Project feedback

[dec]

Starting planning on my first project and looking for feedback on thoughts and ideas. Was thinking of a simple two joystick 6 button per joystick layout with 1 and 2 player buttons, a few PC control buttons with maybe future plans for a trackball. I'm planning on building the cabinet below with the Ultimarc ServoStik's.
http://tazmame.wordpress.com/

One of my favorite games is Robotron and the joysticks are 10" apart. I have concerns that I can't comfortably fit 2 joysticks with 6 buttons for each joystick that close together.  Any thoughts on this or anyone play Robotron comfortably on a cabinet with joysticks further apart?

How do you determine how many inputs for I-Pac interface you need so if you should go with the I-Pac2 or 4? How many inputs does each of a joystick, button and trackball take?

[spoot]

Just played Robotron last night myself.      Anyways, my joysticks are farther apart then the standard Robotron cab......feels a bit "off" at first but once I get a few levels in I get lost in the game that is Robotron.   

[PL1]

two joystick 6 button per joystick layout with 1 and 2 player buttons, a few PC control buttons with maybe future plans for a trackball.
. . .
How do you determine how many inputs for I-Pac interface you need so if you should go with the I-Pac2 or 4? How many inputs does each of a joystick, button and trackball take?

The trackball will require an optical encoder -- the IPac will not do that.

Depending on the trackball you choose, you can buy the encoder with it or pick up an OptiWiz or similar.

The other option is to get an encoder like the MiniPac Opti which has the optical encoder and button encoder on one board.

IPac Inputs
  8 inputs = 4 x 2 for joysticks
12 inputs = 6 x 2 for player buttons
  4 inputs = 4 buttons for P1/P2 Start, P1/P2 Coin
  ? inputs  = Exit, Pause, Menu?, plus any other desired admin buttons
---
~27 inputs

There are several schools of thought on whether to include a menu button.

If you have kids or friends that might mess with your settings, don't include one.

It comes down to personal preferences.


Scott

[spoot]

As PL1 said the Ipac won't do trackball.  However, alot of the trackballs are simply USB interface now.

Ipac2 is for two players, ipac4 is for four player cabs more or less.