Playing surface dimensions. How much is too much

[Shieldwolf]

What are the dimensions of your playing surface? If it's for 4 players does 5 feet across sound too big?

[mkdevo]

5 feet across sounds HUGE! mine's 48" long, and i think that's pushin' it...

but it all depends on what you're comfortable with...

[Brad Lee]

As I sit here answering this, I gaze at my desk, grab the tape measure, note that my desk is 5' wide, and say... 'Damn!'

For me that's too big, but this is all personal preference- if you do it and its comfortable, then cool. How big of a monitor are you planning on using? If its not wide enough for everyone to see well, then it'll need to be moved back, do you have enough room for that?

Maybe dig around for some dimensions on some of the popular 4player games, maybe a Simpsons or one of the newer basketball games- my geuss is gonna be around 3' edge to edge

For shoulder room, figure about 1' to 1-1/2' per person, but remember that most of the big games have a curved front edge, so the controls may be only 6-10" between players(this is close to my 3' geuss)


for the record- Ive got 2 players (p1+4 buttons, p2+2 buttons and a centered spinner) fitting into 23-3/4"

[mpm32]

It's not so much about the size, it's the technique.  Or so I've heard.  

[Shieldwolf]

See I totally agree about 5 be too much. Is the 48 inches for a four player cab?
My dream cab is 4 player  3 and 4 at the standard 45 degree turn
all players have street fighter configuration (players 1 and 2 have an extra neo geo button). They all have a player credit and start button.
Towards the the top there is a spinner next to a 4 way joystick and 2 buttons. Between player 1 and 2 there is a 3" track ball with two buttons on either side. I can't imagine it would be 5 feet though. That seems insane to me also.

i'm using GSXR's cab as an example of the main plate adding space for a 3rd and 4th player.

[jakejake28]

my cab has 4 players with 3 and 4 at an angle, turns out to be 43"

[armad1ll0]

I have mine planned at 47" and I have a double rows of 4 buttons per person.  I'm planning on DC/PS2/Xbox use for this cab as well. so I wanted all of the buttons there. 5' is funny looking to me. I think that 48" is even too big and am looking at ways to conserve/cram in the laout.

[TalkingOctopus]

My 4 player cp is 47" x 19.5".  I really tried to get it smaller, but I found that unless you wanted to be shoulder to shoulder you really cannot get too much smaller than 48".  

I think 5 feet is waay too big.  My cp does not look out of place on the cab.  The cab is about 27" is wide and has a 27" t.v.    

Good Luck!

[GamingGreg]

This guy here http://www.cybercoma.com/supercade/ has a unique two level four player control panel that is roughly 37"x14".  It's laid out gauntlet style, but I don't know how cramped it is with four players at once.