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Just started playing with sketchup today, tell me how my cab looks so far?
severdhed:
4 player panels are tough, but if you are like me, you have to have one. 42" is doable for a 4 player panel if you layout the controls properly. on most 4 player panels, the two outside players stand off to the side and the buttons are above or below the joysticks...this allows for enough space for 4 people to fit around the panel. In order for this to work, the panel needs to be deeper than a 2 player panel. I recently sold my 4 player showcase cabinet to make room for something else...the panel on it was 45"wide x 18" deep. a few inches could have been saved if needed, but i left space in the middle for a trackball. This panel was shaped in an odd manner, that's just how it was when i bought the cabinet. it is 45" at the widest part at the back. you can see how the player 3 and 4 buttons sit in relation to the joysticks. this layout is quite comfortable, even for 4 adults. It will be a little different since you are not building a showcase cabinet, but the control layout should work for any type of cabinet.
i really like the shape of the cabinet. I'm going to have to learn to use sketchup..i messed with it the other night, but i was really struggling. i guess i need to find a tutorial or something
PL1:
--- Quote from: severdhed on July 31, 2013, 10:06:31 am ---I'm going to have to learn to use sketchup..i messed with it the other night, but i was really struggling. i guess i need to find a tutorial or something
--- End quote ---
Here are some tutorials you might find useful. :cheers:
There are more playlists on the left of that page once you get through the basics.
Scott
Arc Kalocal:
Thanks for the picture! Unfortunately, the cabinet really as to stay in a space saving size to keep the wife on board. I'm using a 27" monitor and the width of the cabinet matches the size of the monitor to keep it as small width-wise as possible. With that, I looked at widening the CP even further but it looked really silly at the current depth. I had no idea how much my drawing looked like Gauntlet, I never really thought about it while drawing. Gauntlet has a crazy deep panel and I think it would be out of the question as far as footprint size of the cabinet, but my next idea was to mimic the CP for gauntlet legends. My panel is 4" larger than Gauntlet Legends (40.5" now), with the width of the cabinet itself almost exactly the same. Gauntlet angles in the sides, where the front is 6" smaller than the back, and brings the midsection of the front to a point, so as to loosen up the shoulder space between P1 and P2, as well as adding a little bit of depth for all players for a bit better of a viewing angle.
On a side note I really like those turquoise buttons and all the other more pale colors too! I plan on painting my cabinet a dark grey with purple T-molding and I think those would fit beautifully.
As for sketchup, its really easy. I just sat down and starting drawing. If I had a question I googled it. Google is the best. I drew that first draft in one day in about 8 hours, and the second draft in a few hours the next day from scratch. Drawing something like a cabinet with a lot of flats and straight angles is a super easy way to get into the program too; I'm really enjoying it.
Dawgz Rule:
If space is an issue, have you considered shifting from a 4P to a 2P? A lot of folks immediately go down the 4P path (I almost did) when a 2P may meet the need. I originally was focusing around my favorite game, Gauntlet but after reading and researching more, I ended up going 2P. Another option that some have suggested is to use gamepads via USB for player 3 and 4.
You have to do what is right for you but I am throwing some suggestions out there having been down the path of 4P versus 2P?
Arc Kalocal:
I have thought about 2P, and it certainly would solve issues really easily, but alas 4P is a non-negotiable. This cabinet isn't just for myself. I entertain alot, and often children. On the norm, it would be me, my wife, and my son playing. On the weekdays my wife babysits up to three other children and there's just no way having a 2P cabinet would NOT cause problems.
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