number of buttons for trackball?

[Ghoul]

I had intended to have 2 buttons for my trackball, one on either side

lame ascii:
o TB o

I was wondering how many buttons I should have? The games that spring to mind that I will be playing are golf games (golden tee, links 2003, tiger woods 2003), marble madness and missile command. Mostly golf games though.

[eightbit]

Depends on what your intentions are. If you have a trackball game that uses both buttons your going to have trouble moving your hand back and forth. If your using them in Windows it will also be annoying to move your hand back and forth.

I used two buttons to the right of my trackball-


I've been thinking of redoing mine and making player 2's button 1 and 2 the trackball buttons.

[spidermonkey]

If you like playing Missile Command then you'll want three buttons to the right of the track ball. Its easier to drill and install the buttons now so if you think you might want three buttons then do it now. Its a pain in the ass to start adding more buttons/joysticks after all the wiring has been installed.

[u_rebelscum]

If you like playing Missile Command then you'll want three buttons to the right of the track ball. Its easier to drill and install the buttons now so if you think you might want three buttons then do it now. Its a pain in the ass to start adding more buttons/joysticks after all the wiring has been installed.

Yes, missile command is the trackball game with the most buttons (3).  The rest use 0 to 2 buttons.  If you're going to use the trackball as a spinner, too, you should look at the number of buttons used by spinner games (can't remember off the top of my head).

[Ghoul]

If you like playing Missile Command then you'll want three buttons to the right of the track ball. Its easier to drill and install the buttons now so if you think you might want three buttons then do it now. Its a pain in the ass to start adding more buttons/joysticks after all the wiring has been installed.

Yes, missile command is the trackball game with the most buttons (3).  The rest use 0 to 2 buttons.  If you're going to use the trackball as a spinner, too, you should look at the number of buttons used by spinner games (can't remember off the top of my head).

Nah, I have never really played any games that involved a spinner. If I did I would probably buy an oscar or build an hd spinner.

[cdbrown]

How about the number of buttons for dual trackball games?

[RetroBorg]

Nah, I have never really played any games that involved a spinner. If I did I would probably buy an oscar or build an hd spinner.

Ghoul,

Missile Command is played with a trackball and three buttons, not a spinner. Missile Command is my 2nd favourite trackball game after Centipede, this is a must have game. I would place the three buttons on the left like the following picture.

[eightbit]

You don't need the 3 mouse buttons for missile command. You could use any 3 buttons it wouldn't have to be from the mouse.

Dual trackballs-
Track and field- 1 button
Marble madness- 0 button
light gun games- 2 buttons usually
theres more I just can't think of them...

[Ghoul]

Nah, I have never really played any games that involved a spinner. If I did I would probably buy an oscar or build an hd spinner.

Ghoul,

Missile Command is played with a trackball and three buttons, not a spinner.

Obviously  

I was responding to rebel scum's comment about spinner games. They just aren't a priority.

[u_rebelscum]

How about the number of buttons for dual trackball games?

Opps, it looks like there are three trackball games in mame with three buttons: Missile Command, Missile Command II (in arcadecl), and Blades of Steel.  The second two are dual trackball games.

FWIW, Spinner games (which are listed as trackball games in mame32) seem to have up to 6 (and maybe 8 for on game) buttons per player.

[SirPoonga]

You don't need the 3 mouse buttons for missile command. You could use any 3 buttons it wouldn't have to be from the mouse.

Exactly.  I use the ipac buttons in mame for any game.  I only switch to mouse buttons for windows games.