Ordering controls - first timer

[JRobATL]

Hi fellow hobbyists,

I've been lurking here for a while and am finally getting ready to start my first cabinet.

I'm designing a 4-player cab with an additional flight stick and spinner (my artwork will be loosely Tron based, and Tron is essential for me). There will be no trackball.

Basically my inspiration will be something like Aspirex's (the attached photo) but with the Tron controls instead of the trackball. And definitely using LED Blinky.

Since I've never wired joysticks or buttons before, would you guys mind reviewing my order to let me know if I've missed anything or added something I don't need? I'm planning on using Ultimarc, and Andy has been helpful but I'd just like some additional eyes on it.

My planned order:
1 Servostik (Player 1 - for use with 4-way games)
3 matching j sticks
1 mini grip flight stick
1 spinner (plus 7" steering wheel attachment)
20 player buttons (only using 6 buttons for P1 and P2, 4 buttons for P3 and P4) -- not playing anything beyond SFIICE and MK3
4 player start buttons
2 utility buttons (ESC, Enter -- and with shift-- Tab and
1 shift button (use as coin drop with 4 player start buttons and 2 utility buttons)

1 I-PAC Ultimate I/O board
1 Servostik control board
1 spinner USB interface

I'd prefer to keep it at 48 switches max if possible. Did I miss anything?

My calculations are:
 Player 1 (6 buttons) = 10 switches

Player 2 (6 buttons) = 10 switches

Player 3 (4 buttons) = 8 switches

Player 4 (4 buttons) = 8 switches

Flight stick (trigger button) = 5 switches (I assume)

Spinner - not included (I assume)

10+10+8+8+5 = 41

Player start buttons: 4

Coin button (to be used as a shift key with player-start buttons): 1

Utility buttons: 2 ("Exit-to-Hyperspin" and "OKAY")  -- I assume I can also use the Coin button as a shift to assign another function to each of these (pause and perhaps something else)

41+4+1+2 = 48 switches

I also checked and should be well under the supported 96 led channels.

Player 1 (Joy + 6 buttons): 21 LED channels

Player 2 (Joy + 6 buttons): 21

Player 3 (Joy + 4 buttons): 15

Player 4 (Joy + 4 buttons): 15

Spinner: 3 (I assume there are LED compatible spinners)

(not expecting one on the flightstick)

 

21+21+15+15+3 = 75 which leaves me enough to add some ground/backlight effects. :-)


I very much welcome your input.

[PL1]

2 utility buttons (ESC, Enter -- and with shift-- Tab and
1 shift button (use as coin drop with 4 player start buttons and 2 utility buttons)

Avoid having TAB accessible in any way from the control panel -- either as a dedicated button or a shifted function.
- After you finish setting up your system, you will rarely, if ever, need to get into the menu system.
- Button mashing kids or drunk friends will find a way into the menu system and it will take many, many frustrating hours to find the full extent of the mess they've accidently made.
- Use a wireless keyboard if you need to configure anything.  Stash it behind the coin door (if you add one) or on top of the cab.

You probably don't need an ENTER button.
- Most people use P1 joystick to navigate the menus, so it makes sense to use P1B1 to launch games.
- You may want to consider a dedicated PAUSE button instead.

Sounds like your plan is to have each player press that one shift button and their Start button to add credits.
- Picture the ergonomics of trying to do this in the middle of a 4-player game of TMNT -- cross arms and body checks galore.   
- Please consider having 4 dedicated Coin buttons and/or either a 4P coin door or 2x 2P coin doors.


Scott

[JRobATL]

Excellent points regarding removing the menu options. I will have a keyboard, so no need there.

And good foresight regarding the reach for the coin button. I do want to keep it under 48, though. Maybe using each player's first button in combination with the player start button is a better idea?

Did my switch counts appear correct?

[PL1]

Did my switch counts appear correct?

Yes, other than the flightstick having 6 switches -- 4 directional, trigger, and thumb button.

You can also wire the flightstick, trigger, and thumb button in parallel with P1 joystick, P1B1, and P1B2, which will free up five inputs from your original count for coin buttons, etc.   

And good foresight regarding the reach for the coin button. I do want to keep it under 48, though. Maybe using each player's first button in combination with the player start button is a better idea?

You can use blocking diodes to make one dedicated button trigger a shifted function.

For example, the shifted function for ESC is usually triggered by pressing P1 Start and P2 Start at the same time.

By using blocking diodes like the right side switches in this example, both inputs trigger when you press that one switch and both inputs work normally when you press the dedicated buttons on the left.



You'll want to carefully plan which shifted functions are assigned to which button.

If you can't come up with a good plan to avoid accidently triggering unwanted shifted functions during a button-mashing 4-player game, add a keyboard encoder firmware on an inexpensive Arduino Pro Micro to handle the buttons/functions that the Ultimate I/O doesn't have room for.
- MAME will see the Arduino as a second keyboard.
- Hard-wire the LEDs on those buttons so the Ultimate I/O doesn't need to control them.


Scott

[JRobATL]

You can also wire the flightstick, trigger, and thumb button in parallel with P1 joystick, P1B1, and P1B2, which will free up five inputs from your original count for coin buttons, etc.   

Yes!  See, this is why you guys get paid the big bucks.    I knew I came to the right place.

That frees up plenty of switches for me, so I am free to have all 4 coin buttons!  Definitely going that route.

...and a good thing too, because the Shazaam diagram made my brain hurt.  Though I will take another look at it during the day tomorrow.

Thanks for the reminder about the second flightstick button. I was only thinking Tron, so I had forgotten about that.

Thanks again! And stay tuned for what I'm sure will be many more posts. 

[PL1]

the Shazaam diagram made my brain hurt.  Though I will take another look at it during the day tomorrow.

Here's a walk-through for the diagram:
1. A diode is like a one-way valve in plumbing.
- You need enough water pressure (voltage) pushing in the right direction for current to flow. (forward biased)
- If water pressure is applied in the other direction, current will not flow. (reverse biased)

2. The cathode (-) on a diode is the end marked with the band.  The other end is the anode. (+)

3. When you press "Button X" (upper left), ground from the green wire is applied through the pink wire to "Input X" and the anode of the pink wire diode.
- Ground on "Input X" triggers the associated output.
- Ground applied to the anode reverse biases the diode, blocking any current flow through it.

4. When you press the "Shazaaam! (dedicated)" button (lower left), ground from the green wire is applied to the "Shazaaam!" input and the anode of both blue wire diodes.
- Ground on "Shazaaam!" input (top) triggers the associated output.
- Ground applied to the anodes reverse biases both diodes, blocking any current flow through them.

5. When you press the "Shazaaam! + X" button (upper right), ground from the green wire is applied to the cathode of the pink and upper blue diodes.
- The Shazaaam! and X inputs have pullup resistors that keep the input (and the anodes of the diodes) at a logic high until ground is applied to the input.
- With a logic high on the anode and ground on the cathode, both of those diodes are forward biased, allowing current to flow through them which applies ground to the Shazaaam! and X inputs.
- Ground also travels down the blue wire to the anode of the lower blue diode, reverse biasing that diode because there is no ground applied to the cathode and blocking any current flow through that diode.


Scott

[JRobATL]

Many thanks on the detailed explanation. The water analogy takes me back to my circuits class at UF.