How do you bring up a new game

[Shieldwolf]

I was wondering how people change between games on their machine. I've seen some cps with buttons specific to emulation control, but a lot of you guys don't have those buttons so how do you bring up game menus,volume and what have you?

[BobA]

With a keywiz or ipac shifted or wiz key can be used to assign menu or other functions to game buttons.

BobA

[1UP]

Also, most frontends will allow you to define which keys control the interface, like joystick up or down to select games from the game list, P1 start to enter the selected game, etc.  Also, Mame allows you to remap the default keymapping for the general interface, so you can assign things like P1 Start + P1 Button 6 will exit a game, or add P1 Start + P1 Button 5 for volume, etc.  You do this by hitting TAB while a game is running, then go to Input (general), hit enter, go to the function you want to remap, hit enter and then press the button combination you want to use.

Of course, if you have an IPAC, all this stuff is already built in, and you can use P1 Start + P1 Joystick Left as the Enter key, P1 Start + P1 Joystick Right as the Tab (Menu) key, P1 Start + P1 Joystick Down as Pause, P1 Start + P1 Joystick Up to adjust volume, P1 Start + P1 Button 1 to Insert Coin, and P1 Start + P2 Start to exit game.

[Shieldwolf]

doen't it confusing remembering that p1 start plus button 4= escape?

[1UP]

doen't it confusing remembering that p1 start plus button 4= escape?

Get over it, that's the only way to do it without having extra buttons on your CP, or whipping out a keyboard every time. The point is, you could make it any button combo you want.  You'll be able to remember after doing it a few times, or you can print labels above your buttons, or print instructions on your bezel (just like the real games had!)

The only extra button that should be on your panel is an ESC button (or coin buttons if you don't have a coin door), just for the sake of your guests.  The rest of the buttons should be secret combos so you can mess with your settings but your guests can't!

[Shieldwolf]

doen't it confusing remembering that p1 start plus button 4= escape?

Get over it, that's the only way to do it without having extra buttons on your CP, or whipping out a keyboard every time. The point is, you could make it any button combo you want.  You'll be able to remember after doing it a few times, or you can print labels above your buttons, or print instructions on your bezel (just like the real games had!)

Sorry 1up.  i just thought my friends would be so lost on trying to change games. Thanks for the tip

[1UP]

Sorry 1up.  i just thought my friends would be so lost on trying to change games. Thanks for the tip

So add an ESC button for friends.  But I don't think you want your friends messing with your other settings if they don't know what they're doing anyway!

[1UP]

Also, most people should be able to remember P1 Start for entering a game.  This is the standard button on Emulaxian frontend, which is also just a really cool FE!