What do you all think of these control panel designs?

[blueoakleyz]

Ok this first one is for my upcoming PS2 arcade system. The cabinet is modeled after Midway's Mortal Kombat 3 kinda cabinet, very modern (90's arcade), straight lines, sexy etc. Painted all black with blue T-molding.


This next one is the same control panel/same cabinet but with an alternative control scheme, maybe you all tell me what you think is better/more traditional/more sexy/more streamlined etc.



This next one is either for a Ms. Pac-man/Galaga/classics cabinet I make, or as a replacement/swappable control panel for the above PS2 arcade cabinet and/or standalone controller.



Notice the nice red joystick isn't centered as in Ms. Pac-Man which means people will play it with their left hand, is that what most people play it with anyway? Or is it sorta..doesn't matter kinda thing

[danny_galaga]

most games were left hand joystick so i guess people are used to that. hey whats with the diagonals in your first pic? is that for defender or something?

[blueoakleyz]

You mean in CP1/CP2.jpg? Where there is 4 buttons with 1 in the middle and then another 1 to the bottom left of those 5? That's because it's designed like Mortal Kombat

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That's how it was for MK3/4
The two off to the right (in green in the 2nd pic) are just extra buttons. Then there's one off to the upper left, that's a select button

[paigeoliver]

Well two comments.

First I see 8 buttons when no game uses more than six.

Second I see the Stargate layout AND the Mortal Kombat layout and the Streetfighter layout all at the same time, although the street fighter layout has been crippled.

I have generally found it is better to pick the street fighter layout and assign both center buttons to block in Mortal Kombat, mainly because the mortal kombat layout is sucky all around.


Now onto the Ms. Pac layout.

The only 4-way game that uses more than 2 buttons is Mouse Trap, which uses 4. All the others use one or two. So you have two extra buttons unless you want Mouse Trap.

ALso, the diamond layout sucks. I have used it in the past and not been happy with it. Try the Neo Geo layout if you need 4 buttons.

[blueoakleyz]

"Well two comments.

First I see 8 buttons when no game uses more than six."

Nah you gotta remember this is a Playstation 2 not a mame cabinet.

"Second I see the Stargate layout AND the Mortal Kombat layout and the Streetfighter layout all at the same time, although the street fighter layout has been crippled."

Ya I don't really play SF much at all, never really liked it, but if/when I do, I usually just play with like strong punches/kicks...that's if I get the SF collection. Never played stargate. The right side of the button layouts also accomadates Tekken Perfectly, another favorite of mine.


"I have generally found it is better to pick the street fighter layout and assign both center buttons to block in Mortal Kombat, mainly because the mortal kombat layout is sucky all around."

Yeah but I won't be using SF and the whole thing is basically designed around MK (although I like the MK button layout. It's a really different experience using a SF layout with an MK game than it is using a true MK game). Also, the little triangle design is nice for some classic games.


"Now onto the Ms. Pac layout.

The only 4-way game that uses more than 2 buttons is Mouse Trap, which uses 4. All the others use one or two. So you have two extra buttons unless you want Mouse Trap."

I might take that advice because I'm going to have rotate the monitor vertical style so I am limited to the amount of classic games (No Super Mario Bros ). Was Donkey Kong vertical? that + Frogger + Galaga + Ms. Pac-Man seem like good enough games for the system. Were there any other good classic era games in vertical format? Are you sure that the only 4way/vertical games used 2 buttons? I guess it would be pretty stupid to have 2 extra buttons and NEVER use them. Were there any games that even used 2 buttons? Should I just go with one? lol. What vertical games used two buttons?

"ALso, the diamond layout sucks. I have used it in the past and not been happy with it. Try the Neo Geo layout if you need 4 buttons. "

thanks for the help
just curious, where do you get your info about like 2 buttons for 4-way games etc? just out of personal experience?

[SirPeale]

Do you think you can resize those images to have just the meat, and not the surrounding fat?

[froggerman]

The only 4-way game that uses more than 2 buttons is Mouse Trap, which uses 4. All the others use one or two. So you have two extra buttons unless you want Mouse Trap.

Although Tutankham is really played with a 4-way, a 2-way and 1 button I think MAME has plays it as a 4-way with 3 buttons. (fire left, fire right and flash?)

Does that count?

I am glad to know that there is only one game that uses a 4-way and 4 buttons.  Not a problem unless I want to play Mouse Trap.

[wrxh8r]

I dont really think you would need all 8 for ps2 as the only games that can be played with arcade stick are either going to be simple enough to use 6 buttons or in the case of fighting games the shoulder buttons only ever do cobos which are hard to pull off with a controller.

