Revised Control Panel Plan (thoughts?)

[AlanS17]

Hope yall don't mind my starting a new thread for this. The old one was getting over-cluttered.

Ok well I revised my control panel layout to move the spinner to the left and I also removed several buttons from the mouse, reducing it to 1 on each side. This would help get the buttons out of people's way when they're playing regular games. I could also put them above the trackball (which I may still do.)

There is also a large space now above the trackball for some sort art or something. We'll see...

The top left joy is a 4-way and the top rioght joy is a top-fire. The circle on the right next to the top-fire joystick is a rotary switch to change the top-fire between player 1 and player 2 (depending on the game).

What do you all think of it? Be burtal if you must. I need to hear this stuff. I only get like 1 post for every 10 or 20 views.  

[Tiger-Heli]

Could you post a sketch of the new panel (too lazy to look up the previous "cluttered" thread).

[AlanS17]

Whoops! my bad. It's up now.

[traknfieldSUPAstar]

will you have enuff clearence for the 4-way joystick so that you're hand doesn't bang into that projection on the left side? Also, I dunno if i'd put the two mouse buttons next to the track ball (i'm just assuming they are) on top... i guess it's just me but if i was player 2 i wouldn't want my hand resting on or accidentaly pressing/running into the right side button....

[Tiger-Heli]

Whoops! my bad. It's up now.

Thanks!  I like the idea of moving the trackball buttons above the trackball.  FWIW.

[rampy]

seems reasonably, all and all... looks pretty clean and spread out.

Do you really need that switch for "The circle on the right next to the top-fire joystick is a rotary switch to change the top-fire between player 1 and player 2 "

*shrug*

just wondering.

Rampy

[AlanS17]

There will be enough clearance for the joystick on the left side divider. I can always move it in, though.

I think I will move the buttons above the trackball. Plan on using it for things other than MAME.

Well I was gonna put the rotary switch there because I figured some games would use a player one top-fire but some others would use it as a second joystick for dual-joystick games. Is that reasonable? I may be way off. Oerhaps I havent' done my homework.

[Tiger-Heli]

There will be enough clearance for the joystick on the left side divider. I can always move it in, though.

I think I will move the buttons above the trackball. Plan on using it for things other than MAME.

Well I was gonna put the rotary switch there because I figured some games would use a player one top-fire but some others would use it as a second joystick for dual-joystick games. Is that reasonable? I may be way off. Oerhaps I havent' done my homework.

Rampy's right - just do it with software, you'll need to anyway.  For example, assume that your top fire is mapped to R,F,D,G, (MAME defaults for Joystick2).  But BattleZone uses I and K for right stick up and down, so you either need to redefine it in MAME or load a different config file to your encoder to make it work.  Likewise Tron uses a Player 1 Trigger stick, but you can map Tron to UP - Up Arrow or R, etc. to make your stick work.

Reminds me also - didn't you have a thread about using a ball-top or a standard trigger stick.  I would get the standard because Discs of Tron and some other games needed a thumb button on the trigger stick and you could add one to these instead of a ball top.  Sorry for crossing threads on you.

[AlanS17]

We're about to get off topic so we'll end it here, but the question was whether to get a top-fire with a ball top or with a standard top-fire... They were both top-fires.

[MinerAl]

Looks awesome Alan.

The rotary switch thing would be cool.  Do it anyway, even if you have to use software to actually make the stick functional, just to have a rotary switch on your CP.

The only thing: is the P2 stick too close to the track ball?  Would you whack it if you went for an incoming missle on the right side of the screen too quickly?  I'd like to have a good entire hand-span next to the trackball for enthusiastic maneuvering.

Good luck!

[Tiger-Heli]

We're about to get off topic so we'll end it here, but the question was whether to get a top-fire with a ball top or with a standard top-fire... They were both top-fires.

My bad, I was thinking a Top-fire ball top, or a trigger-stick.  Sorry.

[GamingGreg]

Your layout is really close to the one I settled on (at least I think I have, as it may change after I build it once).  The differences are that I put the mouse/trackball buttons up on the top.  Also I put two more buttons above that (mapped to P1 button 1 & 2) for use in games like tempest or for use with the 4-way.  Further, I added another top fire joystick right next to the other for use in tank games.  I suppose you can use the 4-way for this, but I wanted them to have the same feel and be close to each other. (actually these will probably be hacked triggersticks instead of top fires, as I like the feel of that better.) I also don't have the problem of the side walls like you do, so this may or may not be an option for you.

Anyway it

[Mamezilla]

Nice job.  By the way. what size is the panel ?  and what size of trackball are you planning to use ?  is it a 2 1/4" or a 3" ?