Author Topic: Astounding, the fervor for an Asteroids button layout (Read 15645 times)

Gray_Area · « **on:** February 05, 2011, 11:09:50 pm »

The real estate devoted to it in this instance just stymies me.....

SavannahLion · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2011, 12:15:18 am »

Took me a minute to find it. That's nuts.

ChadTower · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2011, 02:24:46 pm »

The worst part is that Asteroids has the worst button layout ever in the history of all of us. It's so bad I keep thinking about modding my Asteroids Deluxe and Space Duel to use two way sticks instead.

FrizzleFried · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2011, 02:31:00 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on February 06, 2011, 02:24:46 pm

The worst part is that Asteroids has the worst button layout ever in the history of all of us. It's so bad I keep thinking about modding my Asteroids Deluxe and Space Duel to use two way sticks instead.

Blasphemy!!!!!

HERETIC!!!!

opt2not · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2011, 02:58:10 pm »

Quote from: ChadTower on February 06, 2011, 02:24:46 pm

The worst part is that Asteroids has the worst button layout ever in the history of all of us. It's so bad I keep thinking about modding my Asteroids Deluxe and Space Duel to use two way sticks instead.

gasp!!

kegger · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:25:44 pm »

The reason why people put the time into doing this are the same reasons why people light their buttons,
buy special controls for certain games, build cabs out of wood, metal, cardboard or whatever,
make 4-player control panels is mainly because they like to and they try to get the best gaming experience
they can for the work they do. I enjoy the arcade games and I like Asteroids. And when you play
Asteroids it helps to have the button layout for that game.

Jack Burton · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:47:42 pm »

Whoever made that cabinet probably has Asteroids as their #1 game, and they'll be damned if the build an entire cab without being able to play their favorite game without having authentic controls.

More power to them.

miles2912 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2011, 04:33:36 pm »

Looks like a great lay out to me. If you have the room why not?

leapinlew · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2011, 05:26:23 pm »

What do you suppose the dual spinners are for?

leapinlew · « **Reply #9 on:** February 06, 2011, 05:26:59 pm »

What do you suppose the dual spinners are for? I mean, if they love asteroids so much you'd think they'd separate the spinners so they could play 2 player blasteroids.

NoBullMAME · « **Reply #10 on:** February 06, 2011, 05:53:42 pm »

When I was in college we had one in our rental house; I had a roommate who could turn the machine over at will (I don't recall how long it took, over an hour I think).

Anyway, I've had some hardcore Asteroids customers demand authentic layouts. Nave made sense to me, but to each his own!

D_Harris · « **Reply #11 on:** February 06, 2011, 07:21:36 pm »

To each their own.

I just made two uncluttered control panels and made sure the button format allows for Asteroids. (And Gunsmoke).

The only difference between the two is that one has a joystick and the other has a spinner.

Me and those I made the control panels for are into the classic games, so there is nothing wrong with the that button format, which allows for most any button game from that era.

The image below shows the basic layout.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

HanoiBoi · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:00:08 pm »

The only thing I don't like is the spacing. The 'paired' buttons are too far apart and the hyperspace even worse. I'm all for the 5 button layout. Once you're that far apart, you might as well map other buttons to work.

I have the Asteroids layout for both player 1 & 2. They each have 4-8 way joys too. I'm not too into the games that require 6 buttons, so nothing lost for me.

Also, I'm in a Space Duel cab so that makes a little more sense anyway. Kinda like you can't mame a Tempest and omit a spinner.

isucamper · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:33:03 pm »

Seems like a clean layout to me, other than the spacing as was mentioned. There's definitely worse out there.

If I had to guess I'd say one of those spinners is a smooth turbo twist style spinner, and the other is an Arkanoid like dial.

D_Harris · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2011, 10:54:59 pm »

?!?

I don't understand what the problem is with his spacing. It seems good enough for Asteroids. My full sized arcade Asteroids game is but five feet away from me as I type this and the format is, for all intents and purposes, the same.

I estimate that the center of his his "Rotate Left" button is about 10 inches from the center of his "Fire" button, which is three inches more real estate than on an actual machine. That is really the only glaring difference. In fact, I consider it an improvement because the original Asteroids button format had them too close anyway.

And besides, he might just have the "Thrust" and "Fire" buttons for Asteroids set up to also be used with the right joystick, which would make sense because there are no other options for a right handed player on that CP.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

Xiaou2 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2011, 11:48:30 pm »

I also have an Asteroids Deluxe.

Initially I didnt like the button layout. Most especially the Shield button, which is hard to reach quickly.

