What would you map to these 3 buttons?

[DiskTwo]

One annoying thing for me throughout my MAME build, is that everything I need to do, I seem to need to wait on something else to be done before I can finish that particular thing. Its a viscous cycle.

So Im Currently having that issue again. I wont be able to get my software up and running until Tuesday, However id like to move forward on planning my CPO and attempting to find someone to make one for me...

Along the top of the CP I have 7 buttons.



P1 Start  --  P2 Coin -------------------------------  B1 - B2 - B3 ------------------------------ P2 Start -- P2 Coin


Im trying to figure out what king of things I can/should map to the middle 3 system buttons

I was thinking along the lines of Start/??.??/Pause.

Any suggestions would help me out greatly.

[Bender]

start/enter-----------Exit(shifted)----------Pause+tab(shifted)

[Octo]

Maybe you don't need those buttons if you can't figure out what to map them to? I'd just have a pause button, with a shifted ESC function.

[DiskTwo]

Honestly I really like the way the layout looks with the 3 in the middle. I know it's a lame reason 

Also, Id prefer things to be a little more straight forward.

(Exit, pause, Etc) vs having to tell people to hold this button, then press this button to get this effect.


What do you mean by Exit(Shifted)? Having a shift button somewhere else on the cab/panel, and have that button only be exit when shift is press? I'd assume that would be to avoid accidental exits during a rough game of golden tee?

[Beretta]

mame menu, service menu, exit..

pause you could make player 1+2 start.

[DiskTwo]

Hmm that may work. Maybe Ill go with this

Exit Game - Admin - Pause


That way I can label the middle button "Admin" and map it to  either shift or mame menu or any other thing and it will at least still appear straight forward with little explaining.


Thanks for the suggestions, That made it much easier to decide. 

[mvsfan]

ive got mine like this. Ive only got 3 "admin" buttons on the control panel.

Start Game, Exit Game, and Pause. Ive also got a toggle switch hidden under the control panel to turn off the exit game button for when kids play.

they dont understand how to select a game, etc and get mad when it drops to the game menu.

also, ive got a rack of admin buttons on top of my marquee for me to use. I spaced them so i can know what im hitting by touch. i also alternated concave and convex buttons to help with that even more.

these buttons are:

Tab - for bringing up in game menu

F2 - for game specific menus in games that dont have dips


*SPACE*

F3 - Reset Game

Pc power switch - For turning off game.

and it works great.

[protokatie]

mame menu, service menu, exit..

pause you could make player 1+2 start.

There is always going to be some problem when using the two player start buttons together to perform a function. In this case, it may only break up the action when both players are trying to bring their character back into the game. I am sure I am not alone here in saying that player 1 start + player 2 start should rarely (if ever) be used as a combo. IMHO, never use any "game buttons" when it comes to admin functions.

As per the original question, I also have a 3 button admin plan:  Shift. Escape (only when shift is held). Pause. (colored Black, Red, Green respectivly)

EDIT: And yes.. I DO have a dedicated shift button... I find this works very well, also the fact I have to hold the shift button and tap the exit button prevents accidental exiting, although this may take a second to explain to people.

[ivwshane]

start/coin(only if you don't have a coin mech)--------tab/left mouse click--shiftkey--pause/right mouse click--------start/coin

[Beretta]

protokatie to each his own.. personally i would'nt put any admin buttons on the control panel.

it's not likely to hit start at the same time.. worse case scenario you pause the game.