This layout look even to you?

[spOOf]

The top layer, in order, is plyr 1 start, plyr 1 coin, spinner ........... pause, plyr 2 start, plyr 2 coin, exit

Things look off for some reason in the spacing for the joys/buttons/trackball.  I can't figure out why.  I've gone over the math several times.  Maybe it's just an optical illusion or something.  Here's what I did:

The panel is 38.5"w x 15"h.  The bottom of the trackball and the bottom of the lowest button for each player is exactly 6 inches from the bottom of the panel edge (for hand/arm support, as well as allowing steering wheel clamp on).  The center of the player 1 joy is 4.5" from left edge.  The last player 2 button is 4.5" from right edge.  From joy to button on both players equals 6.75".  So, from edge to last plyr 1 button is 11.25.  And from edge to player 2 joy is 11.25.  That means it's 8 inches from the middle of last plyr 1 button to center of trackball and 8 inches from middle of plyr 2 joy to center of trackball.

Everything should be perfectly aligned and centered.  But it looks off, doesn't it?  I think it's just because the joystick throws it off.

Thoughts?

[markronz]

Yeah the joysticks can tend to make things look a little screwy.
I usually put boxes around everything for starters as you will see in the first picture I attached below.

In the second picture below you can see that I drew a line between player 1 controls and the trackball.   I copied this line and pasted it on the other side, meaning that it's the same size line on both sides.    As you can see, the player 2 controls are a little bit further away from the trackball.  Of course, there are a lot of variables that could go into it.   Such as what size joystick ball you're using, the dust covers on the bottom of the joystick might be bigger than the hole you have in your picture, etc etc.

I struggled with these spacing details as well initially.  But what I ended up doing was getting it as close as I could to symmetrical, and then building a test control panel.  Use cheap wood, card board, whatever, and put the controls in it.   Thats really the only way to get a true feeling for what it's going to look like.