Best control panel set up for cabinet

[mytymaus007]

Im building a caberet with hot swap panels. Whats the best joystick and button setup for all console's old and new. I will have usb ports for the games that are better for a gamepad but is it possible to play all consoles through the control panel and not even bother with a game pad at all.

[mytymaus007]

What consoles are people playing in their cabs that would work with a control panel instead of a gamepad

[scofthe7seas]

I don't play consoles on my cabinet, but I would imagine Genesis games would work really well.. probably SNES and NES also.. maybe some older non analog PSX games.

[Corbo]

TurboGrafix works well with a 2 or 6 button layout.
Any console that doesn't use an analogue stick
I'd like to give the CD32 a whirl I think that might work well.

[DirtyDachshunds]

I play console games through my control panel, although it's drawn some criticism for my amount of buttons.  All NES, SNES, and genesis games play great (re-beat "A link to the past" not too long ago using my CP).

Even some analog games work great if you have a U360.  I've played Zelda: Ocarina of Time on my CP and the U360 worked great for my analog controls with my buttons.  However there is no easy way to play any dual-analog games (shooters) without a controller.

[leapinlew]

I guess I never really understood why people are playing console games on their arcade games. It seems to me that if someone cared enough about authenticity enough to have a full sized arcade cabinet, they would prefer the authentic feel for console games as well.

i.e. a bag of chips, a 2 liter of soda, controller, sitting on a couch, and tv.

[scofthe7seas]

I suppose you can think of it as a kind of "Play Choice" expansion.. Though I've never been a fan of the playchoice systems.

[Corbo]

Console games are a great addition to an arcade for when you want a little more depth.  Arcade games are designed to give you a quick blast of fun and take your money.  Console games can be played out over a period of weeks with save states.  Sometimes I want a blast of Outrun, other times I want to get a few stages further on ToeJam and Earl and save my game.

Console arcade ports however, I find them pretty pointless when I can fire up the real arcade version of a game!

[leapinlew]

Console games can be played out over a period of weeks with save states.  Sometimes I want a blast of Outrun, other times I want to get a few stages further on ToeJam and Earl and save my game.

thats my point...

I'll sit on the couch for a few weeks vs standing at a arcade game. The only practical way I see it making sense is to save space, but to me, it's too much of a compromise.

[Ginsu Victim]

maybe some older non analog PSX games.

Other than Ape Escape, I can't think of any games that required analog. Usually it was just optional.

[mytymaus007]

I guess I never really understood why people are playing console games on their arcade games. It seems to me that if someone cared enough about authenticity enough to have a full sized arcade cabinet, they would prefer the authentic feel for console games as well.

i.e. a bag of chips, a 2 liter of soda, controller, sitting on a couch, and tv.

I see your point but since Ive been using Hyperspin im addicted to adding more systems to my wheel. So im not 100% authentic when it comes to consoles.

[DirtyDachshunds]

I guess I never really understood why people are playing console games on their arcade games. It seems to me that if someone cared enough about authenticity enough to have a full sized arcade cabinet, they would prefer the authentic feel for console games as well.

i.e. a bag of chips, a 2 liter of soda, controller, sitting on a couch, and tv.

It's more for nostalgia.  A lot of these arcade games bring back these nostalgic memories I had and I wanted to capture that with consoles in my arcade as well.  Also, I love having the ability to play The Simpsons or something with friends then switch over to the original Tecmo Super Bowl.

Also, I don't want 10 systems setup under my TV for the 'authentic feel'

[mytymaus007]

I play console games through my control panel, although it's drawn some criticism for my amount of buttons.  All NES, SNES, and genesis games play great (re-beat "A link to the past" not too long ago using my CP).

Even some analog games work great if you have a U360.  I've played Zelda: Ocarina of Time on my CP and the U360 worked great for my analog controls with my buttons.  However there is no easy way to play any dual-analog games (shooters) without a controller.

I checked out your CAB looks great. As for the 8 button setup im asssuming thats used for your console games. So if you had to build your cab again would you use the 8 button setup. Im thinking that 8 buttons with a u360 might cover most console games. This is the reason why i went with hot swap panels so i can add on as needed.!

[DirtyDachshunds]

It definitely covers all consoles if you use P1 start as Start and a coin button as 'select'.  For what I wanted out of my cab, I wouldn't change anything.  I'm one of the few who like the larger sized cabs, and grew up playing 4 player games with strangers like the simpsons or x-men.

I laid out all my controls, and it didn't look overly crowded (which can be argued), so I figured why not?

However, I rarely use all 8 buttons and I play MAME games more than any other, but I do play other games occasionally and like having the functionality to be able to play those games.  Also, I have never had player 2 use all 8 buttons yet.  A multi-player game that uses all 8 buttons requires serious commitment to learn the game from the second party (which my arcade is generally used for shorter play sessions with guests).  But I needed the 8 buttons for player 2 for symmetry.

And I could of went down to 4 buttons for P3 and P4 instead of 6.  I was thinking it would be fun to play something like 4 player madden or something, so I went with the 6 buttons for P3 and P4, but they haven't been used yet.  But then again, I do have the functionality.

[leapinlew]

Also, I don't want 10 systems setup under my TV for the 'authentic feel'

I guess I don't care so much about using an actual console. The way I did it was to mod my original Xbox to play all the older console games.

[Corbo]

Console games can be played out over a period of weeks with save states.  Sometimes I want a blast of Outrun, other times I want to get a few stages further on ToeJam and Earl and save my game.

thats my point...

I'll sit on the couch for a few weeks vs standing at a arcade game. The only practical way I see it making sense is to save space, but to me, it's too much of a compromise.

Buy a stool lol.  It doesn't affect me so much, my mini arcade has HDMI out and USB.  So I can plug it into the TV and sit back on the couch with a control pad