What is the typical 6 button layout?

[Brax]

I'm currently in the process of wiring my buttons up to my I-PAC. What order should I be wiring them up?

I have the often seen, 2 rows of 3 buttons. I was thinking og wiring them up like this:
1. top left
2. top middle
3. top right
4. bottom left
5. bottom middle
6. bottom right

Anyone see a problem with this? How is a typical SF2 numbered? I haven't played around with the software controls much in Mame but each game's button configuration can be customized anyways can't it?

I'm thinking if I wire them up like this it will suit most games, yes?

[SirPoonga]

That's typical.

Many people do this layout (using mame button numbers)
456
123

Some people do a 7 button layout like
456
1234

[Brax]

Thanks I appreciate the reply.

Hmm..

i'm stuck between:

123     and      456
456                 123

I thought i was going to wire it the first way but the second way seems more comfortable for most games. Is there anyone out there with that same layout? Do you agree?

[RacerX]

i'm stuck between:

123     and      456
456                 123

I thought i was going to wire it the first way but the second way seems more comfortable for most games. Is there anyone out there with that same layout? Do you agree?

It's really all about what you prefer, but I use:

456
123

I felt like if I did it the other way, the 456 buttons would be in the way on any game that uses fewer than 4 buttons.  But like I said, if you don't find that to be a problem and prefer the other...

[SirPoonga]

most games expect
456
123

at least street fighter and many of those fighting games.  The punch buttons are 1 through 3.

[BombProofPlane]

um punch buttons go on the top

123
456

[Bursar]

I have mine as 123 on top and 456 on the bottom. I don't find that the bottom buttons get in the way when I'm playing games that only use a couple on the top row.

It's all about personal preference though, and as mentioned, if you play fighting games, it's generally accepted that the top row is punch and the bottom row is kick.

It works fine if you have 123/456 but if you have 456/123 you will need to reconfigure the game or the buttons so that they work as expected.

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks I appreciate the reply.

Hmm..

i'm stuck between:

123     and      456
456                 123

I thought i was going to wire it the first way but the second way seems more comfortable for most games. Is there anyone out there with that same layout? Do you agree?

I think you'll like this reply.  You can have it both ways!!!!

I prefer

456
123 for most games, but Street Fighter definitely wants

123
456

What to do . . .?  (what I plan to do . . .!)

Wire the panel as

456
123

as this is most comfortable for the majority of games.

For Street Fighter style games, if you're not hung up on the default keyboard settings, (i.e. you don't plan to ever use the keyboard to play these games), set

P1B1 - L Shift
P1B2 - Z
P1B3 - X
P1B4 - L Ctrl
P1B5 - L Alt
P1B6 - Space

If you're using MAME 0.61 or above, you can set this up in a ctrlr.ini file and have one file change all the settings for all games using the same driver.  And you can copy and rename this file for other drivers.  Info on setting up ctrlr.ini files is here: http://www.mameworld.net/easyemu/mamecontrolini.htm

Since you are using an I-PAC, if you are hung up on wanting the keyboard mappings to be correct, you can use the WINIPAC software  http://www.ultimarc.com/winipac.html to set the controls above on your I-PAC, save the new settings as a StreetFighter.ipc file and then load it from a batch file like:

winipac.exe streetfighter.ipc
mame.exe sf2
winipac.exe winipac.ipc

(You need the last line to reset the I-PAC so it has the correct settings again for non-Street Fighter games.)

Either method accomplishes the same thing, but I prefer changing the MAME settings, as there is a slight time delay as the I-PAC is reprogrammed.

Hope this helps.

[Brax]

Thanks everyone. I've decided to go with 123 on top and 456 on the bottom.
I have a side by side cocktail table and the control panel isn't terribly wide. My hand fits most comfortable over the top buttons. The bottom buttons don't get in the way at all so the top will be my 123.

*can't wait to try Track & Field*
I can hammer the buttons the way they were meant to be!!!!
I should have the wiring complete this afternoon so then the "play testing" can begin!!  

[Brax]

Whoa! Thanks Tiger, I may have to try that!!!

Thanks all!

[SirPoonga]

um punch buttons go on the top

123
456

whoops, my bad.  I had to go check out some arcade cab pics.  I'm use to punch buttons on bottom I guess from my genesis.