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Modular CP...is it worth it?
NoOne=NBA=:
You guys are all so contradictory it's funny.
Sit back and listen to yourselves.
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I want everyone to think it's a REAL arcade machine--so I'm going to put 15 different controls on 1 panel.
Most people realize that arcade control panels aren't segmented--but they're too dumb to realize that no game ever shipped with a trackball, 2 spinners, and 6 joysticks on it.
I want people to see the games, not the cabinet--so I need to have really pretty artwork on there to keep them from focusing on the cabinet.
mahuti:
I agree with NoOne=NBA=, there are definitely pros and cons to each argument.
tetsujin:
--- Quote from: NoOne=NBA= on February 19, 2005, 03:04:35 pm ---You guys are all so contradictory it's funny.
Sit back and listen to yourselves.
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I want everyone to think it's a REAL arcade machine--so I'm going to put 15 different controls on 1 panel.
Most people realize that arcade control panels aren't segmented--but they're too dumb to realize that no game ever shipped with a trackball, 2 spinners, and 6 joysticks on it.
I want people to see the games, not the cabinet--so I need to have really pretty artwork on there to keep them from focusing on the cabinet.
--- End quote ---
It's all about presentation. If the cabinet looks coherent, then it won't be distracting. Well-done art makes the cabinet more coherent. Seam lines down the middle of the CP around each block of controls makes it less coherent. On the other hand, having controls better fitted to the particular game being played makes the cabinet more coherent, while swapping, rotating, or toggling anything to play a game makes it less coherent.
All I'm saying is that it's a compromise either way. But my personal goal is to pick a compromise that won't distract or confuse players, or make them see the machine as a computer. Modular CP's have great advantages, but in terms of presentation they leave a lot to be desired.
If you don't swap CP parts during a session, you don't take advantage of the modularity, but you still have the negative cosmetic effects of the split CP. If you do swap CP parts during a session, you introduce your guests to the mess of wires inside the machine.
It's a matter of taste, of course. I don't think the fact that you disagree with me makes my position at all self-contradictory: there is just inevitably some compromise in any design, and I prefer the compromise in my approach to the compromise in yours.
Paul Olson:
Maybe I'm just old, but CP artwork just doesn't seem all that important to me. When I was a kid, if a machine had artwork, it was usually for the wrong game. Machines were swapped and hacked so often, nothing looked right.
As far as the lines on the modular CPs. I dont think it would stand out as much in real life as it does in the pictures. The flash really highlights it. Besides, if you are going for true arcade authenticity, it would be to dark in the room to notice at all.
It sounds like some of the people here are talking about swapping controls a lot. I would think for the most part, one or two setups would get you through an evening. I am thinking about making mine lockable so I am the only one who can swap. My guests don't need full access to every panel every time.
I also think some of you are overestimating the general publics awareness of arcade machines. Most people wouldn't even know that some games had 4 ways and some had 8 ways. Most people just don't think about things like that.
I guess my decision comes down to function over form. I have been using a CP with the standard fighter layout and trackball/spinner for about a year now, and I have felt limited since day one. Swappable panels would still have too many compromises on controller configurations (you could overcome this with a bunch of panels, but that would be cost prohibitive).
Just sharing my thoughts on this, sorry ::)
Paul
telengard:
--- Quote from: tetsujin on February 19, 2005, 05:54:41 pm ---
--- Quote from: NoOne=NBA= on February 19, 2005, 03:04:35 pm ---You guys are all so contradictory it's funny.
Sit back and listen to yourselves.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I want everyone to think it's a REAL arcade machine--so I'm going to put 15 different controls on 1 panel.
Most people realize that arcade control panels aren't segmented--but they're too dumb to realize that no game ever shipped with a trackball, 2 spinners, and 6 joysticks on it.
I want people to see the games, not the cabinet--so I need to have really pretty artwork on there to keep them from focusing on the cabinet.
--- End quote ---
It's all about presentation. If the cabinet looks coherent, then it won't be distracting. Well-done art makes the cabinet more coherent. Seam lines down the middle of the CP around each block of controls makes it less coherent. On the other hand, having controls better fitted to the particular game being played makes the cabinet more coherent, while swapping, rotating, or toggling anything to play a game makes it less coherent.
All I'm saying is that it's a compromise either way. But my personal goal is to pick a compromise that won't distract or confuse players, or make them see the machine as a computer. Modular CP's have great advantages, but in terms of presentation they leave a lot to be desired.
If you don't swap CP parts during a session, you don't take advantage of the modularity, but you still have the negative cosmetic effects of the split CP. If you do swap CP parts during a session, you introduce your guests to the mess of wires inside the machine.
It's a matter of taste, of course. I don't think the fact that you disagree with me makes my position at all self-contradictory: there is just inevitably some compromise in any design, and I prefer the compromise in my approach to the compromise in yours.
--- End quote ---
The way I get around this is to just throw in a 4 way and a few buttons when people come over. There are a ton of games that can be played with just that setup.
And yep, it's a comprimise thing having modular controls. I use the thing most of the time and very rarely have people over so I had to be happy with it. I went all out on the rest of the artwork on the cabinet so it's not too bad as far as looks. I'm currently creating a custom Defender-esque monitor bezel to replace the original Sente one which doesn't go with the rest of the Defender motif.
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