Keyboard Encoder Problems

[gamermage]

 So I decided to build a You Don't Know Jack controller setup. I used a Old USB Mac keyboard I had laying around. I have the 6 buttons wired  on each of the 3 boxes. 1,2,3,4 are shared among the boxes. Q,B,P are wired one to each box. S is shared on the boxes as well. My problem is that 1-4 doesnt work but the rest do. I think that sharing these buttons across so much wire is what is giving me problems. Any idea on how to boost the power on these keys?
to clarify i have 4 buttons hooked up to "1" on the keyboard and 4 more on "2", etc.. up to "4" with 8 foot wires and i think the 5v is spread to thin across this to register a press.

[rescue161]

Try pressing all 4 of the "1" buttons or all 4 of each number button at the same time.  Does it work that way?  If so, then you need to hook the buttons in parallel instead of series.

[gamermage]

that didn't work. i rewired it a bit thinking that the excess of wire was the culprit. still nothing. But if i hook a AAA battery up to it it seems to work for about 20 minutes then it acts like I'm pressing the button the battery is hooked to continuesly. Here is a poor MS paint of what its wired like now.