What non standard control buttons do I really need today?

[MrDetermination]

Do I need two pinball buttons on the side or can I get away with one on each side?

Do I need a second coin button?

I'm thinking about:
Esc
Enter
Menu
Coin
P1 Start
P2 Start

Mostly going for pre 2000 arcade emulation.  I'll probably do a little old school console emulation too.

BONUS QUESTION!  How much space do you suggest between the stick and the front of the panel?  I'm tempted to put enough in to comfortably rest the palm on the front surface but that makes the panel biggish.

[BorgDog]

Probably 99% of pinballs only need one button on each side.

[Louis Tully]

.

[Generic Eric]

If you're using a key wiz, you have a shazzam button.

Other encoders have a shift button, or some way to make combos.

It really depends on the encoder on how the extra functions  are implemented.

Build a mock up to test your layouts.  Or do it in sketch up.

[Malenko]

the 2 flipper buttons arent really for flippers. Most people have 1 flipper on each side and 1 nudge button on each side.  If you never nudge, then you only need 1 flipper on each side.

[PL1]

Check the tables you want to play.   

There are a few that use either upper flippers (like Family Guy) or magnaSave. (like Black Knight)

The good news is that no pinball table uses both.

If you want to support both types of tables with only 2 flipper buttons, here's a chart and wiring diagram to consider.



You may not want to use normal microswitch pushbuttons for flippers. (too much hysteresis)  Ultimarc's Goldleafs are much better. I've also heard lots of good things about the GGG Class-X with True-Leaf Pro, but haven't picked up any to confirm those claims/observations yet.


Scott

[wweumina]

Let's just fast forward.  You'll build a machine with too many buttons and then you'll build another one with less....  Probably no admin buttons at all second time around..

[yotsuya]

Let's just fast forward.  You'll build a machine with too many buttons and then you'll build another one with less....  Probably no admin buttons at all second time around..

[harveybirdman]

I suppose there is no convincing you that pinball on a MAME cab is silly?

[yotsuya]

I suppose there is no convincing you that pinball on a MAME cab is silly?

You raise an interesting point. Those of you who added Pinball Buttons to your build, how often do you use them? Not a judgment, just curious.

[BadMouth]

I played Future Pinball on my old x-arcade setup regularly.
The width of the CP and the amount of overhang on the sides actually feels pretty good for playing pinball.
I had nudge L/R mapped to the second set of pinball buttons.  Having them anywhere else made them useless.

I did not add pinball buttons to my current build because of the shape of the screen, the width of the cab, and the amount of space available in the CP (it's very shallow due to the sliding mech).
Since I have a rotating widescreen, I'd be tempted to display the tables full length vertically which would turn it into some kind of horrible bastardized vertical pinball/pachinko experience.



Use P1's first button for what you think you'd use Enter for.  Your hands are already on those controls while navigating menus.
Not sure what you would need a "menu" button for.  If it's for MAME's in game menu (TAB), don't dare put that on the CP.  Other people will screw up your settings.
When you want to tinker with settings, break out a wireless keyboard.

[yotsuya]

Since I have a rotating widescreen, I'd be tempted to display the tables full length vertically which would turn it into some kind of horrible bastardized vertical pinball/pachinko experience.

I have the utmost faith in this place that SOMEONE will do that in the near future.

[horizon]

I don't know what pachinko is, but I considered them on my pedestal build.  Probably go against it considering Im the only person I know with long enough arms to make it happen.

Also, thinking of converting chores into a Plinko game for my son.  1 chore = x plinko chips.  He isnt quite 5 yet, but these are the formational years, right?

[Generic Eric]

Control/admin buttons are an unrealized stop gap for not choosing a sufficient frontend/emulator/encoder combo.

Ideally, you wouldn't want to have any extra buttons. 

I'm redoing thing in my set up.  Most often I play classics, I don't need a 7 button fighter.  I'm switching to a 4/8 joy and a neo-geo layout.  I have spinner and I might use it on the same panel, despite what I say about frankenpanels.


My key advise is to wire up a panel, paint it flat black, no artwork and test it out for a few months.  You may decide to change it.  You may beat all of the brawlers and not desire to play them again, etc.

[Generic Eric]

Since I have a rotating widescreen, I'd be tempted to display the tables full length vertically which would turn it into some kind of horrible bastardized vertical pinball/pachinko experience.

