Critique my blueprint. Warning; it's big.

[The cranky hermit]

Hold ctrl+mousewheel up to make it fit in a window better. This is 30"X20"X3/4" MDF. Here are the controls from left to right.

Upper half:
4 admin keys (all pushbuttons are happ's with microswitches provided by Bob Roberts)
Buttons 1+2 for P1
Happ MS Pacman/Galaga 4-way with Oscar 4X6 mounting plate
Buttons 1+2 for P2
Empty space so I can add a Tornado when I have the bread

Bottom half:
Player 1
Coin 1
Happ Super 8-way for P1
Buttons 1-6 for P1
Suzo/Wico 2 1/4" trackball from Ultimarc with Atari 2 1/4" mounting plate from Bob Roberts (I can't find a blueprint image of this, so an image of a 3" happ will have to do. If anyone knows where I can find a better and more accurate blueprint image, I would be grateful)

3 Mouse buttons, mapped to buttons 1-3 for P1
Player 2
Coin 2
Happ Super 8-way for P2
Buttons 1-6 for P2

[paigeoliver]

The buttons underneath the trackball are in the wrong place. Think real hard about how that would feel to use the trackball and those buttons at the same time. You couldn't do it.

Also your panel is exceptionally deep. The blank spot from your sticks to the base of the panel is deeper than some entire panels are.

[The cranky hermit]

I don't know where else the mouse buttons would go, but I see what you mean about it being too deep. Is this better?

[paigeoliver]

Easy, just slide the trackball down and put the buttons on top, you can actually hit them with your trackball hand then (if yr playing missile command or centipede you will probably want to use the player one buttons anyway).

Also, I would slide the player one buttons a bit closer to the trackball, and slide the player 2 joystick closer to the trackball, that will put more room between the joysticks and the buttons, making it more comfortable to play.

[The cranky hermit]

Easy, just slide the trackball down and put the buttons on top, you can actually hit them with your trackball hand then

Damn, how did I manage to miss that? I'm off to the drawing board for a little while.

[The cranky hermit]

Ok, I've made some changes. I've shrunken down the trackball image to 75% of its original size. Hopefully this is what a Wico/Suzo 2 1/4" trackball looks like fairly accurately. I've also made the panel a bit smaller.

[u_rebelscum]

FWIW, happs 2 1/4" mounting plate is 6" by 6".

[The cranky hermit]

I'm buying an Atari 2 1/4" mounting plate. What are the dimensions of that?

[The cranky hermit]

Bump. I've also shrunken down the blueprint a bit. It's not full size anymore, but at least it won't take forever to load, and it won't make your scroll bar huge either.

[u_rebelscum]

I'm buying an Atari 2 1/4" mounting plate. What are the dimensions of that?

Happs is the same as Atari AFA trackballs and trackball plates are concerned (2 1/4" & 3"); happs licenced the TBs plans from Atari.

So, 6"x6".

[unclet]

Dont forget to have the all important PAUSE button.

My standup 4-player cab is 56"x19" and works great.  So I think your original depth of 19" should be fine.

Might want to add some pinball buttons as well  :>)

[jdjuggler]

Regarding the mouse buttons.  Remove them!  Yup.  Use the 123 or 456 of the player 1 buttons as your 3 mouse buttons.  It works for the mouse buttons as well as your regular game buttons (mostly by defaul).  Of course, you'll need to make a few changes, but nothing major.