Do I need two coin buttons for a two player cabinet?

[upper2bits]

I'm hoping to just get away with two start buttons and one coin button and with those I can perform the admin tasks I need. I see a lost of cabs that have two coin buttons, do some games require that?

[CrazyKongFan]

Yes, some games do require a coin switch for each player. A few I can think of off the top of my head are Simpsons, Gauntlet and Gauntlet 2.

[Nephasth]

For those games, just remap coin 2 to a simultaneous input of player 2 start + player 2 button 1

+1 Might as well do the same thing with coin 1 for player 1.

You could also map coin1 and coin2 as the same button as start1 and start2. When you press start, it will coin up first, when you press start again it will start the game.

[Thenasty]

You also have the option to set the games for FREE PLAY (lots of game support it).

[upper2bits]

For those games, just remap coin 2 to a simultaneous input of player 2 start + player 2 button 1

+1 Might as well do the same thing with coin 1 for player 1.

You could also map coin1 and coin2 as the same button as start1 and start2. When you press start, it will coin up first, when you press start again it will start the game.

Is this a setting in Mame or is this a type of micro?

[Nephasth]

MAME input settings.

[bigster]

I had a two player cab with one button wired to insert coins for 1 and 2 player, its easy to do on an ipac.

[upper2bits]

I had a two player cab with one button wired to insert coins for 1 and 2 player, its easy to do on an ipac.

I guess that' easy enough, I would just always put two coins in with one button press but that's not an issue.

[leapinlew]

That solution works, but why not have 2 buttons? Where is your one button going to be? I imagine in the middle of player 1 and player 2?

[upper2bits]

That solution works, but why not have 2 buttons? Where is your one button going to be? I imagine in the middle of player 1 and player 2?

Yeah, I was just going to have three buttons at the top and coin would be shift too.  I might just include two now, start1,start2 and use one of those as shift.

I could also have them all but put them on the front panel.

[Cynicaster]

I understand the desire to keep things uncluttered, but is it really a big deal to have two dedicated coin-in buttons?  I have two dedicated buttons and if I built another cabinet I wouldn't even consider any other solution for a second. 

I put my coin-in buttons on the front of the CP "box", slightly offset by a few inches to the right of the respective joysticks.  This way, the button is in a kind of natural position for the player to take his right hand, slide it down the top of the CP to the front, and immediately find the button without having to hunt for it. 

And really, since the CP box is black and I used black buttons, you don't even know they're there. 

From a practical standpoint it just makes things so much easier, especially when you've got buddies playing alongside you who don't know a thing about how MAME works.  It's so much easier in the midst of a heated game of 2-player 1943 to say "that button by your right hand on the front of the control panel is your credit button, press it to insert a coin" than it is to say "while holding that button up there... no, not that one... yeah that one.. hold that one down, and press that other one... AH DAMMIT, BULLET HELL!... no, not that button, you moron... yeah that.... ah ---fudgesicle--- it, hang on, I'll do it for you".

[Ginsu Victim]

I've just been using one button without any problems. Anything that requires a separate coin input just gets set to free play instead.

[Nephasth]

It's so much easier in the midst of a heated game of 2-player 1943 to say "that button by your right hand on the front of the control panel is your credit button, press it to insert a coin" than it is to say "while holding that button up there... no, not that one... yeah that one.. hold that one down, and press that other one... AH DAMMIT, BULLET HELL!... no, not that button, you moron... yeah that.... ah ---fudgesicle--- it, hang on, I'll do it for you".

If you're already playing a heated game of 2-player 1943, wouldn't you have already explained to your friend how to coin up before first starting the game? If they didn't get it the first time, you should replace player 2 with someone who has a slightly higher IQ...

[leapinlew]

If you're already playing a heated game of 2-player 1943, wouldn't you have already explained to your friend how to coin up before first starting the game? If they didn't get it the first time, you should replace player 2 with someone who has a slightly higher IQ...

No kidding.  I played through 19XX with a guy that had never seen a MAME cabinet a couple months ago and it took him all of 2 seconds to understand which two buttons to press for credits.....  Find smarter friends, Cynicaster.

The whole point of my friends is to make ME feel smart.

[Cynicaster]

If you're already playing a heated game of 2-player 1943, wouldn't you have already explained to your friend how to coin up before first starting the game? If they didn't get it the first time, you should replace player 2 with someone who has a slightly higher IQ...

No kidding.  I played through 19XX with a guy that had never seen a MAME cabinet a couple months ago and it took him all of 2 seconds to understand which two buttons to press for credits.....  Find smarter friends, Cynicaster.

Well gee, I wish your friends could be my friends.  They sound awesome. 

It's not that using shift keys and the like require special intelligence or exceptional manual dexterity--it's an ergonomics thing.  It's like, imagine you had to hit shift-enter at the end of every paragraph in a word processor.  It's not "difficult" to do, but it's annoying.  Arcade forum dogma aside, I think lots of people would think it makes perfect sense to allocate a dedicated button to such a commonly used function--especially when the up-front cost and effort to install it are all but negligible.