I have the utmost faith in this place that SOMEONE will do that in the near future.

Guise!  You read my mind!  It's gonna be great guys!  Just think, pinball and VShumps on the same cabinet.  Its gonna be great!  Hey, where are you going?  Guys? Guise? 

[BorgDog]

hmmm I have a vision of not only the monitor rotating to vertical, but the whole upper part of the cabinet laying back to become a pinball machine with a extra monitor that would normally be under the marquee then becoming vertical and being the backglass for pinball.... 

[yotsuya]

Since I have a rotating widescreen, I'd be tempted to display the tables full length vertically which would turn it into some kind of horrible bastardized vertical pinball/pachinko experience.

I have the utmost faith in this place that SOMEONE will do that in the near future.

Guise!  You read my mind!  It's gonna be great guys!  Just think, pinball and VShumps on the same cabinet.  Its gonna be great!  Hey, where are you going?  Guys? Guise? 

Now that it's safely in the past... I never liked the MAME concept of this idea...

[pbj]

Besides your good start of a list of essential buttons, all control panels really ought to have these buttons within easy reach:

Volume Up
Volume Down
Mute
Save State
Load State

Preferably very close to the player 2 controls.

[eds1275]

i put them on there. They became temporary coin buttons. Now I have buttons in there just to plug the holes. I regret it.

[Generic Eric]

i put them on there. They became temporary coin buttons. Now I have buttons in there just to plug the holes. I regret it.

[AzureKnight]

Since I have a rotating widescreen, I'd be tempted to display the tables full length vertically which would turn it into some kind of horrible bastardized vertical pinball/pachinko experience.

I have the utmost faith in this place that SOMEONE will do that in the near future.

Guise!  You read my mind!  It's gonna be great guys!  Just think, pinball and VShumps on the same cabinet.  Its gonna be great!  Hey, where are you going?  Guys? Guise? 

But if it gets and Urkel theme.....

[RandyT]

Now that it's safely in the past... I never liked the MAME concept of this idea...

Now imagine this cabinet (or one like it) where the end of the monitor closest to the player can automatically lower down to the bottom of the cabinet.  Or, with a more standard backglass section, the entire monitor rides rails and pivots to a full vertical position.  If done well, I think it would be very nice to have that kind of flexibility in one machine.  Gotta lose the can holders though

[yotsuya]

Now imagine this cabinet (or one like it) where the end of the monitor closest to the player can automatically lower down to the bottom of the cabinet.  Or, with a more standard backglass section, the entire monitor rides rails and pivots to a full vertical position.  If done well, I think it would be very nice to have that kind of flexibility in one machine.  Gotta lose the can holders though

Enh.... make a machine that can do one thing really, really well - that's value. 

[Brian74]

Now imagine this cabinet (or one like it) where the end of the monitor closest to the player can automatically lower down to the bottom of the cabinet.  Or, with a more standard backglass section, the entire monitor rides rails and pivots to a full vertical position.  If done well, I think it would be very nice to have that kind of flexibility in one machine.  Gotta lose the can holders though

Enh.... make a machine that can do one thing really, really well - that's value. 

Here is another idea. Have the backglass tilt back and then the whole thing stand up to be a jukebox??? 

[Generic Eric]

Now imagine this cabinet (or one like it) where the end of the monitor closest to the player can automatically lower down to the bottom of the cabinet.  Or, with a more standard backglass section, the entire monitor rides rails and pivots to a full vertical position.  If done well, I think it would be very nice to have that kind of flexibility in one machine.  Gotta lose the can holders though

Enh.... make a machine that can do one thing really, really well - that's value. 

Here is another idea. Have the backglass tilt back and then the whole thing stand up to be a jukebox??? 

All whilst rotating the top to the left to reveal the jukebox from the top, and have the playfield rotate to the right.

[harveybirdman]

heck let's call arbitrarily call it "Mom's Arcade" and make sure it has four shifters...

[Generic Eric]

heck let's call arbitrarily call it "Mom's Arcade" and make sure it has four shifters...

If your Uncle T made an Arcade for his Mom, wouldn't that make her your Great Aunty?  Aunty's Arcade

[RandyT]

Heh.  Interesting to see that those who might salivate over rotating control panels and monitors, grow cold at the thought of a machine which has the possibility of transforming from a pin cabinet to a showcase-style arcade cabinet with an integrated digital marquee.

Might just have to build one to see if I like it