Author Topic: GaryMcT's 2-player generic control panel layout (Read 58420 times)

Encryptor · « **Reply #320 on:** September 01, 2009, 10:49:19 pm »

Gary,

Did you check with Divemaster? He sells Happ stuff.

Encryptor

GaryMcT · « **Reply #321 on:** September 02, 2009, 02:52:32 am »

No, I haven't checked with him. I'll give him a shout when I get closer to buying.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #322 on:** September 02, 2009, 02:55:53 am »

Finally got around to using my new ratchet quick-connect crimper. WAY WAY WAY better than the junky Radio Shack one that I was using!

A friend ordered an FPGA dev board to mess around with. Can't wait to check that out. . . I may have to order one myself soon. This is very cool:

GaryMcT · « **Reply #323 on:** September 03, 2009, 02:10:31 pm »

Ordered a JROK Williams board today for my Defender machine. My Asteroids Deluxe went POP! and stopped working. Not going to get much done on anything until Left 4 Dead 2 is done.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #324 on:** September 05, 2009, 09:27:22 pm »

Started planning another control panel over here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=96017.0

GaryMcT · « **Reply #325 on:** September 08, 2009, 11:44:53 pm »

I got the smaller balltop and the two-way restrictor from lizardlick today. Seems like it's all going to work really well for the modernized Stargate-like control panel! I kind of wish that the two-way restrictor was plastic instead of metal, but I think it'll be fine.

Looks like I'll have to not only not route the bottom-mounted U360 for this, but I'll actually have to use some washers or build something else to sink it a little bit deeper so that it's about the same as the Defender stick. The throw feels like it's going to be about right for this.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #326 on:** September 09, 2009, 04:22:05 pm »

Quote from: GaryMcT on September 08, 2009, 11:44:53 pm

I got the smaller balltop and the two-way restrictor from lizardlick today. Seems like it's all going to work really well for the modernized Stargate-like control panel! I kind of wish that the two-way restrictor was plastic instead of metal, but I think it'll be fine.

Looks like I'll have to not only not route the bottom-mounted U360 for this, but I'll actually have to use some washers or build something else to sink it a little bit deeper so that it's about the same as the Defender stick. The throw feels like it's going to be about right for this.

Big giant nevermind on using the lizardlick 2-way restrictor on the U360. It doesn't actually restrict properly in one dimension, so the megnet hits the poles on the stick.

Looks like a JLW/J-Stick with modified Versa-Micro switches with some dremel work (as Bender recommended earlier) is going to be the solution for the Defender-Stargate-style panel.

Bender · « **Reply #327 on:** September 09, 2009, 04:52:50 pm »

if we made a custom restrictor with a slightly shorter through would that work?

GaryMcT · « **Reply #328 on:** September 09, 2009, 05:10:33 pm »

That would work. I'm actually happier with using the J-stick/JLW though since it can be made to work with the Versa-Micro switches. Seems way more reliable than the U360 and doesn't require power. I can actually plug it into a JROK board without having to power it, etc. AND it's way cheaper.

The reason I wanted to use the U360 in the first place was so that the switches wouldn't be in the way. Now that I finally had the giant duh moment that the switches that were in the way are the left/right switches, that isn't a problem.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #329 on:** September 16, 2009, 02:52:27 am »

Ordered some more buttons with micro-leafs today from GGG! Got all the right colors for Defender/Stargate with extras plus a black one for coin.

Thinking that I'm going to rewire my 2-player panel to use the ipac4 for all buttons so that it is easy to switch between output mode on the U360 for the JROK Williams board and Mame easily.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #330 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:57:14 am »

Borrowed a friend's Hori Ex2 360 stick today. . made me realize that the Astro City layout works really well for Neo Geo layout games even with just 6 buttons. I contemplated using the top row as the three rightmost and use the bottom left for the thumb button is the old button layout that I had, but the thumb was too far right. The Astro City layout seems perfect for this sort of thing, which allows me to get rid of the thumb button which has problematic given my space constraints. Still too busy to build it, but here's what I'm going to try next:

Here's the stick that I played on that made me think to try this:

http://www.hori.jp/us/products/xbox360/fighting_stick_ex2/index.html

I borrowed the stick from a friend so that I could see how it felt given that I'm going to bulid a stick for a friend for his PC. I have really bad ergo problems with using a 360 controller myself, so I think this has probably pushed me over the edge for building one for myself for the 360. I'd love to play the new Robotron-style Zombie game that is on the 360 that a friend worked on, but I'd definitely need analog sticks for that.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #331 on:** October 01, 2009, 08:22:07 am »

Quote from: GaryMcT on October 01, 2009, 02:57:14 am

I'd love to play the new Robotron-style Zombie game that is on the 360 that a friend worked on, but I'd definitely need analog sticks for that.

