New project 4 player Encoder?

[sin360]

Hello everyone,

I just got a Spider-Man the videogame cabinet, best price free. So I'm trying to get as much info as possible before I start taking it apart. So I've been trying to figure out a 4 player encoder. I want to have 6 buttons per player and a trackball. I can solder and work with electronics well so a diy option is preferred. I will starting a thread in the new projects once I have everything together. Everything works in the cab as well.

 

[yotsuya]

Hello everyone,

I just got a Spider-Man the videogame cabinet, best price free. So I'm trying to get as much info as possible before I start taking it apart. So I've been trying to figure out a 4 player encoder. I want to have 6 buttons per player and a trackball. I can solder and work with electronics well so a diy option is preferred. I will starting a thread in the new projects once I have everything together.

Are you running just MAME? If so, you don't need 6 buttons per player. There are no games where P3 & P4 would need more than 4.

[BadMouth]

I'd use an Ipac 4 (56 Inputs)

Reason: Showing up as a keyboard gives you the most compatibility with the widest range of emulators.
The Ipac can be reprogrammed to switch the first four default MAME keys to something else, improving compatibility with emulators that don't support those oddball keys or use them as hot keys.  (ditch them before setting MAME up for the first time, not that it takes that long to remap globally)
Check the stickied Super Street Fighter IV thread in the software forum for a simple workaround to make it play nice with nearly all modern PC fighting games (except Injustice).
Going that route, you won't have any of the issues of changing controller ID's, games not supporting multiple direct-input controllers, etc.

If you want the option of running an xbox360 hack some x360 fightpads, but IMO it's not worth it just for PC games.
Most of them require analog control or more than 8 buttons.  I switched to them in hopes of making more steam games plug and play on my cab, but didn't really gain anything except Injustice.

That's my $.02

[BadMouth]

Check out Malenko's CP layout:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,140777.0.html

The joysticks are lined up to play dual joystick games like smash tv.
Pay no attention to the poor choice of theme. 

[sin360]

Yeah I was looking at the Ipac 4. It seems to be the only one board option with 4 players. Everything else I have found like the keywiz or similar looks like I would need 2 of them for 4 players. Which by that time I might as well spend the extra $20-30 an get an Ipac 4. The diy options that I have found are only for 2 players as well.

Initially I only plan on using mame, but I would like to look into other emulators as well nothing new just older stuff from like the 16 bit era. So I guess I would only need like 6-8 buttons on player 1 & 2 for fighting games and only 4 buttons for Players 3 & 4?

[yotsuya]

Initially I only plan on using mame, but I would like to look into other emulators as well nothing new just older stuff from like the 16 bit era. So I guess I would only need like 6-8 buttons on player 1 & 2 for fighting games and only 4 buttons for Players 3 & 4?

Yes.

[BadMouth]

So I guess I would only need like 6-8 buttons on player 1 & 2 for fighting games and only 4 buttons for Players 3 & 4?

Not trying to talk you into any particular number of buttons, but some points to consider:

No "normal" game in MAME uses more than 6 buttons.  (you have mahjong panels and the Thayer's quest keyboard, etc)

When you map globally in MAME, it assumes you have a 6 button layout arranged as so:
123
456

Stick with that, and 99% of the individual games will be mapped correctly.
If you do add an extra button or two, keep those core 6 in that arrangement:
1237
4568

All current PC fighting games can be played with 6 buttons.  The two extra are always post a combination of the others.
Some modern PC games like Castle Crashers have every little action mapped to a different button & require 8 (might be able to get by with 7).
I've found that having to remember the function of 8 different buttons annoys me to the point of not playing these games.

Some people like a 7th button so they can have the Neo Geo layout of 4 in a row.
I did this (pretty much had to as my cab is Neo Geo themed), but found that I prefer to use the top three in the first row and then hit the first one in the second row with my thumb for the D button.


In MAME, the only 4 player games that use 4 are the few (couple?) Dungeons and Dragons games.  The rest of the 4 player games only use 3.
Outside of MAME, the only arcade game to use more than 4 buttons for player 3 and 4 is Guilty Gear Isuka which had 5 buttons per player.
It is playable on Demul emulator if you have a good enough PC and graphics card.  The game is the weakest of the series and not worth adding an extra button for IMO though.
Some people add the extra buttons to player 3 and 4 citing console games like Super Smash Bros, but I'm unsure how many those games actually require.

[DeLuSioNal29]

I'm in the process of upgrading my 4 player panel to a different brand of encoder.  You're welcome to take my I-Pac 4 off my hands for $50 including shipping.  It's the classic version of the I-Pac 4 pictured below and has been rock solid in my 4-player cabinet.

PM me if you are interested.

DeLuSioNaL29

[yotsuya]

I'm in the process of upgrading my 4 player panel to a different brand of encoder.  You're welcome to take my I-Pac 4 off my hands for $50 including shipping.  It's the classic version of the I-Pac 4 pictured below and has been rock solid in my 4-player cabinet.

