Suggestions for this CP? (Updated)

[SephYuyX]

Seems im sort of at the time to start working on a CP. Im still having trouble trying to think of a color/design for it, but I think ive got a good idea for what hardware I want, and the shape of the CP.

Heres what I have so far. Ignore the colors of the buttons, and the rectangle shape, thatll change. This layout is 40"x20".

My first question is, should I bother with 8 buttons? Im going to be using Maximus Aracde, and most all of the emulators it supports, but I cant recall if there is any need for 8 buttons (for any emulator), or if 7 is enough. If there is a system that needs 8 buttons, which is it?

I based my button/stick layout on the Hori layout http://www.slagcoin.com/joystick/layout/hori36.png is this a decent layout to use? I printed it out, and it felt decent to me. I plan to play some fighters, UMK3 being one, so I want one that felt good with that, and it seems to fit. In a UMK3 set up the top left (index) button isnt use, and I would ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- my fingers over to the next, leaving my pinky hanging, correct?

Does the spacing seem ok? Is there too much spacing? Seems to me I should bring it in some. I havent tried printing it off yet, just kind of wanetd to toss around ieas first.

As far as the hardware goes I plan on using:
-IPAC2, UTRAK, and SpinTrak (From Ultimarc, and this would get rid of the need to have an OptiPac)
-3 Happ Comp Sticks (4/8way), 22 Happ Horizontal Buttons, and two 1/2 Player buttons (From GGG)

Im not sure yet if I want to get Versa/Leafs, I can always get those later.
But as far as this list goes, should I make any corrections? Missing anything? Use different stuff? Etc?

I plan on just having the 2 admin buttons for escape and pause, that enough yeah? I can shift other buttons for Volume+-, ~, Home, Enter, Tab, etc?
Is it possible to congiure for your own/different combos? For example it says to hit TAB you would shift+Larrow, can I change that to Rarrow if I wanted? Could I also make shift+SW3 (which has no shift normally) to act as a press of the backspace button?

Any comments, or questions? Anything I should be made aware of?
Thanks.

[drventure]

Looks pretty reasonable to me.

I went with a 7 button layout, but honestly, I haven't had a single instance yet where I've used more than, say 3 of them.

But then I'm not a big fighter fan, so I think that's where all the extra buttons come into play.

[Queeg]

If you're going to go with more than 6 buttons, I say why not eight. Seven always looks odd to me and when positioned correctly 8 can both look and play nice.

As for games that use 8, if you're running a psx emulator then 4 face buttons + 4 shoulder buttons = 8. Same goes for dolphin (gamecube emulator).

I would suggest this layout for 8 buttons, super comfortable.

 

[SephYuyX]

Yeah, I will be using PSX and GC, and Im doing 7 as a min just becaise of UMK3, and true it is just an extra button, why not.
I tried the astro city layout, but the ring and pinky are to low for when I use it in a UMK3 or 6 button setup.

[Queeg]

Ah yeah that's true for MK. I still say go 8, I don't know why but I just get angry when I see odd numbers 

[evitagen]

I debated on the number of buttons to use when I built my first cab for a long time and I settled on 6.  Saved me space on my CP and a couple extra bucks on buttons and I never missed the other 2 buttons, and I am a big fighting game fan.

[SephYuyX]

True that 6 buttons is normal for most all fighters, but id forgotten until it was mentioned that PSX, GC, DC all have shoulder buttons which will probably come in handy.
Though I could always just use USB controllers in those cases. Some how I think 6 would be uncomfortable in a few configs, but ill give it a look.

[evitagen]

Yeah I honestly didn't even factor in PSX games or anything... so maybe you would want 8 if you're going to be playing that(although personally I'd rather play PSX games on a pad unless it's a fighter[which would be okay with 6 buttons anyway]).

I was glad I didn't go for 8 though... but if you want 8, go for it!  Nothing wrong with it or anything.

[bkenobi]

IMO, CP's play like ass for console games that aren't fighters or designed to be played that way.  I have 7 buttons on my CP and tried playing NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, GameGear, etc.  I always felt like it was so clumsy.  I bought a pair of wireless Logitech Rumblepad 2's and have been very happy with it!  It's got plenty of buttons (not enough for Jaguar, but what does) and the analog sticks are really nice for N64.

[SephYuyX]

Updated it into a working final. I think. I hope. I added two more buttons for the hell of it to fill the IPAC2 (2 are connected to SpinTrak)
Comments?

Going to try and print it off tomorrow somewhere in one peice, trying to do it at home in multiple pieces didnt work so good.
Picture with the grids shows how I set it up proportionatly.
The thick black outline is the 5/8 MDF mox the CP will sit on.
And the final image is just the viewable image from the top w/o everything else.

Thanks for the comments, and thanks to those I emailed for dimension suggestions.

[bkenobi]

If you turn on crop lines, you can use those to line things up.  Alternately, you can create a grid in gray or another color to help you line things up.  Then, just make sure you print some overlap.  I'm not sure if kinkos or whatever can print on large paper like you will need.

[SephYuyX]

Called Kinkos and they can do it for 4$, not too bad.

[bkenobi]

Only $4!  Nice...I would have expected much more.