[Tiger-Heli]

This next one is the same control panel/same cabinet but with an alternative control scheme, maybe you all tell me what you think is better/more traditional/more sexy/more streamlined etc.

Personally, I like the first color scheme, although I would make the coin ? buttons (red and blue in first, yellow in second) green.  The second pic looks a little "busy".  OTOH, the second pick has the advantage that you can tell guests to "use the green and blue buttons" instead of "press these", FWIW.

Notice the nice red joystick isn't centered as in Ms. Pac-Man which means people will play it with their left hand, is that what most people play it with anyway? Or is it sorta..doesn't matter kinda thing

Most people are used to that anyway.  Galaga, SF, MK, Galaxian all had the joystick left.  Those that don't like it will either reach across or stand to the side of center to play with the wrong hand, so I wouldn't worry about it.

BTW, if you like other classic games than just four way games, you could get a Omni-Stik Prodigy or Ultimarc T-Stick Plus which switches from 8-way to 4-way from above the panel.  If you do this, I would recommend "flattening" the diamond layout so you can use the upper buttons for three button games.

[Tiger-Heli]

I might take that advice because I'm going to have rotate the monitor vertical style so I am limited to the amount of classic games (No Super Mario Bros ). Was Donkey Kong vertical?

Donkey Kong is vertical, but . . .  why not Super Mario Bros?

Consider the following.  I think you said you were using a 27-inch TV.  Most vertical games used a 19-inch monitor, so a vertical game on a horizontal 27-inch screen looks about right.  And if you play Mario on a 19-inch vertical screen, the game with have letterbox top and bottom borders, (and look like a 15-inch screen) but it will still be playable and fun.  I would test it before I ruled it out.

that + Frogger + Galaga + Ms. Pac-Man seem like good enough games for the system. Were there any other good classic era games in vertical format? Are you sure that the only 4way/vertical games used 2 buttons? I guess it would be pretty stupid to have 2 extra buttons and NEVER use them. Were there any games that even used 2 buttons? Should I just go with one? lol. What vertical games used two buttons?

Okay, if you are going to add other classic games you really probably want dual joysticks for two player simultaneous games.

Just off the top of my head - two button vertical games -  1942, 1943, 19XX, Top Gunner/Jackal, Tiger-Heli, Sky Shark, Twin Cobra, Xevious, many more

Three-button vertical games - Gunsmoke, Ajax. more.

thanks for the help
just curious, where do you get your info about like 2 buttons for 4-way games etc? just out of personal experience?

Paige KNOWS his stuff.  I'd bet it's from personal experience.

[danny_galaga]

Just off the top of my head - two button vertical games -  1942, 1943, 19XX, Top Gunner/Jackal, Tiger-Heli, Sky Shark, Twin Cobra, Xevious, many more

and raiden  

[blueoakleyz]

I dont really think you would need all 8 for ps2 as the only games that can be played with arcade stick are either going to be simple enough to use 6 buttons or in the case of fighting games the shoulder buttons only ever do cobos which are hard to pull off with a controller.

Mortal Kombat 6 uses all eight but basically, having all those buttons gives me the advantage to pick and choose which button formats I use. Like If I play Mortal Kombat, it's the 4 with one in the middile format...if I play Tekken, it's the 4 right next to each other on the right.

[blueoakleyz]

"Donkey Kong is vertical, but . . .  why not Super Mario Bros?"

I think the Vs. Super Mario Bros was horizontal, not sure, I can't find the rom anywhere.

"Consider the following.  I think you said you were using a 27-inch TV.  Most vertical games used a 19-inch monitor, so a vertical game on a horizontal 27-inch screen looks about right.  And if you play Mario on a 19-inch vertical screen, the game with have letterbox top and bottom borders, (and look like a 15-inch screen) but it will still be playable and fun.  I would test it before I ruled it out."

nah the 27" was for my PS2 machine, the 19" was for my Ms. pac-man/classics mame machine if I make one.


"Okay, if you are going to add other classic games you really probably want dual joysticks for two player simultaneous games."

I'll just save that for if I make a super-mame machine someday which I probably will when I have enough money.

"Just off the top of my head - two button vertical games -  1942, 1943, 19XX, Top Gunner/Jackal, Tiger-Heli, Sky Shark, Twin Cobra, Xevious, many more"

Yeah and I just thought of this one game where you're a cowboy and you can should left/up/right so that's three buttons, and I think it was vertical.  (Oh wait that's GunSmoke just found out)

"Three-button vertical games - Gunsmoke, Ajax. more."

