Wilbarcade - CP top - need suggestions

[edub]

Hello all,

I've been monitoring this forum and site for 3+ months as I get started creating my first MAME cabinet. I do have to say THANK YOU to all for your participation. I'm impressed with the solutions, ideas and even the rhetoric on here. There is no way I could have even started without the combined efforts of all of you. Also, I've been in contact with Andy Warne at Ultimarc - I've asked him probably 50+ questions and he always has the time to answer and take care of my stupid newbie requests. I couldn't be more impressed.

So, my wife wants a slim mame - no surprise. Also, I like the look as well. My design is almost a copy (if not a direct copy/paste) of Knievel's Woody - thanks to Knievel and all that responded to his post on here. My CP is very similar.

I am looking for any and all suggestions. I'm a newbie, so I'm a sponge for ideas. Thanks in advance for your attention.

My design goals:
1. Be able to play Asteroids, Defender, Donkey Kong, Crazy Climber, Space Invaders,Frogger, Qix, Centipede, Missile Command (the ones I grew up with).
2. Street Fighter (a medium interest, but I intend to probably get into it more)
3. Several Trackball and spinner games
4. One CP ever (or at least for a very long time) that can handle most games. I'm not looking to handle everything - just make it as generic as possible.

I do have an admin panel with Exit/Pause, and Enter/Tab on it - similar to Knievel but not exactly the same. Those buttons are not shown below. Also, I want simplicity - no shifted buttons for now.

Button explanations:
Top Left (L to R) - Coin1, Player1, MouseL
Top Right (L to R) - MouseR, Coin2, Player2
U360 joysticks (x 2)
7 button player layouts with 7th button there for a close approximation of the Defender reverse button
Trackball (3")
Spinner on top row with two buttons (I know one will be used for Tron "fire" - or a button in the player area)

I am now leaning toward a straight button layout - which is easier for Asteroids playing with:

123
456

buttons 12 and 56 especially since the bottom row is shifted. I could also opt to use 23 (player 1) and 12 (player 2). I do like the slightly curved option as well. Hard to decide.

Ok, enough said.

Thanks,
edub