2 player CP/4 buttons each/trackball - is this setup decent?

[Ninten-doh]

Okay, as some of you already know, I'm trying to shoehorn a lot onto a 23 3/4" wide CP.  Original depth is only about 7" (old Frogger CP), but I plan on building it out to at least 9"-10".  Anyway, based on some suggestions, I've cut it down to 4 buttons per player as I don't play fighting games anyway.  Here are the parts...

- Happ optical rotary joystick (will go on the left)
- Ultimarc Mag Stick Plus (will go on the right - non-standard footprint)
- Happ 2 1/4" trackball with mounting kit (plate is 6" x 6")

Attached is a very rough mockup with a 9" depth.  Any issues that you see?  Am I missing out on some classic games if I only go with 4 buttons per player?  Are three button games going to be "comfortable" with this setup?  I'm going to try to make a physical mock up this weekend to try it out, but would appreciate some feedback beforehand.

[mhermann]

The only thing I would say is you may want to move the Joysticks and buttons down a little. But besides that I think it is fine for what you are trying to do. I would do a mock up on cardboard to get a better idea of how comfortable it will be.

My 2 cents

[ahofle]

Looks pretty good to me...it might actually be nice to have some space to rest your arms below the sticks and buttons.  I was actually just noticing the other day how much empty space there is below the buttons on an Asteroids cabinet.
Yeah, and definitely mock it up in cardboard first.

[Ninten-doh]

Thanks for the feedback guys.  Would I be missing out on any classic/great games if I go with only 4 buttons?  Not into fighting games as I mentioned before.

[ahofle]

Defender and Stargate come to mind...

[Tahnok]

I say keep the space below the joysticks. I've made the mistake in the past of putting everything too low on the CP. It gets tiresome quickly.

[Ninten-doh]

Forgot about Defender and Stargate.  Guess I'll be stretching to a Player 2 button for Hyperspace!   

[Noobert]

Would it work to just use one direction of your joystick horizontal axis as your Reverse button for Defender (since Defender only uses up-down joystick)?  Obviously might disrupt game flow a little.

[trcroyle]

Would it work to just use one direction of your joystick horizontal axis as your Reverse button for Defender (since Defender only uses up-down joystick)?  Obviously might disrupt game flow a little.

Heck, you could assign both left and right to reverse, since it would do what you were wanting naturally that way, though you'd be picking up all sort sof bad hibits if you wver played it on the correct setup.

[Ninten-doh]

I could swear that's how the Atari 2600 version played.  (Did I just say that?!?!)

Great idea guys!

[ahofle]

Would it work to just use one direction of your joystick horizontal axis as your Reverse button for Defender (since Defender only uses up-down joystick)?  Obviously might disrupt game flow a little.

There was a nice 'hack' in an older version of mame that let you control the ship exactly like the atari 2600 version.  I believe moving the joystick horizontally in the direction you are currently going activated 'thrust' and pressing in the other direction activated reverse and then thrust.  Actually eliminated the need for thrust AND reverse.  It worked REALLY well (I still wonder what Eugene Jarvis was smoking when he came up with those controls heh).  I was dissappointed when they (mamedevs) got rid of it and keep an old version of mame around just for those two games.  I suck at that game enough as it is without having to handle another 2 buttons just for thrust and reverse lol.

[leapinlew]

Your extending the cp down, but what about underneath it? Is all that being extended out?

My opinion is to not use the trackball in this config. The reason why is follow through. When many people play games like golden tee, world class bowling, shuuz and other trackball games they like to roll the ball with their palms. I personally have a big follow through and about broke a finger on my brothers slikstik (the spinner being right above the trackball)

I can understand not having 6 buttons. I enjoy fighters so 6 buttons is a must. So if your going after classics here, what are you doing regarding the 8way/4way?

[Ninten-doh]

Ahofle, what version of Mame does that?  That would kick butt!

BTW, thanks for Arcade Ambience!   

[EwJ]

Dunno if this helps...
http://users.bigpond.net.au/mame/gp32/

[Ninten-doh]

EwJ - Thanks for the link

Leapinlew - the Mag Stik Plus is a switchable 4 way/8 way.  I'm concerned about the follow-thru on the trackball as well, but it should be okay for everything my wife and I play with the trackball (Centipede, Missile Command, etc.)  We play Shuuz with a crappy mouse trackball now, and we don't seem to use a lot of follow-thru on that.  Golden Tee is definitely out of the question unless I become a lefty.   

[ahofle]

I use v0.76 for Defender, but I'm not exactly sure when that feature was removed.  That link from EwJ looks like the same thing though. 

[EwJ]

Don't know if that link will be of any use - think it's for the gp32.
Looks like the defender cheat was removed in mame .84u6 by aaron giles.
find a version just previous to that and try it? use -cheat or something?
anyone have further info?

[eastbayarb]

Why 2 trackballs? What games use 2 trackballs ?

[Ninten-doh]

There's only 1 trackball in this config, Eastbay.  Take a look at the pic at the top of the thread.