Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: BorgDog on April 10, 2015, 11:41:50 am

Title: Number of buttons...
Post by: BorgDog on April 10, 2015, 11:41:50 am
I am currently planning a series (at least 2 more) of small bartops to go with Little Bastard (link in sig), and the next one up is going to be a dedicated single player vertical screen with switchable 4/8 way joystick (probably Omni2 with servo added).  My question is how many buttons to go with them?  I've seen 2, 3, 4, and even 6 on single player bartops posted on here.  I plan on playing the older 4-way classics (pacman, dk, etc) and vertical scrolling classics and older shumps.  I was thinking 3, as a few of the shumps use that many, but is there any reason to go with 4 or 6?  What will I be missing?  or is it all just newer fighters and such that use more?  Also bear in mind that these control panels will only be like 3.5"x9.5" give or take so space is limited.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Number of buttons...
Post by: Malenko on April 10, 2015, 11:46:38 am
Do you plan to play fighting games? If Yes 6 buttons .If no, go to the next question
Do you plan to play NeoGeo games? If Yes 4 buttons. If no, 3 buttons.
Title: Re: Number of buttons...
Post by: Vigo on April 10, 2015, 11:58:24 am
With a vert. only, I personally am fine with only 2 buttons. There are only a small smattering of vert games that need 3 or more, at least if you look at mid 90's and earlier. There might be some more modern shmups that take more, but Gun Smoke is the only game I hear people groaning about with wanting a 3rd button.
Title: Re: Number of buttons...
Post by: Malenko on April 10, 2015, 12:10:06 pm
totally glossed over, my brain put "switchable" on the monitor orientation not the joystick.

I'd go 3 buttons just to be safe but no more than that
Title: Re: Number of buttons...
Post by: Vigo on April 10, 2015, 12:24:02 pm
totally glossed over, my brain put "switchable" on the monitor orientation not the joystick.

I'd go 3 buttons just to be safe but no more than that

 :lol I decided to let you figure out what you missed on your own.

I agree, no more than 3 are needed. There is very little you would gain from more than 3.
Title: Re: Number of buttons...
Post by: BadMouth on April 10, 2015, 12:36:00 pm
If you're not interested in fighting games, I think 3 is perfect.

Although Neo Geo had 4 buttons, most non-fighting games only used 3.
Most sports games used 3.
The few Dungeons and Dragons games used 4, but in MAME you can map a combo to the 4th.  Not sure I'd want to play them on a bartop by myself anyway.
If using emulators other than MAME, you need 3 for more modern shmups (NAOMI, Taito Type X).

If it were 4-way joystick only an argument could be made for 2, but being it is switchable I'd stick with 3.


Title: Re: Number of buttons...
Post by: Vigo on April 10, 2015, 04:04:07 pm
The joystick is going to be switchable, not the screen. (Unless you like your fighting games nice and skinny.)

You and Mal need your eyes checked.   ;D
Title: Re: Number of buttons...
Post by: BorgDog on April 10, 2015, 04:46:05 pm
Thanks for the input guys, 3 it is.