CP with Asteroids/Space Invader buttons?

[Extreme8]

Does anyone have a control panel that incorporates the left / right direction buttons like the ones used on the Midway Space Invaders & Asteroids, or is the joystick the modern replacement.
If you do have the buttons, are they used or do you find the joystick is a better input device for these classics.

I've decided to give the GP-Wiz49 a shot so if they work out the way I hope I'll have a bunch of panel real estate left open after I remove my reunion stick and thought this might be an interesting option.

[markrvp]

Asteroids feels better with buttons because that's what I was used to.

[MikeQ]

Same here.  I don't like the joystick.

My panel looks like this:


     J1   OOO       J2  OOO
           OOO             OOO

  2 Joysticks with 6 buttons each
 (+ spinner and trackball but that isn't important).


I use the lower left two buttons for rotate left/right and the lower right three buttons for thrust, fire, hyperspace.  Works out well for me.

[SteveJ34]

I'll chime in with the same opinion of Mark and Mike.

Asteroids is better with buttons.....we could play a long time on a single quarter hunting ships during my younger days.

I, too, use a combination of P1/P2 buttons mapped to Asteroid controls.

[tivogre]

I have an authentic asteroids lay-out on my panel.  Ateroids / Space Invaders with a joystick is just wrong...

[CheffoJeffo]

Ateroids / Space Invaders with a joystick is just wrong...

Too true ...

Cheers.

[Thenasty]

I have an authentic asteroids lay-out on my panel.

[rdagger]

It just doesn't seem right to play Asteroids without leaf switch buttons.  That goes for Star Castle, Rip Off, Space Invaders and many more.    I made sure to include a panel on my rotating cab for button play.

[Doc-]

I have a 7 button layout (six button fighter in two rows of three buttons each, plus the thumb button) for two players.  This plays asteroids and space invaders very well if you use the player one buttons for rotate, and the player two buttons for fire/thrust (thumb is hyperspace).

The only classics that don't map well to this setup is stargate/defender.  I eventually created a special right side panel for these two.

Doc-

[Smittydc]

Hey bratly! I hope you had a good christmas!

I use a joystick for space invaders and buttons for asteroids.

I created a special control panel just for defender -- but I rarely swap it in.

Now that you guys mention it, though, I'm going to try space invaders with buttons.

[tivogre]

I have an authentic asteroids lay-out on my panel.  Ateroids / Space Invaders with a joystick is just wrong...

Here's a picture:



Buttons are top center.