Add a button to a dedicated 4way?

[jlfreund]

I'm building a CP now that will have 2 8way sticks with 6 buttons.  I added a dedicated 4 way basically for pacman, but I'm not sure what else I would use it for.

Are there any good games that require a single 4 way + 1-2 buttons?  I think most good games that use a 4 way + buttons such as galaga, astro blaster, donkey kong, load runner types etc, should play great on the 8 way.  Is that true?  I'd rather avoid the clutter of adding dedicated buttons, but if there are enough good games that really need the 4 way plus buttons, I could add it.

[Matthew Anderson]

Dig Dug

Mr. Do!
Mr. Do!'s Castle

Personally I would have a hard time without a 4way + buttons myself. Dig Dug (my personal fave) does NOT play nice on an 8 way.

[nitz]

I think most good games that use a 4 way + buttons such as galaga, astro blaster, donkey kong, load runner types etc, should play great on the 8 way.  Is that true?

IMO, no. A game like Galaga might be ok because it's two way, but few 4 way games will play well on an 8 way stick.

I'd rather avoid the clutter of adding dedicated buttons, but if there are enough good games that really need the 4 way plus buttons, I could add it.

I would just put the 4 way in between player 1 and player 2's controls, and use the player 2 buttons for 4 way games that need buttons. Problem solved!

[Ginsu Victim]

I would just put the 4 way in between player 1 and player 2's controls, and use the player 2 buttons for 4 way games that need buttons.

I like to map both player 1 and 2 for use. That way, you get a nice ambidextrous layout.

[darthpaul]

Why not use the Ultimarc Mag-Stik plus, then you will have an 8way and 4way in one stick?

[leapinlew]

I think most good games that use a 4 way + buttons such as galaga, astro blaster, donkey kong, load runner types etc, should play great on the 8 way.  Is that true?

No, it'll play terrible. Each game is different. Ms. Pacman for example. Sometimes when you hit a diagonal with Ms. Pacman she freezes and won't move until the stick returns to center. Other games respond crazy when a diagonal is hit. I have a dedicated 4 way 1 button vertical monitor machine to play the games to handle the classic and another machine with 8 ways to handle 8 way games.

I had a couple Magstick+. I'm not a fan. The throw is too short and the joystick is real stiff compared to the arcade joysticks I grew up with.

[EightBySix]

Isn't there some way of fixing this problem with software, or some kind of logic gates on the direction switches, so that as far as mame is concerned, a diagonal never appears?
It could be switchable then....

I'm kind of counting on the answer being yes 

[leapinlew]

Isn't there some way of fixing this problem with software, or some kind of logic gates on the direction switches, so that as far as mame is concerned, a diagonal never appears?
It could be switchable then....

I'm kind of counting on the answer being yes 

Furthermore... I've got to the point where I really like a hardware restricted 4 way, but I realize a round restrictor probably isn't a big deal for most people. Trying to play a lot of 4 way games on a 8 way is frustrating. I know it SEEMS like it should work, but it's terrible.

You can have MAME ignore diagonals, but if you think about it, it will create deadzones that do nothing when your joystick hits that spot.

The cool thing is, it's not expensive to test out. Get a 4 way joystick with a hardware restrictor on it and get a 8 way. Give'em both a whirl and see what you think.