Are 6 buttons enough for MAME cabinet?

[megamoze]

I'm modeling my CP after a Tankstick, which has 8 buttons per player.  I've been told many times that this is overkill, but I want to make sure, before I opt for 6, that 6 buttons is enough for most MAME games.  I can't think of any game that uses more than 3, to be honest, but maybe I'm not thinking of every scenario.

In addition to the 6 buttons, I will have a rotary joystick per player, a spinner, a trackball, two player start buttons and two coin buttons.

Thoughts?

[Slippyblade]

As far as arcade games go, the vast majority use 3 or fewer buttons.  A few used 4.  The Mortal Kombat Games used 5, then 6.  And most other fighting games used 6.  You only need more than 6 is you plan on emulating later model console games.

[Nephasth]

Do I have to tell you twice? 

[megamoze]

Do I have to tell you twice? 

Haha!  I'm trying to get a few opinions so I can get a better consensus.  Like my question of spraypaint vs rollers.  I've gotten both, but I think most people who've responded to me seem to lean toward spray.

[Nephasth]

The only reason why some people have 8 buttons per player is "modern" console games. You said you'll be running MAME and some classic console emulators. 6 buttons is enough.

[aldub516]

6 buttons and you are money

[Malenko]

6 is all you need. I prefer 7 (but it can be wired in parallel to another button) just for layout. I think my instruction card explains it the bestest:

[BadMouth]

As far as MAME goes, none use more than 6 until you get into oddball things like majhong or the keyboard on Thayer's Quest.

By default, MAME assumes you have 6 arranged like:

123
456

Stick with that and just about everything will be mapped correctly without having to do any remapping.

I did 7 because I did a Neo Geo themed cab and wanted the "Neo Geo four in a row".
After actually using it for a while though, I prefer using the first three buttons on the top row and hitting the first button in the second row with my thumb.
(which is how it's mapped by default using a 6 button layout). 

That said, I play a lot of Steam games on my cab and there are a couple games I needed an 8th button for.

If just sticking to MAME and other arcade emulators, I'd only have 6.  It's just less complicated and looks better.
If you plan to hook it up to a console or play steam games, it's good to have the same 8 buttons the commercially available fight stick or fight pads have.
(although so far with the PC fighting games, they are all still playable with 6.  The two extra buttons are basically just shortcuts to post button combos)

[Ginsu Victim]

6 is all you need. I prefer 7 (but it can be wired in parallel to another button) just for layout. I think my instruction card explains it the bestest:

I was using an edited version of this on my first cabinet design and no one bothered looking at it. I wound up removing it from the layout altogether.

[8BitMonk]

I'll reiterate from my other post:

You don't need 8 buttons for each player running those emulators. 6 will do just fine.

One caveat, if you're really into fighting games like Street Fighter IV or plan on playing Steam games 8 buttons can be nice. With 8 you can map a separate Start and Back button like an Xbox Controller would have or match the button mapping of a fightstick.

[Vigo]

I'm gonna echo Malenko. A 7 button layout can be nice if you want a 4 button spread for neo-geo and other 4 button games. But 6 should be all you need if you are running mame.

[megamoze]

Awesome, guys!  Thanks!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[keilmillerjr]

Depends on what games you plan on playing. I care only bout neo geo games. I only need 4 buttons.

[Ginsu Victim]

I have an odd 7 button layout (which only uses six inputs) where the extra button is on the right side, which means the buttons are mapped as follows

456
123
     4

I use my pinky for the extra 4 button. Works great. Obviously Capcom fans will want to remap the top and bottom rows.

[harveybirdman]

getting ready to piss off a bunch of fighter players...


In reality four buttons is enough.

You still have enough for Neo Geo, D&D, and 90 % of all of the decent games in MAME

Do you really care about Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat? If so make a dedicated fighter cab.

[pbj]

Most NeoGeo games don't even use the 4th button, and if they do, it's usually for something stupid.

[Ginsu Victim]

Most NeoGeo games don't even use the 4th button, and if they do, it's usually for something stupid.

Ignore this if you enjoy King of Fighters.

[Malenko]

Most NeoGeo games don't even use the 4th button, and if they do, it's usually for something stupid.

Ignore this if you enjoy King of Fighters.

and or Samurai Shodown

[pbj]

Played those games to death on my Saturn in the 90s.  In my 15 year history with this hobby, no guest has ever asked to play a NeoGeo fighter.  Metal Slug has come up a few times and Crossed Swords once or twice but that's it.