You just piqued my interest with that comment by combining two of my favorite things: zombies and Robotron!

GaryMcT · « **Reply #332 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:25:35 pm »

http://www.nihilistic.com/news.php?action=show&article_id=48

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #333 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:27:27 pm »

Thanks, I'll check it out.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #334 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:31:04 pm »

vids:

http://www.nihilistic.com/news.php?action=show&article_id=46

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #335 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:31:33 pm »

Just watched. Any word on a PC release?

GaryMcT · « **Reply #336 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:58:16 pm »

Quote from: Ginsu Victim on October 01, 2009, 04:31:33 pm

Just watched. Any word on a PC release?

Not that I know of. I'll ask though.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #337 on:** October 01, 2009, 05:13:21 pm »

That's the only way I'll be able to play it, so I hope so.

Looks good (though I'm more excited about that other zombie killing game that's on its way...)

Avinitlarge · « **Reply #338 on:** October 02, 2009, 07:05:13 pm »

Just out of interest, How big is your CP??

GaryMcT · « **Reply #339 on:** October 02, 2009, 07:10:24 pm »

I think it is 24 7/16" x 10 1/2". It's basically a control panel for a Defender-style cabinet.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #340 on:** October 12, 2009, 02:43:28 am »

LizardLick small ball top on U360 good.

With the U360 bottom-mounted with no routing even better.

Going to have to order some more small ball tops.

PsychoAU · « **Reply #341 on:** October 12, 2009, 03:39:45 pm »

Just found this thread, but if you want to see my panel which uses only 23.75" of usuable width, then check out my CP walkthrough video:

I fit two players, 7 buttons each, a trackball, and a spinner all in that width. I have the Visio layout file if you want it.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #342 on:** October 12, 2009, 03:58:23 pm »

Quote from: PsychoAU on October 12, 2009, 03:39:45 pm

Just found this thread, but if you want to see my panel which uses only 23.75" of usuable width, then check out my CP walkthrough video:

I fit two players, 7 buttons each, a trackball, and a spinner all in that width. I have the Visio layout file if you want it.

Nice!

Looks like you have the benefit of not having anything in the way on the left and right side of the panel. If I put my controls that close to the edge, I'd be hitting the edge of the panel.

PsychoAU · « **Reply #343 on:** October 12, 2009, 04:21:39 pm »

Yes, but you also won't have a trackball in the middle, so you could move things closer together (away from the edge). I just wanted to show that you can get creative with smaller panels and still fit everything you want without it seeming crowded or uncomfortable.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #344 on:** October 12, 2009, 05:52:17 pm »

Quote from: PsychoAU on October 12, 2009, 04:21:39 pm

Yes, but you also won't have a trackball in the middle, so you could move things closer together (away from the edge). I just wanted to show that you can get creative with smaller panels and still fit everything you want without it seeming crowded or uncomfortable.

Cool. . thanks!

I think I'm almost there with the design. The last one that I put up looks like it's nearly good. I still hit the player two button with my right hand when playing Robotron or anything else that uses the player 2 stick with the right hand.

GaryMcT · « **Reply #345 on:** November 03, 2009, 12:18:12 am »

Getting oh so close on this! Dropped the joysticks south about an inch so that there is no chance of your right hand hitting the buttons in Robotron. Feels like the sticks are buried too far into the panel now. Ordered the longer shafts from Ultimarc and the trackball version of the joystick install kit that Bender mentioned so that I have some room to play with one way or the other.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #346 on:** November 03, 2009, 09:18:28 am »

Good to hear you're still making progress. Keep it up!

GaryMcT · « **Reply #347 on:** December 01, 2009, 02:51:04 am »

I *finally* have what I think is the final layout. It's the same as the most recent layout that I posted, but with the joysticks further south to keek from hitting the buttons with my right hand when I play Robotron/Pac-Man. I need to verify the measurements and get to work on the artwork.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #348 on:** December 01, 2009, 09:36:59 am »

Been wondering where you were. Figured L4D2's release and subsequent patches were keeping you busy. (The game freakin' rules, btw)

I'd love to see what you've been working on. This is a project I've been waiting to see finished for a while now. Post pics soon!


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