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Lots of beginner CP questions!

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Honzo:

Ok, first let me apologize if these have been answered, I've been trying to do my research, but no offense, the information on the site isn't all exactly up to date or very organized.  Also, sorry if this is in the wrong section as well.  So now, where to start...

First, let me outline the panel i'm planning.  I want a very universal panel with 4 players, most likely a trackball and spinner as well. No flight yokes or such though.
1.  Is it still necessary to include a dedicated 4 way joystick? or do ulitmarc's switchable joysticks (particularly the Magi-Stick plus) do a fine enough job to have replaced this idea?
2.  Do most other 2 player and 4 player games use 8 way sticks?  Should I buy more than just the one switchable joystick or will the one for first player (or if people still used dedicated 4 ways) suffice?
3.  If i only need the one 4 way switchable, what is the best 8 way that will look similar to the magi-stick?

Buttons:
1.  How many should i include for player 1 and 2 to be most versitile? I hear 6 from some people and 7 from others.
2.  How many should i have for p3 and 4?
3.  I want to use the buttons ultimarc has that are translucent with the led's...
     a. Is ultimarc the only place to get these/only makers of them?
     b. Are they the same as your standard competition buttons? Anything i should know about their feel and such?

Trackball and spinner:
1. I wanna use the trackball and spinner from ultimarc via their usb interfaces so i can use the ipac4, is this a good setup? (the trackball that mounts without a plate that is)
2. I browsed the control panel database and noticed a lot of panels with "admin" buttons.  What are these, which ones do i want to include, why?

Designing:
What would you recommend for designing the panel? and where can i find tips for designing a nicely functioning panel?

PHEW!  :dizzy: I think thats about all i have to ask, If i find more questions, i'll post em.  Thanks in advance!

javeryh:

Read the WIKI - your questions are really really broad.

1.  You don't need a dedicated 4-way if you have a programmable stick like the U360 but some people still prefer dedicated 4-ways.
2.  I can't even begin to think about how varied controls are from game to game.  Your best bet would be to check maws and see which games you MUST be able to play need which controls and go from there.  I would buy multiple U360s so everyone switches on the fly.
3.  Most joystick tops are interchangable

1.  It's up to you.  The 7th button is for NeoGeo layout.  Some people have 8 or 9 for console emulation.  It's up to you.
2.  It's up to you.  4 buttons is plenty for MAME though
3. a. No.  Randy sells them as do plenty of other places I'm sure.
3. b. I don't know.

1. You need an optipac or a minipac to hook up a trackball and spinner (unless they are USB)
2. It's up to you.  Admin buttons control the secondary functions in MAME and with respect to your front end like pause, insert coin, exit to front end, etc.

There is a control panel thread stickied in Project Announcements with like a bazillion examples.  I'd start there.

If I were you I'd also not build a 4P frankenpanel.   :cheers:

DaveMMR:


--- Quote from: javeryh on May 07, 2009, 07:12:48 pm ---Read the WIKI - your questions are really really broad.

--- End quote ---

Javeryh is right.  You also owe it to yourself to search threads for each of your questions as there are miles of threads for each.

mimic:


--- Quote from: DaveMMR on May 07, 2009, 09:26:48 pm ---
--- Quote from: javeryh on May 07, 2009, 07:12:48 pm ---Read the WIKI - your questions are really really broad.

--- End quote ---

Javeryh is right.  You also owe it to yourself to search threads for each of your questions as there are miles of threads for each.

--- End quote ---

Don't "owe it to yourself..." You will find so many post "for", "against", "yay", "nay" your head will spin and you will never start. There is just an overload of information, tons of outdated stuff, you will not be able to figure it out. Best is to read few fresh opinions, try it, and soon enough you will know if that either worked for you, or if it's the complete opposite. People that were here for awhile tend to get bored with the same question that they answered once and instead of making room for people that didn't get tired yet and move on onto another thread, they will start telling new guys to do research, and that reading for 2 weeks straight is "fun" Fun is when you finally build the damn thing whether it comes out right or not.
Of course there are exceptions to every rule, example:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=84649.0l this guy went completly nuts and it turned out awesome!


I can only chip in on the buttons issue.
I'd go for 7.
4 on the bottom it will give you perfect neo-geo layout + 3 additional on top for mortal kombat/street fighter 2. Pretty much only fighting games require many buttons. If you're not into that then you can skip that many altogether.

as to how many buttons for player 3 & 4 I think no more than any 4-player game requires at the most. (I think it's 4, but I'd swear I saw one panel with 5 - but that's not worth it for just one game to have 5 buttons)

Turnarcades:

All said pretty much by Javery, though the 7th button thing is just a preference thing. Here is a compact panel we have done which would fill most of your requirements and still have room for a couple of spinners if you built one similar yourself:



If you wanted a little more room, just pull the outer player's layouts out an inch or two; this customer had specific space requirements. You will not need more than 4 buttons for player 3+4 (or 1+4 should that be?). This panel had 4 Mag+'s and they are great in 4-way - particularly 4-player Bomberman on the SNES.

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