Non-Fighting button count?

[BigCurtis]

So I'm trying to determine the button layout on a two player standard cabinet (23" Midway) for classic non-fighting MAME-ification. Leaning toward four per player - I know Defender uses five, but I have a real Defender with a multi-william six way, so I don't need to cover those few.

Anyone taken a walk down this avenue before and have any thoughts/insight to share?

Two sticks, four buttons each and maybe a ball or spinner and you're pretty crowded on a 23" panel :/

[Laythe]

I went for four per player, in a diamond.

Covers things like missile command (left, middle, right),  Gladiator (top, middle, bottom), Neo Geo games, and in a pinch you can use them like a D-pad in place of the other stick to play 2P Smash TV.

Works well for me.  I'd do it again if I had it all to do over.

[keilmillerjr]

The neo geo has fighting games, and uses 4. I think every non-fighting game for the neo geo uses 3, with D button sometimes duplicating an A+B action?

You could probably get away with 3.

[paigeoliver]

The neo geo has fighting games, and uses 4. I think every non-fighting game for the neo geo uses 3, with D button sometimes duplicating an A+B action?

You could probably get away with 3.

Here is the thing about buttons. 3 buttons and 6 buttons take up the same amount of panel width. The difference in cost between 2 players with 3 buttons and 2 players with 6 buttons is about $9.

[keilmillerjr]

The neo geo has fighting games, and uses 4. I think every non-fighting game for the neo geo uses 3, with D button sometimes duplicating an A+B action?

You could probably get away with 3.

Here is the thing about buttons. 3 buttons and 6 buttons take up the same amount of panel width. The difference in cost between 2 players with 3 buttons and 2 players with 6 b uttons is about $9.

While that may be true, I physically can't play games with that many buttons. Simplicity is why I like arcade games. I am so bad at xbox, playstation, etc.

[Laythe]

Here is the thing about buttons. 3 buttons and 6 buttons take up the same amount of panel width. The difference in cost between 2 players with 3 buttons and 2 players with 6 buttons is about $9.

4 in a diamond or square, or 3 in a triangle, will all fit in about the width of 2 across, which is less width than 3 across or the street fighter 6.

Saves him 2 5/8" at minimum, which is meaningful on a 23" panel with the stated possibility for a ball or spinner.

[BadMouth]

The neo geo has fighting games, and uses 4. I think every non-fighting game for the neo geo uses 3, with D button sometimes duplicating an A+B action?

You could probably get away with 3.

Here is the thing about buttons. 3 buttons and 6 buttons take up the same amount of panel width. The difference in cost between 2 players with 3 buttons and 2 players with 6 b uttons is about $9.

While that may be true, I physically can't play games with that many buttons. Simplicity is why I like arcade games. I am so bad at xbox, playstation, etc.

I'm with ya.  I don't know why every game developer these days feels the need to use every single button on the controller.
I can handle the 6 buttons for street fighter because they aren't just random and completely different things.
3 types of punch on top, 3 types of kick on the bottom.
Aside from fighting games, I have little patience for games that use more than 3 buttons.


If I were going for less than 6, I'd do 3.
For the few games where you actually do need 4, the 4th could be mapped to a combo (mash all 3=4th button).
The only ones I can think of that would use 4 are the two Dungeons & Dragons games.
Not really saving any space, but mentally 3 feels a LOT simpler than 4 IMO.