Going to be building my first MAME Cabinet soon and had a few questions

[Nidhoggr]

I am going to be building a 4-player MAME cabinet for my wife and I here shortly.  It will feature 4 (8 way) joysticks, 6 buttons for each player (so fighters work properly), a shift button, an escape button, 4 start buttons, a coin button, a trackball, and an anaolg wheel.  The question I have is: The requirements here exceed the amount of available slots on the Ipac4. Would I be able to use 2 Ipac4's or would they interfere with each other? What would be the best way to handle this? Money isn't a HUGE deal as it will be a project over time.  The goal is to have it finished by Christmas as a Christmas gift for my wife.  Before you ask: Yes she knows and yes she is excited.  I landed a good one.

[smalltownguy]

You don't need any more than 4 buttons for players 3 and 4. I can't think of any games that use P3 and P4 with more than 4 buttons.

[tony.silveira]

i would use a mini-pac to drive the trackball, wheel, p1/p2 joysticks and buttons.  then use whatever else pac to drive p3/4.  they won't interfere with eachother.  just one caveat, when you program one, make sure the other is unplugged.  then do the same the other way, program the second with the first unplugged

[Nidhoggr]

Ah. True smalltown. True.  So I may very well be able to get away with a single Ipac4 to do all the controls and buttons and use a mini pac for anything else. Thank you.

[yotsuya]

One thing to consider- does it 'have' to be a 4 player cab?

[Nidhoggr]

Does not HAVE to be. I suppose I could hook up a USB-Controller such as an XBOX360 for those cases it's just... meh. Don't really wanna ruin the arcade "feel" for it. Plus for games like The Simpsons, I wanna be able to pick WHO i play as.

[yotsuya]

I have a two player dab, and I just run the 2p versions of games like The Simpsons, TMNT, and Gauntlet so I can pick my own characters. Works fine.

[Dawgz Rule]

I have a two player dab, and I just run the 2p versions of games like The Simpsons, TMNT, and Gauntlet so I can pick my own characters. Works fine.

+1.  I was all about building a four player but after some research I went this very same route.