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Do I need two coin buttons for a two player cabinet?
truepusk:
--- Quote from: Nephasth on July 27, 2011, 09:41:14 am ---
--- Quote from: pinballjim on July 27, 2011, 09:36:14 am ---For those games, just remap coin 2 to a simultaneous input of player 2 start + player 2 button 1
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+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.
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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:
--- Quote from: DaveMMR on September 11, 2011, 11:59:24 am ---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.)
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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.