Lol yah. Ok so I'm gonna go with 3 buttons instead of just two. It'll look pretty nice I'll have a boomerang shape
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like that.. maybe it'll go red-blue-yellow, not sure though. so many color decisions.

[Tiger-Heli]

"Donkey Kong is vertical, but . . .  why not Super Mario Bros?"
I think the Vs. Super Mario Bros was horizontal, not sure, I can't find the rom anywhere.

Mario was horizontal.  I think Vs. was.  You missed my sarcasm and my point.

"Consider the following.  I think you said you were using a 27-inch TV.  Most vertical games used a 19-inch monitor, so a vertical game on a horizontal 27-inch screen looks about right.  And if you play Mario on a 19-inch vertical screen, the game with have letterbox top and bottom borders, (and look like a 15-inch screen) but it will still be playable and fun.  I would test it before I ruled it out."
nah the 27" was for my PS2 machine, the 19" was for my Ms. pac-man/classics mame machine if I make one.

You still missed my point.  Play any horizontal game on the vertical 19".  It will look like you have a 15", but it will be fun to play.  That's all I'm saying.

[Bgnome]

well, if it is going to be a ps2 cab, my question is have you actually thought through the hardware aspect of it yet?

will you be hacking digital pads?  if so, are you sure these are compatible with the games you want to play, ie all the MK games?  howbout these classics?  are you planning on buying the midway arcade treasures titles or using ps2 mame, which is relatively poor gameplay-wise and requires a modified ps2..

just wondering about that since you havent really mentioned it in any of your other posts..

[blueoakleyz]

"You still missed my point.  Play any horizontal game on the vertical 19".  It will look like you have a 15", but it will be fun to play.  That's all I'm saying."

Oh ok.. wasn't sure you could do that, uh..how do you do that? play horizontal games on a vertical monitor?
something to do with mame?

Also how do you hook a computer to a TV anyhow?

[blueoakleyz]

"well, if it is going to be a ps2 cab, my question is have you actually thought through the hardware aspect of it yet?"

yeah. Ps2 + PS1 control pads. I'm actually buying a new PSTwo for it

"will you be hacking digital pads?  if so, are you sure these are compatible with the games you want to play, ie all the MK games?  howbout these classics?  "

Yup, I've 'hacked' PS1 controls pads multiple times, works flawlessly. I already have an arcade stick for PS2 right now.

"are you planning on buying the midway arcade treasures titles or using ps2 mame, which is relatively por gameplay-wise and requires a modified ps2.."

For the PS2 I'll only be using the "licensed software" like the compilation discs like MAT and Namco stuff, plus all the other PS games I can play on it. Then someday I'll do a true mame machine but not now. I didn't even know PS2 had a mame.
posts..

[NoOne=NBA=]

Playing the horizontal games on a vertical monitor is just like the other way around.
It fits the horizontal component to the width of the screen, and leaves black bands at the top and bottom.

[neuromancer]

The only 4-way game that uses more than 2 buttons is Mouse Trap, which uses 4. All the others use one or two. So you have two extra buttons unless you want Mouse Trap.

Although Tutankham is really played with a 4-way, a 2-way and 1 button I think MAME has plays it as a 4-way with 3 buttons. (fire left, fire right and flash?)

Does that count?

I am glad to know that there is only one game that uses a 4-way and 4 buttons.  Not a problem unless I want to play Mouse Trap.

Is Vanguard an 8-way? It does use 4 buttons in a diagonal patern.

For my solution to the MK/SF layout compromise, you might take a look at my solution http://www.2fiddles.com/arcade/ctrl-2.pdf

It probably isn't optimal if you're a big SF fan, but that isn't what I made it for. We've played a lot of games on it over the last few years, and it's pretty versatile

Bob

[NoOne=NBA=]

The best option for this is to go modular.
Then you would be able to put in button layouts specifically tailored for whatever game you are wanting to fire up at the time.

[blueoakleyz]

That's a good idea No one but that excludes Tekken which I play 100000 times more than street fighter which I never really liked to begin with lol.

Yeah I was already thinking modular at least with just a Ms. Pacman setup

[NoOne=NBA=]

How does it exclude Tekken?

[blueoakleyz]

Tekken is played with 4 buttons relatively uniform with each other
like this

oo
oo

[NoOne=NBA=]

So make a module that has buttons like that to swap out for the Streetfighter or Mortal Combat button sets.

That's the nice thing about modular systems.

[blueoakleyz]

My current plan is to have the control panel as in the 2nd picture of the first post,
(although the controls look like they're placed high, I'll have them closer to the edge) and more close to the monitor will be a Ms. Pac-Man joystick with two buttons (red? red/blue?)

opinions?