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Designing a basic control panel layout(my 1st project)

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bkenobi:


--- Quote from: GaryMcT on February 01, 2010, 02:16:59 am ---Best thing that you can after doing the cardboard mockup is to build one and try it out with your friends.  It took me a ton of iterations before I got something that I like (and I still haven't built a final one!)

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That's probably because you nailed the design on a prototype.  Now you are content to play with it rather than finishing the real thing.   :cheers:

GaryMcT:


--- Quote from: bkenobi on February 01, 2010, 11:07:37 am ---
--- Quote from: GaryMcT on February 01, 2010, 02:16:59 am ---Best thing that you can after doing the cardboard mockup is to build one and try it out with your friends.  It took me a ton of iterations before I got something that I like (and I still haven't built a final one!)

--- End quote ---
That's probably because you nailed the design on a prototype.  Now you are content to play with it rather than finishing the real thing.   :cheers:

--- End quote ---

That is partially true. :)

I've ended up not being able to deal with the latency and refresh rate problems of Mame under Windows, so I'm exploring other options.  In the long term, I'm learning how to code hardware so that I can help get whole boards running on FPGA chips (inspired/helped by MikeJ at http://fpgaarcade.com).  In the short term, not sure yet what I'm doing.  If I could find a single-board system that has a fast CPU and an FPGA for implementing the video circuit, I'd just do that.  I haven't been too lucky finding that quite yet.  Another option is to use Linux and code an FPGA card that is just a dumb framebuffer with flexible timings and audio out.  Only problem with that is that the Linux side of that work feels like work, which is something I try not to do for my hobbies. :)

On a different note, my wife surprised me with a gp2x wiz for xmas.  It's pretty snappy and doesn't have the latency problems of Mame on Windows.  I wish the dpad didn't suck so bad though.  There is a mod to fix it, but I haven't gotten the nerve to do it yet.  Basically the pad prefers diagonals over anything else.

I think the machine with the proto control panel is going to soon be running a JROK multiwilliams board.  I need to finish wiring it up so I can play Robotron all day long and make no progress on anything else.


riley454:

I'm more than happy with the slagcoin.com layouts, but I'd love to get ideas on spacings between P1 and P2 controls and available CP room to rest each players hands during gameplay. The cardboard panel test works fine for individual controls, but only during gameplay can you really test how much space between players and around each players controls. What is the bare minimum?

markronz:

I don't have any exact measurements to offer here.  But I just wanted to say one thing.  You might want to consider where this arcade machine is going to.   I'd venture to guess that most places only have 32" doors.   If your control panel is 34" that might be a PITA.   I made this mistake with my first arcade machine.   With the second arcade machine I made the CP 31".  This way it fits in most doorways.   Now of course, you could always make the CP detachable, but that's not always fun either. 

Just something to consider anyway.    And I concur with others in that you should always build a test control panel.  It's all about personal preference and that's the only way to tell what will work for you.

helpmebuild:

I have recently found that it works really, really well to use what would be the dimensions of an old Midway 4 player CP and use it for a 2 player CP for mame. I have a CP which is 36.75" wide x 13.5" high which used to be a 4 player design but really awkwardly laid out and uncomfortable, and designed that same space around 2 players and found it to be very comfortable in testing it out. I would recommend the dimensions I've used and just drawing a line down the center and laying out your 1 and 2 player layouts in the center of each half. It worked for me, but much like everyone else has said, its really just preference.

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