Tunnel Hunt joystick calibration

[Minwah]

I am running Mame v0.99 with an Ultrastik, and the calibration of the joystick seems out...ie when the joystick is centered the game acts as though the joystick is down/right (I think). The joystick works fine generally so it is a game issue, but there is no calibration in the game's test mode as far as I can tell. It's still playable but a bit annoying, and more or less impossible to enter high score initials.

Can anyone running a newer version of Mame & analog joystick tell me if this is still the case? Thanks!

[TopJimmyCooks]

increase the joystick deadzone in mame.ini?  I have a u360 and it's worked fine in the latest versions of mame.  In the u360 mapper app, my stick is never exactly dead center, but its always close. 

[Minwah]

Thanks for your reply.

The deadzone is fine in other analog games which made me think it was a game-specific issue. That said if I map digital inputs the the joystick input then there is no issue so maybe it is the joystick. I'll have a play with the deadzone and a newer version of Mame and see if I can improve it...

[Xiaou2]

Analog joysticks pots can wear and have bad-spots.  Especially true with a very old or heavily used device.

 Besides the software end, such as deleting older config, ini, save-state, (etc) files...
Replace the pots with linear tape, not audio taper, pots.

 Calibrate the stick in Windows first.  Check for fluid precise control.

 Check precision on PC games, or emulators, other than mame.

 Test other analog joysticks on mame.  Try other USB ports.

 Make sure the pots are the correct ohms for the PC or encoder.  Reflow solder connections as well.
(if wire is too thin, could be some broken intermittent connections as well)

 Some games have auto-calibration, like starwars, where you have to roll the stick around the edges a few times.
Some have calibration menus. Research how to get into them. Some are confusing and non-intuitive.

[Minwah]

Old thread revival...

I have now tried the game in Mame 0.99 and Mame 0.149, on different PC's with different analog controllers (Ultrastik and yoke interfaced as USB joystick).

I get the same problem with all combinations...when I start the game the crosshair is in the centre of the tunnel, and looks good. When I start moving around the calibration seems to go out, and I end up having to aim down/left significantly to remain 'centred'. (At one point in Mame 0.149 I noticed I was having to aim right and up, but it seemed to change *)

This is definitely game-specific, and not a controller/calibration issue as my controllers work as expected in other games. I have been into the test mode of the game but while you can view values for X/Y position, there is no calibration option (the game manual confirms this).

So I can only deduce that either a) the game is trying to do some kind of auto-calibration which isn't working properly (* this made me think this) , or b) it is a mame bug (or a+b).

However I'm interested that TopJim was quite sure it worked fine for him in some version of Mame (presumably somewhere between 0.99 and 0.149). Can anyone else comment on this issue, specifically with analog controls?

[TopJimmyCooks]

To be clear I haven't played tunnel hunt.  I just went to try it and didn't find the rom.  If I turn it up I'll check it out and report.  I haven't had any issues with the U360 although some games it's easier to dial in a nice sensitivity than others.

edit:  I played the game.  u360 worked fine right out of the gate . . . . but I overheated my frikkin laser.  At least it seemed to work ok, can't comment on emulation accuracy because I never played the real thing.  but seemed ok, I could move the crosshairs to shoot the tie fighter. 

[gildahl]

I recall fighting to get this game to work in 0.145 (UltraStick360).  It seems to work at first, but then calibration goes bad.  No deadzone or sensitivity setting seemed to correct the problems.  I eventually gave up.  As all other games with analog controls seem to work fine, I too presumed it was a game-specific issue.

[Minwah]

I recall fighting to get this game to work in 0.145 (UltraStick360).  It seems to work at first, but then calibration goes bad.  No deadzone or sensitivity setting seemed to correct the problems.  I eventually gave up.  As all other games with analog controls seem to work fine, I too presumed it was a game-specific issue.

Thanks for the replies. It's not just me then! I think it is some auto-calibration feature of the game going awry. It's still playable but it makes it a bit harder.

This game doesn't seem to get much love, which is a shame as it has proved to be a favourite for me and some work mates - good for high score beating.