First arcade control project questions

[purpledrillmonkey]

Hi to all,

Ive been reading endless pages of this forum, the byoac site, and dozen of other sites to get the most comprehensive understanding of this wicked hobby that I could.  I finally got my copy of Project Arcade on Friday, and I read thru the whole thing that day... thanx to Saint for such a great resource!

Anyways, I have an Ipac on the way from Ultimarc, and I am about to place my order for my control panel parts and purchase some material.  I do have a couple questions I couldn't seem to find answers for:

1. With regards to the 'Neo Geo" button on the average 7 button layout what dimensions are common for this button?  I'm using 1.5" on-center spacing for the other 6 buttons so is a 1.5" spacing at a 45° angle recommended?  I have noticed a number of people who seem to locate this button differently than this, but I haven't found any concrete dimensions for it.  I have printed the layout 1:1 scale and it seems alright with 1.5" spacing at 45° so I would guess you will all recommend to go for it if it's comfortable but I'm interested to get more input.

2. I can easily acquire 1/16" Lexan or 1/8" Acrylic, and can acquire 3/4" MDF or 5/8" MDF.  Any recommendations on what combination to go with for my overlay?

3. Easier to use a Forsner bit or Spade bit for CP holes? (In the overlay plastic as well?) More a woodworking forum question i know 

4. I would prefer not to have visible coin-up buttons on my CP.  I see everyone recommend to put them there, but what I would like to do is have the coin-up function on shifted p1 and p2 start commands... is there a reason I should not do this?

5. Aside from not being able to remove it as easily, is there a good reason NOT to glue T-molding to the CP?

6. I'm sorry, but I just gotta ask and I know there is no real answer - HAPP competition or super?  I'll be playing primarily fighters (SF, KI, Marv vs Cap, etc..) shoot-em ups (Raiden ) and beat-em ups (TMNT, Simps, X-Men, etc..) which stick would you recommend ignoring the 4-8 way switching ability of the super?  I was originally sold on Supers, but I started reading past posts saying Competitions were popular for fighters.  I'm more concerned with whether or not one of these sticks would really suck in my CP for fighters, beat-em ups, and shoot-em ups as opposed to which one would be just slightly better.  And please stick to Super vs. Competition; I know they are far from the best, but for now that's what I'm getting. (My plan is to move them to 3p and 4p slots on the next CP i build with U360's replacing them for 1p and 2p)

7.  Are there any good Canadian companies to order arcade components from?

Ok I think that's all for now...  Sorry to be so long winded, and I hope there are semi-intelligent questions.  I'll be posting my plans and hopefully build pics in the coming weeks as things get going.

Thanks for any help and advice you can provide!

[protokatie]

1. With regards to the 'Neo Geo" button on the average 7 button layout what dimensions are common for this button?  I'm using 1.5" on-center spacing for the other 6 buttons so is a 1.5" spacing at a 45° angle recommended?  I have noticed a number of people who seem to locate this button differently than this, but I haven't found any concrete dimensions for it.  I have printed the layout 1:1 scale and it seems alright with 1.5" spacing at 45° so I would guess you will all recommend to go for it if it's comfortable Wink but I'm interested to get more input.

I just ordered my stuff from andy a few days ago, an set up a basic layout in MS paint (of all things). I am green, but I recommend that you "steal" some cardboard and set up some practice layouts. This is what I will be doing.

BTW if the link I provide works, look at it:


http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m105/protoplatapus/?action=view&current=basiclayoutsmall.jpg

This is my layout plan for a 7 button control. (for everything from TMNT through SF2 and also NEOGEO games)

[Jdurg]

If I recall properly, I believe the proper distance (center-to-center) between buttons is 4 cm.  From the center of your joystick to the center of the first column of buttons should be 8 cm, I believe.  I'd have to go home and check my panel to see what I used.

[u_rebelscum]

2.  If you're doing 3/4" T-modeling, I suggest 1/8" + 5/8", or 1/16" + 3/4".  IMO, I'd go 1/16" lexan because it's thin and it's lexan, but as I don't like plastic covers much, take my answer with a grain 'o salt.

3.  Easier, or better?   I prefer Forsner bit as it makes a cleaner hole, but it is more tiring than with spade.  If you have a drill press, I say Forsner; if hand drill, ehh, how strong are you, and do you mind the more $ for the Forsner?  Not sure which is better for plastic, though I've heard both work.

