How is everyone instructing users on how to use a cabinet?

[bruno_sardine]

I need help teaching people how to use a cabinet!

I am using emulationstation, in kid mode. Despite the on-screen menu on the screen saying "(A) Launch" and "(B) Back", and my buttons actually labeled "A" and "B" - there's just general confusion with guests (ages ranging from 13 to 50) on how to play games and I end up having to babysit the Mame cabinet.

• Exit game is confusing even though there is a label pointing to a button saying "Exit Game".

• "Insert Coin" seems confusing because everyone does not understand that the ROMs expect the simulated coin.

• One/Two player buttons are not the next obvious button to press after inserting a coin.

• I have to explain "this game uses a spinner, this one does not", etc.

I admit I am not conveying the information needed very clearly and I'm am hoping to get general ideas on how people here have an unintended cabinets.

Here's a pic of my control panel to show my current labelling. And I'm using the comic book theme.

thank you!

[quicksilver]

@bruno_sardine if everything is properly labeled and people can't follow basic onscreen prompts then I don't really see much of an alternative to babysitting the machine. One thing you have to consider is you are emulating a bunch of different machines that had different operation methods so there is bound to be some confusion from time to time. Maybe type up and post a little cheat sheet with some helpful hints to get games running. Or cut back on the number of games you have running on your cabinet when you have guests over.

[ClassicGMR]

The instruction sheet for my GameEx arcade cabinet:

[lilbud]

I just typed up a word doc on the cabinet and taped it to the bezel.

[bruno_sardine]

thanks for the replies. I like the bezel idea mixed with the instruction sheet idea, but kind of in the look and feel of the Mr. Do instruction card. There are a few games I can hide to streamline the experience, but you guys also gave me the idea to see if I can create custom collections based on the controller being used (e.g. a Trackball collection, Spinner collection).

much appreciated for the inspiration!

[Clyde]

Another, possibly additional way to explain something to the players would be custom launch images.

They shouldn't contain too much information though, since they are only shown for a (configurable) short time before a game is started, but for simple button layouts or the controllers used (joystick, trackball, paddle …) they could provide an easy, hard-to-miss help for the players.

[simpleethat]

For the systems I've built as gifts to friends I always try to include a printed instruction sheet with hot keys and hot to bring up the emulationstation menus and whatnot. If I had more people over my house to play my retro builds I always figured that the custom launching image route that @Clyde mentioned would be something I would do.

[KN4THX]

@Clyde I agree with this. Even the Wii did this. If you played a game that required, say, the Motion Plus, it would have a splash screen stating so and what to do. This is a smart idea and gives people a heads up.

Not sure how easy it would be but it would be neat if someone a lot smarter than myself could create a "tutorial" rom that walks people through the basics. Or if the screensaver was an in-order slideshow which people could watch 5-7 slides of what does what.

[Clyde]

@KN4THX I like the idea of a tutorial screensaver. I don't think I have seen it being shown or mentioned before.