Combining controls

[rhoelsch]

My CP is finished, and set up this way:  12 button psx on left, 4-way w/ 4 buttons in center, 8-way w/ 6 buttons on right.  I'm starting to think this may be an issue if I ever want to play 2 player fighters.  I was willing to overlook it at first, but now it's starting to bother me.  An extra set of controls for the psx would be nice, too.  Without making a second control panel and making them swappable, how can I accomplish this with the control scheme I already have?  Anyone have any ideas?

[Howard_Casto]

What you have built is commonly known in the technology industry as a cluster "screw".  (Replace screw wth your favorite mateing related vulgarity.)

First off if you must make your panel psx ready (why god? why?)  you should never need all 12 buttons.  Digital playstation games that are actually well suited for a mame cab generally use 6 buttons or less.  Also those games that use more than that often expect you to press several buttons at once. How do you expect to do that when there are two more buttons than you have fingers?


Secondly, putting on a 4-way is great, but why extra buttons?  Nearly all 4-way games use 1 button or less.  Your telling me it would somehow throw off your gameplay to use one of the 2 dozen buttons to the left or right?  

Third the sf2 layout is redundant.  You already have a 12 button monster to the left so why do you need a dedicated layout to the right?  Let me put this as nicely as possible.  When people design a panel to play 6 button games or less they don't make a 6 button section a 3 button section and a 2 button section.  They make a 6 button section as all the lesser button games can be played on the very same layout quite well.  

I hope that isn't too harsh, but quite frankly, with a panel like that I yell for frear that you'll do it again.  Next time think and use a little common sense before you build.  

[rhoelsch]

10 buttons (not 12) for the psx set up thusly:
 sel   star.

L2     R2
O      tri.    L1
X       sq.   R1

works quite nicely, and looks good too.  Esp. for Tekken Tag and MK5.  I have no regrets there.

As for the 4 button fourway, I like the feel of the balltop J-stik for the classics, and don't want to use an 8 way even to play galaga.  Just doesn't seem right.  4 buttons for Defender or whatever else I wasn't sure of at the time would need them.  Rather have 1 more than not enuf after the thing's built, right?

As for the 8 way with 6 buttons, Street Fighter and MK.  Nice to have a dedicated 8way instead of switching the Jstik, too.  I could have used these buttons in conjunction with my 4 way, but didn't feel like reaching an extra 6 inches for the buttons I needed.  The cp looks balanced, and is 33" wide, 11" deep.

Can I use my psx setup and combine it with my mame interface for 2 player fighters?

You never answered my question.  If you're going to criticize, at least throw me a line of help-- if not then kindly stay out of it.  I've seen you be courteous when you have to, and please note that I didn't ask for a critique of my design skills.  I hope that wasn't too harsh.

[hyiu]

so... all 33 in for a 1 player panel ??....

hmmm.....

personal opinion.... I think you don't really need the extra 6 buttons since you already have 8 (or 10) psx buttons...

can you combine those 2 ??.... for the psx ready buttons....
(is there also a joystick there ??...)

1 more question.... how large is your monitor / tv ??
if its 21 or less.... you might want to make sure on some games, you're not standing on the side since your panel is 10+ inch wider....

but if you don't want to reach over 6 inch... (which I tried myself... doesn't feel awarkard at all....) its up to you....

any chance of a pic of what you have (or your design) ??

[rhoelsch]

Yep, using supers for the psx and the 6 button 8way.

I think the main reason why I didn't share buttons for the balltop and the 8 way is b/c I'd be out of luck if I have someone jump in and play Raiden or Rampage with me.  The distance between the 4 way and the 6 buttons next to the 8 way is actually about 12" (approx.) and that was done on purpose so players won't rub shoulders/elbows when playing together.  In retrospect, I should have just put 6 buttons on the J-stik as well, but now it's too late, as the 4 buttons are in a Neo Geo config.  I also should have put the PSX controls in the center of the cp, but the ball top just looked better in the center.

I have a 24" Apex (looks great with some tweaking), and the cab will be 27" wide.

If I can use the buttons I have for my PSX for Player2 on mame, then I won't have to drill new holes to play 1 on 1 Mame fighters.  As for 2 player PSX games, one will have to use a regular controller, until I feel like making swappable panels.

[Howard_Casto]

Well I think any advice any saine person is going to give you is going to be something similar to what we have already suggested.  So if you don't want to ditch the useless controls then you are pretty much screwed.

[Xiaou2]

Who are you to call someone Insane indirectly?!!!!!!!!

[Howard_Casto]

Umm I didn't maybe you should read the posts --BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type-- you reply.    

[1UP]

I have to agree that having extra buttons just for the 4-way is redundant, and leaves less room for expansion, but I'm not sure I understand your question here.  Perhaps a picture would help things out, as well as a more detailed list of your concerns.  If you don't have a digital camera, draw something in Paint so we can be more helpful.

[Howard_Casto]

Yeah that was the reasoning for my last response.  You asked how you could make your existing panel 2 player and our suggestion was to remove some of the redundat junk and then you'd have room.  As you said this wasn't an option I can't really see how we can help you anymore unless you give us a pic or something.  

You do know that you can wire your psx hack directly to your ipac inputs don't you?  As long as the psx isn't on when you use the computer and vice-versa they'll co exist just fine. Also you could simply use a playstation to usb converter and ditch the ipac for those inputs. As I said before, you don't need seperate controls just for the playstation side of things.  

[rhoelsch]

psx controls on far left...mame controls on far right...

Cp's finished and all wired up.  After the fact I realized that it doesn't lend itself well to 2p fighters in both mame and psx.  I'd like to wire both controllers to both psx and my ipac, instead of having to build a seperate control panel.     Howard said it's possible, but I'm not sure how to wire both to the different grounds, etc...I'll snap a picture tonight and post if necessary, but this is actually a wiring question...