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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: processedmeat on March 24, 2021, 03:13:15 pm

Title: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: processedmeat on March 24, 2021, 03:13:15 pm
My kids and their friends like to play beat-em ups on our 2 player mame cab. 

Was thinking as we have more space now in the arcade to build a 4 player beat-em up. 

Which is the best design to play on?  Space considerations?  Build?

The Atari Gauntlet
(https://www.arcade-museum.com/images/118/1181242110182.jpg)

Konami 4 Player
(https://www.arcade-museum.com/images/118/1181242182137.jpg)

Or am I missing another design?

Thanks
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: Vigo on March 24, 2021, 03:19:19 pm
Well, as much as I love Gauntlet, it was designed to have two players stand on the side of the cabinet to play comfortably. If this is about a dedicated 4-player experience, then the Konami cab makes more sense design wise.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: Gilrock on March 24, 2021, 03:21:49 pm
We've been discussing a similar topic in this thread below where someone is wanting to design a slimmer Gauntlet cab.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,164808.0.html (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,164808.0.html)
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: Mike A on March 24, 2021, 03:22:02 pm
If you are building a CRT cab it is tough to beat the Konami cab.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: yotsuya on March 24, 2021, 03:34:10 pm
Here’s another vote for the Konami/Midway 4 player.

Although Gauntlet would be an interesting design if you’re interested in saving space. It’s really not that much bigger than a standard cabinet widthwise.


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Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: thomas_surles on March 24, 2021, 03:38:09 pm
Here’s another vote for the Konami/Midway 4 player.

Although Gauntlet would be an interesting design if you’re interested in saving space. It’s really not that much bigger than a standard cabinet widthwise.


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As much as I love gauntlet, I hate that 4 player layout. But I've played left character with 3 other friends and didn't have trouble seeing the screen.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: csnow on March 24, 2021, 03:41:42 pm
I have a pedestal cabinet from RecRoom Masters that I really like.  They offer a four player control panel.  Obviously this would limit you to a flat panel but an OLED 48" panel paired with some of the beat-em up PC remakes would make for a really sweet setup or you could just output MAME to it with self-generated scanlines.  I use mine with XBOX and Playstation consoles for newer fighting games and shumps.  You can request what control panel comes with your pedestal.  Some of them require an upcharge depending on model. The build quality is good and they replaced one of my legs that got a gouge in shipping with no questions asked.

https://www.recroommasters.com/Xtension-Stand-Up-Pedestal-Arcade-Machine-p/rm-xt-ped-stand.htm

https://www.recroommasters.com/Xtension-4-Player-Control-Board-Ultimate-Edition-p/rm-xt-sd-board-4p-ult.htm

Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: processedmeat on September 11, 2022, 11:38:27 pm
So I'm finally at the point to build this 4 player cabinet. 

I was going to go ahead with a Konami cab control panel but then I saw that NBA Jam control panel layout was a little different.  I had assumed that they were identical.  So which would you go with?

(https://www.gamesdatabase.org/Media/SYSTEM/Arcade/CP/big/The_Simpsons_-_1991_-_Konami.jpg)
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0089/4550/0260/products/NBAJam_5_1024x1024.jpg?v=1654175151)

Konami seems like there is more space between players but the NBA Jam control panel has the nice 4 joysticks in a row so I can put some dual joystick games in there as well.

 
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: slybunda on September 13, 2022, 05:13:43 pm
konami is good if adults play.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: ericball on September 15, 2022, 11:06:09 am
Prototype it!

Seriously, you really won't know until you and your friends give it a try.  Build something out of cheap plywood or similar material and play some games with friends.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: pbj on September 15, 2022, 12:34:38 pm
Do the offset controls like on Simpsons.  It's more whimsical and you can still play Smash TV on it.

That NBA Jam panel is machine like and dull.  Some designer sketched that out on graph paper.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: vertexguy on September 15, 2022, 08:42:47 pm
Plenty of 4 player cab examples in the projects thread to reference for details, but staggered in an arc like setup like the simpsons is a good start to best fit 4 players IMHO.  I also echo Erics comments about prototyping.  Simple cardboard does the trick
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: Zebidee on September 16, 2022, 01:32:26 am
I agree with pbj, the Simpsons layout looks like fun.

Once you have the initial control panel done, you can use it as a template, making it easy to copy (for different layouts) if needed.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: RandyT on September 16, 2022, 12:13:14 pm

From a practical perspective, I like the pedestal cabinets with some curve or angle at the outer extents.  This not only looks better, but also increases the distance between players.
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: NuclearWarren on September 16, 2022, 12:58:53 pm
Here's a couple renderings on a 4 player cab I've been working on. The panel outline is someone else's design that I liked. Prolly making first cuts this weekend!

nuclearW
Title: Re: Best 4 player arcade cabinet design
Post by: NuclearWarren on September 16, 2022, 01:00:55 pm

From a practical perspective, I like the pedestal cabinets with some curve or angle at the outer extents.  This not only looks better, but also increases the distance between players.

Agree here, the panel for this design is separate and could go on a pedestal.

nw