Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: jpenguin on August 07, 2007, 04:06:05 pm

Title: cp spacing
Post by: jpenguin on August 07, 2007, 04:06:05 pm
I'm making a 2-player Cp (3 buttons each, J-Stick for P1, Mag-Stick Plus for P2).  How much room do you think there should be between the 2 players.

I am not doing any overlay, it is a wood CP that will be painted yollow
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: shardian on August 07, 2007, 04:22:38 pm
I am guessing you'll be configuring the 4-way games to use the 2player controls to keep from using the magstick on a regular basis for non 4-way games. Neat idea!

Anyways, if you have a 23" panel, leave about a  2" space at each side before any control. That will maximize the space between players and still leave a comfortable enough space for the "outer hand" of each player. With only three buttons each there shouldn't be a problem with spacing.
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: Chris G on August 07, 2007, 04:32:50 pm
How much room do you think there should be between the 2 players.

Is player 2 male or female?   ;)
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: jpenguin on August 07, 2007, 05:36:57 pm
Thanks for the help…
I've got one more question, I thought it would be handier to have the joystick on the right of the buttons, but I always see it on the left; should I put mine to the left?

here is a pict of my diagram...
Yes, it is in in CM
Metric Rules!
2.54 CM = 1 Inc
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: severdhed on August 08, 2007, 05:11:48 pm
i'd say joystick on the left, it just feels more natural that way.  but it is your cabinet and that is up to you.  most people like it on the left because that is the standard, so if you plan on having alot of friends over to play, you may want to ask them.  personally i dont think i could play on a cabinet with the joystick to the right of the buttons...

that is also alot of admin buttons...once again, that is personal preference..

i personally want a clean, authentic arcade look, which means no extra buttons on the panel. you can usually set up a shift button that allows you to double up on admin stuff without having all of those extra buttons.  also, i have found that not having coin buttons makes it much more authentic.  forcing you to use the coin slots makes it that much more realistic..but once again, lots of people like coin buttons...

Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: Green Giant on August 08, 2007, 05:40:39 pm
It was pretty much standardized that joysticks go on the left.  The last games that people used there right hand with had no buttons to hit such as pacman/frogger.

Then with console games, nintendo standardized the left thumb control.  You might find control easy with the right, but how does it feel hitting the buttons?
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: fjl on August 08, 2007, 05:50:24 pm
Certain games accomodated for buttons on either side. Rarely though. But for the most part, the standardization of joysticks on the left side was due to the same reason why left handed scissors are hard to find, cause the majority of people are right handed.

It's strange, I can navigate/move ingame with my left hand better than I can with my right hand. But then I'm better at button pressing with my right hand than with my left hand. Either that's just normal from being right handed, or I've just been using the current control setup so long, that its stuck.

Incidently I can drive with one hand, but I'm much better at it when using my left hand than opposed to my right hand. Odd in that I'm right handed.
 :dunno
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: Green Giant on August 08, 2007, 05:53:46 pm
Incidently I can drive with one hand, but I'm much better at it when using my left hand than opposed to my right hand. Odd in that I'm right handed.
 :dunno

That one is obvious, you need your right hand free to get confortable with your lady friend.  That is why you should never let her drive, hard to make a move going left.
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: u_rebelscum on August 08, 2007, 06:32:18 pm
Joystick-left buttons-right wasn't "standardized" until about Street Fighter II (call it after 1990).  I had friends who were joystick-right players, that left the scene after most of the joystick-right & joystick-middle cabs got converted. :(  Playing with their arms crossed was Not Cool.

I've heard that CPs were going joystick-left before that, due to nintendo's gamepad, but one of the things about arcades was its stuff were far better then consoles (back then).  Dumbing down arcades to console level would not be good marketing.  Even most two player games had buttons on both sides, until SF2 and it's 6 buttons.

Me, having grown up in the days when joystick middle was the norm, I prefer to play some random games joystick-right, even though I usually like the now standard joystick-left. :dunno


BTW, the joystick-left is "standard" only in digital inputs; flightsticks are still usually stick-right buttons-left.

edit spelling
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: jpenguin on August 08, 2007, 07:23:50 pm
i'd say joystick on the left, it just feels more natural that way.  but it is your cabinet and that is up to you.  most people like it on the left because that is the standard, so if you plan on having alot of friends over to play, you may want to ask them.  personally i dont think i could play on a cabinet with the joystick to the right of the buttons...

that is also alot of admin buttons...once again, that is personal preference..

i personally want a clean, authentic arcade look, which means no extra buttons on the panel. you can usually set up a shift button that allows you to double up on admin stuff without having all of those extra buttons.  also, i have found that not having coin buttons makes it much more authentic.  forcing you to use the coin slots makes it that much more realistic..but once again, lots of people like coin buttons...



I use a Mac, so simplicity is more important the looks.  I am on 17, so I can't afford coin mechs or build a full blown cab.  I have already bought all the buttons and joysticks and the iPac.  When I actually start, I will create a blob on the progect at: jpenguin.110mb.com, please visit my site.  Could any one help me with arwork?
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: severdhed on August 08, 2007, 07:34:41 pm
Quote
I use a Mac, so simplicity is more important the looks.  I am on 17, so I can't afford coin mechs or build a full blown cab.  I have already bought all the buttons and joysticks and the iPac.  When I actually start, I will create a blob on the progect at: jpenguin.110mb.com, please visit my site.  Could any one help me with arwork?

first of all, im sorry to hear you are using a mac  ;)

second of all, you may be surprised what you can afford.  i got an empty cabinet, with coin mechs, marquee light, trackball, and a few buttons for $20, built my own control panel and threw an old pc in there and i had a cabinet for next to nothing.  not that everyone wants a full size cabinet, but if you do, check in your phone book under "amusements", or look around where you see arcade games.  most of them around here have a sticker on them from the company that services them.  see if they have any empty cabinets they would be willing to get sell.  when i first started, i never thought i'd be able to have a cabinet because it would cost too much, but i called anyway, and $20 was too good to pass up.
Title: Re: cp spacing
Post by: jpenguin on August 08, 2007, 07:48:13 pm
Quote
I use a Mac, so simplicity is more important the looks.  I am on 17, so I can't afford coin mechs or build a full blown cab.  I have already bought all the buttons and joysticks and the iPac.  When I actually start, I will create a blob on the progect at: jpenguin.110mb.com, please visit my site.  Could any one help me with arwork?

first of all, im sorry to hear you are using a mac  ;)

second of all, you may be surprised what you can afford.  i got an empty cabinet, with coin mechs, marquee light, trackball, and a few buttons for $20, built my own control panel and threw an old pc in there and i had a cabinet for next to nothing.  not that everyone wants a full size cabinet, but if you do, check in your phone book under "amusements", or look around where you see arcade games.  most of them around here have a sticker on them from the company that services them.  see if they have any empty cabinets they would be willing to get sell.  when i first started, i never thought i'd be able to have a cabinet because it would cost too much, but i called anyway, and $20 was too good to pass up.

Ha, Ha. Good one.  I wouln't want a full upright, just a bartop.  MAME for MacOS X has cool effexts.  take a look at Galaga'88