Need help making a 4-button Gauntlet CP layout

[JoeStrout]

I'm still in the planning stages for my 4-player co-op game.  I intend it to use a Gauntlet style cabinet, but in addition to Gauntlet, also play Simpsons, TMNT, Dungeons & Dragons, and Rampage (only 3 players, but too much fun to leave out).

I hesitated on D&D because it's the only one of the lot that requires more than 2 buttons; it needs 4.  But after "researching" this game a bit more, it also seems like too much fun to leave out.  I thought it would be relatively easy to take the Gauntlet CP, which has two widely spaced buttons, and fit in two more (per player).  I would like to arrange these in a diamond, and on 2-button games, simply have the upper row do the same thing as the bottom row, in reverse order.  This gives you several different ways to arrange your hand on the controls, and choose whatever pair of buttons you prefer.

But it's turned out to be much harder than I expected.

Check out this attempt, which believe it or not, is the best I've been able to come up with so far:


What I've done here is taken the Gauntlet II CP overlay, flipped it to put the joysticks in the left hand, and then tried to arrange a diamond of buttons based on the position of Gauntlet's Magic button.  I also rotated players 3 and 4 by 50 degrees, which is about the same as what the original Gauntlet game did (though in fact players 3 and 4 didn't have quite the same layout, no matter how you rotated them, as players 1 and 2).

The result isn't terrible, but it has a couple of problems:

• Green's button D is awfully close to Yellow's joystick.
• Red's buttons are alarmingly close to the edge of the CP, which will cause fabrication problems and probably be uncomfortable to play.
• All the buttons may be too far down (too close to the player).  It's been a long time since I played Gauntlet, but I think the Magic button was intended to be smacked with your thumb, while your long fingers wailed on the Attack button.  But there's no way I can fit four buttons up where the Attack button was.

I really like the clean look of the Gauntlet cabs better than the more typical hanging-box style of CP that many multiplayer cabs use today.  And it's only four buttons, rather than the typical 6 or 7, so I thought surely I could fit them in comfortably.  Short of making the whole thing bigger, anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks,
- Joe

[paigeoliver]

You have the buttons way too far apart. A Gauntlet has room between the two buttons to install a 3rd (mine was already drilled that way when I got it). Use those 3 and install the 4th as a drop down in front like Neo Geo does. Using top fire sticks to get the 4th button is a possibility as well.

Also, I hate to say it, but if you are scratchbuilding then Gauntlet is probably not the cabinet to copy. The panel is too small for 4 adult players and it will only hold a 19" monitor.

[JoeStrout]

OK, thanks, I'll try that.  I also need to keep in mind that 2 of the buttons are only for D&D, and they're not really fighting buttons, so it's possible they can be moved further away.  I'm no expert at that game, though, so I may need to spend more time playing researching that.

As for size, this cabinet isn't really meant for 4 adults; it's for 4 kids (or occasionally, 2-3 kids plus an adult).  I found the original Gauntlet comfortable enough when I was a teen.  And the monitor I'm able to get my hands on is only 19" anyway (but at least it's a 4:3 aspect ratio!).

But what I may do is build a stand-alone control panel first, so we can bolt to a workbench or something and try it out.  If it's really awful, I'll back up and formulate a plan B!

[JoeStrout]

OK, with your advice and some studying of Slagcoin, I came up with this:



Way better.  The joystick placement no longer bears much relationship to the original, even when inverted, so I've flipped the background art back (and it's there only for general reference anyway).  Each station has the same layout, based on a standard 36-mm button spacing that makes equilateral triangles.  Keep in mind that most games, you'll only be using buttons A and B (or D and B, if that's your style).  I've also tilted the middle two players out by 10 degrees each way, reflecting the fact that they're not standing directly in the middle of the cab.  I think this'll work great!

[paigeoliver]

As for size, this cabinet isn't really meant for 4 adults; it's for 4 kids (or occasionally, 2-3 kids plus an adult).  I found the original Gauntlet comfortable enough when I was a teen.  And the monitor I'm able to get my hands on is only 19" anyway (but at least it's a 4:3 aspect ratio!).

In that case it is just fine. Kids will squeeze in on anything.