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    Arcade Buttons - How Many? Layout?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Ideas and Development
    controllerbuttonslayoutarcade
    38 Posts 15 Posters 123.1k Views
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    • Z
      ZogZogAkita
      last edited by

      Here is what I've done on my bartop :

      Complete layout :

      0_1484311887282_2017-01-13 13_51_04-Projet Bartop -  Guide installation.docx - Word.png

      Hotkey functions

      0_1484311899098_2017-01-13 13_51_09-Projet Bartop -  Guide installation.docx - Word.png

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • D
        dsstrainer
        last edited by

        Aren't the lower buttons in the way of playing?

        RetroPie v4.2 • RPi3 Model B • 5.1V 2.5A PSU • 8GB SanDisk class 10 microSD • 16GB External USB Thumb Drive
        Roms, images and configs stored in USB and symlinked from normal microsd location
        Xarcade Keyboard encoder + Zero Delay Joystick encoder

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • Z
          ZogZogAkita
          last edited by

          No, lower buttons are actually in front of bartop:

          0_1484412665971_IMG_2320.jpg

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • D
            dsstrainer
            last edited by

            Ah ok.. nice.

            Here's my latest panel I just sold. Tried a different offset for the buttons but don't like it. It turned out better on yours but mine feels a bit cramped. Customer didn't mind tho :)

            0_1484580246897_cubs-top-cpo (Medium).jpg

            0_1484580261401_cubs-front-cpo (Medium).jpg

            I used
            L R X
            Y B A

            RetroPie v4.2 • RPi3 Model B • 5.1V 2.5A PSU • 8GB SanDisk class 10 microSD • 16GB External USB Thumb Drive
            Roms, images and configs stored in USB and symlinked from normal microsd location
            Xarcade Keyboard encoder + Zero Delay Joystick encoder

            R 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • R
              rolrod66 @dsstrainer
              last edited by

              @dsstrainer
              I'm new to retropie .. I really like your button layout, can you share your button configuration file with me?

              D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • D
                dsstrainer @rolrod66
                last edited by

                @rolrod66 I found that one here
                http://slagcoin.com/joystick/layout.html

                alt text
                I only used 6 buttons tho

                RetroPie v4.2 • RPi3 Model B • 5.1V 2.5A PSU • 8GB SanDisk class 10 microSD • 16GB External USB Thumb Drive
                Roms, images and configs stored in USB and symlinked from normal microsd location
                Xarcade Keyboard encoder + Zero Delay Joystick encoder

                R 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • R
                  rolrod66 @dsstrainer
                  last edited by

                  @dsstrainer
                  Can you send me your retro arch config file for your buttons so I have something to work from. I would really appreciate it thanks!

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • L
                    lazarlazarov
                    last edited by

                    Do you reconfigure the keys in mame after the setup? I tried to, but it maps directly to the joystick, instead of retroarch.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • R
                      rolrod66
                      last edited by

                      Would some one send me their all/retorarch.cfg file that is setup for 2 players. So, I have a idea how to setup up mine. THANK YOU!

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • AndersHPA
                        AndersHP
                        last edited by

                        I'm in the process of a bartop build, and I'm adding side buttons as well, primarily to have these as pinball buttons.

                        But what do you assign these for if not X,Y,A,B or L and R (my layout pr. player is 6 buttons)?

                        And is there a cool functionality to have for side buttons in Emulation station, e.g. letter browsing or something like that?

                        My "Bubble Bobble" Themed Bartop Arcade
                        My Gameboy

                        B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • B
                          backstander @AndersHP
                          last edited by

                          @AndersHP

                          I'm adding side buttons as well, primarily to have these as pinball buttons.

                          I like that idea!

                          But what do you assign these for if not X,Y,A,B or L and R (my layout pr. player is 6 buttons)?

                          You could use L2 and R2 (aka trigger buttons) or L3 and R3 (push in sticks buttons)

                          And is there a cool functionality to have for side buttons in Emulation station, e.g. letter browsing or something like that?

                          On my controller if you use either the L2 and R2 trigger buttons or the L and R shoulder buttons (can't remember which) you can move down or up a page. That might be a good use for those side buttons.

                          pjftP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • pjftP
                            pjft @backstander
                            last edited by

                            @backstander @AndersHP I love the idea of setting up side buttons for pinball games! Is it possible to get those to have the same function as existing buttons (I.e. having two buttons assigned to r2, for instance)?