PM me if you are interested.

DeLuSioNaL29

Someone got a Howler....

[PL1]

That's a pretty good offer from Delusional.   

If you choose not to accept that offer, you can use two KADE-compatible ATMega32u2 AVRs from a source lilke the one mentioned here or the KADE Store to customize and solder your own.


Scott

[sin360]

Thanks for the offer Delusional, but I'm gonna go with the Minimus AVR's . I was actually looking at those specifically, but I couldn't find a source with a good price. PL1 just pointed me in the right direction. I appreciate everyone's input this is a very helpful community from what I have experienced today. Thank You

[pbj]

I've got a spare LONO encoder laying around.  I could probably be persuaded to trade it for [pics] where your wife is holding a sign that says "PBJ['s mind is in the gutter]."

LMK

[keilmillerjr]

Yeah I was looking at the Ipac 4. It seems to be the only one board option with 4 players.

4 player encoders
Ipac 4
Ipac ultimate I/O
Lono 2
Howler
X-arcade 4-player kit

Yep. Not the only board.

[horizon]

I'm in the process of upgrading my 4 player panel to a different brand of encoder.  You're welcome to take my I-Pac 4 off my hands for $50 including shipping.  It's the classic version of the I-Pac 4 pictured below and has been rock solid in my 4-player cabinet.

PM me if you are interested.

DeLuSioNaL29

Sorry to derail the thread - But I would be more than happy to invest in your new investment with my 50 dollars.  Soo..."dibs"?

[Slippyblade]

I've got a spare LONO encoder laying around.  I could probably be persuaded to trade it for [pics] where your wife is holding a sign that says "PBJ['s mind is in the gutter]."

Not my wife, but still nude.  And a quick tie-in to a neighbor thread.   

[sin360]

I'm in the process of upgrading my 4 player panel to a different brand of encoder.  You're welcome to take my I-Pac 4 off my hands for $50 including shipping.  It's the classic version of the I-Pac 4 pictured below and has been rock solid in my 4-player cabinet.

PM me if you are interested.

DeLuSioNaL29

Sorry to derail the thread - But I would be more than happy to invest in your new investment with my 50 dollars.  Soo..."dibs"?

Sure all yours.

[Malenko]

Check out Malenko's CP layout:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,140777.0.html

The joysticks are lined up to play dual joystick games like smash tv.
Pay no attention to the poor choice of theme. 

Open Ice is awesome.   Also, Im using a keywiz which has 40 inputs.  4 8ways (16 inputs) 4 start buttons(4 inputs) and 20 buttons ( 20 inputs, 7 for the inner 2 players, 3 for the outer 2players) that's 40 on the nose. I use the Shazzam button to make the start buttons double as credit buttons, just like you can use the start button on an IPAC to act as a shifted button. I could have used 1 button less on the inner 2 players, and just had button 3 on the top row wired in parallel with the left most button on the bottom row.

Do the math on how many buttons/inputs you actually need before you buy anything.  The Keywiz isnt advertised as a 4 player solution, but that doesnt mean it cant function as one.


Soooo, you wanna maybe sell that cab so you can MAME something else?

[yotsuya]

Im using a keywiz which has 40 inputs.  4 8ways (16 inputs) 4 start buttons(4 inputs) and 20 buttons ( 20 inputs, 7 for the inner 2 players, 3 for the outer 2players) that's 40 on the nose.

You didn't want to put 7 buttons on P3 + P4 for symmetry's sake? Madness!!!!! 

[sin360]

Check out Malenko's CP layout:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,140777.0.html

The joysticks are lined up to play dual joystick games like smash tv.
Pay no attention to the poor choice of theme. 

Open Ice is awesome.   Also, Im using a keywiz which has 40 inputs.  4 8ways (16 inputs) 4 start buttons(4 inputs) and 20 buttons ( 20 inputs, 7 for the inner 2 players, 3 for the outer 2players) that's 40 on the nose. I use the Shazzam button to make the start buttons double as credit buttons, just like you can use the start button on an IPAC to act as a shifted button. I could have used 1 button less on the inner 2 players, and just had button 3 on the top row wired in parallel with the left most button on the bottom row.

Do the math on how many buttons/inputs you actually need before you buy anything.  The Keywiz isnt advertised as a 4 player solution, but that doesnt mean it cant function as one.


Soooo, you wanna maybe sell that cab so you can MAME something else?

Nah I'm going to mame this one. I got it from the owner of this arcade place that supplies the town with everything from cabinets to pool tables and other games. I met him through my shop I ask the guy that comes and does our ATM what they do with their old cabinets and he told me they throw them out sometimes. So I contacted the owner and he open his three warehouses to me and told me to pick what I liked and he had it delivered for free. I've been thinking about doing this for the last 10 years and finally got a cabinet.  He also wants to see the final results.

[Malenko]

never hurts to ask :p

seriously though, take the 40 input thing into consideration