[Nephasth]

It's not that using shift keys and the like require special intelligence or exceptional manual dexterity--it's an ergonomics thing.  It's like, imagine you had to hit shift-enter at the end of every paragraph in a word processor.  It's not "difficult" to do, but it's annoying.  Arcade forum dogma aside, I think lots of people would think it makes perfect sense to allocate a dedicated button to such a commonly used function--especially when the up-front cost and effort to install it are all but negligible.

You could also map coin1 and coin2 as the same button as start1 and start2. When you press start, it will coin up first, when you press start again it will start the game.

Less holes to make, less parts to buy, about half a minute to setup, and 99.98% idiot proof.

[eds1275]

When did this forum get so malicious? There's been a lot of unprovoked attacks lately.

[leapinlew]

When did this forum get so malicious? There's been a lot of unprovoked attacks lately.

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!

[eds1275]

When did this forum get so malicious? There's been a lot of unprovoked attacks lately.

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!

ow, my feelings 

[Cynicaster]

When did this forum get so malicious? There's been a lot of unprovoked attacks lately.

If somebody asks a question and you have the gall to respond with an answer not officially endorsed by the International Order of MAME Cabinet Sages (tm), then you waive your right to be treated graciously. 

 

[truepusk]

For those games, just remap coin 2 to a simultaneous input of player 2 start + player 2 button 1

+1 Might as well do the same thing with coin 1 for player 1.

You could also map coin1 and coin2 as the same button as start1 and start2. When you press start, it will coin up first, when you press start again it will start the game.

Does this work well?  It seems like the optimal solution to me - reduced number of buttons and no annoying shift keys.

[TPB]

Somewhat related to this discussion :

I have a coin door and a steel coin box (as rock solid as a safe !) on my cab.  I've just purchased a coin mech to integrate with these.

It's not practical for me to purchase a 2nd mech, as the steel coin box has been designed for one mech only.  It has one narrow "coin chute" leading into its bowels.

I presume my solitary coin mech could be wired to trigger both Coin 1 and Coin 2 ?

An alterative, which I reckon is better, is to install a rocker switch between the coin mech and the coin inputs, to toggle between the triggering of either Coin 1 or Coin 2.  This rocker switch would be left in the Coin 1 position most of the time, but could be switched to the Coin 2 position when required.  This guy's standalone coin box for his X-Arcade gave me that idea :

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/chris.nightingale1/arcades/cbmain.htm

[DaveMMR]

I don't know. This thread seems like an over-complication of what should be simple. Breaking it down from what's been presented:

• If you're at all concerned about not having two separate inputs, then just have two dedicated coin buttons. Adding and wiring a second button is really not much more extra work and you'll have minimal (if not zero) "remapping" to do. If space is a problem, you can purchase smaller buttons at Radio Shack or similar. They need not be arcade quality for its purpose.
• If you really only want one button, it will work fine for most games. For those games that are "slot specific", map an unused button as coin for that particularly game.
• If you start making coin a "shift-button combo", then expect to have to explain that to people who play your machine. It has nothing to do with IQ; most people aren't hip to the hacks and workarounds of a MAME control panel and/or cabinet. They will forget or ignore what you tell them. (This comes from experience - I had to actually add a dedicated "exit button" because I got tired of telling people they had to hold down 2P Start and Button 6.)
• Coin doors (if using a full cab) do more than add to the experience. They are instantly recognizable (no what will ask you how to "credit up"), you can control number of credits when you need to (limiting tokens, etc.), and you can even add simple microswitches behind the reject buttons for coin-free operation. The only downside to that is (minor) expense and more work installing it. Oh and you have to provide the coins/tokens. (I just added this for completeness; not trying to dissuade anyone from buttons.)

Everyone's needs and goals with their projects are different so I don't think only having one button is better or worse than having two or a coin door. Figure out what's best for you and roll with it. It'll play just fine either way. 

[truepusk]

I Coin doors (if using a full cab) do more than add to the experience. They are instantly recognizable (no what will ask you how to "credit up"), you can control number of credits when you need to (limiting tokens, etc.), and you can even add simple microswitches behind the reject buttons for coin-free operation. The only downside to that is (minor) expense and more work installing it. Oh and you have to provide the coins/tokens. (I just added this for completeness; not trying to dissuade anyone from buttons.)

Cool, yeah.  I think I'm going to add coin buttons for now, but long term I've been considering button versus slot and this highlights a big argument for slots.  You can have fun by limiting credit or coins people physically have, which makes side scrolling adventure fighter games a little more interesting.  Sometimes when it's free play it just doesn't matter how good you are and you don't care, but if you limit the lives, it gives a different feel.  I find this an intriguing concept.