How many buttons do you have per player?

[ragnar]

I have been thinking about this ever since I saw 8 button layouts.  Mine will be the first one to host 9 buttons from what I saw in the CP thread that is sticked.  So, how many buttons does each player get on your CP and why?  For people with 4 player cabs, how come I typically see 4 buttons and no more for players 3,4?  I do occasionally see 6 or 7 but 4 seems to be popular.

For 4 player cabs, let's all assume this order for player numbers:
3-1-2-4

My future build is going to have 9 buttons per player to support the N64 (Z and L shoulder are one since they are interchangeable, R shoulder is 2 and 6 for the right thumb area).  So, imagine the typical 7 button layout but having two extra buttons to the right somewhere for the pinky finger.  Player 2 will get the same layout.

I attached an image to explain how I expect to layout the N64 buttons.  L and Z are typically the same command due to the way one holds an actual N64 controller.  That is, the left hand typically uses the Z -OR- L button because of where the left hand goes.  I imagine that the L button would be largely unused but I might as well assign it anyways.  I might have to flip the Z and L button based on each game but the buttons typically do the same thing.  The cL (c-left) and B buttons might get flipped but that is something I can do once I determine what feels natural.  The buttons painted yellow represent the typical 7 button layout.

[DaveMMR]

You should search and see more opinions on this matter.   

But for now...   Players 3 and 4 only typically get 4-buttons because 4-player games in MAME don't use more (and even then, really only the D&D games - if those aren't a concern, you can safely go down to three).

9-buttons per player seems extreme, but I'm also of the mindset that (a) anything console-related is more fun on the couch than on a cab, especially most N64 games (b) less is more when it comes to CPs as that many buttons can be intimidating to guests.  Also, if you're interchanging Z and L, then I'm counting 8-buttons - start on the CP can replicate start on the controller.   

Try you're layout on cardboard and see if it works for you.  You can always switch things before building and even later in software set-up. 
 

[Rok]

I have 6 for players 1 and 2, and 2 for players 3 and 4. For the occasional game I like such as X Men that requires 3 buttons to activate some special function, I just set up MAME to use a simultaneous press of 1 and 2 to act like a third button.

[severdhed]

My 4 player panel will have 6 buttons for players  1&2,  and 4 buttons for players  3&4

[Osirus23]

I have six per player on mine (only 2 player CP).

If it wasn't for fighters I could get away with 3.

[DillonFoulds]

Players...
3-1-2-4
i have...
4-8-8-4
was going to go...
4-6-6-4

until i realized, 8 buttons would cover 99% of the games i'd ever imagine of playing....
a, b, x, y, l, r - snes, fits fine on 6 buttons buuuut....
a, b, z, r, c(udlr) - n64, map L to coin and start to start, 8 button(+start and coin)
O, [¯], /\, X, L1, L2, R1, R2 - playstation, map start-start and select-coin

As well the 8 buttons allow for 4 buttons in a row, or if using the top row, the thumb can be rested on button one of the bottom row for a 5th easy access button. The 8 button layout I'm using just kind of works, and feels much more comfortable than any of the alternatives i've tried.




All that being said, i'm doing a cocktail with only 4 buttons per side, and expect even 4 buttons to be over kill. Might reduce to 3, and be more strict to the classics.