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Early planning help for a newbie

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jelloslug:
I used (made) a ButtonBox2 for my encoder.  It works like the Ipac but you make it yourself.  http://surf.to/buttonbox

u_rebelscum:

--- Quote ---Cheers u-rebelscum.  What do you use as the escape key?  I guess you aren't using all the available inputs for joystick and player buttons so you have a few left over for system keys.
--- End quote ---

I do have left over inputs, but... I don't have a cab either. :(  So for me, my keyboard is nearby.
However, I did map three buttons to mame's "UI Cancel", which is usually the [esc] key.  Instead of using ipac's hardware shift key to get an [esc] key, I have mame looking for a C-1-5 (P1_B7 & P1_coin & P1_start) key combination.  This is a hard combo to hit accidently, and I can quickly change it by editing the new -ctrlr .ini file, or set while playing mame.


--- Quote ---Is there any point to me having 8 buttons for each of the four players - should I cut down the number of buttons on players 3 and 4 to allow for theses system keys?  I noticed on mame.dk that there are games with 4-player 8 buttons.
--- End quote ---

Which games?  I thought four player games only had a max of four buttons per player.  Often people have control panel like yours with players 1 & 2 having 6-8 buttons, but players 3 & 4 (on the sides) only having 4 buttons.


--- Quote ---If I were to go for the Hagstrom KE72 (more expensive) I can get more inputs.  It's just that it's nearly double to price.  Is there anyway to use the ipac4 and the ipac2 (probably costs more than the ke72)?

Thanks again.
Craig

--- End quote ---

You can connect two ipac4s, two ipac2s, and a ipac4 and ipac2 in serial, if you want.  

But if I were you I'd:
1.  Get one ipac4
2.  Set three or four button combos I know I can't press by accident for "UI Cancel" (usually [esc]) and "Config Menu" (usually [tab]) and others that are needed.
3.  Print out these button presses so I don't forget.
4.  Then I'd reprogram the shift key off, so that, even though [esc] doesn't leave mame anymore (because of step 2) pressing player1 start and player2 start at the same time should start both players.  With the shift key on as default, neither player will start, and both players would need to press start again (and not at the same time).

JM2C

cdbrown:
Thank you very much jelloslug and u_rebelscum.  Your replies to my questions were very helpful.  I think I will stick with my original plan of 4-player with 8 buttons using ipac4.  I won't use the shift function and just map multiple keys to act as "system" keys.  Just have to make sure I layout the buttons so I can press them all myself.

Thanks again guys.
-cdbrown

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