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Super "NeoGAF Arcade Stick Thread" II TURBO

Venfayth

Member
Why would an octo gate change the amount of neutral area? A gate swap doesn't change the location of the microswitches or the size of the actuator.

The "area" remains the same, but proportionate to the rest of the space that the stick can move in, it is a larger percentage of the free space than in a square gate. Octo gate has less overall space because it cuts off parts of the corners, meaning that the central area takes up more of the available space.
 

Venfayth

Member
MLG_Controller_04_69112_640screen.jpg
 
Actually I've modded SF4/SxT fightpads plenty, as well as done some changes to my PS2 Saturn pad. I've seen D-pad mods to 360 controllers, shell swaps, even stick mods to PSPs. There's plenty of controller modding out there.

Arcade sticks just happen to be very easy to mod because they are larger and have cheap, easily removable parts.

If other controllers were easier to modify then I'm sure enthusiasts would do so. I'd love to be able to easily exchange the d-pad on my 360 controllers, for example.

Points taken. I guess my point of view is different coming from playing exclusively in arcades and small groups of friends long before personal stick ownership became popular; there was no "bring your own stick" and tweaking one stick to the preference of a single player was just unheard of in those days.

I still think there's value in not creating a dependency on a nonstandard setup, for times you're without your own stick or have to play at arcades. I'm not sure why that's somehow a mockable opinion.

The "area" remains the same, but proportionate to the rest of the space that the stick can move in, it is a larger percentage of the free space than in a square gate. Octo gate has less overall space because it cuts off parts of the corners, meaning that the central area takes up more of the available space.

Ah, I see. Wouldn't it make sense to scale down the octo gate image so it's the same physical size as the square gate image then? I think that would portray the difference more accurately.

Not even sure what to think of MLG controller there.
 

Venfayth

Member
Ah, I see. Wouldn't it make sense to scale down the octo gate image so it's the same physical size as the square gate image then? I think that would portray the difference more accurately.

Not even sure what to think of MLG controller there.

Well, this is them overlaid and is representative of the actual physical sizes. I changed the hue of the octo gate just for contrast.

ibhc72kb4PrP1z.png


The center square is actually the same size, like you were saying.

--

The MLG controller just has modular analog sticks and d-pads so that you can switch between xbox and playstation style controls whenever you want. You can also put them in different locations, to even switch between whatever layout you want!

I posted it mostly as a joke, though :p
 
Points taken. I guess my point of view is different coming from playing exclusively in arcades and small groups of friends long before personal stick ownership became popular; there was no "bring your own stick" and tweaking one stick to the preference of a single player was just unheard of in those days.

I still think there's value in not creating a dependency on a nonstandard setup, for times you're without your own stick or have to play at arcades. I'm not sure why that's somehow a mockable opinion.

Part of what you might not see is how the tweaking / DIY vibe is pretty strong with people who are building and customizing arcade sticks. I'm in this camp, and for me goofing with a stick is a fun thing to do in and of itself, personally I'm not really looking for better performance as much as I'm just finding cool ways to tinker with a stick. Gamewise I could just pick up a MadCatz TE and be fine with it, but what's the fun in that? :) I get what you mean about standardization (I'd never swap to hitbox because I think it would annoy me at local gatherings) but folks are always going to enjoy customizing their sticks. Especially since sticks are more expensive and permanent than most controls. Not too many want to customize a $50 pad that they will use with one console. But for a $200 custom stick that they might use for several generations it makes more sense to make it your own in both looks and performance.

As an side note about tinkering I actually got into fighting games as a genre due to first building a custom stick, not the other way around. I do small bits of electronics work and woodworking and when I saw MarkMan's old arcade stick thread it looked like a cool project to try. After building that first stick I got the bug for both working with arcade sticks and for the genres that they work with (Fighters, SHUMPs, stuff like that). The fun thing about working with sticks is that there is a broad range of stuff that you can do at all skill levels. Button swaps, stick swaps, changing artwork, adding multiconsole support, padhacking, building full sticks, lots of options there.
 

