Four eight-button panels?

[bobo72a]

So here's the problem: I've built one player arcade sticks before, but I'm in the process of planning my first standup mame machine and unsure about how many buttons you really need.

I intend on having 8 buttons each for players 1 and 2 (for fighting games and other emulators), but for players 3 and 4 I doubt that that many are required. I'm thinking four buttons would be sufficient, but I don't know how many games have 4 players and more than 4 buttons each, so I defer to the experts here. Would I be able to play pretty much any worthwhile game with just 4 buttons for players 3 and 4? I'm programming my own interfacing via an ATmega1280, so maximum amount of buttons isn't an issue and I'd rather have more buttons than less if there is a good reason to.

So what do you think BYOAC? Is 4 buttons for players 3 and 4 enough or am I overlooking something great?


I'll try to upload a scan of my panel plan here soon.

[Beretta]

the short answer yes.. long answer there are a few 3&4player games that take more then 4 buttons.. but you can count them on one hand..

check http://maws.mameworld.info/maws/

see if it's anything you can't live without..