I own virtually every non-crap (and some crap as well) novelty controller made for a console. Many are for rhythm games, other for vehicle simulations from plane to train to automobile, or others for piloting giant mechs. Each of them are specific enough to make finding a commercially available one-size-fits-all table solution nearly impossible.
What I like about a racing gaming chair is that they're fine-tuned for what a racing gamer wants. But what about the gamer that plays racing games and Pop'n Music? What about racing games, rhythm games, AND Steel Battalion? Having three different tables ready for any gaming foray is less than ideal. It takes time to setup and put away various tables and presents storage problems. The ideal solution is a single table that can be used and put away with ease, but the ideal solution for such a niche need simply doesn't exist. I'll take us through what exactly the problems are and how to approach a realistic solution.
The Problems:
Racing controllers, Pop'n Music, and Steel Battalion encompass the varieties of problems that one will find when looking for a table to suit them all.
Racing controllers and Steel Battalion both share the need of a wide open foot space. They require three pedals (good wheels do, anyway) and thus take up a lot of horizontal space right under table. For this reason alone, the table itself needs a good amount of width. Moreover, cross bars along the front legs of the table, that could block the player's legs or knees, are a no-no. In fact, obstructions along the back legs are a bad idea as well, as long-legged players will want to push the pedals back (possibly way back, as I'll elaborate on).
Racing wheels, shifters, and other controllers can be attached to the table. Not a major hurdle - it just means the table needs a surface to be clamped to. Specific to racing wheels is being able to adjust the angle of the table to simulate a cockpit, where the player leans far back with the legs and pedals far forward. To get the wheel to face the player, the table needs to adjust to a lower angle.
Pop'n Music has two problems, one of which applies to lots of arcade titles (and personal preference) and one specifically unique to Pop'n. As far as personal preference goes, most Pop'n players will agree that it's easier to play standing. This goes to a lesser extent for other rhythm games like IIDX as well and serves as preference for some fighting game players who prefer the arcade feeling. Unique to Pop'n Music is that the game features big buttons meant to be hit with a hand instead of a finger. The buttons take abuse which means the controller and the table it sits on takes abuse. The table needs to be able to withstand that abuse.
Steel Battalion has the unique problem of just being huge. Plastic tables will actually bend under its weight and it has a huge width. It shares the problem that virtually ALL larger controllers share: They slip around.
The Tables:
As is, it takes me three tables to solve the problems mentioned above.
The tried and true table is the basic wood table:
It just needs to be high enough for me to comfortably reach and offers all the support needed to cover something as heavy as the Steel Battalion controller with a non-slip surface and plenty of leg room. It should go without saying, but ideally the legs on this type of table would be able to fold in for storage. None of these types of table are really appropriate for a coffee table, so they need to be tucked away post use.
Pop'n Music and anything else at standing height requires a double-braced keyboard stand:
It raises to standing height and the double brace design insures it will take abuse without easily knocking over. To keep the thing from moving around ON the table either requires a non-slip mat or a strap. The strap never fails but is also more arduous to tighten and thus not ideal if the controller or stand need to be put away after each play. The keyboard stand can work for IIDX or arcade sticks but requires a board across the stand.
The third table, and the closest thing to a panacea, is the Table Mate II:
It's meant to be a TV table for dinner in front of the tube, but the wide width (Table Mate II is wider than the original Table Mate), open legs, and adjustable height and angles make it great as a gaming table. The caveat is that the surface is plastic and slippery and the thing has little support for the front of the table, making it bow slightly under the weight of things as big as the Steel Battalion controller. Being able to adjust the angle of the table, it's possible to sit on the floor and lean back on a chair, lower the height and angle of the table and simulate a cockpit like I mentioned above. It's heavy enough to support most smaller controllers and the adjustable height means it's possible to get to a comfortable playing area. It just doesn't work, however, with hefty controllers or any controllers that may slide around, such as controllers with throttles.
The Solution:
What's the solution? The ideal solution, as I said above, is building something from the ground up. In some ways this is the most practical and the least practical solution. Least practical because it's a lot of "needs" in just a single structure and because building anything from scratch is easier said than done. It's perhaps the most practical because there are undoubtedly very few people like me that dip into enough genres and controllers to even need such a robust structure.
The other solution is to make best with what we have. A few key elements make no one table perfect: Variants in height, strength, and slippery surfaces ail the above cited tables. The angle needed for a faux "cockpit" setup isn't necessary with the right chair and could be skipped entirely regardless of chair if the table could lower enough. The ideal compromise, then, is solid table with four solid, open legs wide enough for legs and pedals, an adjustable height, and a non-slip surface.
Strengthening the Table Mate could accomplish a lot of these purposes. Some sort of additional brace could do this (the brace on the actual table is small and shallow). Non-slip mats can help with controller slippage (two pieces work to best effect - one on the table and one on the controller). A stud or piece of wood could also be attached to the table as a brace. The height, however, is simply unobtainable. Finding a single table that could reach both shallow and standing height while keeping leg room free is a tough engineering problem.
Even reducing to two tables instead of three would be an improvement, so if anyone has any other ideas for tackling these problems, I'd be open to hearing them. Thanks.
http://www.racketboy.com/gamerooms/2006 ... chair.html