Button feed back needed and I-pac question

[Locke141]

I drilled my P1 & P2 buttons to day on my 4 player cab. I need some feed back on where to place my start and coin buttons. The catch is I want them to double as Left and Right buttons for Sega Saturn and SNES Games.

I used the Horis 36 templet from slag coin in a 6 button layout. I was thinking of making the first two columns in to three rows following the same curve. The coin/Left and start/Right buttons would be led lit, unlike the 6 other buttons. Is this a terrible idea?

Does any on know If I can have a dedicated button as a shift key on an I-pac. I want to have one button that has no other use then to shift the p1 keys to admin keys. I feel like I am at the limit of buttons already.

[severdhed]

That's a tough one. I wouldn't want the start / coin buttons mount right with my main buttons, but if there are not close, they would be useless from a gameplay perspective.

The admin button should be easy, as long as you have an unused input on your ipac, just have it mapped to a key that is not defined in mame.

[Locke141]

Here are some last minute sketch ups to clarify. There not 100% but it better conveys my ideas.

The black dots are already cut out, the reds are different placements for coin/Left and start/Right.

[Locke141]

That's a tough one. I wouldn't want the start / coin buttons mount right with my main buttons, but if there are not close, they would be useless from a gameplay perspective.

The admin button should be easy, as long as you have an unused input on your ipac, just have it mapped to a key that is not defined in mame.

Its definitely a trade off. I don't like all in one solutions, if it wasn't for one Sega Saturn game, thats a must have, I would not be considering this option. I already have to many buttons, so cutting back where I can.   

[severdhed]

how well does the saturn emulation work?  he last time i tried it (a few years ago) it wasn't very good.  Have you tried it to make sure it runs well before planning your control panel around it?

[zanna5910]

Its definitely a trade off. I don't like all in one solutions, if it wasn't for one Sega Saturn game, thats a must have, I would not be considering this option. I already have to many buttons, so cutting back where I can.   

You could always skip the front buttons and run a saturn USB controller thru a port in the front?

Saturn USB Controller:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC1.A0.Xsaturn+usb+controller&_nkw=saturn+usb+controller&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Neutrik USB Passthrough:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=neutrik+usb&_nkwusc=nuetrik+usb&_rdc=1&_gtc=1

[Locke141]

how well does the saturn emulation work?  he last time i tried it (a few years ago) it wasn't very good.  Have you tried it to make sure it runs well before planning your control panel around it?

If you have a fast computer its not bad at all, results vary depending what video drivers you use. Open GL ran fast with some small issues  on in yabbas in XP, in VM ware fusion, on my 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo mac. Theres a original hard ware video emulated but it ran a little to slow, but it was running under several lares of emulations. I am told SFF is an even better emulator. Computers are getting faster and faster so the slow ness will be fixed in time.   

I'm confident It will be fine once I find an PC to use in my price range. Keep in mind I live in East Africa.

[Locke141]

Its definitely a trade off. I don't like all in one solutions, if it wasn't for one Sega Saturn game, thats a must have, I would not be considering this option. I already have to many buttons, so cutting back where I can.   

You could always skip the front buttons and run a saturn USB controller thru a port in the front?

I'v considered that, even bought two USD Saturn controllers. By then I might as well play it on the the original hard ware. This build is all about the beat'em ups. I want the greatest example of all time (Guardian Heroes) to fit in seamlessly.

[Locke141]

I cut the Player 2 coin/Left and start/Right button today.

In the pic below, you can see a peace of scrap ply that was drilled through to make a templet. This templet was later used to mark the coin/Left and start/Right button for all four players. I should have time tomorrow to cut the remaining 6 button holes for the other 3 players.

[AndyWarne]

Does any on know If I can have a dedicated button as a shift key on an I-pac. I want to have one button that has no other use then to shift the p1 keys to admin keys. I feel like I am at the limit of buttons already.

Any spare button can be programmed as the I-PAC shift button so this is possible.

[zanna5910]

Does any on know If I can have a dedicated button as a shift key on an I-pac. I want to have one button that has no other use then to shift the p1 keys to admin keys. I feel like I am at the limit of buttons already.

Any spare button can be programmed as the I-PAC shift button so this is possible.

Yep, this is exactly how I have my panel setup.  I have one button called admin that does nothing but be used in conjunction with other buttons for all my admin purposes.  Effectively doubles your CP input possibility.