Give me feedback on my CP loayout

[shiloh]

Hello

Over the past few months I have converted a D&D Tower of DOOM arcade cabinet to MAME. Right now the CP has 4 players (one stick and 4 buttons per player).

I want to build a new CP with 6 buttons for player 1 and 2, and also add a track ball.

If possible, I want to keep the CP within 42" wide and 16" deep.

I will use the ultimarc UTrack trackball because of it's smaller footprint and ease of installation. Player 1 & 2 joystick will be U360, player 3&4 Happ's Ultimate 8 way.

I have attached my current layout design. it is 42"x16" now.

It's my first CP design/build so I would appreciate any feedback you would have.

Also, I think I will add a Ultimarc Spintrack spinner. Where would you locate it? I am unsure now if I would put it above player 1 buttons cluster or aove player 2 sticks. Any ideas?

thanks all for your input!
Marc

EDIT: when using the trackball, player 1 or 2 buttons 1 to 3 would be used. I would like to use the same buttons with the spinner and not add additional buttons.

[DaveMMR]

Player 4's controls are backwards.  And angled controls........ 

But otherwise it's solid. 

As for the spinner, I put mine to the towards the back of the panel location at the upper-right of my P1 buttons (between the rightmost button and trackball plate) and it worked out perfectly.   And you do not have to add dedicated buttons for either the trackball and the spinner as you said (using the main buttons is fine).

[shmokes]

It looks mostly good but there are a couple of big issues.  First, what makes you think player 4 is always going to be left-handed?  Your panel does not need to be symmetrical.  Get those buttons on the other side of the stick.  Seriously, find pictures of other 4-player projects or any commercial 4-player game ever made.  The sticks go on the left side of the buttons.  All four of them.

Also, I wouldn't angle your joysticks like that if I were you.  When you're playing a game, you want the direction you push the stick to correspond with the direction your character needs to move onscreen.  It will look the same on top of your panel either way, but it will feel better to play if all joysticks are oriented the same, with their top edges parallel to the screen.


Heh . . . DaveMMR beat me to it, but I already typed it out so I'm posting anyway.  Saying the same thing though.

[shiloh]

Player 4's controls are backwards. 

That's not intentionnal... Just did a bad flip in visio... now it's fixed!

And angled controls........ 

Didnt think of that. it will change them. Good feedback

[shiloh]

Updated based on the great feedback received!

[Benevolance]

Why don't you move your spinner up into the centre of the CP? You could scoot the P1 and P2 controls a little closer, and give the P3 & P4 a bit more elbow room.

[shiloh]

Why don't you move your spinner up into the centre of the CP? You could scoot the P1 and P2 controls a little closer, and give the P3 & P4 a bit more elbow room.

Like that?

[Benevolance]

It helps if I call in the right thing. I meant the track ball. 

[shiloh]

It helps if I call in the right thing. I meant the track ball. 

ah ok! So a little bit like that?

I tought of that design but I am wondering if the ball would be to close to the monitor to play Golden Tee? How much throw distance should be kept for GT?

[shmokes]

Either way works.  If you're a big fan of Golden Tee you might want to put the trackball back where it was to give yourself more follow through room on those big drives.  If you don't care much about golf games the extra elbow room would be nice.  I'd say it's more a matter of priorities than one way being better than the other.

[shiloh]

Either way works.  If you're a big fan of Golden Tee you might want to put the trackball back where it was to give yourself more follow through room on those big drives.  If you don't care much about golf games the extra elbow room would be nice.  I'd say it's more a matter of priorities than one way being better than the other.

I am not a big fan of Golden Tee, so I think I'll leave it like that.

Thanks again for the good feedback, it's much appreciated!
cheers!

[Turnarcades]

I'm building a similar control panel for myself but it's only 38" wide. Exactly the same as yours but with the credit/coin buttons just above each player's controls, a U-trak in the centre and TT2 spinnes either side with steering wheel attachments. I'd attach pics but it's not done yet.

[arzoo]

Also, I wouldn't angle your joysticks like that if I were you.  When you're playing a game, you want the direction you push the stick to correspond with the direction your character needs to move onscreen.  It will look the same on top of your panel either way, but it will feel better to play if all joysticks are oriented the same, with their top edges parallel to the screen.

That is debatable. Not saying that shmokes is wrong, but there are other factors to take into consideration. If the panel is wide and players 3/4 are standing at an angle (let's say for more shoulder room), then some people feel it makes more sense for the stick to line up with the player - push forward for up. That's the way I play and I've never had a problem. On the other hand, keeping all the sticks with the same orientation is how Gauntlet did it and that's often used as a baseline.

My suggestion, make a mock-up of your panel - you can use cardboard. Then get four adults to try out the control placement.

[DaveMMR]

That is debatable. Not saying that shmokes is wrong, but there are other factors to take into consideration. If the panel is wide and players 3/4 are standing at an angle (let's say for more shoulder room), then some people feel it makes more sense for the stick to line up with the player - push forward for up.

That's pretty much the reasoning for angling the controls but it only works the way intended when you're standing square parallel to those controls.   When you orient respective to the screen, you can stand pretty much anywhere (see: Gauntlet).   I know I'm never directly in front of the buttons on my two player panel but I can go "up" or wherever without thinking.

Make a mock-up both ways, as Arzoo said, and see which way works best for you.