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big scare
leapinlew:
I got a suggestion...
Ditch something.
The spinner for example. Put a 4 way in it's place. Or! Even better, build a bartop that has a vertical mounted monitor so you can play the games as they were intended. I'm sure there are some spinner games (not just driving games), but the spinners main reason for existance is Tempest. Ask yourself if the money for a spinner may not be better suited for a 4 way.
I personally built a cabinet just for 4 way games. I made the monitor in a vertical format. I was going to buy a spinner to add to it, but my friend talked me out of it and in my case, he's right. I've done my best to make my cabinets as end user friendly as possible and I would say that almost everyone who uses my cabinets do a good job of it on their own.
Other suggestions:
Don't mount the x-arcade program button on the outside of the cabinet. Have it danling inside or mount it inside somehow. Since you would have to slide the x-arcade into program mode, you'd have to also mount the slider on the outside also. Once you set it up the way you want - you won't use the program button again.
Remap the mouse buttons and remove them from your CP. Question though - why are you navigating windows? You got something besides Mame running on this?
As for the x-arcades. They are super knock offs for the most part. You'll be fine with them. You may have to extend the wires from the PCB to reach everywhere you need to.
severdhed:
well, i like your suggestions, but i need to clarify a few things. i already gutted the x-arcade and mounted it in a panel like this:
i already extended the wires and got everything working.
the x-arcade slider switch is already mounted on the right end of the contrl panel, so it is externally accesable. ( i switch it when i want to play doom on the cabinet)
As for navigating windows, i am still in the developement stages when it comes to front ends and software...i have been changing my MALA layouts alot...so i have been using windows alot...also, i sometimes use it to hit the web interface of xbmc on my modded xbox what i want to listen to music. instead of booting up my projector just to select a song.
i do have a bar where i could make a bartop, but i would rather only have one cabinet. We have a baby on the way and are probably going to be moving, i dont want to have to find room for two arcade machines in the new place.
i thought about ditching the tracball and spinner, but I put alot of work into them..when i got the trackball, it was broken and didnt work. i managed to repair it, and hack it into a mouse so it would work with mame, i just ordered bearings and rollers for it today.
the spinner i just made like last week. I didnt put alot of money into it, (about $5) but i am proud of the fact that i made a working spinner out of some junk i had lying around(mainly a hard drive and a mouse), so therefor i want to use it. I already had it in the cabinet, just in a stupid place.
the only control that i have to buy at this point is a 4way stick. i was planning on a magstik..but i have a feeling im not going to be happy with it..so im trying to find a way to fit a dedicated 4way into the design.
im just trying to get the best layout possible, one where every control is comfortable to use, and is in a location that doesnt look totally like crap.
bvicarious:
One cool thing I've seen done is a raised strip of small pushbuttons at the top of the panel, where it meets with the monitor bezel, for all the administrative functions. I think that would work well with yours.
The top here is how i used to have my panel set up. It worked okay and everything was accessible without knocking into other buttons or sticks. I eventually changed it because of the awful button set up, i don't know what i was on when designing that. Below is how i'd set things up if i were in your predicament. Some artwork on the panel would tie it all together.
Xiaou2:
My suggestions:
You could lower the joys and buttons.. then add 4-ways just about or directly above the 8 ways.
The reach wouldnt be bad, and they shouldnt interfere with each other as far as
positioning goes. Maybe leave a 1" gap space between them.
Drag the trackball back down.. and the spinner(s) above the botton sets. (to the left or right sides of them, not the direct middle) and add dual analog pedal sets at the bottom of the cab :) )
Coin and start at the top section youve made.. and All admin buttons above those.
severdhed:
the trackball cant really move down any further. the panel size is 30" by 12", the top panel sticks out 1/2" on eather side, and 1" on the front...so outside dimensions of the box below the panel is 11" x 29", then factor in the thickness of the wood, wich is 5/8"..so that means that teh bottom edge of the tracball assembly has to be a leat 1 and 5/8" up from the bottom edge. the center of the trackball is approximately 3" from the bottom edge of teh housing, so that puts the trackball at almost 5 inches up from the bottom...not alot i can do about that.
i dont want to make the panel any larger than it currently is, i like the size of it, plus i want to reuse the box portion of it, and just replace the top panel.
the sticks could move down a bit, but i want to leave enough room to rest my arms on the panel. when i installed this panel, i made it much higher than most arcade control panels. i found that real arcade machines are too low and they hurt my wrists after a very short time, so i made mine so that when standing, my elbows are at 90 degrees for a very comfortable position. i dont want the sticks too close to the front, or i will lose comfort
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