But after some consecutive time with the machine, Ive gotten used to it, and wouldnt have it any other way. If the shield button was closer, you might accidentally hit it too often... and in that game, shields are very limited. It also adds a little more challenge to the game, which makes it even more intense and fun.

ChadTower · « **Reply #16 on:** February 07, 2011, 10:30:30 am »

I don't even bother using the shield 99% of the time because by the time I get my thumb over there I'm dead.

TOK · « **Reply #17 on:** February 07, 2011, 10:49:37 am »

The Asteroids layout makes total sense to me. The spinner layout doesn't!

Donkbaca · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:57:14 pm »

"so what do all these buttons do?"

well if you want to play regular games you use this, if you want to play asteroids, you suse this, if you want to play spinenr games you use this, if you want to play..."

"Uh, thanks... where's the beer?"

leapinlew · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2011, 02:55:04 pm »

Quote from: Donkbaca on February 07, 2011, 01:57:14 pm

"so what do all these buttons do?"

well if you want to play regular games you use this, if you want to play asteroids, you suse this, if you want to play spinenr games you use this, if you want to play..."

"Uh, thanks... where's the beer?"

Thats about how it goes. I make my games as simple as possible which usually results in less games that can be played but a more enjoyable experience with the games that are there.

VanillaGorilla · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:15:47 pm »

Nothing stymying about it..Some people just want all control options they can get on a single cp. He has the regular spinner, hi-lo spinner, tb, dual 8-way, 2-way buttons. Could be so much worse, and space invaders and all asteroid type variants ROCK with the original layout of buttons. Besides, what else was he gonna put in the void behind the trackball and between the 2 joysticks? cupholders? an ashtray?....Ah, he's missing a steering wheel!!

Xiaou2 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:27:48 pm »

Quote

I don't even bother using the shield 99% of the time because by the time I get my thumb over there I'm dead.

Thats cause you are a low level player. Play about 2hrs non stop, and hitting and making the shield work for you gets easier and easier.

Id say it was similar to Guitar Hero. At first, 3 buttons were a real challenge. In a month or so, I was using all 5 on a hard level difficulty. Its merely consecutive practice thats needed to get the desired results.

In the 80s Arcade days, if a game was too easy, people would play the thing for hours at a time, or get bored of it in a moment and walk away, never to play it again. The Devs had to spend a lot of time tweaking the difficulty of the levels and progression of the challenge. The games were tested several times on location to validate the experience and needed changes.

Once the 90s hit, it became less about skill, and all about "Continues". Which is one (of many) reason why the Arcades started to slide die off. A continue game is never as intense, challenging, and memorable, as a non continue game. When hard earned money is on the line, you play much harder.

Quote

well if you want to play regular games you use this, if you want to play asteroids, you suse this, if you want to play spinenr games you use this, if you want to play..."

"Uh, thanks... where's the beer?"

Well, I can tell you that I wouldnt have people with a 15 IQ over to play my arcade machines. People today can operate PCs, DVRs, remote controls with 100 buttons... and yet, a simple set of arcade buttons is going to break their cranium?!

If todays people are this pathetic.. its time to hit the big red button and end it already.

ahofle · « **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:36:00 pm »

Quote from: leapinlew on February 06, 2011, 05:26:59 pm

What do you suppose the dual spinners are for? I mean, if they love asteroids so much you'd think they'd separate the spinners so they could play 2 player blasteroids.

I'm curious about this too, but couldn't think of a game. I was going to guess 'etch-a-sketch'.

VanillaGorilla · « **Reply #23 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:36:32 pm »

REDACTED: Will not get drawn into the bitterness that Xiaou brings. Moving along..

Donkbaca · « **Reply #24 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:40:26 pm »

Definitely etch a sketch emulator.

"dude! How do you exit out of the etch a sketch emulator?"

"you push that button"

"this one?"

"No"

"this one"

"no, that one over there!"

"Oh, you mean this one?"

"No...."

etc...

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #25 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:44:42 pm »

Quote from: Xiaou2 on February 07, 2011, 06:27:48 pm

If todays people are this pathetic.. its time to hit the big red button and end it already.

Certainly faster than death-punching them all, you hater!

Donkbaca · « **Reply #26 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:48:24 pm »

"How do you play this game?"

"look you CLOWN! IF you can't recognize the semi-authentic asteroids button set up STARING_YOU RIGHT_IN_THE_FACE then you don't DESERVE TO PLAY THAT GAME!!!"

"umm.. is it these buttons?"

"NO!!!!!! I WILL STRIKE YOU DOWN WHERE YOU STAND!!!!! You have just ruined all my hopes in humanity, yes ALL of humanity!!"

