cocktail owners - do you regret buiding a cocktail rather than an upright?

[rockin_rick]

I'm considering building a cocktail, but am wondering if people regret doing that?  My main two concerns are the viewing angle - not looking straight on (perpendicular) to the screen, and having to look down all the time - neck strain.  What are others thoughts on this?  Any other reasons for regretting building a cocktail?

Thanks,
Rick

[Kangum]

i can tell you i didnt regret a coctail when it came time to move from my apartment.

i have no horizontal play wich is something i definatly want. i guess im not a good judge without it. its a must really now that ive gone without the third panel. ive had no problems with viewing angles though in terms of color and such.  comfort wise it isnt bad. you have no armrest though.

i cant ever see myself in some hardcore fighting game though even with a third panel. there just isnt enough room. if your into the fighters go upright all the way. much more comfortable

[squirrellydw]

No regrets, I love it.  Just need to plan it out and figure what you want.

[javeryh]

I have ZERO regrets about building a cocktail cabinet but if I could do it all over again I'd lose the third (long) CP.  It's a little awkward and looks tacked on to an otherwise great design (because it is).  I should have realized I'd be building more than one cabinet and there would eventually be another place to play fighters and other horizontal games but just like most people I wanted my first cab to "play everything" and I just don't think that's the way to go...

[bigh4th]

I really have no regrets with my cocktail cab.  Neck strain doesn't seem to be a problem in either position (vertical/horizontal) and the major reason I decided on a cocktail was ease of display orientation.  With the 3rd CP, you can play all games in their native orientation without having a rotating monitor, or black bars on the sides of the image. The only downside to the 3rd CP, as javeryh said, is it looks tacked on and can be a little akward.

The only regrets I have about the cocktail is the fact that driving games are pretty much a no-go,  And shooting games, while do-able, will be weird because you're shooting down.

The only advice I can give is don't get a cocktail because of space concerns.  I see this sited as the reason for a lot of people building/buying cocktails, but if you can fit a cocktail with a person on either end, you can fit an upright cabinet.

-Harry

[loadman]

Neck strain is not an issue at all.     Never heard of that?  In fact it's very comfortable.

I retro fitted an old GaLaga machine so I had to add extra fans so it did not become an oven.

Your CP will be smaller but that is OK I only want to play old 80's games so I don't need many controls.

Many a beer has been had over my table from 2001 

[rockin_rick]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I am considering a cocktail as a compliment to an upright 'typical' (2 player, 8 ways/u360, trackball, horizontal monitor) mame setup.  Since I must have a centered physically restricted 4-way, this would allow me to avoid a frankenpanel or swappable panels.  Plus having more machines is cool.  It may be just a dedicated 4-way vertical machine, but I may put on a horz panel for 4-way horz action (but I agree on the negative aesthetics of a third panel).  And would like somehow to integrate 4 potentiometers for 4 player Warlords.  I really need a third machine to cover everything well.  That may be another (second) cocktail! 

Neck strain is not an issue at all.     Never heard of that?  In fact it's very comfortable.

Me neither, I was just throwing things out there that I thought MAY be an issue.  It appears that this is not an issue.

Thanks,
Rick

[spacies]

Cocktails rule!

Uprights suck. 

Just kidding. Build it, you won't regret it.