Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: chadius on November 23, 2005, 02:15:07 pm
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After 2 years of planning, collecting parts, and building the cabinet, I'm finally ready to begin the control panel. Here's a prototype of the what I'm thinking of going with:
The overall dimensions are 42"X14".
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The 3 upper buttons are escape, pause, and enter. The 2 oddly placed sticks are a ms. pac 4-way and a button top 8 way.
Big thanks to markvp and zakk, as this is modeled after a couple of their panels.
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After playing mine for several months, I would move the spinner to the right a bit so it's not directly at 12 o'clock over the trackball.
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Yep, what markrvp said. Or move it up as far away from the TB as you can. I have pretty much the same layout and I haven't had any problems. Also, the buttons on player 1 and 4 look a little bit close to the joystick. :)
Something I found extremely helpful was to test out the configuration by getting some stiff double-ply cardboard and test fitting the sticks and buttons in and trying it out. Obviously, it's not going to be held together well, but it works fine for determining your comfort with it. It's pretty much impossible to tell from a diagram like that if you'll be happy with the layout.
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Yeah, I did a dummy 4-player control panel to test spacing as well .... I had my wife stand next to me simulating like she was playing a video game so I could determine the "elbow" room.
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Looks okay. Whats the 7 buttons on the top of the CP?
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My CP is also similar, but I'd recommend having curved surfaces on the outer edges of your MDF base. This way the T-Molding goes on nice without any wrinkles at the corners.
You may want to experiment with a 1'ft piece on a scrap piece. I rounded my CP, but it wasn't quite enough for the T-Molding I used, which has a nice lip that wraps around the top of the CP.
John
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Looks somewhat squished imo