Buttons: to illuminate or not..?

[AndersHP]

Hi all.

I know I'm probably starting a bit of a war by asking this, but I'd really like your take on the question "to illuminate or not".

When I first started imagining my future bartop arcade build (about to start up now) I wanted it to become kind of a piece of furniture. I thought the bling'er the better, so naturally the bright shiny illuminated buttons was a splendid idea. I couldn't find any concave illuminated buttons, so I was thinking of using the Arcade World UK Ultimate's http://www.arcadeworlduk.com/products/arcade-world-uk-ultimate-illuminated-button-28mm.html

But now, just when I'm about to order, I'm having second thoughts. Maybe some concave IL or Happ's instead, for better feel, and then some LED strips on the back and bottom of the arcade instead..?

So, from both camps: Pros and cons?

[Titchgamer]

You can get concave led buttons.
AWUK do sell them.

But i think this is a personal preference thing.

I had Happ comps in my machine originally and then I changed them for the Ultra Luxs.

My main thinking behind it being that with it being a multi cade it allows the ability to light up the buttons in use and their original colours.

The only disadvantage I really see is that they dont actuate quite as nice as the old buttons but I improved that by changing the micro switches.

Also you have added cost but you know that already :p

[yotsuya]

I've done both. I started out with LED buttons,  but I won't use them anymore. They add nothing to gameplay and ultimately drive up the cost of the project. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with using them, but that's just the point where I am at. If I were building something for someone, I won't even recommend them. My main MAME cab, which I built five years ago, uses them, but they just light up to indicate which buttons are active in a game. I don't have them doing anything super fancy. There's no need for it.

Some dudes are all about the bling and how to swing it, and that's fine, but ultimately for me gameplay trumps everything.

[Ond]

I think LED lit buttons can look really nice, just don't crank them up to Christmas tree levels, that's just a distraction.

[paigeoliver]

Most buttons that can light up are garbage. Particularly those chrome bezel turds that are supposed to be for slot machines, that I see on every 3rd build.

Translucent leaf buttons can be lit and those are the only ones I would even consider lighting.

[Locke141]

I've only ever used light up buttons for coin/start. Except for one build I made out of perspex, and that way for an engine light effect. I would say unless they add some kind of functionality just go with regular buttons. 

[Ond]

Way back there was this guy I remember who modded buttons rather than use stock Lit versions for a different more subtle effect.

[PL1]

. . . then Ninjasquirrel followed in his footsteps.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,101426.0.html






Scott

[harveybirdman]

No original machine used them for player buttons.  Not that a bartop is exactly authentic, but if you're invoking any classic design in your theme I'd stay away.

Though it can look good I guess, see Nephasth's most recent Galaxian build.

[acjgoblu]

I decided to go with illuminated buttons for my bartop, and I'm happy with that decision. I also wanted concave buttons and ended up going with ClassicRGBs from Ultimarc. They're a bit pricey, but I knew this was going to be the only machine I'd have room for in my house, so I was willing to put up the extra ~$70 or so that it cost to do the upgrade. I was using an Ultimate I/O Ipac, so this made everything easy as they plugged directly into (and were powered from) the Ipac.

I would argue that, especially for guests, they can have a positive impact on gameplay. From what I've seen, most control panels are built with more buttons than many games require (ie, I have 6 action buttons per player, but most MAME games only require 1-3 buttons), and being able to light up the specific buttons that are used can be helpful for people who don't play the games all the time. For example, LEDBlinky will automatically illuminate the correct buttons in the correct colors for games like Mortal Kombat, Blitz, NBA Jam, etc, so that people can follow on screen commands more easily; when the game reminds you "hit white button for turbo", you have a button that lights up white. I also think it's a cool touch that each game can replicate the button colors of the original cabinet...

Does it augment gameplay? Not really. But I think that it does have benefits and can look nice when done well with a well laid out CP.

As a caveat, this is assuming you're designing your own cabinet and artwork. I would agree with others that they don't really have a place on any machine that is supposed to replicate a classic design.

[Ond]