CP Admin Buttons

[Dervacumen]

Since you're building it 3/4 scale I assume it's for a youngish child.  I completed my first cabinet when my kid was about 3 so she's grown up with it.  I have 3 admin buttons: exit, pause, and tab (for cheats).  I use tokens for the coin up.
Usage of the admin buttons: 100% exit button.  20% pause.  1% tab (if I set something up for her).  100% scrambling for a token to continue a game before the count down timer runs out.
I found that having the simultaneous press of the P1 start and P2 start buttons mapped to EXIT was problematic for kids because when kids are playing a co-op game or fighter and generally suck they have to hit P1 and P2 a LOT.  And that means they often hit P1 and P2 at the same time in a moment of frenzy.  Pressing them together always resulted in a call "Daddy, the game isn't working.  Can you help?"  That's  only fun the first 20 or so times and it's REALLY a bummer if you're on a marathon session with your BFF and it ends so abruptly.

[8BitMonk]

Having he games in free play leads to less serious gaming, more abuse, and a different feel. At that rate, put an arcade joystick in front of your computer and pull the chair back.

Seriously? Isn't every mame machine always in 'free play' mode or don't you give yourself the coins back after putting them in? And what the heck is 'less serious gaming' and 'abuse'? I can see limiting the buttons and using volcanoes for space issues on a smaller cab, that's a valid issue. I used shift functions on my first cab but found them problematic with button mashers and kids as well. I still say coin, pause and exit are mandatory. Using a coin mech is great too but not as your only source of adding credits.

[shateredsoul]

I think most people would agree mame, in general, leads to less serious gaming. At least on the games that aren't based on hi-scores.  For example, meta slug 5 and any shmup are not the same when you have unlimited credits. It's far too easy and you get through it in one go. I'm not sure how having coins will eliminate that though...

I still find the Ms. Pac-Man speed hack one of the funnest games to play with friends, even with unlimited coins.. you still have to start all over every time.

[dextercf]

I personally would not put a shift button on the control panel. You only need anything else when testing, for that you have a kb. Put hidden commands on your cp and wait till you get a button masher.

Perhaps there is some confusion among some of you on what a "shift button" is? A shift button isn't a physical button on your CP...a shift button is a dual function of an existing button.  The shift button functionality of IPAC for example is designed to do away with the need for "physical" admin buttons on your CP.  My CP has player 1/2 and player buttons but I used Shifted functions. For example:

Player 1 start hold and press player 2 start = Exit
Player 1 start hold and press P1 button 6 or Player 2 start hold and press P2 button 6 = Pause

You don't ruin the aesthetics of your CP with a bunch of admin buttons but get all the same functionality.

Thanks for making that so clear.
Now I know I don't need any admin buttons at all! =D