Author Topic: Anyone here ever make a DDR machine? Need help with roms... (Read 8865 times)

DataWest · « **on:** April 27, 2011, 09:22:22 pm »

From what I've heard, (I need to test them myself) only the first 3 DDR games have sound in MAME right now. All of them have been ported to the PS1 at some point. Do the PS emulators work well? I have a good USB DDR pad and I'd like to have most of the games playable with my cab. Has anyone messed with rounding them all up in working order?

elkameleon · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2011, 09:31:33 pm »

I've tried DDR games with emulators, and its less than ideal. Timing is everything in DDR games, and (playstation)emulators just arent up to that task, the slightest hiccup in emulation, and there goes your perfect score...

drventure · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2011, 09:55:10 pm »

You might have better luck using StepMania and just getting the tracks from the original games.

I've got stepmania running on my cab with some PS2 dancepads (connected through a USB adapter) and it plays great. Tons of tracks available from various websites as well.

DataWest · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2011, 04:07:15 am »

Thanks everyone...I'll look into some other options like stepmania

Turnarcades · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:43:31 am »

Quote from: drventure on April 27, 2011, 09:55:10 pm

You might have better luck using StepMania and just getting the tracks from the original games.

I've got stepmania running on my cab with some PS2 dancepads (connected through a USB adapter) and it plays great. Tons of tracks available from various websites as well.

+1 for this. Pretty much every DDR track can be downloaded for Stepmania and it looks virtually identical with all the characters etc, plus it's fully configurable (perfect for an arcade build) and has no real issues with timing like you tend to get with emulators. I planned a while back to build a combined rhythm machine with dance mats for Stepmania, microphones for Ultrastar (a pc clone of Singstar), and hacked GC bongos for Beatmania. When I get round to it one of these days...

DataWest · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2011, 03:01:55 pm »

Just downloaded StepMania and it looks easy to use, but its kinda low res.

are there themes or hacks to improve this?

Turnarcades · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2011, 04:15:26 pm »

It's a bunch of arrows, how high resolution does that need to be?

drventure · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2011, 05:52:15 pm »

Yeah, not sure I follow. I downloaded tons of "player" characters, themes etc. They may not be quite up to XBox 360 standards, but they're decent enough IMHO.

It's opensource though, and there is lots of info around about creating you're own themes. I believe stepmani runs at whatever resolution your machine is set for, so you could theoretically put together you're own themes at whatever res you wanted.

There may be more detailed sets out there as well.

gatordad · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:13:45 pm »

Everyone loves a little DDR
It does not get played daily or even monthly but for parties we usually break it out, its definately a good time.

I have stepmania and I love it, easy to set up and very cab friendly
Even grandma tried it, but I can't find that pic right now, but we were laughing hard at that one

drventure · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:17:56 pm »

@Gatordad

What kind of mats are those? They look like really good ones. Mine are just cheapo foam mats. they work, but I've been looking for reasonably priced hardmats

MonMotha · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:20:28 pm »

You can crank the resolution on stepmania up as high as your monitor will allow, but I believe it will default to 640x480 (FYI, arcade 1st-4th ran ~320x240, and 5th-Extreme ran ~640x480 but interlaced, Supernova and newer can run 640x480 progressive if the monitor supports it, and DDRX and newer ran run at 1366x768 on the new flat screen cabinets). All the artwork will be rendered at the higher resolution. You can have some very crispy looking arrows if you crank the resolution up high enough.

I wouldn't generally mess around too much with trying to run these things in MAME. Last I heard, only 1st and 2nd mix worked well enough to be playable (3rd mix and later has some specialized hardware), and even then they rarely were properly synced. You can acquire the actual PCB set on ebay for ~$200-350. It's a somewhat specialized version of Konami's System 573 base platform.

The home versions (Playstation and Playstation 2) are fairly arcade faithful aside from having easier timing windows.

If you're interested in a low latency drop in IO solution including light support for Stepmania, let me know. I've got a board that is actually a drop-in for the real cabinet to hook it up to Stepmania, but it may be useful in other scenarios, as well.

gatordad · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:37:58 pm »

Quote from: drventure on April 28, 2011, 06:17:56 pm

@Gatordad

What kind of mats are those? They look like really good ones. Mine are just cheapo foam mats. they work, but I've been looking for reasonably priced hardmats

Cobalt Flux pads
They were the best I found
Pricey if you buy them new from the web site
http://www.cobaltflux.com/
but I watched my local CL on and off and paid around 225 total for both pads

drventure · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2011, 07:07:15 pm »

Wow. Yeah, nice, but pricey. I'll have to set up some alerts....

Thanks for the info!

Nephasth · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2011, 07:59:03 pm »

There is one of those Cobalt Flux pads on my "local" CL for only $80.

crashwg · « **Reply #14 on:** April 29, 2011, 05:37:35 am »

Quote from: Nephasth on April 28, 2011, 07:59:03 pm

There is one of those Cobalt Flux pads on my "local" CL for only $80.

Damn! Where are you located? I'm currently negotiating with a CLer from the $200 he posted to $150 which I though was pretty cheap considering they retail for $280 + the $90 it takes to ship.

sk8ersublime · « **Reply #15 on:** April 29, 2011, 09:39:33 am »

I built a DDR mat out of wood, sheet metal, plexi, and a hacked ps1 controller. Worked pretty well, but my ---smurfy--- craftsmanship cause my friend to cut his toe on it. I told him to wear shoes......

