Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: cmoses on August 08, 2008, 04:36:05 pm
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For MAME cabinets there seems to be a standard layout that is widely used for both a 2 player and 4 player control panel.
2 player:
3" trackball centered on control panel
joystick and 6 or 7 buttons for each player to the left and right of trackball
spinner or 4 way joystick, sometimes both with extra buttons located above trackball and player 1 and player 2
4 player:
3" trackball centered on control panel
joystick and 6 or 7 buttons for each player to the left and right of trackball
spinner or 4 way joystick, sometimes both with extra buttons located above trackball
joystick and 4 buttons for players 3 & 4 to the left and right of 1 & 2
I was wondering if there is a standard layout for a 1 player control panel in a standard cabinet, 24" wide. Keeping the size small and not building a control panel shelf. What would be the standard layout, still trying to encompass the most games. Having the following components
3" trackball
joystick with 6 or 7 buttons
spinner
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I think I'd just use a modified version of the Street Fighter layout.
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Very rough sketch, but having the 4 buttons on the bottom row lets you use the bottom row to mimic the Neo Geo layout.
The worst thing about a single player layout like this for me is that there is no second stick for Robotron, Smash TV, Black Widow and Rescue.
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But where does the trackball usually go on a 1 player control panel? To the right of the joystick and buttons, or still in the middle, with the joystick and buttons around it? What about a spinner?
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There isn't a standard, because those controls don't even come close to what you might see in an arcade.
On a 2 player panel with 6 buttons each, it's pretty obvious where the trackball should be. Same with a 4 player panel.
If you build a single player panel, I'd say go with a joystick on the left, buttons in the middle, trackball on the right.
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If I were you I'd put the trackball to the right of the buttons, because in most (all?) trackball games you want to manipulate the trackball with your right hand. If you're playing Missile Command and rolling the trackball in your right hand, you don't want to have to reach over your right arm with your left arm to fire missiles.
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If you like robotron, crazy climber, or others that use 2 joys, add another joy to that layout.