The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Project Announcements => Topic started by: patstg on August 21, 2013, 01:09:52 am
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Patendo (a portmanteau of Pat (that's me) and Nintendo -- plus it sounds like Pretendo which I also like).
As a kid, I loved my original NES console. The color scheme and graphics should be a tribute to that original machine.
This is my first cabinet. While I have a decent amount of wood working experience and am pretty handy in general, but this is the biggest project I've taken on in years. The goal is for basic MAME usage, including all the old NES games I love. Simple set of controls: joysticks, buttons, spinner, trackball.
I'm basing the cabinet off the Project Arcade 2 plans (only minor tweaks) with a completely custom control panel design.
I've spent a few afternoons on the build already and have the wood all cut up and laminated. You can see the colors here -- light gray on the top and dark gray on the bottom, just like the original NES
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=295289;image)
The control panel is a 4 player control panel with trackball and spinner. 2 Ultimarc Ultrastiks and 2 Ultimarc mag stick plus. Here's is the wood before laminate
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=295291;image)
The plan for the colors of the control panel is here
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bbXlVb0FHTURSWXc/edit?usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bbXlVb0FHTURSWXc/edit?usp=sharing)
I made full plans for the control panel, including a full page, poster style template
PNG: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bM0RUV2xobFcwSkU/edit?usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bM0RUV2xobFcwSkU/edit?usp=sharing)
SVG (for Inkscape): https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bZUxEaDZ1YmRHTFE/edit?usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bZUxEaDZ1YmRHTFE/edit?usp=sharing)
Plans in SVG: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bc1Ayd1hUbGs3MHM/edit?usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxoVfJq3P2-bc1Ayd1hUbGs3MHM/edit?usp=sharing)
I've already had a few oops moments and a few good ideas, but I'll follow up here with some of those soon.
Wish me luck!
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Looks like a good start!
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Don't angle the P3 & P4 joystick bases like Saint did in the book!!
:soapbox:
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Really? Why not angle them?
My plan is currently to have players 3 and 4 be at 45 degrees relative to the screen and exactly parallel to the line of the control panel.
Looking back at the 4 player gauntlet control panel, they did angle the players on the ends
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=AqHiyYGBJX5FlM&tbnid=l67vhRxUBuBjnM:&ved=0CAIQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.findarcademachines.com%2Fimages2%2FGauntlet-Control-Panel.jpg&ei=q4AaUtn9AeTg2gWt3YCwCQ&bvm=bv.51156542,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGm-3f5jy_9_9L9bZnihHuJyOBkwg&ust=1377554943493685 (https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=AqHiyYGBJX5FlM&tbnid=l67vhRxUBuBjnM:&ved=0CAIQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.findarcademachines.com%2Fimages2%2FGauntlet-Control-Panel.jpg&ei=q4AaUtn9AeTg2gWt3YCwCQ&bvm=bv.51156542,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGm-3f5jy_9_9L9bZnihHuJyOBkwg&ust=1377554943493685)
Is there some received wisdom on the boards about this?
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I don't have a 4 player setup myself, but there is lots of advice on here that say its just a bad idea.
In summary, people tend to stand toward the screen, and the joysticks are just a nightmare to play with.
You wont get many guys on here with angled joystick setups on 4 player, and less who agree its a good idea.
Have a search around ...
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I don't have a 4 player setup myself, but there is lots of advice on here that say its just a bad idea.
In summary, people tend to stand toward the screen, and the joysticks are just a nightmare to play with.
You wont get many guys on here with angled joystick setups on 4 player, and less who agree its a good idea.
Have a search around ...
+1
As its already been said. its not natural to stand side on or as mentioned 45 degrees rotated towards the screen. Its far more natural to stand straight on to an object in this case it will be the screen. Take a look at that 1st player button layout on the left. Now imagine standing straight onto the screen and the awkward angle the right arm is going to be at to play and rest your palm near the buttons.
Its your build so you do what ever makes you happy. But trust me non angled and straight on is better. Unless your going to be P1 every time In that case crack on. mate.
All that said good luck and don't forget to post your progress. The above is not a criticism just an observation from years of a completely misplaced youth.
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Is there some received wisdom on the boards about this?
The latest knock-down-drag-out discussion on the topic is here (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,134020.0.html).
Scott
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Is there some received wisdom on the boards about this?
The latest knock-down-drag-out discussion on the topic is here (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,134020.0.html).
Scott
PL1 Beat me to it. I voted a while back and it was a resounding lead for straight on. Take a look. But like I said. its your build mate just have fun with it. But do listen to the voices on these boards. There are some super talented and experienced people here my friend & The advice is usually bang on.
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Really? Why not angle them?
My plan is currently to have players 3 and 4 be at 45 degrees relative to the screen and exactly parallel to the line of the control panel.
Looking back at the 4 player gauntlet control panel, they did angle the players on the ends
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=AqHiyYGBJX5FlM&tbnid=l67vhRxUBuBjnM:&ved=0CAIQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.findarcademachines.com%2Fimages2%2FGauntlet-Control-Panel.jpg&ei=q4AaUtn9AeTg2gWt3YCwCQ&bvm=bv.51156542,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGm-3f5jy_9_9L9bZnihHuJyOBkwg&ust=1377554943493685 (https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=AqHiyYGBJX5FlM&tbnid=l67vhRxUBuBjnM:&ved=0CAIQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.findarcademachines.com%2Fimages2%2FGauntlet-Control-Panel.jpg&ei=q4AaUtn9AeTg2gWt3YCwCQ&bvm=bv.51156542,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGm-3f5jy_9_9L9bZnihHuJyOBkwg&ust=1377554943493685)
Is there some received wisdom on the boards about this?
Although the players stood at an angle on Gauntlet and most 4 player games,
the joysticks were still oriented so UP was parallel with the screen.
Notice the joystick mounting bolts on the Gauntlet control panel you linked to. The player is angled, but the joystick isn't.
This is how it was done on nearly all 4 player games. There are a few that angled them, but not more than a few.
Note where UP is labeled on Gauntlet Dark Legends.
http://gamesdbase.com/Media/SYSTEM/Arcade/CP/big/Gauntlet_Dark_Legacy_-_1999_-_Midway_Games.jpg (http://gamesdbase.com/Media/SYSTEM/Arcade/CP/big/Gauntlet_Dark_Legacy_-_1999_-_Midway_Games.jpg)
Having them this way just works. Give it a try both ways and see for yourself.
A few people have angled them and regret it. A few people have said they were perfectly happy with them angled.
Most just do it right to begin with and don't angle them. ;D
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Thanks for the tips on this! I didn't even think to search on this question before. It seems like forward towards the screen is the better default to start with and I can always rotate it back later if I want to try out that configuration.
I just played with my plans and it looks like I can rotate these 45 without moving anything else (which is good because I already have all the holes drilled and the CP laminated).
I actually had to add extra insert nuts once already (told you I made some mistakes).
Here are the insert nuts for one of the player 1/2 joysticks
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=295461;image)
But turns out I did it 90 degrees off (it's right in the plans, I just messed up with laying out the holes)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=295463;image)
I was able to just add more insert nuts (I left the old ones in because I thought they were structurally better than a wood filler hole)
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=295465;image)
However, I now have the laminate on the top and I've really worried about accidentally drilling through it, which is what I did here (before the laminate was on):
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=295467)
Guess I'll be careful :-)
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But turns out I did it 90 degrees off (it's right in the plans, I just messed up with laying out the holes)
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You could have just turned the PCB of the Ultrastick 90 degrees to compensate ::)