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Nervous noob, (k)nows nothing, needs (k)nowledge

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ubermick:


--- Quote from: Donkbaca on March 01, 2011, 10:57:17 pm ---These questions come up all the time. " I have x-computer, will it run y"?. Well get a 500gb or bigger external drive, load MAME up on it and see how it runs. The computer is free, you are going to need to set up MAME anyway, see if runs what you want. If it does you are set, if it doesn't then you already have it set up to move to your new computer.

As for joysticks, that's like asking where the best pizza is. Ask 10 people you get 10 different answers. Let me ask you this. Do you like your x-arcade?  If so then just use those joysticks and buttons. Itll save you some money to. Personally I like the x-arcade sticks.

Most people don't like the magstick. I would get u360s from ultimarc if I were to start over

--- End quote ---

Cheers for the reply. Good call on the computer, although it's far from a guarantee I'll get it, and if I do I wouldn't accept it for free. That said, if it works, it'll for sure be a cheaper option, even though I see 2.8ghz P4s with a gig of RAM and a chunky hard drive going for under $100 on ebay.

Actually don't have a joystick, have absolutely zero parts for this upcoming build. I guess that's where I'm coming from with the questions - if I have to amass parts, I might as well try to do it right. Buy cheap, buy twice, as I've often found out to my annoyance. (Certainly the case with my main hobby, brewing!) I dunno if the budget will stretch to kitting myself out with the top of the line sticks, tho. Although maybe I'll upgrade them down the road when Christmas comes (likely when this build will be finished anyways, haha)


--- Quote from: SavannahLion on March 01, 2011, 11:47:48 pm ---That's why we have a politics and religion forum, so we can openly vent our hatred for each other.
--- End quote ---

Aw man, I'll be avoiding *that* like the plague.


--- Quote from: mgb on March 02, 2011, 12:14:12 am ---Hey Ubermick,
  Welcome to the forums. It's a wonderful addiction. don't forget that mame is a gateway drug. You may even stray into the dark underworld of classic game collecting. Oh won't wifey be glad.
Yeah alot of those things are preferences. I like Sanwa JLWs and GGG Electric Ice buttons while another guy may like Ultrasticks (very popular) and Happ buttons.
You try some stuff and figure out what you like.
If you can get a free pc with 2ghz and a 40 gig harddrive, why not.
That will take care of alot of classics. I would recomend 512MB of memory but even the 256MB will be a great start.
I ran my Mame for a few good years on P3 900Mhz with 512MB memory and a 40 Gig hard drive and I had no problems running all of the classics plus the fighters from the 90s.
Now I couldn't run Hyperspin but it was a decent cheap setup.
So keep looking at the forums and you'll see some patterns of what seems to work for guys and what seems to be common problems.

By the way, I use Twisted Quarter a lot my self, a very good dealer. never had a problem.
Good luck

--- End quote ---

Bwaaahahaha! Yeah, about two years ago I convinced wifey that home brewing would actually *save* us money in the long run. That was before I dropped thousands last year on fabbing a brew stand, building (multiple) keezers, snagging conical fermenters, kegging stuff... you want a cheap hobby, making beer REALLY isn't it.

So I guess the overall answer is... there's no real overall answer! Just try stuff out and if it works it works. And since there's no real right answer, I guess I'll just order what I was planning on getting - plain ol' microswitched buttons, a couple of eight way joysticks (Happ Competitions, because the Ultimates suck?), a four way stick, and a trackball, and attempt to copy Knievel's panel. And if it all sucks, I'll pawn them off on here and start again!

wweumina:


--- Quote from: Donkbaca on March 01, 2011, 10:57:17 pm ---
Most people don't like the magstick. I would get u360s from ultimarc if I were to start over

--- End quote ---

I hate (perhaps too strong a word) the u360s and love the Mag-Stik and I don't think I'm alone.  I've just rebuilt my CP so I don't have to use the u360 anymore.

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla, cause you like crappy ice-cream.

Savannan:

yep +1 to above.....

hate u360's also.. they cant with-stand games like robotron/smash tv...where the player just mashes the sticks .....granted the u360's are very nice...i have some..but i had to replace them after a month of use. now i have the undestructable joysticks from xgaming..been using them over a year and not one complaint.  they even have a lifetime warrenty



Donkbaca:

More expensive does not necessarily mean better. Most people get the mag sticks because they are switchable 4-8 way from the top. But from what I read the throw is really short and the stuck is not smooth and most people don't like them.  The u360 is nice for 3 reasons. First it let's you connect buttons to it without needing an encoder which makes the stick a decent deal. Second it is programable, so it switches between 4 an 8 way mode automatically in MAME. Finally it now has a top mount restrictor kit.  If you mostly want to play classics, this is the way to go. Playing Pacman and donkey kong on 8 ways sucks for most people. Plus you can get ball or bat tops.

The happs sticks are the sticks you will find in most arcades in games made in the 90's.  They are bat tops, and are all 8 way. The ultimates are not liked because they feel flimsy. Comps are preferred by people who like fighters, supers seem to be better overall sticks.  The x-arcade sticks are knockoff Happ supers.

mgb:

Ubermick,
 The regular Happ buttons paired with Competition joysticks makes for a decent control panel, I think, especially for fighters.
here are some links to those parts:
Competition joysticks http://www.lizardlick.com/Happ-Joysticks_c_162.html
Buttons http://www.lizardlick.com/Happ-Pushbuttons_c_154.html
for the buttons, go with the classic if you like the old school concave feel. The competition buttons have a slight convex that some perfer for fighters. I had them but I perfer the concave. again its about what you perfer.

Just beware too that the joysticks at twisted quarter are not competitions, they are competitors.

Heres a 4-way stick that seems pretty cool http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=340


Again, just a preference thing, I don't like haveing 3 joysticks, so I use Sanwa JLWs. that way I can easily just have two joysticks and I can rotate the restrictor as needed to put them in either 4 way or 8 way mode. Happ supers say they can be either 4 or way but thats not really true

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