Question about multiple controls

[NightGod]

So-I can say I found at least one really good thing about those Midway Arcade Classics cabs that went on the market last year-picking one up for $275 at Value City got me looking for ways to mod it and looking for ways to mod it brought me here, which lead to inspiriing me to build a MAME cab.

Hey, I'll take my victories where I can. 

So, being the type that has to go large when I jump into something like this (and a HUGE fan of Gauntlet), I'm looking at a full four-person franken-cp. My current plan is to do 4 sticks (with players 1&2 likely using those lovely new Ultimarc 360 sticks and 3&4 using something along the lines of HAPP Ultimates). Then add in a 4-way, Slikstick Spinner and a 2 1/4" trackball to pull double duty as a mouse.

Now, the questions/advice section:

1) I see most people using a max of 6 button/player setups for their CPs, but occasionally I catch a 7 or 8 spread, I think I even saw one or two with 10. Any games out there actually use more than 6 buttons? Or are these people just planning (way?) ahead for a day when such games might exist?

2) Encoder recomendations for this beast? Would that change if I went with Ultimates (and thereby lost the built in capacity of the 360s)? I've read through the FAQs and all, just a bit sketchy on how much capacity I should really be aiming for to make sure I have my needs covered without blowing a chunk of cash I don't need to on over-compensating.

3) Ideally I would like to make the CP as swappable as possible-just dreaming of the day when I might get a nice Tron setup or maybe some Terminator guns-any advice on wiring to make this dream a future reality?

4) Pushing the limits of kindness here, any recommendation on layout for spinner/trackball/4-way as far as buttons are concerned? My current plan is to cluster all three in the middle of the panel, with the four main control sets arrayed around them on the edges. Very roughly like I show in the Visio I threw together down below (which has a 3" trackball instead of 2 1/4" like I plan on and kinda has buttons everywhere, but its a first draft):


And yes, I know...make a thread in the announcements forum-it will be coming soon, I promise!

[Dreamwriter]

I can answer one of your questions   For more than 6 buttons, keep in mind each player also needs an insert-coin button - it's often put on the CP.  Also, a lot of people add an extra button below and to the left of the 6-button setup, this creates the perfect layout for Neo-Geo games (which had 4 buttons, the first one lower than the other three).  And then there are game-specific layouts, one common one I've seen being Asteroids.

Oh, and nice layout - symetrical is always good.

[DaveMMR]

There's a joystick-button conga line going on there!   

You'll want the main players buttons and joysticks parallel with screen.

Now to answer some questions of yours:
1) 6 'action' buttons is the norm.  7 is usually for those who want a Neo-Geo friendly layout with the benefits of a SF layout.  If you start going 8 or 10, you're probably high.    J/K to anyone who's done that, but the only compelling reason to have any more that 7 is because you want to play console games -- and I'm of the opinion console games, meant for long sessions, don't play well on a cab.

2) If you're going 4-player, you can't go wrong with the iPac4.  Andy from Ultimarc just released the UltraStik360 too, so you may want to look into that (though it'll be a bit more coin).

3) Swappable panels aren't terribly difficult for smaller panels, but if you're doing the frankenpanel, is it really worth the trouble?

4) I already answered this with my opening sentence.

[escher]

1) I see most people using a max of 6 button/player setups for their CPs, but occasionally I catch a 7 or 8 spread, I think I even saw one or two with 10. Any games out there actually use more than 6 buttons? Or are these people just planning (way?) ahead for a day when such games might exist?

Answered fairly well by those above me, but also notice that unless you're going with console games, you don't need more than four action buttons for players 3 and 4.

2) Encoder recomendations for this beast? Would that change if I went with Ultimates (and thereby lost the built in capacity of the 360s)? I've read through the FAQs and all, just a bit sketchy on how much capacity I should really be aiming for to make sure I have my needs covered without blowing a chunk of cash I don't need to on over-compensating.

The Ipac4 really is your best bet, along with an Optipac for the trackball.  If you go with the new Ultimarc sticks, you might be able to get away with an Ipac2 instead of an Ipac4, depending on if/how you share inputs.

3) Ideally I would like to make the CP as swappable as possible-just dreaming of the day when I might get a nice Tron setup or maybe some Terminator guns-any advice on wiring to make this dream a future reality?

Wire everything internal to the CP, so that the only things sticking out are USB/PS2 cables.  But, as DaveMMR said, most people who go Frankenpanel don't swap.  If you're serious about the swappable panels, you might just want to start out with two or three: a 2p fighter layout plus trackball, a 1p with the spinner and fourway, and a small 4p with four buttons per player.

4) Pushing the limits of kindness here, any recommendation on layout for spinner/trackball/4-way as far as buttons are concerned? My current plan is to cluster all three in the middle of the panel, with the four main control sets arrayed around them on the edges.

P1 and P2 really need to be parallel to the screen, and many argue that P3 and P4 need to be as well, but that's an item of some very heated debate.  Regarding the 4-way, make sure you can really reach the stick and buttons without P1's joystick getting in the way.  You also might have problems if you share inputs with the 4-way and P1, if your arm bumps some of the main P1 buttons.  For the trackball, I would try to spread P1 and P2 apart a little more and bring it closer to the front.  First, because it's not going to be very comfortable to play up there.  Second, because if you ever play Golden Tee, you don't want to break your fingers.

Best of luck, and enjoy the building!