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First Cab shopping list - advice wanted
zero_koop:
Thanks for the advice.
I think I would be okay with using a spinner for a steering wheel replacement. I like driving games, but not enough to try and work a steering wheel into my control panel. What I'm unsure of is, how can you tell if a game uses an optical steering wheel or if it simply uses left/right arrows? I played a few games (especially top-down driving games like Super Sprint) that seem like they have decent control using the joystick, but would be much better if played with an analog steering device. But really I don't know if the game actually supports that or not. I'm assuming that games that DO support a real wheel (like Cruisin' USA) can be played with the joystick as a last resort, because they all seem to work when I try using just my keyboard. I really like a few of the simple 2 player games that are easy to pick up and play. The names of them aren't coming to mind right now, but I'll try to list a few of them when I get back to my arcade computer. I remember one was a top-down 2 person hockey game. Another was a sort of 2 player breakout. I think there are enough of those types of games to justify the second spinner and the option to use as a steering wheel is an added bonus. It is a risk because they're so expensive, but right now I think I'm gonna go for it. I do have one more question though, I don't have to have a gas pedal/break for driving games do I? I realize I might not get the best control without it (the pedals might be analog) but I'm okay as long as it works. Maybe I'll update someday but like I said, not a huge driving sim fan, but I do like them sometimes. Mostly I just like the arcade-y top-down driving games.
I think I would like the larger 3" trackball too. It's probably heavier and better for more precise control (like the flywheel on the spinner).
I will get the flywheel on the spinner, I think I'll just go for the "small" size as opposed to the "large" size. Middle ground is probably safe for someone without too much of an opinion.
@yaksplat I will use my 2 leaf switch buttons for the "flipper" buttons on the side of the cabinet, just like the real pinball machines! That will be a nice touch. Also, by GGG did you mean GroovyGameGear (I hadn't heard of it before)? If so, I'm searching their site and so far not seeing anything to use spinners as steering wheels. Link? I do think I know what you're talking about though. I saw a pic of someone's CP and I think they had a mini steering wheel mounted on top of the spinner.
Le Chuck:
--- Quote from: zero_koop on January 09, 2012, 07:41:04 pm ---@yaksplat I will use my 2 leaf switch buttons for the "flipper" buttons on the side of the cabinet, just like the real pinball machines! That will be a nice touch. Also, by GGG did you mean GroovyGameGear (I hadn't heard of it before)? If so, I'm searching their site and so far not seeing anything to use spinners as steering wheels. Link? I do think I know what you're talking about though. I saw a pic of someone's CP and I think they had a mini steering wheel mounted on top of the spinner.
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About halfway down the turbo twist 2 vend page you'll see them. Different sizes available. All awesome. Click me dood.
zero_koop:
--- Quote from: Le Chuck on January 09, 2012, 08:01:57 pm ---
--- Quote from: zero_koop on January 09, 2012, 07:41:04 pm ---@yaksplat I will use my 2 leaf switch buttons for the "flipper" buttons on the side of the cabinet, just like the real pinball machines! That will be a nice touch. Also, by GGG did you mean GroovyGameGear (I hadn't heard of it before)? If so, I'm searching their site and so far not seeing anything to use spinners as steering wheels. Link? I do think I know what you're talking about though. I saw a pic of someone's CP and I think they had a mini steering wheel mounted on top of the spinner.
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About halfway down the turbo twist 2 vend page you'll see them. Different sizes available. All awesome. Click me dood.
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ah yes thank you. And woah! Expensive. Maybe as an upgrade some day. Will just have to make sure I leave room.
thebyter:
Saint's wiki includes a page on spinners at http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Spinners_and_Dials. That lists a bunch of games that use spinners, including a special section on dual-spinner games. All of these should work with analog (optical) controls, but, as you've found, MAME'll generally let you use traditional joystick or button presses to increment or decrement the spinner "position", though it won't necessarily feel right. To that end, you can also get by without dedicated gas/brake pedals at the loss of some control feeling.
2-1/4" trackballs are cheaper and obviously smaller, so depending on your monetary and/or space budget you might consider them. I've heard they're easier for kids, too, with smaller hands. Finally, pool balls are also 2-1/4", so it's easier to customize your trackball's solid color if you like (you can put in an 8-ball or a skull / marbled / whatever ball). That being said, unless one of those points is particularly important to you, I agree that the 3-inch trackballs are going to feel and play better.
Finally, yeah, spend the (small amount) extra on a flywheel or at least a big heavy knob. The extra "oomph" and spinning inertia will make it feel more like an arcade control than, say, a combination padlock. Plus, the nice thing about the SpinTrak--and the TurboTwist 2 from GroovyGameGear--is that you can add or remove (or replace) the flywheel component if you don't like the feel.
zero_koop:
--- Quote from: thebyter on January 11, 2012, 01:54:21 pm ---Saint's wiki includes a page on spinners at http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Spinners_and_Dials. That lists a bunch of games that use spinners, including a special section on dual-spinner games. All of these should work with analog (optical) controls, but, as you've found, MAME'll generally let you use traditional joystick or button presses to increment or decrement the spinner "position", though it won't necessarily feel right. To that end, you can also get by without dedicated gas/brake pedals at the loss of some control feeling.
2-1/4" trackballs are cheaper and obviously smaller, so depending on your monetary and/or space budget you might consider them. I've heard they're easier for kids, too, with smaller hands. Finally, pool balls are also 2-1/4", so it's easier to customize your trackball's solid color if you like (you can put in an 8-ball or a skull / marbled / whatever ball). That being said, unless one of those points is particularly important to you, I agree that the 3-inch trackballs are going to feel and play better.
Finally, yeah, spend the (small amount) extra on a flywheel or at least a big heavy knob. The extra "oomph" and spinning inertia will make it feel more like an arcade control than, say, a combination padlock. Plus, the nice thing about the SpinTrak--and the TurboTwist 2 from GroovyGameGear--is that you can add or remove (or replace) the flywheel component if you don't like the feel.
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awesome info, thanks! Yeah, I didn't find that wiki until last night and I realized I probably could have answered most of my questions from that. Thanks again for clarifying the use of pedals or not. The link you posted didn't work because the period became a part of the link. I'll try re-posting the correct link:
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Spinners_and_Dials