Using One Side Of The Controller

[D_Harris]

I just want to make sure I'm not missing something.

Am I correct in thinking that both input rows on the Hydrogen controller are not needed and that both 1st and 2nd player controls can be hooked up to just the 1st player side, if the game play is simultaneous and not alternating?(Then all I'd need is the Player 2 start from the 2nd row).

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[Deadly]

Two joyticks and buttons in conjunction with each other would simply duplicate player 1 actions. It's no different than playing using a keyboard - all values for each player need to be different.

[u_rebelscum]

Deadly, you're mostly right, but I'd say it in a very different way:

If you don't mind player 1 accidentally/intentionally able to mess with player 2's controls during P2's play, and vice versa, you're fine hooking both to the same inputs for alternating play games.  Plus, most games are set up default so the players have to swap, or have it wired like you want.

However, many people don't like having one player able to mess up the other's game, so they wire the players separately.  The problem with this is that unless the game has a seperate player control mode, separating the controls might not work.  And many games that have a separate controls mode, that mode is cocktail, so unless player two can play upside down, you need a special mame that doesn't flip player 2 in cocktail mode.


So the easy answer is, for the OP's situation, wiring them together like the OP said is the easiest way out.

[D_Harris]

Deadly, you're mostly right, but I'd say it in a very different way:

If you don't mind player 1 accidentally/intentionally able to mess with player 2's controls during P2's play, and vice versa, you're fine hooking both to the same inputs for alternating play games.  Plus, most games are set up default so the players have to swap, or have it wired like you want.

However, many people don't like having one player able to mess up the other's game, so they wire the players separately.  The problem with this is that unless the game has a seperate player control mode, separating the controls might not work.  And many games that have a separate controls mode, that mode is cocktail, so unless player two can play upside down, you need a special mame that doesn't flip player 2 in cocktail mode.


So the easy answer is, for the OP's situation, wiring them together like the OP said is the easiest way out.

That's what I thought.

But let me make it simple.

Only one control panel will be used...

(And I know of no games that only operate in cocktail only mode).

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[u_rebelscum]

But let me make it simple.

Only one control panel will be used...

... specifically for alternating play games.


The easiest way is to wire both to player 1, as long as you don't mind that both joystick will always work.

There are other ways to get it so only player1 joystick only works when it's his turn, but it's a lot more work and headache and might not work for all games, as mame source needs to be hacked to disable the screen flip part of emulating the cocktail feature.

(I might be misunderstanding your comment?)

(And I know of no games that only operate in cocktail only mode).

There are a few cocktail only games, but most of them are old simultaneous play games like atari football & atari soccer.  I think there are something like two alternating games that have have a cocktail only versions (but they also have standout verisons), but I can't find the thread on that.

[D_Harris]

But let me make it simple.

Only one control panel will be used...

... specifically for alternating play games.


The easiest way is to wire both to player 1, as long as you don't mind that both joystick will always work.

There are other ways to get it so only player1 joystick only works when it's his turn, but it's a lot more work and headache and might not work for all games, as mame source needs to be hacked to disable the screen flip part of emulating the cocktail feature.

(I might be misunderstanding your comment?)

(And I know of no games that only operate in cocktail only mode).

There are a few cocktail only games, but most of them are old simultaneous play games like atari football & atari soccer.  I think there are something like two alternating games that have have a cocktail only versions (but they also have standout verisons), but I can't find the thread on that.

Ok, perhaps I didn't simplify things enough.

I will be using a control panel that has a single joystick and about 1/2 dozen game buttons.

So like I said, I will wire up only the player 1 side along with the player 2 start, which would be the only input I'll have to use on the player 2 row.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[u_rebelscum]

Considering that the original alternating player games had only one set of controls, and mame is very heavy on matching the originals, and your wiring sounds like you're matching the original, you're fine.  (I think it was the OP wording that kept throwing us off.)

So, review:
Games like pacman had only one joystick, and when playing "2 player" games, the players would trade using the one joystick.  Mame is designed to follow the same pattern, so if you wire with only one joystick (& buttons) to player one, and play only one player to two player alternating games, all you'll need for player 2 is player 2 start.

Of course with only one joystick, you won't be able to play 2 player simultaneous games.


One question, why would you need a dozen buttons, let alone two? 

[D_Harris]

One question, why would you need a dozen buttons, let alone two? 

I said 1/2 dozen buttons. (Which would entail three on each side of the joystick).

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

[mytymaus007]

Did you build a control panel already or do you have a cab with one joystick in it.

[u_rebelscum]

One question, why would you need a dozen buttons, let alone two? 

I said 1/2 dozen buttons. (Which would entail three on each side of the joystick).

D'oh.  I read that as "one or two dozen", not "half a dozen".