Modular Control Panel Design¶
I wanted the modular panels to be able to be shared between both cabs, so the control panel dimensions are the same depth. The full-size cab has a 24” wide panel, while the cabaret has an 18” wide panel. The full-size cab is designed to accomodate one and two player games, while the caberet is primarily designed for one player games.
Several games are important to me and have special requirements:
Arcade
Tron: flight stick & spinner
Robotron: dual 8-way joysticks
Track & Field/Hyper Sports: 3 buttons
Tempest: Spinner, 2 buttons
Battlezone: dual 2-way (vertical) joysticks
Spy Hunter: I wish
Crazy Climber: dual 8-way joysticks
Q*Bert: 4-way joystick, rotated at 45 degrees to match isometric view
Atari 800
all games need dedicated Start, Select, & Option buttons
joysticks have one button
paddles have one button
Miner 2049er: keys 1-4 for transports, spacebar for lift
Atari 2600
all games need player difficulty, select, color/bw, reset
joysticks have one button
paddles have one button
Fixed Button Panel¶
Top section of the control panel is fixed, or rather hinged, and used as the locking mechanism to hold the modular sections in place.
The required buttons are:
Player 1 start (key 1 on 800)
Player 2 start (key 2 on 800)
Player 3 start (key 3 on 800)
Player 4 start (key 4 on 800)
Atari 800 & 2600 section:
Space (Player 1, Difficulty A on 2600)
Option (Player 1, Difficulty B on 2600)
Select (Game Select on 2600)
Start (Reset on 2600)
Initial Design of Modular Panels¶
The modular panels are 9” deep and have various widths. Blank spacer panels are necessary with certain combinations.
Joysticks¶
These panels are 5” wide and only have joysticks. There are no buttons mounted on the panels, although the flight stick does have integral buttons.
8 way joystick (x3)
4 way joystick (x3)
4 way Q*Bert joystick (rotated 45 degrees)
Flight stick (with 2 buttons)
Analog Controls¶
3” trackball using a 7” wide panel (x2)
Spinner using a 4” wide panel
Button Panels¶
5” wide panels
3 button panel (e.g. thrust, fire, hyperspace), ergonomic left-hand layout
3 button panel, ambidextrous layout (x3)
4 button Vanguard panel (diamond shaped layout)
3 button Track & Field panel (x2)
Spacers¶
4” spacer (x3) used:
in the full-size cab for two player games – 5” joystick panel for player 1, 5” button panel, 4” spacer, 5” joystick for player 2, 5” button panel = 24”
in the cabaret when using 5” button panel, 4” spinner, 5” joystick
3” spacer (x2) used:
on cabaret when using 5” button panel, 7” trackball
Redesign of Modular Panels¶
I changed the depth to 7” and to use a large bar magnet in the cabinet to clamp the far side, and a tongue and groove on the user side.
Instead of the 3, 4, and 5 inch panels, I switched to 2, 4, and 6 inch panels. I had thought 5” panels would be necessary for joysticks, but the sticks I have can fit in the 4” panels.
