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Single player joystick+butons only layout
MajorLag:
I've been working on the design for a cab with swappable control panels. One of the control panels I'd like to build is for single player classics. I wanted to mimic the button layout for games that have their buttons spread out, like defender or asteroids. To that end, I came up with this (see attachment). Which is more or less exactly the asteroids layout. The red ones are buttons and the black is a 49-way. Are there any single player classics out there that would be too awkward with this aranagement? Did I leave out anything?
NoOne=NBA=:
I would move the hyperspace button closer to the right set (like on Space Duel).
That will make it easier to play 3-button games.
The only games I see that may give you a problem are Defender and Stargate.
The left turn button isn't close enough to the stick to use as a reverse button.
I'm not sure that you can GET it close enough to the stick though.
You might also consider a 2nd stick on the other side of the buttons for games like Robotron, Crazy Climber, Black Widow, Cloak and Dagger, etc...
You may be planning to use your 2-p panel for that, but I thought it worth mentioning.
The only classic game I know that uses 4 buttons is Mousetrap, and you don't use the "Dog" button much, so you could set that to one of the turn buttons on your Asteroids layout.
MajorLag:
I must confess to never having plaed Defender on a real defender cab. Is the reverse button usually hit with the thumb of the left hand? If so I could just include annother button on the bottom right corner of the joystick, as close as I could get, but like you said, that might not be close enough. What if I added annother button near the thrust/fire? That way you could just hit it with annother finger on the right hand. Wouldn't be as authentic, but probably a lot more playable than a button thats not close enough to the stick.
Good idea with the hyperspace, I will probably move it.
NoOne=NBA=:
--- Quote from: MajorLag on March 15, 2006, 11:38:23 pm ---Is the reverse button usually hit with the thumb of the left hand?
--- End quote ---
Yes.
--- Quote ---If so I could just include annother button on the bottom right corner of the joystick, as close as I could get, but like you said, that might not be close enough.
--- End quote ---
That would be the closest to the original layout.
--- Quote ---What if I added annother button near the thrust/fire? That way you could just hit it with annother finger on the right hand.
--- End quote ---
I would mock it up first.
My first thought is that you're going to run out of fingers quick.
Never having played it though, you may not notice this as badly as you would otherwise.
My first thought for layout would be:
Index - Thrust
Middle - Fire
Thumb - Reverse
Ring - Smart Bombs
That would leave the Hyperspace button as one of your left/right Asteroids buttons.
You will reverse ALOT while playing, and need to smart bomb really quickly.
Hyperspace is a last ditch kind of thing, so moving your hand out of position slightly shouldn't be a big deal.
The best overall "classic" layout I've been able to come up with was:
D
J L R C B C
A
That let's you play Asteroids on the L/R-A/B/C buttons, 3-button games on the A/B/C, and Vanguard on the A/B/C/D diamond pattern.
I didn't like the extra buttons on the panel, and opted for modular though.
MajorLag:
So, in that setup, would defender be:
Left C - hyperspace
A - reverse
B - thrust
Right C - fire
D - smartbomb
?
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