Ghazi

Member
Octo looks easier to use, but I have terrible execution an I play Marvel so it may not be the best decision for myself to cut the corners off a little. Though, like you said, it makes it easier to ride the curved corners for quarter circles and dps I think the trade off for those are too big for me.

Thanks for that super informative post Oneida.
 
I still think there's value in not creating a dependency on a nonstandard setup, for times you're without your own stick or have to play at arcades. I'm not sure why that's somehow a mockable opinion.

agreed. I mean respect to pad warriors or hitbox players or whatever but tough shit if that leaves you hanging somewhere down the line.
 

Duxxy3

Member
I really suggest people stick with a square gate.

If you ever want to play a game in an arcade it's probably gonna have a square gate. If you need to borrow someone's stick for whatever reason, it's probably gonna have a square gate.
 
agreed. I mean respect to pad warriors or hitbox players or whatever but tough shit if that leaves you hanging somewhere down the line.

Pads are pretty standard and are gaining in popularity. No one says "You need a stick to be good" anymore. Eventually, the further we get from arcades and arcade culture, the further pads will become commonplace.

So respect to all the stick players, such as myself, but tough shit if that leaves you hanging somewhere down the line.

Octo looks easier to use, but I have terrible execution an I play Marvel so it may not be the best decision for myself to cut the corners off a little. Though, like you said, it makes it easier to ride the curved corners for quarter circles and dps I think the trade off for those are too big for me.

Thanks for that super informative post Oneida.

You can look into putting a thicker actuator or a larger actuator replacement in order to lessen the dead zone. I've actually used Sharpie tops and bonded them to the bottom of the joystick shaft, which will give you a smaller distance to travel to the switch. Someone on SRK sells replacements.
 

Ghazi

Member
I've been using a SFxT FightPad for so long that I can't use a default pad. The local arcade has arcade machines with sticks on them so I'd really want know how to play stick to play some games there.
 

notworksafe

Member
I really suggest people stick with a square gate.

If you ever want to play a game in an arcade it's probably gonna have a square gate. If you need to borrow someone's stick for whatever reason, it's probably gonna have a square gate.

If you live in America and want to play on an arcade cab, better start learning how to use a Happ. :p

Shit, I remember when Tekken 4 cabs (I think it was T4, might have been T5) had PS2 plugs on the side for controllers and memory cards. That was so cool to me back in the day.
 
If you live in America and want to play on an arcade cab, better start learning how to use a Happ. :p

Shit, I remember when Tekken 4 cabs (I think it was T4, might have been T5) had PS2 plugs on the side for controllers and memory cards. That was so cool to me back in the day.

You could also move those T5 cabs from a standing to sitting position as well. Those were fantastic. And yes, Happ/iL sticks use rounded motions, and are commonplace in remaining american arcades.

Everyone should just try things out and use what they like. There seems to be some serious joystick-shaming going on in this thread.
 
I really suggest people stick with a square gate.

If you ever want to play a game in an arcade it's probably gonna have a square gate. If you need to borrow someone's stick for whatever reason, it's probably gonna have a square gate.

You're certain of this? I started in the now closed Family Fun Arcade in SoCal and I believe most of those machines used Happ (at the very least they didn't feel like Square gates as I couldn't hear or feel the microswitches... always thought they used Happ 360). They didn't have any Square Gate machines until they brought in the shorter sit-down Japanese style cabinets. Even then, the majority of the current fighters were on the American cabinets. This was like 10 years ago though.
 
You're certain of this? I started in the now closed Family Fun Arcade in SoCal and I believe most of those machines used Happ (at the very least they didn't feel like Square gates as I couldn't hear or feel the microswitches... always thought they used Happ 360). They didn't have any Square Gate machines until they brought in the shorter sit-down Japanese style cabinets. Even then, the majority of the current fighters were on the American cabinets. This was like 10 years ago though.

Japanese cabinets use thin metal control panels, which accept japanese parts more readily. Those cabinets are also expensive, and you won't see enough in an American arcade to think that's the accepted standard.

