Don't want to have to switch joysticks, nor use microswitch js's. I kind of thought/hoped (from earlier comments about the 49-way stick interpreter) that it would improve signal reads from 8-ways to make games that use 4-ways play smoother.
ArcadeSD Multigame PCB (Vertical Mode) Review
- Thread starter FrizzleFried
- Start date
Don't want to have to switch joysticks, nor use microswitch js's. I kind of thought/hoped (from earlier comments about the 49-way stick interpreter) that it would improve signal reads from 8-ways to make games that use 4-ways play smoother.clay_cowgill
Member
Yeah, it's just impossible to know what the player 'meant' to do, so with the 8-way sticks we're probably going to be wrong at some point when we hit diagonals.
(Like my earlier example, if we see "up" for a while, and then we see "up/left" how do we know if that was an accident and you still wanted "up" as compared to that you wanted to go "left" and just had it too far up at the same time.)
We might experiment with a user setting just to let people decide the algorithm. (Basically we can "ignore a new diagonal" or "change to new direction when a diagonal is hit". There's still situations were we have to 'guess' or take whatever we see first. Say you're pushing "up" and then the next thing we see is "down/right". We have to pick one, but have no frame of reference what you intended to do.)
-Clay
I see the problem with your last example. Is there any way to make the 4-way games play better with an 8-way? Bagman was impossible--really got stuck a lot. I suppose I can tweak the leafswitches and/or reduce the size of the middle actuator, but a sw-based solution would be really cool.
clay_cowgill
Member
Like I said, there's just really no way that the software can know what the player *meant* to do. We could ignore diagonals (treat it like the joystick is centered), but then we're wrong 100% of the time. We can guess (based on either the 'newest' or the 'oldest' switch that closed), but like my prior examples we just can't know what you intended to hit.
Maybe something like the Ultimarc Mag-Stik would work better for you-- those are switchable between 4-way and 8-way from the top of the stick and are actually mecanically limited in their travel.
-Clay
I actually had the Ultimarc J-stiks installed before (in a cocktail with the old AS board). I really like the leafswitch feel better. Haven't tried the Mag-Stik tho. Can anyone comment on this option (how would it feel) or suggest other options for a stick that will work well with both 4- and 8-way games and have a 'classic' feel?
I think an 'oldest' algorithm might work OK when a diagonal is hit--in my experience, if a turn/move isn't made right away, I usually shift the joystick slightly which would quickly provide the correct input direction. Of course, a 'diagonal-heavy' stick might wind up being stuck too much.
Pac-Fan
New member
The MagStick is great for newbies/non-clasic purist/non-collectors--especially on 60-in-1's if they don't have a coin door to reach in to twist the J-stick restrictor.
For the rest of us, it is far from perfect. Noisy microswitches, VERY narrow range of throw, magnetic vs. rubber centering, short handle.
At least one upgrade you could do to address one issue... is the leaf switch in microswitch holder that are available for about $2.50 each. Never tried them myself, but that would allow you to adjust sensitively and have a true quiet feel.
For the rest of us, it is far from perfect. Noisy microswitches, VERY narrow range of throw, magnetic vs. rubber centering, short handle.
At least one upgrade you could do to address one issue... is the leaf switch in microswitch holder that are available for about $2.50 each. Never tried them myself, but that would allow you to adjust sensitively and have a true quiet feel.
Just a quick follow-up on controls: the pacs and bagman play MUCH better on the SD board than the original AS board. I wasn't getting stuck in corners and turns at all. This alone makes the SD board a worthy upgrade. And adding games/changing options is much easier, just popping the SD out and putting in into your pc.
