Posted by Rob Caskey on August 09, 1999 at 16:36:56:
In Reply to: 4 PowerRamps with a Y-KeyKey? posted by ChrisF on August 09, 1999 at 16:13:42:
I think Haggstrom from the talk Im hearing will introduce a new encoder with at least 40 inputs, hopefully 50 or more :P Im building a 4 player control pannel, and I want to be able to play as many games as possible for as little money yet still have good parts.
Basically I love playing with friends, i hardly ever play by myself except classics like ms pacman for a quick break. I ruled a couple things out right off, like trackballs & spinners cus they take a good bit of additional work & add some to the cost + take up space. I love CPS2 & hope it gets emulated soon so I can play AD&D Tower of Doom, so I made sure all my sticks had at least 4 buttons. Then I said "I love sf2 & some other fighting games are alright so ill put 6 buttons on 2 of the sticks". This lets me play all the 4 player games I can think of. TMNT1 & 2 (although a bit buggy), Simpsons, X-Men, Warlords, Track & Field, and hopefully in a year or so AD&D Tower of Doom. The Happs Super 8s should also do a great job with SF2, MK1 & Mk3 Trilgy if I can ever find it on sale ofr the PC. Also the 2 6 player joysticks let me play Super Nintendo games & I can use any of the joysticks for NES games...
Finally: The Input Layouts!!!
*note the machine does have coin mechs & a credit button inside the mech but those will all use the same input as the credit buttons on top of the control pannel
4 Inputs: Player Starts
4 Inputs: Coin Mechs/ Credit Buttons
6 Inputs: Mame Control Buttons for Return, Pause, Volume, Reset, Esc, Tab
4 x 4 Inputs: The 4 Happs Super 8 Joysticks
6 x 2 Inputs: Buttons for the 6 Player Joysticks
4 x 2 Inputs: Buttons for the 4 Player Joysticks
Total Inputs: 50
Total Time Sensitive Inputs: 38
I have green & yello buttons for the 4 button players & red & blue for the six player buttons. I can put all the vital inputs on a 40 input encoder when they are made & use a kb hack for the rest. Of course if they make a 50 input encoder that would be best.