"These buttons?"

"Look mother F*r, you have about 3 seconds before I kill you!"

Xiaou2 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 07, 2011, 06:57:34 pm »

LOL thanks. I needed that heh

DaveMMR · « **Reply #28 on:** February 07, 2011, 07:10:10 pm »

I'm really not a fan of putting more on a panel than absolutely necessary but I don't think the Asteroids layout plopped in the middle of everything is at all that terrible. I have seen worse.

But something like that is where lighted buttons is actually quite beneficial. I have your standard two-sets of six laid out straight. Using this, it's actually fairly easy to map buttons close to the arcade original. I do this with Asteroids, Defender and Stargate. Without the lights, I wouldn't even know what to press (let alone anyone else). But with the lights, it's a no-brainer.

Quote from: Xiaou2 on February 07, 2011, 06:27:48 pm

People today can operate PCs, DVRs, remote controls with 100 buttons... and yet, a simple set of arcade buttons is going to break their cranium?!

You have a better opinion of people than I do. I always assume that average people can't operate these PC's, DVR's, and remote controls with 100 buttons (and they've proven it to me many, many times). Think about it: hack comedians have spent two decades making jokes about people not being able to set their VCR's. We never had a problem; we read the manual.

Xiaou2 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 07, 2011, 07:18:18 pm »

You gota see the Irony in this though. A group of people who are not really all that interested in a certain game, spouting off (hating) about how crazy it is to cater to it.

And as said, if 5 buttons grouped together is impossible for a person to remember / learn... then really, they have special needs, or have downed enough booze that you dont want them anywhere near your machine, let alone anywhere else but the restroom.

Lets be real, just cause the average person might not know which buttons to press to turn on your tv/cable/dvd/theater system.. does not mean they will not use it. It take more time to teach them such a thing than to figure out what buttons do what.

In fact, if anyone has never played a certain game before, the basic way they do figure it out, is to start up a game and pressing each button until something registers. Ive ran into this with many games in mame, and finding the correct button were much harder to find on a keyboard full of keys, than a dedicated control panel as seen here.

Of course, thats also because of Mames Poor inaccurate labeling system... and hack-filled menu systems. If it wernt for various sparse and inaccurate sources on the net, one might never figure out how certain games were supposed to be controlled.

Donkbaca · « **Reply #30 on:** February 07, 2011, 07:28:15 pm »

god bless those sparse and inaccurate sources!

Its just dumb to try to play everything on one machine. If he loves it that much and its important to him, then by all means its his cab and he can do it. but that doesn't mean I can't call him dumb for having a million other things on his cab, though, I am a bit jealous of the etch a sketch emulator.

Just like this guy,
http://housesofhancockpark.blogspot.com/2010/08/304-s-muirfield-rd-david-house.html

he LOVES Michelangelo's David statue, that's cool, but the dude has gone overboard. I bet his mame cabinet has like 7 sets of asteroids controls on them.

Its not that other people are dumb, its that they just don't care enough to put in the effort, if its not easy, they would rather just hang out and drink beer.

leapinlew · « **Reply #31 on:** February 07, 2011, 07:32:56 pm »

Quote from: Xiaou2 on February 07, 2011, 06:27:48 pm

Well, I can tell you that I wouldnt have people with a 15 IQ over to play my arcade machines. People today can operate PCs, DVRs, remote controls with 100 buttons... and yet, a simple set of arcade buttons is going to break their cranium?!

They are called kids and the easier the better.

Thats the beauty of my machines. Anyone can walk up to them and play them. I've had multi-panels and it doesn't work out so well. A machine configured properly needs very little to no tutorial. This control panel wouldn't go over well with a get together at my house with my friends and their kids. I simply got tired of answering questions.

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #32 on:** February 07, 2011, 07:54:23 pm »

Quote from: leapinlew on February 07, 2011, 07:32:56 pm

Quote from: Xiaou2 on February 07, 2011, 06:27:48 pm
Well, I can tell you that I wouldnt have people with a 15 IQ over to play my arcade machines. People today can operate PCs, DVRs, remote controls with 100 buttons... and yet, a simple set of arcade buttons is going to break their cranium?!

They are called kids and the easier the better.

Thats the beauty of my machines. Anyone can walk up to them and play them. I've had multi-panels and it doesn't work out so well. A machine configured properly needs very little to no tutorial. This control panel wouldn't go over well with a get together at my house with my friends and their kids. I simply got tired of answering questions.

Quote from: leapinlew on February 07, 2011, 07:32:56 pm

Xiaou - this might be one of those things that just stumps you till you get some friends.

