control questions

[TheWeasel]

I am just getting ready to place the order with Happ for my first ever control panel, but I am having a little bit of trouble figuring out exactly what to order, so I have a few questions:

1. The plans that I am using for the basis of my design showed a 4 player setup with 6 buttons each. Up at the top of the panel, it shows the 4 player start buttons as well as 5 unlabeled ones. I assume that these are for running the mame software, starting games, etc. But why 5 of them? I can only think of tab, enter, and esc. Any one know why you would need 5 extra buttons at the top of the control panel?

2. Happ shows several different pushbuttons on their site (ultimate pushbutton, pushbutton w/ horiz. microswitch, perfect 360, etc) Which buttons do people recommend and why? Or if different ones are better for different things, I'd like to know that too. Do the illuminated ones "feel" much different from the regular ones?

3. Does anyone know of a website where you can order the buttons and see what they look like? Happ just has black & white drawings. I just want to see exactly what Happ means when they say "purple" or "blue".

For joysticks, I am planning on getting 8-way Happ Ultimates, unless somebody has compelling reasons why not to.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[TazMan]

My 2

[elfman12]

1. The plans that I am using for the basis of my design showed a 4 player setup with 6 buttons each. Up at the top of the panel, it shows the 4 player start buttons as well as 5 unlabeled ones. I assume that these are for running the mame software, starting games, etc. But why 5 of them? I can only think of tab, enter, and esc. Any one know why you would need 5 extra buttons at the top of the control panel?

I have 6 misc. buttons on mine - I use them for  ESC, TAB, P(ause), F2, F3, F7.  (I have ENTER down where the plunger for the pinball controls are). To me, I'm glad I have at least 6, because who knows that may pop up in future versions of MAME... not to mention any other emulators out there.

[lightspeed]

http://www.dameon.net/BBBB/9100l.jpg

You may want to order from this guy - excellent prices and service:  The Real Bob Roberts:  http://www.dameon.net/BBBB/parts.html

I would avoid the ultimates.   For general use, the supers are probably best, but if you play fighting games, you may want to get the competitions.  If you can get the stiffer springs with either one, get em.  

I don't have time to link now, but if you search the archives of the baord as well as the rest of the BYOB content, you will see a number of discussions regarding the merits of each stick.

[Silverwind]

I have seen some buttons (like on motorfishes) for page up and page down... to help assist in selecting a game to load..

I would go with the horizontal pushbutton with microswitch.. they generally seem to be preferred...

for some joystick reviews you can look here:
http://www.oscarcontrols.com/joycompare/joyreview1.shtml

(I believe it is happ super, ultimate, and competition)

[neuromancer]

panel, it shows the 4 player start buttons as well as 5 unlabeled ones. I assume that these are for running the mame software, starting games, etc. But why 5 of them? I can only think of tab, enter, and esc. Any one know why you would need 5 extra buttons at the top of the control panel?

2. Happ shows several different pushbuttons on their site (ultimate pushbutton, pushbutton w/ horiz. microswitch, perfect

For MAME you don't need any extra buttons (well maybe 1), because the built in interface lets you define "combinations". For example: p1 start + j1 left = escape. As long as none of your games use p1 start and j1 at the same time you're good to go. (Major Havoc uses the p1 start button as a player control, but it does not use the joystick). Having one unlabled button would make the system absolutely safe.

Vertical microswitch buttons stink. They get "sticky" in certain weather conditions, which makes gameplay difficult, or even impossible.

Bob

[menace]

I installed the extra buttons and I am very glad that I did--This way when I invite people over to dazzle with my mame machine the learning curve is very short--no shift this or shift that.  Also, as far as color goes I ordered (from happs) red, purple, yellow and green--using the buttons to the left of the screen (assuming your BYOAC screen looks the same as mine)as a guide I would say the red is close to the 'Cabinets' button, the purple--the 'Msg Boards' button, the yellow is a sunshine yellow(not like any over there) and the green is slightly lighter than the 'Examples' button

Thats just a quick and dirty guide but it gives you the right idea.

[SirPoonga]

Yeah, I just have a quit and pause button on my arcade.  Allong with player 1 button 1 mapped to enter.  Makes it easy to get around the arcade for someone who hasn;t played on it before.  Especilly for everything else that isn;t mame.