elbow room

[NAH]

I've designed about four different cabinets so far but haven't actually built anything... yet. My current design is a littler narrower than most cabs. The total width of the machine will be 24". Using 3/4" MDF means a CP width of only 22.5" Does anyone feel like this is too small for 2 joysticks with 6 buttons each in a streetfighter layout? (maybe 7 each) I've measured several machines at local arcades and I just don't my machine to lack elbow room. How close do you think buttons and joysticks can be to the side of the machine? I'm trying to maximize comfort with minimum space... kinda tricky      thanks..

[rampy]

I've designed about four different cabinets so far but haven't actually built anything... yet. My current design is a littler narrower than most cabs. The total width of the machine will be 24". Using 3/4" MDF means a CP width of only 22.5" Does anyone feel like this is too small for 2 joysticks with 6 buttons each in a streetfighter layout? (maybe 7 each) I've measured several machines at local arcades and I just don't my machine to lack elbow room. How close do you think buttons and joysticks can be to the side of the machine? I'm trying to maximize comfort with minimum space... kinda tricky      thanks..

I don't think that's too small at all... I think the original SFII cabs (or converted 19" other cabinets) were a simliar width...

I mean it'll be cozy, but it's not unheard of... plus elbowing your buddy is part of the fun/strategery =P

it always helps to layout your controls electronically/paper, and to build cardboard mockups...   If it feels right to YOU is the real question here.

Do you have access to visio? I found laying out my CP using Visio and the stencils provided in the download section here invaluable...  (even If I goofed/and or made some on the fly modifications)

layout test 1 Visio  | gross cardboard mockup sorta  (note: my width is just under 23" in the existing/previous CP structure and the only reason I "Teed" out was to fit in a trackball - I coulda fit in 2 joysticks in SFII layout had I wanted to "keep it real, up in the feel")

[NAH]

Thanks rampy... I've drawn everything up with autodesk inventor so i guess i'll just print off the control panel and get a buddy to play some make believe mame. I did a little bit of this at the arcade. not playing but just standing there and "feeling" the control panel. I must have looked like a goof... poor kid doesn't have any quarters.....
I just needed some encouragement with the small CP  

[PCC]

You should have plenty of room.  Here's a before/after picture of my panel that's about 23.75" wide (I even had room for a 4-way joystick and side buttons).  The buttons have just over 5/16ths of an inch of wood between holes.  I used a solid oak board to make it strong (overkill, but a 2 foot 1x6 isn't that expensive).

[txcanoeman]

it will be fine.  my cp is 24" and when I had the 2 joys and six buttons each, there were no problems.

[2slk]

That width will be fine. By adding a little depth to my panel, I was able to fit 2 8-ways w/7buttons each, a trackball and a dedicated 4-way. 2 can play quite comfortably.

[rampy]

Thanks rampy... I've drawn everything up with autodesk inventor so i guess i'll just print off the control panel and get a buddy to play some make believe mame. I did a little bit of this at the arcade. not playing but just standing there and "feeling" the control panel. I must have looked like a goof... poor kid doesn't have any quarters.....
I just needed some encouragement with the small CP  

heh, I did the same thing...  I've ghost played over the paper controls....  and I fake played a few local machines, which musta looked weird... the weirdest is when I walked into the bar downstairs from where I work to whiz/roll the golden tee ball and then walked right out, to compare it to the refurb imperial betson trackball that had just arrived.  "oh don't mind me, I just wanted to roll the golden Tee ball... " =P

rampy

[romid]

heh, I did the same thing...  I've ghost played over the paper controls....  and I fake played a few local machines, which musta looked weird... the weirdest is when I walked into the bar downstairs from where I work to whiz/roll the golden tee ball and then walked right out, to compare it to the refurb imperial betson trackball that had just arrived.  "oh don't mind me, I just wanted to roll the golden Tee ball... " =P

rampy

Thanks for this post-- Just had to let you know this made me laugh out loud  

[dhansen]

Here's my layout... only 23 7/8 inches wide...

[Odonadon]

Mine's 23" wide, and I've got the Street Figheter II layout with two extra buttons at the end - two rows of four.  I find I have plenty of shoulder room, and I have pretty broad shoulders .  Of course, this is playing against my girlfriend.  Might be a different story when I invite any of my broad-shouldered buddies over for a few games - I haven't done this yet - still waiting for money to pay for tinted plexiglass to cover the monitor, and to get my marquee printed

Odonadon

[u_rebelscum]

FWIW, the hotrod is 23 3/4" wide with quite a bit of space around the left and right edges.  Some people (gamepad console players, especially) have complained that the joysticks on the hotrod are too close, but they aren't too bad to me.  BYO, or course, you can move the sticks farther apart than the hotrod's on your 22 1/2" CP and still have room on the sides.

Cardboard test it, definitely.  Be sure to include testing the sides of you cab if the CP is inside it (like pacman) or maybe if it's like dhansen's or even PCC's.  If you CP will be like, say, gauntlet, don't worry about the sides squeezing the two players together.

[rhoelsch]

I've ghost played over paper before, and it did provide me with some good layout rules of thumb.  Wound up printing about 4 control panels.  Then I mounted in cardboard, and revised about 5 more times.  Since you'll be playing longer when the controls are hooked up, cardboard catches a lot of things you miss.  Consider the cp height, angle, wrist fatigue, and overall comfort playing as many different games as you can for a longer period of time.  Nothing worse than a built cab that's uncomfortable for 75% of the games you'll want to play, even tho it's fine for the rest.  Find a friend to help you "test" out the width, and at worst, measure how far your inside elbow will go with each stick vs. body placement of the other player.  If you compensate for a cramped 2 player cp by angling your body, prepare to either be in pain after a while, or get ready for the idea of gettin' real cozy with your opponent.