Building my own 4 player controls

[danvan]

Hi all,

I am about to start my second mame project, a built from scratch 4-player cabinet using an I-PAC4 and an S-Video TV (my last project, a conversion, can be found here for those interested : http://www.danvan.com/Arcade). As finances are tight, I'm only going to build the control panel first and use my existing PC and TV until I can afford dedicated equipment and the rest of the cabinet.

I live in Australia, and have only dealt with OzStick (http://www.ozstick.com.au) so far. I am happy to deal with them again, but their range is not wide enough for what I want on this project. I have another 2, maybe 3, friends who are going build identical controls so will be buying in bulk. I am leaning towards Happ Controls for the buttons and joysticks. Problem is we can't "look before we buy" and don't want to end up with an inferior product. Can anyone let me know the differences in Happ's joysticks and buttons (look/quality).

We would prefer to find somewhere that has IPAC4s and light guns as well. As I suspect we will be better off financially by buying everything in one place and pay the international shipping can anyone tell me anywhere that stocks:

* I-PAC4 (or comparable product - but would prefer to stick with Ultimarc)
* various coloured buttons with matching joysticks (we want a different colour per player)
* Act-Labs light gun (or any comparable product)

Thanks in advance,
Daniel

[paigeoliver]

Ok, my opinion may not be the opinion of the majority here.

But Happs joysticks are inferior PERIOD. I have owned too many original early 80s games and the Happ sticks just can't match up to the old leaf switch sticks. If you must use Happ sticks then go with the supers (or which ever one it is with the thick shaft and heavy black top), and order them from Bob Roberts as he is cheaper than happs is (Happs doesn't actually make anything, they are just a reseller anyway).

Also, if I remember correctly, most 4-player games used Wico balltop sticks (or clones of them) and not microswitch sticks.

[grafixmonkey]

My Happ Supers still bounce a lot.  I think they might be doing that because they have no restrictor plate, so you can pull the joystick all the way before it stops.  So, performing Mortal Kombat moves is tricky - I always get bouncing when I try to double tap a direction.  So, if you get Happ Supers, do something to restrict their stick's movement range somehow.  

I also got a Happ Universal.  I can send you pictures of both...  the Universal is the one with the gear-looking thing on the bottom that you can turn, to switch to and from 4-way and 8-way.  It's much stubbier and much stiffer, but I think I like that feel.  I could see it being a great performer on Mortal Kombat, as it does not bounce period, ever, and requires a sturdy push to move - so it goes where you really want it to.  Not sure if the 4-way operation cuts it for games like pacman and donkey kong though.  Haven't tried that.

I've bought almost all my parts from Happ...  so if you're wondering about something I might be able to tell you about it...   but you might have to PM me cuz I keep forgetting to check threads.

[Apollo]

I have 2 competitions and a MsPac/Galag 4 way from Happ and they are excellent. I find the comps great for old school ( Timepilot, 1942 etc ) and for the fighters and the 4 way is brilliant. No problems at all.
I went for the comps over other joysticks mainly thanks to OSCARS excellent reviews and the 4 way has always been considered the best. I originally tried to get a WICO leaf 4 way but being in New Zealand it turned out to be unavailable.
I am very happy with my purchase.

[paigeoliver]

Yes, I do have a few of the Ms. Pac/Galaga replacement sticks. Those are fine. I have used the rest of their sticks though, and the rest are junk.

By the way, does anybody know where you can get the actual exact same joysticks that actually ship in the Ms. Pac/Galaga combo machines? Cause I own the Happ replacements, and they are not the same stick that ships in the Reunion machine (the reunion machine has a stick with a shiny top).

I am also wondering this. I wonder if ANY of those Ms. Pac/Galaga replacement sticks has ever actually ended up inside a reunion machine. Joysticks last for YEARS and those machines haven't been around long enough to start getting worn out sticks.

[Lilwolf]

I like happs products... I like them even more if you buy them from bob roberts.

BUT... I hear the TStick (or was it a JStick the 4/8way switchable) is a great joystick... Worth getting one...  When you get your encoder.

Happs horizontals and you wont go wrong.  Good buttons all around.  they are the standard.

Light guns aren't an option for you right now.  Since you are  going with a TV.  You will have to wait until actlabs sends out their TVout version.

As for everything else.  Putting a TV into a cabinet will be the cheapest part.  You will only need some local lumber... No major shipping.  So I would consider building up your cabinet at the same time... but put your existing TV into it.  But thats just me.

[RandyT]

Ok, my opinion may not be the opinion of the majority here.

But Happs joysticks are inferior PERIOD. I have owned too many original early 80s games and the Happ sticks just can't match up to the old leaf switch sticks. If you must use Happ sticks then go with the supers (or which ever one it is with the thick shaft and heavy black top), and order them from Bob Roberts as he is cheaper than happs is (Happs doesn't actually make anything, they are just a reseller anyway).

Also, if I remember correctly, most 4-player games used Wico balltop sticks (or clones of them) and not microswitch sticks.

It's great to finally hear someone say this.  I thought I was the only one that wasn't impressed by the IL sticks.

Sometimes it's like trying to control a game with a wet dishrag that favors diagonals  

There are much better alternatives, even in the microswitch market.

RandyT

[paigeoliver]

If you want a GOOD microswitch stick, then search for the microswitched based clones of the old Wico sticks. I don't know who made them, but I have one (and have owned a few in the past). They use most of the same parts as the leaf switch ones (including the all important rubber centering grommet and balltop handles), but have microswitches and a square activator instead.

RandyT - We are like a couple of guys sitting in a '65 Mustang listening to people argue over which is better Ford Escorts or Geo Metros!

[Nailz]

Can I sit in my 66 Mustang and listen instead?  

I would have to agree, I had the Happs supers in my CP first (long before Oscars great comparison) and I absolutely hated them.  I then got myself some Wico 8-way leaf switch sticks and it was night and day, on top of the fact that they even play the 4-way games so well that I never did put in an actual 4-way....

[jakejake28]

personnally, i love the feel of my wico stc 500s... short throw, but it is amazing for some of teh oldies.

[RandyT]

personnally, i love the feel of my wico stc 500s... short throw, but it is amazing for some of teh oldies.

Right On Brother!   (ok, so I'm not that old )

Every game I played after moving to these sticks improved immensely.  Precision, playability and just plain fun factor was far above what was delivered by the IL stuff I have tried.  It was literally like playing the games properly for the first time.

In fact, I was so taken by the experience of using these sticks........well, let's say I'll have something more to say about them in the very near future

RandyT