4.  How many "outsiders" are going to play?  Are you going to label the buttons?  Is it going to be a ipac/gwiz shift button, or a mame combo buttons?  If shift, is it going to be a separate shift button?  It's much easier for a new person to use separate coin buttons, unless the shift/combo is clearly labeled and it makes sense.  That's why most have the coin buttons separate.

6. If you like to fel the corner, go competition.  Me, I don't need the corners, and perfer the supers.  But I'm not much into fighters either; I perfer shmups.

[purpledrillmonkey]

I recommend that you "steal" some cardboard and set up some practice layouts. This is what I will be doing.

Yeah, this thought crossed my mind as well and I do think it is probably a pretty good idea.  Thanks for the input!

4.  How many "outsiders" are going to play?  Are you going to label the buttons?  Is it going to be a ipac/gwiz shift button, or a mame combo buttons?  If shift, is it going to be a separate shift button?  It's much easier for a new person to use separate coin buttons, unless the shift/combo is clearly labeled and it makes sense.  That's why most have the coin buttons separate.

It would be an I-pac shift.  The shift button would be a seperate admin button and the shift would be labeled or at least explained.... this thing would never be used while i'm not around.  I thought about it some more and a coin up button on the front of the CP box might be the way I go with it... I just dont like the coin up buttons being prominent... the whole pushing a button for a credit just feels like cheating to me   I'm certainly not having them once I build my cabinet a few months donw the road   Coin door for sure!

6. If you like to feel the corner, go competition.  Me, I don't need the corners, and perfer the supers.  But I'm not much into fighters either; I perfer shmups.

This is what I have also read.... now, how much 'feel' is there to the corners?  The circular feel of the supers I can imagine in my head, but how much 'corner' are we talking with the comp? Like, a kind of 'valley' that you feel as you circle the joystick (something like a octagonal restrictor plate feel?) or would it be more akin to a full on square range of motion feeling?  IE - does a "quarter circle forward" feel like a 'quarter circle' or more like a 'quarter square'?

Also, thanks for your input as well!

[CheffoJeffo]

7.  Are there any good Canadian companies to order arcade components from?

The Canadian distributor for Happ is Starburst:

http://www.starburstcoin.com/main.php

For the most part, ignore the limited catalog on their website. You can order directly by email (include the Happ part numbers):

Toronto: dave@starburstcoin.com
Montreal: mlapointe@starburstmtl.ca

If you are in Toronto, then you can pickup at Starburst. Not sure if the same is true in Montreal.

You can get the Happ part numbers from the Happ site:

http://www.happcontrols.com/


Other than that, there are a number of good vendors in the USA, although I would recommend avoiding shipping by UPS as their brokerage charges are very high.

 

[Green Giant]

I also wanted to hide coin buttons on my panel, so they are underneath the panel.  On the underside of the portion that overhangs the cabinet.  I have a coin door that also registers, and I will eventually add a switch to disable the underside coin buttons so the coin door must be used.

Also, a spade bit works just fine in MDF.  Especially since this is going to have a CPO.  Also, the spade only makes a rough cut when it comes out of the wood, a portion noone sees.

[u_rebelscum]

6. If you like to feel the corner, go competition.  Me, I don't need the corners, and perfer the supers.  But I'm not much into fighters either; I perfer shmups.

.... now, how much 'feel' is there to the corners?  ... how much 'corner' are we talking with the comp? Like, a kind of 'valley' that you feel as you circle the joystick (something like a octagonal restrictor plate feel?) or would it be more akin to a full on square range of motion feeling?  IE - does a "quarter circle forward" feel like a 'quarter circle' or more like a 'quarter square'?

It feels sort of like with an octagonal restrictor, maybe a little squarer.  The cardinal directions feel partially round, though, so you can't feel straight down, and the corners don't feel 90 degree "V"s.  Nothing as bad as the square apple joystick feel.

It would be best if you could actually feel it; words are not enough IMO.

[purpledrillmonkey]

It feels sort of like with an octagonal restrictor, maybe a little squarer.  The cardinal directions feel partially round, though, so you can't feel straight down, and the corners don't feel 90 degree "V"s.  Nothing as bad as the square apple joystick feel.

LOL.... I was going to ask if it was like that joystick but i didn't think anyone would know what the heck i was talking about   I so remember playing with one of those....

It would be best if you could actually feel it; words are not enough IMO.

This is basically my resulting conclusion as well