Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: NoMoUserNames on July 31, 2025, 09:13:16 am
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I've seen a few builds that put buttons or even a spinner on the board "above" a trackball. But I also know that some games like Golden Tee involve pretty agressive upward spinning on the trackball. Has anyone run into any issues with this? Any thoughts on recommended spacing around a trackball for comfortable gaming? I was originally thinking of having a couple of buttons above it, but now I am trying to envision how likely it would be that I'd be ramming my fingertips into the lip of the buttons and second guessing myself.
It's definitely a subjective question, so just looking for opinions.
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Any thoughts on recommended spacing around a trackball for comfortable gaming? I was originally thinking of having a couple of buttons above it, but now I am trying to envision how likely it would be that I'd be ramming my fingertips into the lip of the buttons and second guessing myself.
There are a lot of variables that go into this question -- angle of the panel, height of the panel above the floor relative to the height of the player, hand size, playing style (i.e. Superman vs. two-thumbs technique in Golden Tee) . . .
A cardboard or 1/8" thick hardboard (https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-8-in-x-2-ft-x-4-ft-Hardboard-Tempered-7005015/203444173) control panel mockup is your friend.
Scott
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This is absolutely a subjective question. Just wondering if anyone had any specific "lessons learned". I assumed that putting anything near the ball would be an obvious bad idea, but then I see a bunch of panels with buttons right above it, so I figured maybe it was less cut and dry.
I also plan to visit my local "all you can play for one price" arcade on a fact finding mission and take bunch of pictures of control panels. Things like control panel angle or depth, or distance from other buttons is one of those things that you often don't think about in the moment.
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You probably want at least a 10 inch diameter circle around the trackball, where no Joysticks are within it.
Buttons are much lower... so they might not to get in the way, unless they are within a few inches of it.
When you roll the ball with great force towards the screen, your hand will eventually start to arc upwards.
I believe a lot of people have made the mistake of putting the 2nd player stick, too close to a centered Trackball.
I believe they deal with it... by Boosting the sensitivity of the trackball... so that you dont have to roll the ball
as far and fast. The downside to this... is that it makes the game too easy... and isnt accurate to the way the
game is supposed to play.
IMO... it would be better to increase the control panel width, and slide the 2nd player over more... even though it
will make the Control Panel layout Non-Symmetrical.
Anyway... mount your trackball to some thick cardboard boxes... and see for yourself... how your hand & arm move
when you roll it hard. Maybe even video it from the side. It will reveal the true space requirements.
Also... you probably want almost 2ft from the ball center, to the monitor glass... least someone accidentally slam
their hands/fingers into the glass.
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I've had friends hurt themselves with aggressive trackball play when I had some items I thought were far enough above the trackball. I now leave lots of space, and nothing above the trackball (even buttons will get pressed occasionally, so if you have some there, they should have little to no meaning during game play; "exit game" would be tragic for example)
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I think that a removeable sanwa joystick shaft is a pretty good solution for those who are concerned about a joystick being to close to a trackball. Avoid having admin buttons above the trackball as much as possible and if you think a joystick might get in the way, just get yourself a removeable shaft.. In your typical 2 player layout with a joystick and 6 buttons for each player with a trackball in the middle, just do the removeable shaft on the Player 2 Joystick and when playing Golden Tee 2014 via Teknoparrot people can lose their mind and not jam a finger or thumb.
https://arcadeshock.com/products/sanwa-denshi-jlfd-tp-8yt-detachable-shaft-joystick
https://arcadeshock.com/products/phreakmods-the-link-ex-groove-edition
Just my 2 cents.. :-)