Nephasth · « **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2011, 10:05:19 am »

Quote from: crashwg on April 29, 2011, 05:37:35 am

Quote from: Nephasth on April 28, 2011, 07:59:03 pm
There is one of those Cobalt Flux pads on my "local" CL for only $80.

Damn! Where are you located? I'm currently negotiating with a CLer from the $200 he posted to $150 which I though was pretty cheap considering they retail for $280 + the $90 it takes to ship.

Ft. Collins, CO. It would be a 45 mile drive for me one way. I asked if he would take $50 to make it worth my drive (I'm not a DDR fan, but thought the kids would play it). He said the lowest he would go was $70, I haven't emailed him back. It's been up for a few days now.

DataWest · « **Reply #17 on:** April 29, 2011, 03:08:40 pm »

Quote from: Turnarcades on April 28, 2011, 04:15:26 pm

It's a bunch of arrows, how high resolution does that need to be?

The default setting was very low, I shouldn't have asked about it here before I looked and found how to crank it up for my TV. Now it looks fantastic.

I wish I could get a pad that nice for that cheap.

lilshawn · « **Reply #18 on:** April 29, 2011, 03:17:25 pm »

Quote from: sk8ersublime on April 29, 2011, 09:39:33 am

I built a DDR mat out of wood, sheet metal, plexi, and a hacked ps1 controller. Worked pretty well, but my ---smurfy--- craftsmanship cause my friend to cut his toe on it. I told him to wear shoes......

....and just sign this waiver and we will get that toe looked at....

DataWest · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2011, 10:08:32 pm »

I went out and bought a ps3 dance pad thinking it would work because it's USB. Of course it wasn't compatable.

They call it the "axis problem" basically you can't hold down 2 directions at the same time with stepmania

So I'm now going to enjoy the PS3 version of DDR while I try and find a non expensive working pc pad.

drventure · « **Reply #20 on:** April 30, 2011, 08:57:05 am »

@DataWest

Mine had the same issue, till I found online a "secret code" that alters the dance pad's logic.

Check the page here

http://www.stepmania.com/wiki/Dance_Pads

Most pads have a code (something like hold down select for 5 seconds, then up down up, or some such) that will put the pad into a mode where multiple simultaneous presses will register.

DataWest · « **Reply #21 on:** April 30, 2011, 12:09:51 pm »

http://www.stepmania.com/wiki/Dance_Pad_Code

Thanks! I'm going to try that for sure...I don't have much hope for it though as the PS3 pad doesn't have an adaptor, it's just USB out.

I post here later if it does work. The PS3 pad is only $40 at gamestop with the ps3 game too. For a flat pad it's pretty darn good.

drventure · « **Reply #22 on:** April 30, 2011, 02:40:09 pm »

There was a couple of comments about using XBCD or XPadder to compensate for the axis problems too. Might also be something to look into.

DataWest · « **Reply #23 on:** May 01, 2011, 05:43:05 pm »

Quote from: drventure on April 30, 2011, 02:40:09 pm

There was a couple of comments about using XBCD or XPadder to compensate for the axis problems too. Might also be something to look into.

Tried everything last night...came to the realization (and the stepmania forums confirmed this) that no one knew how to make the PS3 pads work with a PC. I wish I had gotten an xbox 360 one

you can make those work with the programs you listed.

drventure · « **Reply #24 on:** May 01, 2011, 08:22:03 pm »

Here's what I picked up. Sucks about the PS3 pads.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=88515.msg1040134#msg1040134

These work ok, once you enter the code.

But I think those hard mats (like the cobalt flux) would work better.

DataWest · « **Reply #25 on:** May 05, 2011, 01:45:42 am »

I got a pretty good deal on a pad that was compatable with my OS and worked with stepmania easily. I'll post more info tomorrow.

DataWest · « **Reply #26 on:** May 05, 2011, 03:18:52 pm »

I am going to add this to my cab too.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/ultrastardx/files/

The chicks will dig it.

drventure · « **Reply #27 on:** May 05, 2011, 09:43:53 pm »

Hrmmmm I dunno about the singing

BadMouth · « **Reply #28 on:** May 05, 2011, 09:52:36 pm »

All this talk....now I got cheap dance pads & a fake guitar on the way.
It's only going to lead to me sinking money into more expensive versions once I get hooked on the games.

As far as Ultrastar goes, every video clip I found on youtube still has the original vocals at full volume.
Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

drventure · « **Reply #29 on:** May 05, 2011, 09:57:08 pm »

It's REALLY easy to get sucked into StepMania and Frets on Fire.

You have been warned

DataWest · « **Reply #30 on:** May 05, 2011, 10:21:42 pm »

Quote from: BadMouth on May 05, 2011, 09:52:36 pm

All this talk....now I got cheap dance pads & a fake guitar on the way.
It's only going to lead to me sinking money into more expensive versions once I get hooked on the games.

As far as Ultrastar goes, every video clip I found on youtube still has the original vocals at full volume.
Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

LOL I did buy a cheap dance pad. It's made by energy. It works great.

I just downloaded a version of ultrastar with "deluxe" after it lol, I'll let you all know how it works.

Good thing is I can use my USB guitar from GH5 on the PS3 with frets on fire.

DataWest · « **Reply #31 on:** May 08, 2011, 02:30:31 am »

Quote from: BadMouth on May 05, 2011, 09:52:36 pm

All this talk....now I got cheap dance pads & a fake guitar on the way.
It's only going to lead to me sinking money into more expensive versions once I get hooked on the games.

As far as Ultrastar goes, every video clip I found on youtube still has the original vocals at full volume.
Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

Just let me know when you get hooked enough on stepmania that you want a custom metal dance pad. I have found many good projects I'll base mine on.


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