Burning trackball question

[tonyarcade]

Ok, this may be a dumb question... (so remember what teacher always said about dumb questions, please)

One thing I notice when reviewing common layouts is a trend to place a trackball in the middle between two (or four) joysticks.

In doing so, there sometimes may be 1-2 buttons above, but often no dedicated trackball buttons.

Do most people use the joystick buttons off one of the joysticks when playing Centipede, etc. on the mouse?
Or should you add your own just for the mouse?

And if so, where is the best placement??? Excuse me if this has been asked, but I've not seen it discussed before...
I have seen discussions about placing a joystick/spinner position too close to a trackball...but little to nothing on trackball button placement.

Thanks
-Tony

[spidermonkey]

I copied the Slik Stik layout pattern. Its a pretty comfortable layout except where they placed their 4-way stick. It looks kinda hard to access way up at the top of the cp. I put my 4-way to the right of the trackball and its three buttons and put three buttons to the right of the 4-way. Other then the placement of my 4-way it looks the same as the Slik Stik classic layout.

[allroy1975]

I think by default MAME will use Mouse button1 (Left Mouse) or Player 1 button 1 to fire in Centepede.  I use Player 1 Button 1, but if someone left handed complained I'd add Player 2 button 1 for that person.  Basicly in a game like that, you can map anything you want.  I have 2 Seperate mouse buttons right above my trackball though.  I like my layout a lot.

Allroy

[Spaced Invader]

Seperate mouse buttons adds clutter to a CP and wastes two perfectly good buttons...in my humble opinion. Ok, now that I've offended half of you I'd like to say its entirely a matter of preference...you don't have to guess about mine.  

[EggZilla]

Personally, I don't think you need dedicated trackball buttons, especially if you've placed your TB in the usual, middle spot, because the buttons for both joysticks are right there. Oddly though, I find myself usually preferring to use P1, button 6 for my fire button in Centipede. Go figure.

As far as having exclusive mouse buttons, I think they really are a huge help. If you're concerned about cluttering up the panel, you can always do what I did and mount them on the sides of the panel, right where the buttons would be on a pinball machine. I wanted some there anyhow, so I could play PinMAME games, and they're easily mapped for most commercial PC pinball games as well.

[tonyarcade]

Allroy-

Isn't having two buttons above the trackball awkward?

I would think it would get in the way...

-Tony

[allroy1975]

Allroy-

Isn't having two buttons above the trackball awkward?

I would think it would get in the way...

-Tony

When would they be in the way?  maybe I did something wrong before I added those 2 buttons.  At first I wired up my Player 1 buttons 1 & 2 to be my left and right mouse click respectivly.  In Windows though, hitting the control button at the same time as the shift button seemed to cause problems.  Nothing major, just small annoyances.  So I added 2 more buttons.  I've never "accidentally" hit them.  That's what in the way means, right?

It's like using a giant kiddy trackball though.  I use 2 hands on it, just going through windows....The Buttons are on the top corners of the mounting plate.  

Allroy

[tonyarcade]

yes, i thought you meant you used the buttons above the mouse to fire... say during centipede play...

i would think you'd spin into the other hand...

-tony

[allroy1975]

nope, I use Player 1 Button 1.

[Chris]

My mouse buttons are on either side of the trackball.  Since I have the trackball so far forward, they act as firebuttons for most trackball games.

[SirPoonga]

If you look at my control panel I have this layout
456
123

1 and 2 are my mouse buttons.  I do have them hooked up to a relay to switch them to keyboard if needed.  I've found some games are dang near impossible to hit two buttons at the same time if one comes from the mouse and one from the ipac.  But in general it works to have those buttons as mouse buttons all the time.

[tonyarcade]

I like your layout Chris.

Do you find you're happy with it...? I want to play mostly older games...

What would you change... I notice its rounded, it that comfortable?

Also, why no spinner??

-Tony

[Chris]

I like your layout Chris.

Do you find you're happy with it...? I want to play mostly older games...

It's just a little too long in front for me (14" from back to front), but I'm a big guy.  I intentionally left a 1-1/2" lip on the front for a clamp-on steering wheel, but it's worth it for Outrun, which is my daughter's favorite game. (I still need to devise a clamping mechanism for my Pole Position wheels.) I should also have move the 4-way stick just a bit farther forward.

This is the third control panel I've had on this cabinet; the driving force for the round front was to get the trackball farther from the joysticks and glass.  I based it on DHansen's design.

I do find that I have to, for joystick games, make sure the mouse buttons aren't set for anything, because I will accidentally hit them when using the joysticks...

Also, why no spinner??

Well, my first CP had a hand-build spinner, but I had to keep repairing it and it was in the way, so I removed it from the second version.  Any spinner game can be played with the trackball, so it's hard for me to justify spending money on a good Oscar spinner.   The only spinner game I was seriously into was Tron, and that requires a trigger stick I don't have anyway.  On the rare occasion I play Tempest or Arkanoid, I'm happy with the ball.  I've even learned to play Star Wars pretty well with the trackball...

[2600]

spidermonkey,
Is it possible to post a picture or something of your control panel?  I think I understand what you are saying but it seems like it would be longer than the slikstik.

Also,  I'd like to see the rest of your layout, ie spinner, etc.

Thanks,
2600

[tonyarcade]

Chris-

Do you have enough buttons with just 4??

-Tony

[Chris]

Do you have enough buttons with just 4??

Yes, but I don't play Capcom fighters or console games.  The diamond layout works well for games like Track and Field and Missile Command, too...