Interest Check: Top Fire Joysticks

[armi0024]

Right now we have a limited color selection but can do top fire for JLF, JLW, IL, Happ, Wico, Mag Sticks and a few more...  Any interest in seeing this really become something?  Yes we can sell these as just the shaft and ball top to replace your existing joystick shaft.

[Dcpmark]

Ummmmm.....WOW. That's awesome! What about UltraStik 360s?? Is it possible to do one for an oval top? how does the top fire button get wired? Cost?

Thanks!

[AGarv]

I am _very_ interested in a top-fire balltop. However the aesthetics of the one you are showing are not very attractive.  The button looks bolted on, end result is a joystick that looks like any radio-shack nipple home hack. 

The black button bezel is out of place, and the red of the button does not even match the red of the ball-top.

If you could pull it off, something closer in appearance to the old Wico Command Control would look much more professional on a panel (even though the CC top-fire mechanism was a very different leaf switch).

[BadMouth]

meh, save it for the crane games.

[lcmgadgets]

Interested--if it'll fir a u360, &, yeah, would prefer it a little prettier.

[Nephasth]

However the aesthetics of the one you are showing are not very attractive.

would prefer it a little prettier.

Better?






Sorry Bryan, I couldn't help myself.

[keilmillerjr]

Better?

 

[chopperthedog]

Boobies!





good day.

[CoryBee]

Boobies!





good day.

My favorite thing you ever posted 

[Brian74]

Boobies!





good day.

My favorite thing you ever posted 

Omg thats funny!! I think I have seen this before... Didnt Heatseeker do this already? Its original, not 

[armi0024]

This was a few minutes with off the shelf parts to see if things would fit.  Balltops can be done in different colors and of course the button can be changed.

Nep pretty funny but to fake looking, not a fan of bolt ons
 
Brian, i am pretty sure there were some top fire joysticks before heatseeker.
I wasn't presenting anything to be revolutionary, just a possible item we could do, if there was interest.


I was going to order more ball tops soon, if people are interested in making color/design suggestions, I may order, but right now i am hearing, not much interest.

[Dcpmark]

I was going to order more ball tops soon, if people are interested in making color/design suggestions, I may order, but right now i am hearing, not much interest.

I asked 2 questions.....maybe you didn't see them:

1) Can this be done for an oval top? A ball top doesn't make sense ergonomically, since the thumb is required to grip a ball. It makes much more sense for an oval or bat top.

2) Is the UltraStik 360 one of the supported sticks?

If the answer is yes to both questions, I am beyond interested.....I'll buy it.

[paigeoliver]

If you can make those for Wico then can you make 4" wico shafts with red balls? I am tired of using the light blue and purple ones just because those are the only long handled nos wico sticks left.

Pretty or not, some games (like Silkworm) needed top fire sticks to work right.

[armi0024]

Dcp, u360 doesn't like wires out the bottom, but the shafts will fit. I will look into oval and bat.

Paige, those are 4" color matched wicos

[Nephasth]

Nep pretty funny but to fake looking, not a fan of bolt ons

Neither am I, but that doesn't mean I won't play with 'em.

[mimic]

I personally have 2 of these and find them much more visually appealing than the ball tops, that look like tit(an)s.

[lcmgadgets]

Is that a Happ top fire compact?

[specfire]

Does anyone know if this went anywhere?  I would be very interested but I would like to see more details on how it works.  I'm fairly addicted to the Suzo Inductive Joys, so I would likely have to give them up to get top fire, however, it would be a fantastic addition to my panel.  It would open up quite a few games that I like.

Will it work on any short throw round restricted joysticks?

[armi0024]

Shouldn't affect game play but we stopped working on them as no one showed serious interest. 

[Nephasth]

However the aesthetics of the one you are showing are not very attractive.

would prefer it a little prettier.

Better?






Sorry Bryan, I couldn't help myself.

Really? No interest?!

[ark_ader]

Maybe for a Leisure Suit Larry Bartop. 

[BadMouth]

Someday I'd like to experiment with designs that place a button or trigger on the bottom front side of the balltop or top of the shaft.
It would be nice to have a design that goes unnoticed when playing normal games, but works well enough to play games like assault.

[edekoning]

Someday I'd like to experiment with designs that place a button or trigger on the bottom front side of the balltop or top of the shaft.

The problem with that is that a regular joystick shaft is free rotating, meaning the front does not have to stay the front. I believe trigger sticks do stay in the same orientation.

