how to wire 4 joysticks on my cocktail cabinet? Separate or 2x2?

[Cenobyte]

I'm very exited to report that I'm going to build my first Mame cabinet!  

While my cocktail cabinet build kit is on it's way from NorthCoast Arcade Customs to my front door in The Netherlands (by shipping container, so it'll take a month or so) I'm doing my homework to get prepared for a swift build  

The cocktail cabinet I ordered has 4 joysticks: 2 side by side sticks and one at each head of the table:



I'm also in the process of summing up all other stuff I need to order (joysticks, buttons, I-Pac, etc) but I'm not sure how to wire my joysticks/buttons. Do I wire for 2 players (two sticks parallel wired for each player) or do I wire for 4 players, each stick separate? When I think about it, I can't see the need for 4 players, because I don't know any games for 4 players in Mame and the 2 sticks on the head of the table are not very comfortable positioned to play 4 player games anyway? If I wire two sticks parallel I end up with only 2 player capability, but that will be enough, I guess??

There must be some other cocktail cabinet builders out there who can tell me how their cabinet is wired?  

Thanks!

[mgb]

Yeah,
It would makes sense to wire them parallel for 2 player. I can't see where you would get any benefit out of 4 players playing on that.

[markronz]

Personally, If I had enough space on my keyboard encoder, I would wire them separately.  Then in your default MAME controls you could just set the two joysticks to be the same if you wanted them to anyway.   That way, just in case, you could have the controls be separate.   But if you don't have enough room on the decoder, probably not a big deal, you can wire them up together.  It's a preference I guess.   If you don't see a need for them to be separate ever, don't do it.

[mgb]

Yeah but then you talking about spending more and getting an ipac 4 instead of a two.

[leapinlew]

Yeah but then you talking about spending more and getting an ipac 4 instead of a two.

Not to mention a lot of configuration on an individual per game basis

[Marsupial]

if you have kids, wired them separate. You'll be happy when you play and they touch "anything"...

[bkenobi]

You can't play 4 player gauntlet if you wire the joysticks together.

[mgb]

Yeah but Gaunlet is probably the only game that the 4 player will be worth anything on this (due to its overhead view)

[Bender]

if you have kids, wired them separate. You'll be happy when you play and they touch "anything"...

yeah, I agree the "other people touching" issue would be enough for me to wire separately, plus it just gives you more flexibility

Yeah but then you talking about spending more and getting an ipac 4 instead of a two.

Not to mention a lot of configuration on an individual per game basis

cfg magician could help with that

[Cenobyte]

Thanks for all the input here guys!

if you have kids, wired them separate. You'll be happy when you play and they touch "anything"...

yeah, I agree the "other people touching" issue would be enough for me to wire separately, plus it just gives you more flexibility

Hmm, the "touching thing" is indeed a good point. Normally there won't be any kids playing, only grownups, but you probably know how they get when they had a couple of beers and you're just kicking someone's ass on Galaxian 
Besides: there's always the accidental touching just when you're on a roll...
Good point!

Yeah but then you talking about spending more and getting an ipac 4 instead of a two.

Not to mention a lot of configuration on an individual per game basis

The additional cost of the ipac4 (around +$30 I guess) isn't that big of a problem when I see the complete cost of the project 

It will probably result in a bit more configuring for some of the games, but if I set up one of the side-joysticks as #1 it will only require extra setup for the vertical games, I guess.

To sum it all up:

4 sticks separate
- no problems when unused joysticks are touched
- 4 player games possible

2x2 sticks
- cheaper (ipac-2 will suffice)
- no need for separate configuring of inputs for vertical games

Hmm, my preference is now switching from "2x2" to "4 separate"... 

[CheffoJeffo]

As far as accidental/intentional touching of the other stick goes -- you can wire up a switch to deactivate a particular panel easily enough (have the switch open or close daisy-chained ground wire).

Four player games are going to be problematic from a control standpoint as well as you will have to remap the direction of the end sticks as well.

[leapinlew]

And what about screen orientation? I thought there was some snazzy software out there that allowed the screen to change orientation based on which set of controls you are using?

[Cenobyte]

And what about screen orientation? I thought there was some snazzy software out there that allowed the screen to change orientation based on which set of controls you are using?

That won't be necessary, since you can set video settings per game. All vertical games are going to be configured to start up vertical (choosing one of the table heads as bottom), so you'll automatically use the correct controls 

[bkenobi]

If 32 inputs isn't quite enough, the GP-Wiz40 might help a bit.  I'm not sure of your button/joystick input count, but I suspect 40 would be pretty close to enough.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Not to mention a lot of configuration on an individual per game basis

+1

[Bender]

Not to mention a lot of configuration on an individual per game basis

+1

again, I think you could do all of that with CFG magician in a matter of minutes, I'm pretty sure you could even do the rotation of the end sticks on 4 player horizontal games

[Cenobyte]

again, I think you could do all of that with CFG magician in a matter of minutes, I'm pretty sure you could even do the rotation of the end sticks on 4 player horizontal games

It would mean reconfiguring the vertical games and you'll need to reconfigure these anyway to set them up for vertical play.

As far as accidental/intentional touching of the other stick goes -- you can wire up a switch to deactivate a particular panel easily enough (have the switch open or close daisy-chained ground wire).

I think I might go for that option... There are 2-way switches, so you'll have to choose which controls of the two to use and the other set will be automatically off.

[mgb]

You do it using only one double pole double throw switch. Run the ground loop for the vertical controls to one side of the switch and the horizontal conrol ground loop to the other so that when the switch is in one position, only the vert controls will function. flip it the other way and then only the horizontals will work.

Then just sit back and worry about drunk people flipping that switch on you while you reaching hi score.

[bkenobi]

I'd just spend the few extra $$ to get the right encoder and move on.  Is it really worth the potential aggravation to deal with a switch rather than just using an encode that can handle an extra 16 inputs?  Here's my math:

Code: [Select]

control inputs number total
sticks 4 4 16
buttons (horiz) 6 2 12
buttons (vert) 3 2 6
buttons (Pstart) 1 4 4
buttons (Pcoin) 1 4 4
total 42
So, as I see it, you need 42 unless you want to use button combos for coin and/or start (lots of people do).  If so, you can easily use a PG-Wiz40 (or an eco version if  you want) and save some money over the 4 player version.  You might even be able to save 2 more inputs if you go with 2 buttons for P3 and P4.