when inviting friends, which buttons row do people think they should be using?

[livelike]

Hi everyone, quick question in your experience if your control panel is not label with button numbers or letters, which buttons row do people tend to use or think they should be use when playing a game?, the top or bottom row?

I’m working on a two player 8 button per player layout (for MAME and console emulators), but it would be the same question if it was a 6 button layout. I’m not sure if I should make the main or most used buttons in most MAME games ( in my case A through D) the top or bottom row, so that they are a little more intuitive for friends and family.

Should I label them
A B C D
X Y Z &

Or

X Y Z &
A B C D

Thanks for the input.

on a side note, for those wondering why I used “& or ‘and per se and’ after “Z”, supposedly there are some letters that were left out of the alphabet used today, and this would be used after Z.   

[thomas_surles]

Generally it's top to bottom for cabs. Bottom to top for console controllers. But screw your friends do what you feel is most comfortable. And by that I mean go with choice A.

[RandyT]

For MAME, just mirror the buttons to both rows.  Then they can use whichever row they want.

I don't like reaching over other buttons when it's not necessary, so main buttons go to the bottom for me.

[Nephasth]

They us whatever buttons are lit up.

[Fursphere]

They us whatever buttons are lit up.

This.   

Light those buttons up!

Either way though Neo-Geo games are going to screw you.   

[thomas_surles]

They us whatever buttons are lit up.

This.   

Light those buttons up!

Either way though Neo-Geo games are going to screw you.   

Not that much. I donk even know honestly what games use the fourth button. I have not played one yet that does.

[eds1275]

I think they will use the opposite of the ones you sent no matter which way you go. I stopped caring about what other people want a long time ago. I mean, on my mind there's only seven buttons per player. if they can't figure out what they all do in 3 minutes or less, I don't know if I want to be friends with them anyway!

[keilmillerjr]

They us whatever buttons are lit up.

This.   

Light those buttons up!

Either way though Neo-Geo games are going to screw you.   

Not that much. I donk even know honestly what games use the fourth button. I have not played one yet that does.

In metal slug 4, D is used to jump out of a vehicle and have it self destruct. It replaces the A + B combo from earlier games.

[nitrogen_widget]

I have decided to use this delemma as an excuse to build multiple bartops for the different style games.
Not big on fighters my self so that'll be last on my list.

[BadMouth]

My guests always went for the top row.

The default MAME mappings assume you have the following layout:

123
456

For 7 or 8 button layouts, I recommend keeping those 6 intact:

1237
4568

This will result in having to map fewer games individually.
You can remap all the Neo Geo games by making one cfg entry.

My Neo Geo themed cab setup is:

1237
456

labeled as:

ABCD
XYZ

I've found that I prefer hitting the X button with my thumb rather than using the D from the original Neo Geo layout.   (both buttons are mapped to D in Neo Geo games)

[ChanceKJ]

They us whatever buttons are lit up.

(Although i felt a little elitist agreeing with you, I figured, Meh don't care...  )

[livelike]

Thanks for the input everyone!

Lighted buttons is something is planned for the future, right now I’m trying to use some parts I already have in hand, but it is definitely in the wish list, but this thing is costing way much more than originally expected (I guess I SHOULD have expected that  )

My CP panel is made out of a thick metal plate, the holes are already done, I decided to go with an 8 button per player layout as I plan to use newer console emulators, and it also gives more elbow space for player one, (besides I never liked the layout that my x-arcade tankstick has with two buttons on bottom, it just feels awkward to me)

I decided to go with number instead of letters, because I wanted to include the native layout of PS and XBOX into the design, but since the Xbox Also uses letters, it would be more confusing having two letters A B X Y in different places, so my draft currently looks like the picture attached.

@BadMouth, You pointed a interesting point about not having to remap so many games going with 1237 and 4568 instead, maybe I’ll change my layout to that, but I’m not sure if it will confuse more than it helps. If I keep my current design, I guess I wire button 4 to where number 5 would be engraved and so forth, ending with something similar to what you mentioned).

[lacanian]

I just keep everything standard. Meaning for consoles I would look at Hori, mad catz or any other commercial arcade stick layout.

MAME I just use the standard 1,2,3 are the top 3 and so on.

To help me identify what's what use LEDs and print out a control panel instruction on your cab.

[gildahl]

I addressed this by making the first button(s) in a logical group a different color.  This provides a key to the button order to folks who aren't used to the panel.  You can see a picture of this on my build blog http://dahlstrom.sytes.net/techblog/?p=169).

[livelike]

This is an image of the layout so far, still debating between the labels of player 1 vs 2. I think changing the colors of the main buttons would be useful, I'll check what color combinations I can make with the buttons I already have.

Question, should I leave/add the small arrow next to the mouse left & right buttons? I was thinking adding them to the pinball and quit buttons, as they are located on the sides of the CP.

If any one has any other suggestions, changes can be still made to the size or name of the labels.

[BadMouth]

Why have numbers?

What interface device are you using?
If it shows up as a direct input gamepad, then the numbers will be helpful on PC games.
Otherwise I don't see a point to having them numbered.

[livelike]

@BadMouth, due to the inclusion of the XBOX layout in a smaller font in buttons 2,3,6,7. If I use letters, there would be an A where currently button 1 is, but there is another A label in button 6 for the XBOX layout, this would be the same for letter B,X,Z. As mentioned in my first post, this letters was the original idea, but changed to numbers because of this.

@lacanian, yes I looked at layouts from madcatz, hori, eigharc (qanba),  some start with buttons the xbox layout (would be the same idea for the Playstation layout) "A B RT LT" , and others with "A B RT", I went for the former as it seems that it would make more sense leaving the left shoulder buttons on the left, and same for the right, otherwise you'll end up with the left buttons on the far right.

@RandyT, what do you mean by just mirror the buttons to both rows? I see this working for games with 3 or less games, but not sure how it would work for street fighter, etc.