Connetting one button to multiple pins

darkav

Hi,

I have a brand new ControlBlock :)
I see that I can connect up to 12 buttons per player (switch1..8, coin, start, A, B), but I'd like to have less buttons, so that I need less space.

For instance I'd like to have something like (per player):

B1 -> switch 1 / A
B2 -> switch 2 / B
B3 -> switch 3
(...)

B9 -> coin

Is that OK?

Also, not sure what "start" is...it's necessary? Should be connected to a separate button, and we need one per player? Or we can have one "start" button connected to both start for player 1 and start for player 2?

edmaul69

@darkav the start button is used in most emulators. And for mame/fba everyone needs a start button.

darkav

@edmaul69 OK. But it' needed when playing?
I mean, It's OK to wire a Button to both (for instance) switch 3 AND start?

edmaul69

@darkav most systems use it as pause so if you play a 3 button game you wouldnt be able to use that button because it would always pause. Neo geo some games use the start button as taunt so it would make the button inuseable on those games. There might be other stuff in mame that might use the start button for something else. Select button is needed for coin in the arcades and and to move through menus in other games systems. Not really useable with another button because it would make the coin in sound everytime you pressed it.

darkav

@edmaul69 Interesting, tnx. Does A and B have the same problem?
I mean, it's safe to configure:

B1 -> switch 1 / A
B2 -> switch 2 / B

?

edmaul69

@darkav yeah that should be fine.

darkav

@edmaul69 OK, So I'm going to follow this mapping, with "only" 15 buttons:

Player1:
B1: switch 1 / A
B2: switch 2 / B
B3: switch 3
B4: switch 4
B5: switch 5
B6: switch 6
B7: start P1

Player2:
B8: switch 1 / A
B9: switch 2 / B
B10: switch 3
B11: switch 4
B12: switch 5
B13: switch 6
B15: start P2

Common:
B16: Coin (I don't see a reason to have separate coin buttons for P1 and P2)

edmaul69

@darkav map both players coin buttons together there are games where the players have to add coins to their own slots. It kept people from stealing credits