, although it seems to me he would need some help to play on this ...

pinballwizard79 · « **Reply #33 on:** February 07, 2011, 07:59:16 pm »

Oh yeah well my control panel is so clean & user friendly it doesn't even have buttons, TOP THAT!

You frankenpanel haters are a bunch of self righteous bitches, just listen to yourselves. "Wah he can play Asteroids & Golden Tee, all I can play is Time Pilot wah". The dude likes asteroids, all you 2 button dorks are stuck playing Pooyan & Mr Do while the rest of us play Tron, Defender & Golden Tee.

The day I build a row of controller specific cabinets for simplicity just to accommodate unworthy guests who only want to play TMNT is the day I marry Rosie Odonnel. Its emulation, you know a program that runs many different games. It makes sense to have a diverse control panel, thats the whole point.....to play as many games on one cabinet as possible (at least to me).

Anyway I still like all you guys, I just wanted to vent & defend those with frankenpanels

Isnt it like a hate crime to troll all over people's MAME creations?

EDIT: Except Xiaou, its ok to make fun of anything he makes

Xiaou2 · « **Reply #34 on:** February 07, 2011, 08:23:54 pm »

Quote

Its just dumb to try to play everything on one machine.

No, it shows no lack of intelligence. Its called Opinion. And the merry Nazi party that groups together here is just beyond belief. Amazing level of hypocrisy.

Quote

but that doesn't mean I can't call him dumb for having a million other things on his cab, though

You called him dumb on all counts... without any personal knowledge of the guy, and if it were me, Id doubt you would walk up to my cab in my house and call me Dumb to my face. Think about your words, cause all you are is a bag of hot air with a bad attitude. Your momma obviously didnt do a good job of raising you.

Quote

he LOVES Michelangelo's David statue, that's cool, but the dude has gone overboard.

You must be Trolling if you are comparing a guy who has 300 statues -vs- a cabinet with 20 or so buttons. If we were to compare the two on an actual equal comparison... then you would see a guy whos cabinet was nothing but buttons. Meaning.. the Side-Art would be composed of various colored buttons.

Quote

if its not easy, they would rather just hang out and drink beer.

So what you are saying, is that all people are the equivalent of Homer Simpson?
Or at least the people you hang with.

What do you say to the generation that grew up on an xbox controller that has dual analog pads, digital pad, shoulder buttons, top buttons, etc? Or the generation that plays online games that you have to spend hours of reading a manual to figure out. Heck, most FPS games take more time to learn how to play than any classic.

People do and will learn to do things if they think it will be fun and interesting.
Generally, people are curious. If the game does not look like its worth figuring out, they will change it. If it looks interesting.. they will spend the time to try and learn it.

But as said, if you dont care about Asteroids Deluxe, and none of your Homer pals do either.. then why bother to comment at all? It cant be dumb for someone who Enjoys something a certain way. But it is dumb to be offended and offensive over something that you dont even own or use.

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #35 on:** February 07, 2011, 08:51:05 pm »

Xiaou, does it hurt when you talk out of both sides of your mouth ?

You get upset that people mock others. Then you mock not only those people, but their friends.

Just STFU already.

Xiaou2 · « **Reply #36 on:** February 07, 2011, 09:03:19 pm »

Quote

A machine configured properly needs very little to no tutorial.

Opinion. Again.

Quote

They are called kids and the easier the better.

Yes, well you see, not everyone has a cabinet dedicated purely to younger children.

So again, your 'Friend' comment both uncalled for, and completely off-base.

The kids I hang with are much "older" kids (IE: 20 and up), fairly well adept at handing a few buttons and controls.

Not that I dont like kids, I do.. cause Im just a big kid myself... but I dont have them... and If I did, I might build a special cab just their height, and level of skill.

Everyone has a reason for doing things. But there is no reason to bash others based solely on your Opinion.

pinballwizard79 · « **Reply #37 on:** February 07, 2011, 09:20:29 pm »

Gray_Area · « **Reply #38 on:** February 07, 2011, 09:24:39 pm »

In general, I think the panel is layed out beautifully. I just can't see the need for an Asteriods layout. (And I prefer my button groupings closer - and still sometimes I don't press hyperspace or shield quickly enough.) In this case, it's a great place for the trackball and tball buttons. No matter what, I would've put one of the spinners where the trackball buttons are now.

Donkbaca · « **Reply #39 on:** February 07, 2011, 10:00:57 pm »

In general, I think it's horrible. If you are going to have odd controls on a panel, at least have dual rotary sticks for Imari warriors


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