Opinions for ArcadeSD setup ---> 4-way or 8-way joystick?

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Opinions for ArcadeSD setup ---> 4-way or 8-way joystick?

I'm setting up a machine with a trackball and a joystick. The ArcadeSD can not (yet) support a 49-way stick and a trackball at the same time. They say it will possibly at the next quarterly update.

But until then, I'm going to throw either a 4 or 8 way stick in there. So for those who have done this already, which of these is the better setup? Stuff like Ms. Pac Man work better with the 4-way but a lot of other games are much better with the 8-way.

So....what would your thinking be on which one to choose to maximize the playability of this thing? Opinions?
 
One of the mame suppliers makes a select-able 4/8 way joystick. I built a cab for a friend many years ago and used these sticks. It was really easy to change by pulling up the joystick and twisting it to the other position.


Edit: Ultimarc Mag-Stik plus is what they were
 
One of the mame suppliers makes a select-able 4/8 way joystick. I built a cab for a friend many years ago and used these sticks. It was really easy to change by pulling up the joystick and twisting it to the other position.


Edit: Ultimarc Mag-Stik plus is what they were

I've heard mixed reviews on those. I like the idea that people could switch it on their own without having to open up the cabinet. How well did they work?

I actually have a stick that you can change between 4 and 8 way by rotating a doo-dad on the bottom. I was planning to leave it on the 4-way setting but then played Scramble and it sucked with a 4-way.

Just trying to decide which setting to leave it on for guests at this point. Hopefully that 49-way + trackball support will happen soon!
 
Those Mag sticks have an extremely short throw. I couldn't get used to it. If you can live with the short throw, they are excellent otherwise.

I would put a good wico 4-way leaf in there so the 4-way games play great. The 8-way games can be played fine on the MAME cab.
 
Will a 49 way stick REALLY solve the 4/8 way problem? I didn't think that it would.

-- Bruce
 
Will a 49 way stick REALLY solve the 4/8 way problem? I didn't think that it would.

-- Bruce

I haven't seen anyone who has talked about actually trying it yet. I'm hopeful that the way they have it mapped will be an improvement over having to pick one over the other. It remains to be seen I suppose.

I have one but haven't tried hooking it up yet since I'm holding out for the full support of both.

Anyone tried it yet?
 
There are many many more 4-way games than 8-way games currently on the ArcadeSD board.

That may be true, but not all 4-way stick games are "unplayable" with 8-ways.

For example, i have 8ways in my ASD cab, and I have no probs with Frogger, or Donkey Kong. In fact, the only ones that are an issue for me are Burger Time (a bit annoying) and the Pacs (unplayable IMO with an 8way).

Unless the pac games are a deal-breaker, I'd suggest 8way.
 
That may be true, but not all 4-way stick games are "unplayable" with 8-ways.

For example, i have 8ways in my ASD cab, and I have no probs with Frogger, or Donkey Kong. In fact, the only ones that are an issue for me are Burger Time (a bit annoying) and the Pacs (unplayable IMO with an 8way).

Unless the pac games are a deal-breaker, I'd suggest 8way.

I had an arcadeshop board with an 8-way leafswitch joystick (didn't like the original Ultimarc switchable j-stik). The pacs and Bagman were pretty much unplayable.

Now I have an arcadeSD board. I find the pacs and Bagman to be perfectly playable. (I think Clay mentioned that the diagonals are locked out in the 4-way games by the firmware). So, I recommend a good 8-way stick, which gives you the best of both worlds. (Haven't spent time on Burgertime tho.)
 
I had a 60-in-1 for a long time, and I loved the 8-way in it. I couldn't see what all the complaining was about. Maybe not all 8-ways are equal?
 
Has anyone tried a 49-way with the board yet? I'm thinking of going with a 4-way and a 49-way for when Q*Bert is added to the board.
 
Has anyone tried a 49-way with the board yet? I'm thinking of going with a 4-way and a 49-way for when Q*Bert is added to the board.

Yeah, I'm waiting for a report on this as well. Why would you need two joysticks though if the 49 way works well? Do you have it in horizontal mode then?
 