So if you want to taunt your computer opponent in KoF then by all means add that fourth button.

[Malenko]

So if you want to taunt your computer opponent in KoF then by all means add that fourth button.

I really only play up to KoF 2003 , but you need all 4 buttons to attack. A significant number of super moves require C+D, and you can press C+D while blocking to guard cancel "Blow Away Attack"

[Ginsu Victim]

Most NeoGeo games don't even use the 4th button, and if they do, it's usually for something stupid.

Ignore this if you enjoy King of Fighters.

and or Samurai Shodown

Yeah, I was just saying that for starters. Look how many of those there are (and I play them all the time....plus The Last Blade 1&2, Art of Fighting III, Garou, SVC Chaos, etc)

[Green Giant]

I did 7 because I did a Neo Geo themed cab and wanted the "Neo Geo four in a row".
After actually using it for a while though, I prefer using the first three buttons on the top row and hitting the first button in the second row with my thumb.
(which is how it's mapped by default using a 6 button layout). 

This is very interesting.  I was gonna make a new post but I figured I will hijack this one instead.

I am planning a new control panel for my old cab and I want to maximize quality and available games while minimizing complexity for new players.  Basically it is for a friend to put in his office where I imagine any number of a few hundred strangers could chance upon it.  I have to make it idiot proof.  The boost to enable this will be using RGB leds behind every button, joystick, trackball, and spinner.  Therefore I was thinking how best to do Neo-Geo.

You said you prefer the below look which I think will be fine since they would be lit up via leds.  My original CP was the 7 button layout and I wasn't sure what it would be like lowering it to 6 buttons.
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4XX
I guess just wondering how well the 4 buttons games play with that layout and thoughts on my idea behind it.

[Nephasth]

I have to make it idiot proof.

Not possible. Closest you'll get is either LED buttons lit when active, or PBJ's method of mirroring the what would otherwise be "unused" buttons to active ones. Either scenario, idiots will ---fudgesicle--- it up.

[BadMouth]

You said you prefer the below look which I think will be fine since they would be lit up via leds.  My original CP was the 7 button layout and I wasn't sure what it would be like lowering it to 6 buttons.
123
4XX
I guess just wondering how well the 4 buttons games play with that layout and thoughts on my idea behind it.

I originally wanted to stick with the original button layouts, but found that I preferred the above for all four button games.
Not only Neo Geo, but also the Tekken fighters.  It's just easier to hit all the buttons without using your pinky or moving fingers between rows.  Having your index and middle finger punch left and right with your thumb and ring finger kicking left and right is pretty intuitive.

Originally I was concerned with forming muscle memory on the wrong layouts, but then I realized  1.  I don't play enough to form any muscle memory, 2. I suck and 3. I might play fighting games on an original machine maybe once a year.

[Green Giant]

I have to make it idiot proof.

Not possible. Closest you'll get is either LED buttons lit when active, or PBJ's method of mirroring the what would otherwise be "unused" buttons to active ones. Either scenario, idiots will ---fudgesicle--- it up.

Yeah that is what I was implying with the RGBs.  My original ran ledblinky and lit up the correct buttons to the correct games, although I am curious how much has changed since version 3 beta.  Lighting them up is the only way to make sure people don't get to confused.  Which is why I am pumped they have the servostik as a light up joystick option.

I will just have to do a ton of testing and debugging. 

[diggso]

@megamoze: i know its not the question you were asking but i'd make really sure you need the rotary joysticks and spinners per player. I've been struggling with this design and I've come up with a way that I'm hoping will allow rotary games to be played by using the spinners. having separate rotaries would be cool but could be really cluttered.

[megamoze]

@megamoze: i know its not the question you were asking but i'd make really sure you need the rotary joysticks and spinners per player. I've been struggling with this design and I've come up with a way that I'm hoping will allow rotary games to be played by using the spinners. having separate rotaries would be cool but could be really cluttered.

I only have one spinner on the CP and two rotary joysticks.  The design works for me.  Not too cluttered.

[diggso]

Yeah makes perfect sense with only 1 spinner. I'll keep an eye out for it. Best of luck.

[ark_ader]

You want 5 buttons on a Tank Stick.  That way you don't hurt yourself going for that 6th putton press to apease those wierdos that say you cannot press more than 6 inputs at a time.