American arcades still use Happ, or iL if they prefer, which are rounded. Those mount into the wood panels that American cabinets have. There are still plenty of these cabs floating around. I've even heard the manager of Super Arcade refuses to adapt Japanese parts into his ST cabinet, much to the chagrin of some players.

So unless people are talking about borrowing a stick from someone at an arcade, no, Sanwa is not the standard.

Also, I guess I missed the memo of Focus Attack selling K-sticks now?
http://www.focusattack.com/crown/
I really like mine.
 
truthfact: candies in America are very, very few and far between. Most cabinets that still exist here today are either a Neo Geo big red or some kind of Dynamo, obviously all Happ standard. If anything more candies here are owned by enthusiasts than arcade operators.
 
Pads are pretty standard and are gaining in popularity. No one says "You need a stick to be good" anymore. Eventually, the further we get from arcades and arcade culture, the further pads will become commonplace.

So respect to all the stick players, such as myself, but tough shit if that leaves you hanging somewhere down the line.

you're right, we are definitely moving further away from arcade culture rather than closer back to what it once was and consoles which easily accommodate pad players, etc. are the realized future. Honestly what I said was kind of a knee-jerk reaction to the this fantastic thought that arcade hardware could be seen as non-standard. I'm sentimental and protective of the arcade image, so that's just how I feel.
 

Mikhal

Member
Have anyone tried using Crown buttons on a lower end Hori stick (EX2, DOA4, etc)? I heard those buttons are smaller than normal Sanwa/Seimitsu buttons and that they might fit in the sticks without having to file/dremel the button holes. Considering converting an old DOA3 stick I have to a Neo Geo stick with a DB15 out.

doa3sticktop.jpg
 
Have anyone tried using Crown buttons on a lower end Hori stick (EX2, DOA4, etc)? I heard those buttons are smaller than normal Sanwa/Seimitsu buttons and that they might fit in the sticks without having to file/dremel the button holes. Considering converting an old DOA3 stick I have to a Neo Geo stick with a DB15 out.

doa3sticktop.jpg

i dont have exact measurements, but HORI's holes are usually 30mm after shaving the tabs off. it's tight when putting in sanwa's, so its mroe likely 29.something.

but, i just measured a Hori button to where the tabs go, its roughly at 26.xx mm it might be a tight fit and you probably gonna have to get rid of the tabs anyways.

crowns are 28mm. i dont think the snap-in types would work well, but you can i guess try the screw-in types. only hassle is it uses soldered connections, not qcd's. i know crowns have grooves for similar tab type things too, but it might not match the hori ones.

hope that helps
 

notworksafe

Member
With all this talk of arcades, I figured I'd grab some shots of my (working) cabs. Hope you guys don't mind the picture spam. :x

Tekken Tag 1, one of the only cabs I have that works 100% perfectly:

Plus it still (mostly) has the cool sideart too!

My favorite cab, the MVS-4. Just got it working again, though it still has a little monitor jitter that I'm trying to figure out.

Close up on the marquee art. Yes I know I have two FF2 arts, but it came with two when I bought it so why not?

Playing the best game ever, World Heroes Perfect!

And the Kraylix w/ PS2 hooked up. Some don't count it as a real cabinet but I dig it anyway.

I eventually want to make it an DBZ themed cab, hence the Dragonball balltop :p

I've got a couple others but they are in various states of disrepair. When I eventually get them working I'll post shots here. :)
 

Mikhal

Member
i dont have exact measurements, but HORI's holes are usually 30mm after shaving the tabs off. it's tight when putting in sanwa's, so its mroe likely 29.something.

but, i just measured a Hori button to where the tabs go, its roughly at 26.xx mm it might be a tight fit and you probably gonna have to get rid of the tabs anyways.

crowns are 28mm. i dont think the snap-in types would work well, but you can i guess try the screw-in types. only hassle is it uses soldered connections, not qcd's. i know crowns have grooves for similar tab type things too, but it might not match the hori ones.

hope that helps

Thanks for the info! I was hoping it'll be easier. That still sounds like a hassle. Guess I'll probably use some of my other unused sticks when the time comes. :(



Arcade cabs

Awesome! I wish I had the room for some. One day...

