Main > Main Forum

My Control Panels..suggestions?

(1/4) > >>

Mctittles:
Hey everyone.  Second post!
Hopefully you all aren't sick of giving input on people's control panel ideas.  I've read quite a few posts myself looking through the history, but I'm not tired of it yet!  Anyway, it's a rotating panel thing so I have a few in the works.  Two of my panels might be taken for other controls like steering, so here are three that I have tried to put stuff on.  The main reason I wanted rotating panels is so it doesn't look like a mess when you walk up to the machine so I tried to make the number of buttons and stuff as slim as possible. 

All of these panels are 2'6" X 1'
Without further ado...


Here is my layout for fighting games.  I really can't see room for improvement on this one.  It was the easiest to design and I love the look so far...

This panel will be a dedicated 4 way stick for pac-man and the like.  The button layout around the stick is also set-up similar for asteroids, dig-dug, etc.  I added a third button to the left side for trackball games that require three buttons.  This layout isn't too bad, although I wonder about the trackball being off-center for aiming in golf/bowling games and also wonder if anyone will hit the stick.

This was by far the most difficult one to design.  My friend and I love Defender so I used exact measurements for the Defender button layout.  I noticed I will have to grind off a bit of metal from my J-Stick to get the pushbutton as close as the original but that should work.  The problem I ran into after getting defender correct was I need somewhere to put my spinner.  And Tron just HAS to have a right handed joystick.  So I opted to put the joystick more toward the center with the track on the left.  I also put some buttons around the trackball for Tron, Discs of Tron in hopes I can get used to that over the up/down track and trigger button.  My main concern with this panel is that you will be too far to the right playing defender.  I have a 22" monitor for the arcade but might feel weird.  Also the control panel looks a little messy in my opinion.  I tried a few ideas but this is the best I've come up with to fit the trackball/spinner/4 way dedicated/Defender layout/Tron layout and fighter panel within 3 areas.
Alright all for now!  From reading this board it seems like there are quite a few nice peeps here and it's good to be a member now.  Thanks for any input!

MaMeNnO:
A rotating panel? That sounds like a complex build. Forgive me, but why not just easily changing CP's? I guess that's more solid and rigid then a rotating one.

Are the CPO's the final versions to be printed? I would give it a try to give it a more Arcade look.

Well, it's just my opinion. ;D

FrizzleFried:
Tron sort of REQUIRES a "flight stick" type of control or a top-fire type joystick.  I don't see that on your last panel.   All the buttons on the right confuse me too.

What is the button below the  joystick on panel #2?

Also,   you are going to want  to situate your trackball AWAY from any buttons....plus there is a rather large mounting plate to take in to account when positioning the trackball.  The way it is now,  the button to the top left of the trackball would be fully running in to both the mounting plate and the trackball unit itself.  It is large.

destructor:

--- Quote from: MaMeNnO on January 04, 2007, 05:59:22 am ---Forgive me, but why not just easily changing CP's?

--- End quote ---
What is more easy:
1. unscrew screws, disconect conectors, change panel, connect connectors, screw in screws
or:
2. rotate panel
???

And you can be sure that rotate panel will be solid if you make it solid.

-----------------

I don't see joysticks for 2-joysticks games. What hand you use for trackball, and what for spinner?

leapinlew:

--- Quote from: destructor on January 04, 2007, 09:41:59 am ---
--- Quote from: MaMeNnO on January 04, 2007, 05:59:22 am ---Forgive me, but why not just easily changing CP's?

--- End quote ---
What is more easy:
1. unscrew screws, disconect conectors, change panel, connect connectors, screw in screws
or:
2. rotate panel
???

And you can be sure that rotate panel will be solid if you make it solid.

-----------------

I don't see joysticks for 2-joysticks games. What hand you use for trackball, and what for spinner?

--- End quote ---

It's also more difficult to wire and making it solid is one of the major hurdles. Not to be quickly dismissed. If you make it solid, it won't be a simple matter of just "rotating panel" like you suggested. Rotating panels make for a very complicated build in comparison.

You can do it, I'm sure. It's just more complicated.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

Go to full version