I look at this moron, and I gotta laugh. While I agree MOST examples were pretty out there, the pinball and a couple of the frankenpanel's wer not that bad. Though I would like to comment on a few quotes.
'Function' buttons don't really belong on the main control panel. They take up space, and more importantly obfuscate what should be easy to use and understand controls. If you ever expect anyone other than yourself to actually use your MAME box, simple goes a long way. Hide a wireless keyboard on top or behind a coin door. Or maybe build a NICELY CONCEALED keyboard drawer.
It depends on how important the function buttons are to the maker. While a keyboard is all well and good, if a button is used constantly why would someone want to keep rolling out the keyboard over and over and over again. Still, I do think some people forget the obvious thing. MAME allows for controls on every microswitch, and that includes the arcade sticks. So you don't need as many.
Everybody wants to cover a lot of bases with controls, but sticking every control under the sun on one panel in a big mish-mash looks like trash and is confusing to use. Again, if someone other than you tried to use your MAME machine, would they know what buttons to use for any particular game?
First of all, this is assuming that you live through "everyoneelse". If you are a lover of all said games, and you can actually physically play the games, then with some ingenuity, you can fit almost anything on say the old style C02 panel. Anyone that I know has it figured out fine. I tell them what to use, and they use it. Permanent part of my family got it down fine. Same as using a remote control, a little practice, and you got it fine. No need to have the "BIG NUMBERS" and brain dead icons and that other drivel to help them through. IDIOTS are those kind of people(bad eyes and such barred from what I just said)
I may be a lunatic purist, but console games belong on the living room TV. That's what they're designed to be used on. Why on earth would you build an arcade style cabinet to stand at (or sit on stools hunched over) for console games, instead of kicking back on your couch?
I will tell you why, because certain arcade games have not been emulated yet, or they are slow as piss with our current affordable computers. So in a sense ya moron, I am trying to recreate the arcade experience anyway. Also, I don't care what people say, fighting games are meant to be played standing up and with an arcade stick.
Same goes for your little button arrangement. It is IMPOSSIBLE to play said games without those extra buttons. Like MK Armageddon. Gamepads are gay plain and simple. Save it for the RPG's where you sit for hours at a time.