                            I imagine that theoretically it would be, we'd just connect the two buttons to the same GPIO pin? But as I haven't done any such setup yet, I'd love to get your thoughts for when I do set up my bartop.

                            Thanks!

                            B caver01C 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • B
                              backstander @pjft
                              last edited by

                              @pjft

                              I imagine that theoretically it would be, we'd just connect the two buttons to the same GPIO pin?

                              I've never tried it either but I think it would be possible. I thought I read once of someone doing something like that on their bartop.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • caver01C
                                caver01 @pjft
                                last edited by

                                @pjft said in Arcade Buttons - How Many? Layout?:

                                we'd just connect the two buttons to the same GPIO pin?

                                Yes. This is pretty common in the long history of BYOAC (build your own arcade cabinet). You can simply "double wire" the buttons so they operate in parallel with another button you already have. Ideally, you have enough inputs to map them separately (IPAC, etc. with a bunch of input screw terminals), but with GPIO you may be tapped out. I have seen plenty of examples of sharing input wires; the best example of this is the old "Franken-panel" where someone will wire up an additional joystick using the same inputs as existing Player 1 stick. In other words, Player 1 might normally use an 8-way joystick, but the builder installs an additional 4-way with a restrictor plate to improve the experience with classic games like PacMan, Donkey Kong, etc.

                                My 4-player cocktail style cabinet built as a custom "roadcase"

                                AndersHPA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                • AndersHPA
                                  AndersHP @caver01
                                  last edited by AndersHP

                                  @caver01 Ah I can see the point in this.
                                  I haven't thought of making the buttons do the same as the trigger buttons, maybe I should just do that.

                                  I have spare slots on my iPac, so I think as a start I will try and see what L2 and R2 would do. I guess if in the end I want them to have the same trigger functions as buttons I already have, I could also hardcode the inputs in the config/all/retroarch.cfg to map to the same button as another.

                                  My "Bubble Bobble" Themed Bartop Arcade
                                  My Gameboy

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • S
                                    svendborg @dsstrainer
                                    last edited by

                                    @dsstrainer Hi there - I have built a control panel, wicth could resemple yours - just with the coinbuttons on the side, to funtion as flippers in a pin-ball game. I built it with the Ultimarc Minipac Keyboard Encoder - which is the same as the ipac.

                                    ...anyways. Could you post me a working Retroarch.cfg with the layout you just pictured? That would be really helpfull :-)

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • EnnioE
                                      Ennio @dsstrainer
                                      last edited by

                                      @dsstrainer I love your layout and am trying to do something just like in a full size arcade cabinet. I plan on using the coin return buttons at the Coin credit buttons to keep that look. I plan on purchasing the zero delay boards but noticed you also are using the xarcade keyboard encoder. Do I need both to do this setup. And like the last guy posted would you be willing to share your config file?

                                      Thanks,
                                      E

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • N
                                        neb @dsstrainer
                                        last edited by neb

                                        @dsstrainer , I know that this is an old post but maybe still alive. I love the layout of your buttons and am new to Retro Pie and trying to decide how to setup buttons. I built out a quick panel to test the configuration with your layout. I'm having trouble configuring my buttons though when I run Emulation Station's controller setup. Since there is not a Select / Start combo do you have some hidden buttons for this? Do you then connect buttons such as your "Save State" button to the "select" and "right shoulder" buttons so that pressing it actually sends both keys to the controller?

                                        This is my first build, any help would be great!
                                        Thanks!
                                        Ben

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • D
                                          dsstrainer
                                          last edited by

                                          @neb @Ennio

                                          Sorry I hadn't seen these. Instead of Select/Start as exit, you can turn off hotkey support and just map a button to be exit. I did all of my mapping through the actual config file. I only used emulation station's mapping for the menu itself.. then I manually changed retroarch to a setup that worked for my encoder mapping. Finally mapped it through mame2003 for mame.

                                          RetroPie v4.2 • RPi3 Model B • 5.1V 2.5A PSU • 8GB SanDisk class 10 microSD • 16GB External USB Thumb Drive
                                          Roms, images and configs stored in USB and symlinked from normal microsd location
                                          Xarcade Keyboard encoder + Zero Delay Joystick encoder

                                          caver01C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • caver01C
                                            caver01 @dsstrainer
                                            last edited by

                                            @dsstrainer I did exactly the same thing.

                                            My 4-player cocktail style cabinet built as a custom "roadcase"

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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