June 02, 2007, 01:12:11 am ---To answer your question about mouse buttons, I am adding two to my CP cause I plan on using GameEX as my FE and I will be using the CAB as a jukebox and also to browse the internet from time to time.  The buttons will be black and won't be too visible with the art I'm putting on my CP.

--- End quote ---

Right, but I still say they're more than expendable if you're using other FEs and don't use it as a web browser.  And if you use an OptiPac (or reconfigure inputs via software/hardware/hacks), even if you do want/need mouse buttons, you can always use the main buttons for them.  I only bring this up as a space-saver/button-reducing tactic.

Ka-razy Kenny, did you provide the Height/Width on the panel?  I didn't catch it if you did.  With encoder shift buttons (or moving them off the panel), you really only need a couple of start buttons and then get the spinner from GGG* with takes a whole lot less space.   This way you'll have plenty of space to work the spinner.  But the best way to test it is to make a mock-up on heavy cardboard, or even cheap wood (don't tell anyone, but I actually cut two "test" panels as I had extra wood that could very well be upgraded to final for testing purposes -- I called them dress rehearsals) and "feel it out".

*If you already bought a spinner, then forget that sentence.

--- End quote ---

The panel is 26.625" x 13.25".  Some of that space around the edge is unusable due to things like hinges and latches under the panel, but who would want a control right up on the edge anyways right?  From the start, I decided I wanted to limit the buttons on the control panel, but I also decided I didn't want to use a shift function for simplicity.  So basically, I laid out the controls without any admin buttons and then added the 4 that I have when I decided they wouldn't interfere.  I agree on avoiding the dedicated mouse buttons if necessary though.  If I need to mess with windows stuff, I'll use remote administration.  Still, I may wire the start buttons as mouse buttons too since I don't think there's a situation where receiving a start button press and a mouse click at the same time would cause any problems.  I did already buy the ggg spinner as well as 2 ultrastik360's and a happ 3" usb trackball.  I definitely plan to make a mockup or two to ensure my layout is how i want it.

Pages: << < (3/4) > >>

Go to full version