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X-Arcade Tankstick limited button presses (6 button limitation)
ABACABB:
This came up in another post under a different topic but I felt compelled to give this topic its own thread for those who are thinking a buying an X-Arcade product.
The Tankstick comes with 2 differnt types of connections, USB and PS/2. The PS/2 connection does not work on most computers and XGaming says it is a voltage issue with the motherboard, that was why they switched to the USB connection. However if you connect your Tankstick via USB you will have a limitation of 6 Simultaneous button presses. YES 6!!!! If you happen to be playing a two player game and both players are holding the stick in a diagonal direction (that will use up 4 of your available 6) you are left with 2 buttons that will function simultaneously. I cannot begin to tell you how much this sucks!! There is not much on the web to support this topic but it needs to be known and there is no mention of this issue on their website.
XArcade has a small test utility that will show you simultaneous button presses and once you get to 6, no other inputs work. The only exception to this is Alt, Ctrl and Shift. Those 3 do not count towards your total of 6 so you could get 9 but only if your controls are configured to use those buttons. If you play games like NBA Jam or NFL Blitz where you are moving diagonally and both players are holding Turbo this becomes a major problem!!
So I contacted X-Gaming about the issue and here is the return response I got from their technical support:
A response to your recent inquiry Case #19888 is now available. Please use the link below to read the response and reply. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, USE THE LINK BELOW. If you cannot read the entire response in the case, you can still see the full response in this email. Your case will be labeled as closed when we reply, but it will reopen automatically when you respond and update your case.
Case Number 19888
Case Subject Limit on simultaneous buttons
Customer XXXXX
Contact
Creation Date 1/27/2012, 12:07 pm (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Case Type
Case Priority Medium
Case Status Closed
Updated By Jeremy K
Date Updated 1/30/2012, 11:04 am
Click here to reply & update your Case
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL - IT WILL NOT BE READ/ANSWERED
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Message History
There is a USB limitation of 6 buttons PLUS Shift, Alt, and Ctrl, for a total of 9. Using the PS/2 port instead there is no limitation.
Otherwise you could connect it with our PS3 or 360 adapter to make it act like a gamepad instead, which would have no limitation.
-----Original Message-----
From: XXXXXX
Sent: Friday , January 27, 2012 12:07 pm EST (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Limit on simultaneous buttons
It seems that there is a limit of 6 simultaneous button presses to be recognized by a computer on the Tankstick. Is there a way around this or do you offer an upgraded encoder that would allow more simultaneous button presses? When playing 2 player games, if both players are pressing a diagonal direction and holding a turbo button, the Tankstick is maxed out and won't recognize additional inputs.
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Please feel free to contact us anytime, we are always glad to help. Also keep in mind that most any question can be answered on our Customer Service page here: http://www.x-arcade.com/service
So if you notice at the end of the reply email it says you can use a PS3 or XBox adapter to make this issue go away, "no limitation" is what they state.....Hmmm so I checked their website for this adapter. I found the adapter BUT there is a disclaimer at the bottom that says:
"USB NOTE:
Please Note: That although the PS3 connection is USB, it will not support connectivity to your pc."
http://www.xgaming.com/store/x-arcade-adapters/product/x-arcade-ps3-xbox-playstation-3-adapter/
Just fu**ing great! You shell out $200 bucks for a 2 player "arcade quality" controller as they claim but really doesn't support 2-player games all that well. I wish they would admit this fuckup and offer an upgrade or start offering a Tankstick with an actual joystick encoder with a USB interface so this thing will work as it ALREADY SHOULD!!! :angry: :banghead: :angry:
Build quality: A+
Functionality: Epic Failure!!
DarthMarino:
I use PS3 controllers directly plugged into my computer all the time with MotioninJoy. I'm wondering if this would connect the same way.
05SRT4:
Finally I have a reason I can use when im getting owned at street fighter!!
I can honestly say that this has never caused a problem for me when playing. I'm not that heavy playing extensive though. I'm sure if I get more into the the 6 button fighters it might pose a problem.
ark_ader:
I am having a real problem trying to get my head around the problem of not being able to have more than 9 single player buttons on a control panel or games console, never mind having to press them at the same time. X Arcade has eight + direction per player, most of NeoGeo games are 3 button.
I have never played a game (and I would like people to share which ones that need it) that required 9 buttons to be pressed at the same time.
I think the OP should qualify his argument more than trying to slam a perfectly good product. :angry:
ABACABB:
--- Quote from: ark_ader on May 22, 2012, 07:20:22 am ---I am having a real problem trying to get my head around the problem of not being able to have more than 9 single player buttons on a control panel or games console, never mind having to press them at the same time. X Arcade has eight + direction per player, most of NeoGeo games are 3 button.
I have never played a game (and I would like people to share which ones that need it) that required 9 buttons to be pressed at the same time.
I think the OP should qualify his argument more than trying to slam a perfectly good product. :angry:
--- End quote ---
I thought I did a good job of qualifying this in my original post but i guess not so let me break this down for you:
Scenario #1
NFL Blitz/NBA Jam, 2 players
Player#1 holding stick diagonally = 2 switches
Player #2 holding stick diagonally = 2 switches. Total so far, 4. Oh yes, the stick direction counts toward the total inputs allowed
Player#1 holding Turbo, total 5. Uh Oh getting close
Player #2 holding Turbo. Total 6. Done, you are maxed out.
There are no more button presses allowed for passing or shooting (jumping or stiff arm in Blitz)
Now you say you want to throw in the Alt, Ctrl, Shift inputs for more buttons. OK let's look at that. First of all it is much more arcade like to have the controls configured for the bottom buttons of the Tankstick. The layout there is similar to the arcade and I would prefer to use. For this arguement we'll use the default controls on the Tankstick which follow the top 3 buttons for player 1 and 2. Same situation where player #1 is holding diagonally and holding Turbo (Turbo is mapped to the Ctrl key so that doesn't count toward the max limit of 6) but player needs to jump at a crucial moment and that button is mapped to the spacebar. This one does count towards the max limit of 6, so there are 4 switches being used but only 3 of them count towards our limit. Over to player 2. On the player 2 side, none of the buttons are mapped to Alt, Ctrl or Shift. Here is where the problem comes in. Player 2 is moving diagonally (there are a lot of diagonal movements in these 2 games so this is a pretty common occurance). Player #2 is also holding Turbo. That is 3 switches being used by player 2 and player 1 was already using 3 switches (not counting the Ctrl button being used as turbo) so we are maxed out and player 2 has no buttons left that will work to pass the ball or jump a defender. Do you see the problem here?
Scenario #2
Mortal Kombat
Player #1 Performs Sub Zero's special slide move: back+LP+Blk+LK = 4 switches being used already. This only leaves player 2 with 2 available inputs?? I realize we are talking about a very short time here where these buttons are not available for use but that is EXACTLY what arcade games are about, split second timing and lightning fast reactions. Because of the limited inputs of the Tankstick, you don't get that.
This may not be apparent from reading this article but believe me - it becomes very apparent within seconds of playing thsese games.
Ark, not sure why you are defending this company so much other than maybe you work there?? I hope you do so you can relay this info and they could address this issue. There is a communication breakdown somewhere in this place when in one email their tech support tells you one thing but when you go to their website it says the exact opposite. Again, are you really going to tell me you don't see the problem here?? :angry:
So Ark, you can post your apology after you manage to "get your head around" this major problem.