Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: BlackThorne on October 17, 2003, 09:18:41 am
-
I'm talking about games like D&D - Tower of Doom, Golden Axe and other games that need an own coin-slot for each player. So what are my options now?
1. Buying an additional 2-slot coindoor? - That whould make my whole cab much wider. And what if i don't find the exact same coindoor again (it was a used one that i bought on ebay)?
2. Adding credits for player 3+4 by simply pressing a button? - Whouldn't that destroy the whole concept? I mean that's why a bought a coindoor in the first place!
All that made me thinking: Do a need 4-player support anyway? Most of the time we are only 2 players and if there really whould be a third or even forth, they could use gamepads to play and push a button instead of inserting a coin because that's how i play at the moment. It doesn't have the arcade feel but it works.
I haven't built my cab, yet but originally I was planning for a 2-player CP with modular players 3 and 4 (so i just need to plug in additional control-panels for them at the sides). But now i'm not so sure anymore if i need 4-players anyway. The size of my cab whould be pretty restricted by the size of my room anyway, so why waste space for a 4-player CP?
But maybe i'm just looking for an excuse because i didn't think it through when i bought my coindoor?
Any comments?
-
What are you using for an interface card?
IIRC, if you are using the 2 player ipac or similar, it would be tough to wire up 2 more dedicated slots to the card without losing other buttons.
-
Well you could just do it on the software side, setup mame so that coin 1 gives player 1 & 2 credits and coin 2 gives player 3 & 4 credits (only in the games that support 4 players ofcourse).
Adding a second coindoor for those few 4player games isnt worth it IMO, costs to much and like you said it takes alot of space aswell.
-
I was planning to get an I-Pac4 so that whouldn't be a problem.
-
@DAmnb: That sound's like a good solution. I didn't think of that but i didn't know that that's possible (i'm not that familiar with setting up mame).
-
My second cab (planning stages) will have modular 3/4 player panels. My solution is to have coin buttons only on those panels...so, when the panels aren't on (most of the time) there won't be a trace of any coin buttons.
A little off topic...in addition to taking coins for credit, my reject buttons will be wired to give credit. Just a thought for those times you want to play but don't have quarters handy. It's a good idea that's been done before, and best of all it doesn't change the look of anything.
Just my thoughts...hope they help.
Edit...Bad Speller!
-
I think that#s how i'll do it: coin buttons on the modular panels!
-
Another thing: How the hell do i wire this thing up? I have no keyboard-encoder yet (i-pac4 planned) but i want to test if everything works. So can i just connect it to my pc-power supply or what?
btw. here's a pic (http://www.alpha-electronic.de/images/ebay/big/kassentuer12.jpg).
-
The lights can just connect to the 5V line and ground of the pc power supply, and the switches at the bottom you can just connect straight to the coin1 and coin2 ipac connections when you get it. Not sure what the counter on the side would be wired up to. looks like it might need power...
-
Sell me your 2 player coindoor to fund a 4 player coin door!!!
-
Another thing: How the hell do i wire this thing up? I have no keyboard-encoder yet (i-pac4 planned) but i want to test if everything works. So can i just connect it to my pc-power supply or what?
btw. here's a pic (http://www.alpha-electronic.de/images/ebay/big/kassentuer12.jpg).
Ah, it's a newer Midway door. Nice.
The only thing you can hook up to your power supply is the lights. Make sure you get the voltage correct, or you'll blow the bulb.
If you want to see if the microswitches work, check them with a multimeter.
-
I was planning to get an I-Pac4 so that whouldn't be a problem.
use the Ipac "shift" function for players 3 and 4. hold down the "shift" function key when inserting coins for player 3 and 4
-
I wired P1 and P2 coins to the microswitches on the coin mechs of my coin door. Then I added 2 microswitches that are activated when I push the coin reject buttons. I wired them to the P3 and P4 coin inputs on my IPAC4
Rocky
-
I think some of those 4 player games could be set up in their DIP switches to allow for a smaller coin door. i.e. you would insert coins into any coin slot, then press a corresponding start button for the player you were using... or maybe I misunderstood those options I dunno.
You could set the player Start buttons to be coin buttons instead, in TMNT and X-Men and Simpsons, since those games only had player coin slots and the two player buttons, no individual start buttons. Or you could set those games to free play. You can also get two really thin individual coin slots, and install them to either side of the door you bought... I think I priced that once and found that the cost-per-slot was pretty even across the different numbers of slots you could get, at least on Happ's site.
-
A quick note...
Gauntlet cabinets used 2 2player coin mechs...
Might be solution for you... just getting another.
Another note...
When you are playing 4 player games with 4 players... You usually don't want to use coins... So it might be better to add coins to the start button also... because you want just a button to mash.