If it's ever ported to it in the future, Popeye is also pretty much unplayable with an 8 way joystick. I had a Popeye upright that somebody had replaced the stick in, it kept hanging and took me forever to figure out what was wrong.
 
Yeah, I'm waiting for a report on this as well. Why would you need two joysticks though if the 49 way works well? Do you have it in horizontal mode then?

Mainly I want a true 4-way restricted for the Pac Man games. The 49-way would be for 8-ways and Q*Bert.
 
I own two of the ArcadeSD's and one of the original ArcadeShop board. Also, I've built a few 48/60 in 1's for people as well have many different joysticks in various machines and have tried multiple variations of switchable joysticks.

In summary, IMHO, the only joysticks that will even feel / work right like a classic are those with a switchable Diamond/Square restrictor. Anything else simply will not feel/work right. (Though admitedly, I have not tried a 49-way yet but that is basically a square restrictor all the time)

I tried bottom switchable joysticks (J-Stick from Ultimarc IIRC). Work well but over time the screws can tighten or loosen and need adjusting. Plus you need access to the underside of the control panel through a coin door so won't work on coin-door-less builds. They are meant only for adults, you won't want a child reaching in getting cut on sharp edges or pulling off wiring (or reaching for more dangerous things away from the control panel). Completely hidden and people other than yourself will likely always forget and won't switch it.

I also tried the top-switchable Mag Stick from Ultimarc. It is very similar to the J-Stick and over time can have losening issues (quickly fixable). It only requires you to pull up on the stick and twist it 1/8th of a turn left or right to switch. Like the J-Stick it's almost "too hidden" and other people forget the rules of changing it and then complain it doesn't work right. Also since it uses a magnet to center instead of springs or rubber gromet, it doesn't have as much tension and has a hugely short throw. Like the J-stick it is microswitched based and noisy, though with any microswitch you can replace with the leaf switch to microswitch adaptors sold seprately to bring it closer to authentic classic.

One I haven't tried is the top-switchable stick (Groovy Game Gear though has been sold out for a long time). It will be similar to the above but is much more noticeable (good for new users, bad for asthetics). It has a lever exposed that moves the restrictor the 45 degrees need. Unfortunately it needs a large exposed square plate on top (much like a trackball mount).


I also have tried the rarer and expensive Suzo hall-effect joysticks. They have a dial on them that sets the sensitivity between 4 and 8 way. You could ideally set it to be perfect for one way, then wire in a switch to short it out to switch it to the opposite way (since it is not designed as a switch-on-the-fly). However this is all electronic--it does nothing to restrict the corners physically. In fact, the restrictor is always a 8 point star pattern -- very similar to a Nintendo 8 way restrictor, but a bit more 'sharp'. Therefore there is no easy way to slide from one direction to another.


The final way I have done for someone with a 48 was to find a Happ Ultimate? joystick that had the right combination of wear and spring and what not that caused it to hit the 4 primaries with ease but took a bit of work to hit the corners.. They could be hit, but you needed to think about it and press a bit more in the corner. This allowed them to do 4 way games easily but still manage to use it for 8 ways like Time Pilot/Scramble/Super Cobra and make them possible to play. I think with a Happ Super you could also bend the actuators a bit and control the amount of pressure it would take in a corner.


Honestly, there will be nothing better than a switchable panel or side-by side mounts of either a Bally/Midway 4 and 8 way or Wico 4 and 8 way leaf sticks. You won't get the same feel out of any other switchable or "ease" in switching.

Or, just buy 4 ArcadeSD's and put one of each in 4 cabs, restrict two cabs to vertical, 2 to horizontal and then 1 of each to 4 way and 1 of each to 8 way. Then there is no confusion in what mode to be in for each game.
 
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There's a market for someone who could come up with a really good 4/8 way top switchable leaf joystick.

You can buy the third party leaf-in-microswitch mount to switch any microswitch stick into a leaf. Problem is there still are other variables in switchables that make them not quite the same as a stand-alone original authentic.

Pics below of the two products that I'm aware of. They're about $3 each so $12 to convert a single stick.
 

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The ones on the left appear to just be quiet microswitches.
Do you know a source for the ones on the right?
 
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