thanks a lot tom, I'll probably just download visio viewer or something at work on a windows box, and check it out that way. I'll probably mix stuff i like about your layout with the stuff i like about the uaII layout they have (mainly cause I got the templates from mameroom.com for the control panel, since i don't trust my measuring and all that. i think your layouts of the buttons across the top better that this one, but really what are the buttons?
i'll be honest, i haven't spent much time with mame on my computer because i can't stand playing with the keyboard, and i came across building an arcade cabinet as a fun project, plus i kept searching for a good mortal kombat II, or xmen, or simpsons 4 player, or ninja turtles 4player, and couldn't find anything for less than $500+ after shipping, and i'd much rather spend even more to play all those games and more in one. so what are the best buttons to have besides the standard players buttons, i want a trackball, for centipede and golden tee, and i think i'll do a spinner, just for some of the older games i'm not familiar with. To be honest, i've never played tempest or even tron. i grew up playing mortal kombat, street fighters and various action games, but i think it'd be fun to get into some of the classics. I was thinking of going trackball, spinner, 4 player start buttons, 4 player coin buttons, what buttons do i need for the trackball and spinner? and what other admin functions are best to have to run the game? i'd like it as seemless as possible, but i'm going to build and UAII cab, and will be using the keyboard drawer for some of the main stuff, but i would like to use that as little as possible.
sorry if these are stupid questions, like i said, i've read through the project arcade book twice, been reading the forums for a while, but haven't found answers to these questions, or at least don't know what to search for.
thanks for all the help so far everyone.