Control Panel Design Feedback requested.

[mhermann]

I have completed v1.0 of my control panel design. It is posted on my Project web site:

http://www.talesfromthegeekside.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4

Please take a look if you get a chance and offer any feedback you see fit. It is a fairly basic 4 player design that has been done before. But I just want to make sure I am not missing anything obvious.

Thanks

[Dire Radiant]

Only thing I can see that's missing is the big H so the helicopter knows where to land. That is one humongous CP!

[markrvp]

Welcome to the hobby!  I commend you on your layout skills.  You are definitely doing it the right way.

My observations on your control panel:

1.  I really like the rounded front, but it seems a little large.

2.  Your player 1 & 2 joysticks and buttons are too close to the front of the panel for my comfort.  I would put the centerline of the joysticks 6" from the bottom of the panel.  Likewise I would move the trackball up higher on the panel.  If you play games (like Golden Tee) where you really have to hit the ball, you are going to be hitting the edge of the panel. 

3.  Move your flightstick 4" to the right so that you are not reaching over the Player 2 joystick.

4.  As a personal preference, I would move the player 1 & 2 controls closer to the middle so that you have more room to bring players 3 & 4 closer to the front.  I find it hard to see the monitor that far around to the right or left.

Very nice so far.  An ambitious project that I am looking forward to seeing built!

[mhermann]

Thanks for the feedback guys. markvp, you did a hell of a job on your 4 player cp. You gave me alot of inspiration. Anyway, It is big, I agree, but I want it as comfortable as possible for  players 3 & 4. Once I get everything layed out I will see if I can make it a bit smaller. Thanks for the suggestions. I will make most if not all the changes.

Now I was toying around with the idea of putting an 8 port USB hub in the CP so I would only have 2 wires to connect when switching CPs. I know the controllers will have a USB interface, not sure about the spinner and trackball, but I assume they can be hooked up via USB as well. The only thing I would need to worry about is fitting all the interfaces in the CP, hence the large CP. Decisions, decisions.

[mhermann]

Ok, updated again. Those changes really helped. P3 and P4 should be much happier.

http://www.talesfromthegeekside.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4

[markrvp]

My 4 player panel is 38.5" wide by 16" tall.

Your revision looks good.

[mhermann]

As far as the 4 buttons go for p3 and p4. I read all over that they are really not needed, but I am tempted to keep them for the slim chance that I play a 4 player Sega or psx emulater, but then I may just plug in a couple retro controllers into the front USBs I am planning on. So basically I am still up in the air about that.

Thanks for the mounting tip, I will keep that in mind.

I will add those buttons as well.

I hear ya about the driver issue with USB. I have gone through that before with my Carpc project. It takes patience and some trial and error but I got it working then and I think/hope I can do it again.

As far as the feedback goes, I know I can avoid alot of mistakes if I take the advice of people who have gone through it.  Thanks for your help Mark.

[mhermann]

So I am making changes to the CP and have come up with a parts list.

If anyone out there would care to comment on my parts list any feedback would be appreciated. I am not sure about my flight stick choice or if I need an additional interface for it. I am considering getting a CH USB flight stick instead. Any thoughts? It is important to me that everything be usb so I am not sure that if I do go with the happs I will need to get the regular version of the stick and buy their usb interface.

Control Panel

From GroovyGameGear.com
- x4 Midway 49-Way Optical Joystick
- x4 GP-Wiz49
- x28 Yellow Concave pushbutton with horizontally mounted microswitch
- x3 White Concave pushbutton with horizontally mounted microswitch


From Happ Controls
- 3" Trackball with USB and PS/2 Interface White
- PC Version, Heavy Duty Analog Trigger Joystick

[markrvp]

If you are going to have 1/8" Lexan on top of the control panel, get the High Lip version of the trackball.  The lip will be flush with the Lexan.

[mhermann]

Thanks for the tip, damn you are quick to respond. I guess you are slaving away at work same as me.

[markrvp]

Thanks for the tip, damn you are quick to respond. I guess you are slaving away at work same as me.

I have become a slave to this website

[mhermann]

Do you know if the high lip version is available in USB, or do I need an additional interface?

Thanks

[markrvp]

It is available the same way - USB & PS2.  I have one and there is one cable that has both the PS2 and USB connector on it.

[mhermann]

OK, here is some artwork I have been working on. I am not that great at this so any comments are welcome. Although I do like it so far and that is what counts .



I am a big fan of wrestlefest hence the LOD in the logo.  I converted the file to a jpeg and reduced the size for display purposes. I used the trial version of illustrator, paint.net, and inkscape to create it. illustrator is a trial version and the other 2 programs are open source.

Still makeing some tweaks and still thinking about getting rid of the extra buttons for players 3 and 4.

So what do you think?

[markrvp]

Looks nice.  I like the classic characters on the control panel.  I did something similar on mine.