Did you paint the Kraylix yourself or did it come like that? I was looking at the site for the hell of it and it doesn't look like they come painted anymore?
 

notworksafe

Member
It came painted. I think I was in the last batch to get painted cabinets, luckily. I could never do as good of a job as he did,

I had to get the art printed at kinko's but that wasn't a hassle and it turned out pretty good.
 
My favorite cab, the MVS-4.

MAD RESPECT. Also cheers to WHP love. I'm on the hunt for a 4-slot myself. It's kinda funny, this 4-slot at a laundromat near my area was down for a long time because of a broken monitor. I was planning on asking the owner if I could buy it off him. I walk in today and I see that the original monitor has been replaced with an Asus LCD??? Funny stuff. It had Metal Slug, Fatal Fury 2, and a wacky KoF bootleg. There are a lot of 4-slots in the NorCal bay area that I see not being used. I wish I could just buy them all lol.
 
Just wondering, what other sticks do you have? Just from what I can tell with what you wrote it sounds like you love the MAS stick and you have some other sticks in your possession. So why ditch the MAS? I actually don't have an american stick at all, but I'd personally love to add one into my stable. Figure if I have a japanese stick or two having something like the MAS would be fun to have that old concave clicky arcade feel to it. That's just me though.

I've got a SSF4 stick. I gave 2(SF Collection and DOA4 stick) of mine away today to my brother for doing me a favor. I don't like to keep a lot of clutter with my gaming stuff and I am really ready for a new stick. Since I gave away my other 2, I'm gonna keep the MAS. The thing is just really rugged. I feel like I'm still playing Street Fighter 2 with that thing.
 

notworksafe

Member
MAD RESPECT. Also cheers to WHP love. I'm on the hunt for a 4-slot myself. It's kinda funny, this 4-slot at a laundromat near my area was down for a long time because of a broken monitor. I was planning on asking the owner if I could buy it off him. I walk in today and I see that the original monitor has been replaced with an Asus LCD??? Funny stuff. It had Metal Slug, Fatal Fury 2, and a wacky KoF bootleg. There are a lot of 4-slots in the NorCal bay area that I see not being used. I wish I could just buy them all lol.
Tell me about it. I see machine all the time I want to pick up and have bugged plenty of cabinet owners over voicemail until they sell me their cab or start ignoring me. :p

Craigslist is where I found most of my machines. Just gotta be on the hunt every day for great deals to pick up.
 

T-Matt

Member
Just got a ps3 EVO stick and I absolutely love the thing. The look might not be for everyone but I think it looks fantastic. I like it more than my TE comfort wise for sure. Didn't realize they only made 300 per system so that is pretty cool.
 

ScOULaris

Member
Just got a ps3 EVO stick and I absolutely love the thing. The look might not be for everyone but I think it looks fantastic. I like it more than my TE comfort wise for sure. Didn't realize they only made 300 per system so that is pretty cool.

I almost bought one of those bad boys recently off of eBay. I really like the look of it as well, but I decided to go with a Qanba Q4RAF because of the dualmod.

I also didn't want to feel like poseur playing with an LE EVO stick even though I'd never been to EVO. :/
 

jmro

Member
I just got one of these

madcatz-arcadefightstick-versusseriesSH-X360-600x426.jpg


I love the feeling of the silent sanwas, and I can actually play at night!

Great stick MarkMan. My only complaint is that the translucent black plastic seems a lot more scuffable than the solid black of the regular TEs
 

thumb

Banned
Been playing with my new Hit Box for about a week. Really dig it if anyone is on the fence. Quality kit and comfortable to use.
 

Kadey

Mrs. Harvey
Why is Hori so slow in releasing stuff? Plus their U.S management is so poor. Now would be a good time to release that white stick.
 
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