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Defender style general MAME control panel
ghettodish:
I started with a Defender/Stargate panel with an extra MagStik to play most games. Then I added a few more panels...They are hot-swappable and use DB-25 connections. I only need one encoder!
From the top:
Track and Field
Stargate/Defender/Pac Man, etc.
Asteroids
Tron/DOT/Tempest
Battle Zone/ Crazy Climber /Robotron
3 black buttons along the right side are esc tab enter
There are better Defender panel pics in my link below (myspace)
note: with the exception of the spinner, all my panels have the correct spacing for the controls, like in the arcades.
jukingeo:
--- Quote from: Texasmame on December 04, 2008, 05:27:31 pm ---I would strongly consider going modular as I did.
Doc was the inspiration:
http://www.beersmith.com/mame/
I have a panel that are strictly for Defender since it's my fav. Put the dedicated Defender stick and a reverse button on a modular and layout some buttons on other multipurpose panels accordingly.
--- End quote ---
Doc's cabinet is one of my favorites too. The only reason I didn't choose that option was because I don't have the precise enough tools for that work. The Roswell 88201 cabinet uses lock down latches, so you only need to get the panel squared off. If you are slightly off on the "spacing", it will not make that big a deal. But if I had the tools and greater wood working knowledge, then that is what I would have done too.
--- Quote from: ghettodish on December 06, 2008, 12:43:46 am ---I started with a Defender/Stargate panel with an extra MagStik to play most games. Then I added a few more panels...They are hot-swappable and use DB-25 connections. I only need one encoder!
From the top:
Track and Field
Stargate/Defender/Pac Man, etc.
Asteroids
Tron/DOT/Tempest
Battle Zone/ Crazy Climber /Robotron
3 black buttons along the right side are esc tab enter
There are better Defender panel pics in my link below (myspace)
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I believe this is the way to go. The nice thing is that you have the right idea. Start off with your basic panel that controls most games and go from there. I see you have an authentic Asteroids and the tank controls. I would do that too. But I did a little bit of extra looking around and I found the Roswell 88201 cabinet and that became my inspiration.
The Stargate/Defender panel on this cabinet has that extra button next to the (reverse in Defender/Stargate). Right away I saw the Asteroids panel in that configuration. As you know the Asteroids panel is great for any all button games (Space Inv, Rip-off, Star Castle, etc). So that panel seemed to be a good place to start.
I had to laugh because I pulled out my old MAME folder yesterday and I found my artwork for the first panel I wanted to build. It was a Frankenpanel. Back then that style of panel was "in vogue". My reason for not constructing it was the clutter.
Then I saw this gem:
http://arcadecontrols.com/images/joey_viewfull.jpg
This "Frankenpanel" pretty much covers it all while still looking "pretty". But as you can tell, this is a VERY wide panel and I would like to knock this off if and when I have a video projector MAME machine.
Another disadvantage to big panels like this are the inputs. You need to use multiple devices (joypad controller and keyboard/mouse hacks) to get something like that going. As it is I am pretty shy on USB real estate as it is. Most of my machines only have two ports. Luckily though there are cheap USB-PCI expansion cards out there.
Already the Defender/Stargate panel I am planning will need two interfaces. I am planning to use one Gravis Gamepad pro hack for the playing controls only and a USB numeric keypad hack for buttons like: coin up, player 1 & 2, and the service/admin buttons. So that set up will yield me 31 buttons across two USB ports. More than enough for me. I don't get into Street Fighter games, so I don't have a need for a 2 joy 6 button setup.
Anyway, thanx for sharing. It looks great so far... and you can easily add to the collection when money/time allows.
Have a good day!
Geo
ghettodish:
My Stargate/Defender does have the Reverse button, along with Invisio. The up/down controller has a plate underneath to to block side-to-side movement.
jukingeo:
--- Quote from: ghettodish on December 07, 2008, 12:21:49 am ---My Stargate/Defender does have the Reverse button, along with Invisio. The up/down controller has a plate underneath to to block side-to-side movement.
--- End quote ---
Oh! I am not saying it didn't. In fact your panel is more accurate than what I had in mind.
Earlier in the post I put up this picture:
http://arcadecontrols.com/images/Roswell_CP(orig).jpg
This is what I would like to base my panel on. As you see this fellow moved the "Inviso" button all the way over next to the "Reverse" button. For me this button arrangement wouldn't hamper my playing of Defender nor Stargate. Back in the day, I encountered far more Defender games than Stargate games (in fact I only came across Stargate 2 or 3 times). So it isn't a big deal if the Inviso button is on the other side. I can "adapt". What IS a big deal is that with the arrangement pictured above (Inviso button on the other side), it opens the door to fairly accurate playing of other games where there are two buttons for the left hand operation. Looking carefully, you CAN see the Asteroids AND Asteroids Dlx arrangement there (as well as Star Castle, Phoenix, Space Invaders), etc. Plus you have the two joystick control. So you are good for 4/8 way games on the center joystick. Then you are good for two handed joystick (tank, Robotron) games, and finally (a perhaps cramped, but doable) Two player, two button set up.
So overall this would be a very versatile panel to start with AND still have it NOT looking like a Frankenpanel.
I did try to get in touch with this "Craig" fellow that designed the Roswell 88201 game. I wanted to get the dimensions from him, but alas his email address isn't working. But I believe I have enough information here to work something out.
So thanx again to everyone for helping out. I have an idea of what to do.
Geo
ghettodish:
Keep us posted with your project. I'd like to see how it turns out.
Note: The Trackballs are the largest controllers. Make sure you have room for it if you add one later.
That's one mistake I made. I can't add one to my cabinet.