[clok]

Started thinking as a person born in the 60's and hitting arcades in my youth. There where not many games with Top fire joysticks. I can barely remember any. Ninja Gaiden, and that was a conversion, i have seen it with a top fire and just an extra button (in this case the top fire worked excellent for the hand grab, but it was a bat stick with a tiny button on top). Games like Battlezone and Red baron..  what am i missing, I know there are many more.. but ..  I would be interested in a bat with a button on top..  mY 4 player would be rocking with a 2nd and 4th player with top fires.. battlezone! or basically any tank game. Not a fan of ball tops.. but must admit i cant see the dislike for the one proposed, looks clean and nice to me, even with the button lip. I spose its just like any other "looks" thing we all like different things.

[armi0024]

I am happy to help support anyone who really wants to work on any of this.  All of these things are not hard to do

[Draco_Elessar]

I am happy to help support anyone who really wants to work on any of this.  All of these things are not hard to do

I have a JLF, what would be required in making one?

[specfire]

With regards to a "trigger" on the "back" of a ball top, check out an original Tron cocktail joystick.


With regards to a freely spinning shaft, instead of wires to conduct the switch signal, has anyone ever used the steel of the shaft as a conductor and/or used "brushes" for electrical pick up like an electric motor commutator?  (see pics)

Thoughts?

[lcmgadgets]

With regards to a freely spinning shaft, instead of wires to conduct the switch signal, has anyone ever used the steel of the shaft as a conductor and/or used "brushes" for electrical pick up like an electric motor commutator?  (see pics)

Oh my. I believe you've come up with another byoac first! Neat idea! 

[jasonbar]

Just came across this thread. Very neat. This could also be handy for games like Virtual On, Battle Zone, Sarge, & such. I might have some interest in using these on my panel, but 2 of the 4 would be replacing the shafts/balls on rotary sticks, so I'm not sure how to handle the wiring up the middle of the shaft on a rotary stick...unless one uses slip rings...eek!

Thanks,
-Jason

[Xiaou2]

 I think a set for Robotron Wico 8ways is a good idea.. except.. Id want the button pretty much the same as that Wico Command Control stick.   

 A Leafswitch button is far faster to activate, but has a nice initial cushion zone before that... to keep from accidentally pressing the button as your finger rests on it.   Once at that activation depth, its easy as pie to bounce lightly, causing lightning fast rapidfire... that no Microswitch can even come close to touching.

 The Leafs are less fatiguing for rapidfire action.. and while they are designed with a very long travel..  you do not have to bottom out the button to activate them.   As a result, there is no Impact into your fingers, from standard buttons that are designed to bottom out.   Again, less fatigue, and greater comfort.   

 And.. they are whisper silent.  Even IF you managed to bottom them out.. the spring forces that are at play, as well as the thinner button shaft, are such that its still a lot quieter than a typical button.   Happs wide hollow buttons tend to amplify the sounds.


 Id probably prefer the button top was more shaped and sized like a Sega Genesis button.    While the button would stick up twice as tall as a Sega button... its top would be the same concave finger-cradling shape,  so as not to slip off of it.. as well as for better comfort.  Convex buttons, especially small diameters.. can end up causing pains from long and or intense sessions.   The larger genesis button diameter, about a dime or penny size... would be easier to stay on, and more comfortable.  Probably would look a lot less like the Pink Oobsies shown here.

 The travel should remain long, with the same tension found on typical leaf buttons.

 
 It would be great if these were case into a hollow translucent shell,  with UV reactive colors, to match the Tron Handle sticks/look.   Probably the glowing blue top with a translucent frosted milky white button top.    And a set of glowing Red, matching the Satans Hollow sticks.   Both could use the same white top button... or possibly see how a combo of UV lime green for the blue sticks  +  UV Orange for the Red.

 All  the UV colors would be nice... especially for thing like 4 player CPs.

 Of course this would also be a great option for Bat Tops as well.   Such as to fit onto a Happs Comp.

 Im sure a lot would also love a remake of the Original Wico 8way with Rubber Grommet & real leaf switches.

  And finally, a set of re-cast Williams fully translucent (not frosted) leaf buttons with the center deflector in tact.
Concave.  (with options of UV glow colors that match the said Tron / Button top colors)

 An option for installing the centers into a newly made microswitch adapter would be good for a mix of leafs and micros.. but retaining the same beautiful look.

 UV reactive artwork and plastic inserts could be cool as well.  Could embed them into the CP.

 Id also prefer the typical leaf /micro buttons, to have a slightly smaller diameter.  Maybe even a mini set - possibly using that same Genesis cast... for use as Start / Coin / Admin buttons..  and or use for smaller bartop & children-builds.