Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Visitor Q on September 17, 2008, 12:24:03 pm

Title: Admin Buttons
Post by: Visitor Q on September 17, 2008, 12:24:03 pm
What admin buttons do you recommend for a control panel layout?

I was considering the following.

Pause
Esc

I was thinking one or two others maybe good for games like Future Pinball to select screen veiws or maybe just two in general to set whatever.

Ideas and thoughts please.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: nipsmg on September 17, 2008, 01:00:08 pm
Suggestions:


-Exit to frontend (your ESC may cover this)
-Enter/Continue/Select
-Menu (TAB for mame)

Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: Visitor Q on September 17, 2008, 01:10:23 pm
Tab maybe a good one, I will have a keyboard draw so I will have access to a keyboard. I am more less looking for stuff that I will use a lot after configuration.
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: javeryh on September 17, 2008, 01:12:26 pm
I use 4 on all my CPs (but not necessarily ON the CP):

Pause
P1 Start
P2 Start
Exit to FE
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: TAG on September 17, 2008, 01:18:45 pm
I use 4 on all my CPs (but not necessarily ON the CP):

Pause
P1 Start
P2 Start
Exit to FE

I second those suggestions.
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: Visitor Q on September 17, 2008, 01:30:33 pm
Yeah I mean I am going to have these for sure.

Pause
Esc.
Coin 1
Coin 2
Player 1 Start
Player 2 Start

I am more or less looking beyond those...
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: TAG on September 17, 2008, 01:44:21 pm
Yeah I mean I am going to have these for sure.

Pause
Esc.
Coin 1
Coin 2
Player 1 Start
Player 2 Start

I am more or less looking beyond those...

Personally (and that's really what's important when designing your CP, since you're going to be the one using it most), I wouldn't put anything other than those on the CP.  Like you said, you'll have a keyboard close by when you need to take care of administrative matters, so why clutter up the CP with them?
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: Todd H on September 17, 2008, 01:48:21 pm
Yeah I mean I am going to have these for sure.

Pause
Esc.
Coin 1
Coin 2
Player 1 Start
Player 2 Start

I am more or less looking beyond those...

Except for Pause, those are the one's I'm going with. Thought about pause but decided on coin op games it took away some of the authenticity.
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: mark shaker on September 17, 2008, 01:56:37 pm
On one cab, I have a separate little area for admin buttons so I went a little wild:

   Menu
   Select
   Escape

   Pause
   Test
   Reset

On some of the cabinet's panels, I don't have a joystick, so if someone doesn't stop me I'm going to add an "OK" button!!!

   - Mark
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: DaveStall on September 17, 2008, 01:58:40 pm
I only have Escape and Pause on my panel.  Other less used functions (Volume, Tab, etc.) can be assigned to shifted keys.  If you have young children, you will probably end up using the Escape key only in a shifted mode as well after about half a day.

Dave
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: Benevolance on September 17, 2008, 02:26:09 pm
I liked Mountain's use of an admin bar, just above the control panel. It keeps the admin functions off the CP, but still gives you easy access to that functionality.

I think that my friends would abuse a 'reset' button, however.
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: Ginsu Victim on September 17, 2008, 02:32:38 pm
My setup:

On panel: Pause only (both players, next to p1 / p2 start). Shifted function - Esc (p1 start + pause)

On top of cab: Tab (shifted with p1 start = F2 settings), in Mamewah it's shutdown.

Under panel (flip up front): Coin, Reset, Lightgun cursor

Soon to be added under panel: Save state, load state
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: DeLuSioNal29 on September 17, 2008, 05:55:29 pm
Enter is a MUST have if you are running PC games through your front end.  Some PC games have in game menus that require that you press the "enter" key to select/play the game, etc.  I created a button on my panel physically labeled "select" and configured it for the enter key.  Then I just assigned my frontend's "play game" key to be that button.  Kills two birds with one stone.
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: Ginsu Victim on September 17, 2008, 05:57:27 pm
I have enter, arrow keys, and space as shifted functions.
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: javeryh on September 17, 2008, 06:25:09 pm

Except for Pause, those are the one's I'm going with. Thought about pause but decided on coin op games it took away some of the authenticity.

If you have a wife and/or kids I HIGHLY recommend a pause button - authentic or not.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Admin Buttons
Post by: Loafmeister on September 17, 2008, 07:46:28 pm
If you're getting old and frequent the can a lot, I also recommend the pause button :)