With great fear and trepidation...my first control panel design.

[trimaniax]

So, I've embarked on this long-term journey to building an emulation cabinet and have come up with this design for the control panel, just the one player side of course so far.  My intention was to come up with an optimal layout for the Street-Fighter and Mortal Kombat type games.  That one button between the two rows will be used as the block button in MK.

The plan is to use the I-PAC from http://www.ultimarc.com/ in order to interface with the PC.  Do I have too many buttons here in order for this to work?  Also, anyone want to offer any opinions on this design?  Is it doable?

Thanks.

[slayerjenkins]

I got big hands and long fingers, so I think that that layout is pretty good.  It might be a little bit difficult for people with smaller hands and kids to use, though.

I'm a big MK fan, too, but I don't think that having the center button between rows is really very necessary.  I think that the button to the lower right would be easier to use.

[shmokes]

I think that block button absolutely needs to go.  If you have to have it put it between the stick and the street fighter buttons or something.  You don't want an extra button in there getting in the way, and making the two rows of buttons too far apart.

This is good intentions gone awry.

[Minwah]

I think that block button absolutely needs to go.  If you have to have it put it between the stick and the street fighter buttons or something.  You don't want an extra button in there getting in the way, and making the two rows of buttons too far apart.

This is good intentions gone awry.

I'd be inclined to agree.  I would just map block to one of the other SF buttons.  If you are dead set on having that button there, at least make a mock-up and try it out well before spending a lot of time on making the real thing - just in case

[Trenchbroom]

Yes, definitely get a big piece of cardboard and put the buttons in it first to test it out.  Save you much pain down the road.

[trimaniax]

Indeed, thanks for the replies.  My greatest concern was that the block button would put too much space between the two rows.  I never really felt that good about having the block button in there, I was curious if others felt the same.

[SkateDetroit]

Actually I was all excited to see someone design a CP with a block button in mind. It may be spreading the buttons a bit far though. Check out a MK at the arcade and see how comfortable it is.