Perhaps The Time Has Come?

[FrizzleFried]

FYI - Two more people on KLOV have reported their RAM CONTROLS STAR WARS YOKE is either in the mail or has been received (one has received his,  the other received tracking information).  Perhaps this is a sign of things to come?   Lets hope.

[davespicer]

It'll be interesting to see what a collector makes of the modified handles.  Both of the guys who've posted here seem to be using Mame setups.

[Havok]

I've been playing Star Wars since it came out, and I like the new handles better. Apparently, these are to spec for the proto handles that Atari would have made, but ended up changing them to the current production model.

[Daviea]

I think only three people have really talked about this subject since the release of the reproduction yoke.  I had two choices - go with the OEM production handles or the OEM prototype handles.  I made both and tested them thoroughly over and over again, taking input from two dozen people during the process.  I decided to reproduce the OEM prototype handles.  They look a little different, but they feel SO much better.  The only real difference, aside from being machined rather than cast, is the radius on the edges.  These are a bit more shallow than the OEM production version, but match the OEM prototype version perfectly -- and I mean exactly!

I started with some ugly prototype handles that I ended up with when Midway Games West was shutting down their facility (which was formerly Atari Games up until 2000).  At the time, they had all of their tooling up for grabs, along with artwork, miscellaneous components and many other items.  The stash we picked up included pallets loaded full of plastic injection molds, vacuum forming molds, plastic extrusion molds, aluminum extrusion molds, jigs, rigs and various plates.  The tooling alone was enough to fill a 26ft stake-bed truck.  There were boxes and boxes full of prototype and production controller parts, too.  So, I grabbed all the tooling, components, controller parts and piles of reel to reel tapes.  BTW, Scott Evans ended up with the artwork during the same "raid". :-)

Anyhow, I used those handles as the basis for my reproduction handles.  I know why Atari didn't go with them, too.  It was too difficult to cast them like that, so they trimmed the edges and made a skimpy version of the handles they could easily cast.  They weren't about to machine handles for thousands of arcade games.  I can personally afford to do it, so I didn't consider it any sort of issue.

Ok, so I took some pictures of the OEM prototype handles with a fresh powdercoat and the reproduction handles with a fresh powdercoat.  You compare and tell me if you can see a difference. :-)



These are the Atari prototype handles right after powdercoating them with a smooth satin black finish.



These are the RAM Controls reproduction handles right after powdercoating them with a smooth satin black finish.



And here they are "side by side".  Can you see ANY difference?

Personally, I can almost NOT tell the difference between them with the powdercoat on them.  The cut lines are the only thing that really look different IMO, but they're covered up with the powdercoat, so I rely on the fact that I have the original prototypes in a baggie labeled as such.  LOL

Enjoy!!

Dave

[SavannahLion]

I guess the added bonus is that it preserves the original Star Wars yokes as collectors for those who truly desire that sort of thing. Of course, I'm sure their prices will keep going up which the flippers will probably like.  I saw that sort of thing a lot when I used to work at a hardware store. Those guys used to go ape ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- whenever they came in and discover reproductions lowered the value of their original whatever. Then they'd buy whatever reproduced part they needed and leave. Go figure. 

Anyhow, I used those handles as the basis for my reproduction handles.  I know why Atari didn't go with them, too.  It was too difficult to cast them like that, so they trimmed the edges and made a skimpy version of the handles they could easily cast.  They weren't about to machine handles for thousands of arcade games.  I can personally afford to do it, so I didn't consider it any sort of issue.

Run this by me again? I'm not quite sure I understand. I mean, I understand the logic you're describing but I don't quite see how they're different to the player. Since I don't have an actual set to compare to, can you post pics between proto and production? Or is there one already and my searchfu not up to snuff?

[davespicer]

Ok, so I took some pictures of the OEM prototype handles with a fresh powdercoat and the reproduction handles with a fresh powdercoat.  You compare and tell me if you can see a difference. :-)

How about a similar picture showing the RAM Controls handles alongside ones from an actual production yoke?

You came dangerously close to saying that you remade the yoke the way it would've been done originally had Atari been able to at the time.  I think George Lucas said something along those lines in 1997.  

--
Dave

[Havok]

In a couple of weeks I'll be at a get together where the host has a Star Wars upright. I'll see if I can get some good comparison shots of the two together.

[DashRendar]

In a couple of weeks I'll be at a get together where the host has a Star Wars upright. I'll see if I can get some good comparison shots of the two together.

I'd be careful bringing that yoke to social gatherings (especially with gamers).  It's likely to get swiped!