Another control panel question: What would YOU do?

[Zalm]

I've been lurking behind the scenes reading everyone's posts over the last few months.  I would like to thank everyone in the scene for all the excellent info - it has helped a lot.  Now it's time for my first post.

I have been slowly picking away at my arcade machine since October 2007.  I told myself that I would not do the control panel wiring until the very end (this way it would force me to finish all the little odds and ends along the way - instead of playing it and avoiding the details).   Sometime this week or next I plan on wiring it.
   
As you can see by the picture - I have a Zaxxon type flight stick (8 way), a dedicated 4 way joystick, and a P1 - P2 8 way joystick.  I would like to know what you guys/gals would do with this set up.  One of two ways I am thinking - would you:

1:  Wire the flight stick, 4 way, and the P1 8 way in series - because basically you will only be using one stick at a time depending on the game being played.
2:  Wire the flight stick, 4 way, and 8 way individually.
 
I have an IPac4, so I could wire it either way.

If I do number 1:  It will be simple to set up and wire and I won't have to remap the keys in MAME at all.  If I do number 2:  The advantage will be - if someone comes up and starts pulling away at the 4 way or the flight stick while you are playing the 8 way - it will not interfere with your game in anyway, but you will have to remap all 4 way games to player 3 and flight stick type games to player 4, I'm not sure if it's a big deal to do or how long it may take to remap all the games.

What would you do?

[ahofle]

Number one.

[Ginsu Victim]

#1
There's no way to have three players in there comfortably, so why even have the option?

[Zalm]

No not for 3 players - only so someone can't come up and move the other two sticks and mess up your game while your playing.

I am leaning towards option 1 - but was just wondering if it's a big pain to remap all the 4 ways games, and flight sticks (8 way flight stick - not analog) type games to the player 3 and 4 on the IPac controller.

[psychotech]

I'd go with option #1, even if it was analog.... Done that already, actually 

[CheffoJeffo]

#1 .... it is true that someone could mess with the other sticks and mess up your game (my first cab was a 3-sided cocktail and the kids quickly learned that they could gang up and me and grab the "other" controls).

My recommended solution to that is short, swift punishment (a sound beating around the head and ears should suffice, depending on the age of the offender).

OR, you can run separate, daisy-chained ground loops to each "P1" stick and have a selector (I would envision a rotary switch) that only activates one stick at a time. For example,  the selector set to "Flight Stick" means ground loop is closed on the flight stick, but open on the other P1 sticks. Click over to "4-Way" and the ground loop on the 4-way is closed and the other two are open. Click over to "8-Way" and ... (I'm too lazy to type the rest)

Don't worry about mapping to P3 and P4.