CP Art Critique and wiring help

[daninino]

Hi everybody

Finally i´m starting building a bartop arcade machine and using the weecade from http://www.koenigs.dk as my template, only making it a bit wider to fit six buttons for each player.
I got all components ordered so I can start building when they arrive 

I have one question though:
When wiring the buttons what is the correct way of doing it?

1 2 3
4 5 6

Or

4 5 6
1 2 3

I´m not sure what is best way of doing it when playing games only using 3 or less buttons.

Also I´m trying to make the machine as wife friendly as possible so making it more or less black and white to fit all the white Ikea furniture we have in the living room 
What do you think about my CP layout and art. It is just the first draft so far.

The pause button will also be exit, I want to install flipper buttons on the side where one of them could be programmed to be "shift" so i can have double function on some of the buttons

[shponglefan]

Wiring should be the first one:

123
456

For the art style, I like it.  It's both unique, and I like the B&W simplicity of it, but the relative chaos of the splatter.  Only thing I might try is swapping out the black buttons on top for white ones, just to see the effect. 

Also, be sure to test the button layout beforehand if you haven't already.

[PL1]

One trick that some people use is to change the individual game settings in MAME so MAME accepts more than one button for a given function.

In the Input (this game) menu you can map more than one keystroke to a function.
1. Highlight the input
2. Press enter
3. Press the button you want mapped to that function
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 as desired

If you want to reset to defaults:
1. Highlight the input
2. Press enter
3. Press escape (clears inputs)
4. Press enter
5. Press escape (restores defaults)

Your button setup:
123
456

For one button games, map all 6 player buttons to P1 Button 1 in MAME:
111
111

For 2 button games, maybe a map like this:   
121
121

For 3 button games, map  them like this:
123
123

For a "shift" function, I strongly recommend against using a pinball flipper button -- it will almost certainly cause pinball gameplay problems.

IMHO, you'd be far better off either:
1. Having a dedicated escape button on your CP   or
2. Setting MAME to exit when P1 Start and P2 Start are pushed at the same time

The only commonly used gameplay function that you don't currently have on your CP is Exit, so the "shift" is probably unnecessary once you have everything properly configured.

If you still really want a "shift" button, consider placing it on the back/top where curious kids and drunk friends are less likely to find and press it.

For information and wiring tips to make Visual Pinball/Future Pinball flippers and MAME work together better, use BYOAC's search button up top and search on "flipper" or "magnasave" and username "PL1".


Scott

[ron310]

If using a front end like Maximus arcade, you could set a single button with a delay.
For example, if I press and hold the P2 button for 3 seconds, it exits the game and goes back to the game selection screen.

[GeoMan]

For a "shift" function, I strongly recommend against using a pinball flipper button -- it will almost certainly cause pinball gameplay problems.

You will run into problems, because the button declared as "shift" operates differently from normal buttons:

A normal button sends it's defined keystroke as soon as you press it, a "shift" button sends it's keystroke only when you release it! That's how it works with MiniPAC and other Ultimarc encoders.

[PL1]

For a "shift" function, I strongly recommend against using a pinball flipper button -- it will almost certainly cause pinball gameplay problems.

You will run into problems, because the button declared as "shift" operates differently from normal buttons:

A normal button sends it's defined keystroke as soon as you press it, a "shift" button sends it's keystroke only when you release it! That's how it works with MiniPAC and other Ultimarc encoders.

I hedged the statement since I wasn't sure if OP was planning on using an I-Pac, KeyWiz, or KADE encoder.

KeyWiz and KADE have separate "shift" inputs. (Shazaaam! and HWB respectively)

On the KADE, it doesnt wait until release to send the shifted keystroke(s).


Scott

[daninino]

Thank you for your responses.

I wasn´t aware that the shift key is recognized when it is released and not when pressed. I´m getting a Minipac so I presume this will pose a problem.
I will find another way of handling the dual input. Perhaps I will place a shift key somewhere else on the cabinet as suggested.

[michelevit]

There is a great PC program called xpadder. You can use it to remap your game controller. One of its best features is a shift command. You can designate
a hard wired button to momentary shift into another set of commands. Works great.
I highly recommend it. You can also program macros.

A simple but nice macro I like to implement what I call magic credits. Hold down your designated shift button then Credit button and a macro runs which hits the credit button a cajillion timses. Its like winning the slot jackpot.

I can't receommend xpadder to any cabinet with a windows pc.

Xpadder and Autohotkey for the win.