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The One Joystick to Rule Them All?
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jimmer:

--- Quote from: Endaar on March 09, 2014, 12:16:37 pm ---
--- Quote from: EMDB on March 06, 2014, 02:27:08 pm ---And there is no other stick that can control QBert as it was intended (other than a 4 way stick which is physically rotated 45 degrees): move to the Up-Right diagonal triggers an Up etc.

--- End quote ---

I've seen this posted a few times but I don't see how that's the case. I have QBert programmed so that "UP" in game requires hitting BOTH UP and RIGHT on my 8-way joystick. Etc. Unless I'm missing something (and admittedly most of my Q-Bert gameplay was on Coleco) this works perfectly fine.

--- End quote ---

I'm sure I also read a few times that you need a 4way stick rotated for Q*Bert, maybe the conversations were about non-MAME systems.

But your post has just made me go get Q*Bert and try it on MAME. And yeah, MAME does key combinations so you can choose the diagonals as your 4 directions, so an 8way stick with a square restrictor is fine.

That vinyl panel overlay I printed up for Q*Bert thinking it needed special controls is a bit redundant now. Ah well it still looks cool.



EMDB:

--- Quote from: jimmer on March 09, 2014, 03:07:08 pm ---
--- Quote from: Endaar on March 09, 2014, 12:16:37 pm ---
--- Quote from: EMDB on March 06, 2014, 02:27:08 pm ---And there is no other stick that can control QBert as it was intended (other than a 4 way stick which is physically rotated 45 degrees): move to the Up-Right diagonal triggers an Up etc.

--- End quote ---

I've seen this posted a few times but I don't see how that's the case. I have QBert programmed so that "UP" in game requires hitting BOTH UP and RIGHT on my 8-way joystick. Etc. Unless I'm missing something (and admittedly most of my Q-Bert gameplay was on Coleco) this works perfectly fine.

--- End quote ---

I'm sure I also read a few times that you need a 4way stick rotated for Q*Bert, maybe the conversations were about non-MAME systems.

But your post has just made me go get Q*Bert and try it on MAME. And yeah, MAME does key combinations so you can choose the diagonals as your 4 directions, so an 8way stick with a square restrictor is fine.

That vinyl panel overlay I printed up for Q*Bert thinking it needed special controls is a bit redundant now. Ah well it still looks cool.

--- End quote ---
Don't the diagonals have a very limit area where they hit both switches on an actual stick?
PL1:
For the arcade version, the joystick was rotated 45 degrees so up+right relative to the screen = up relative to the joystick base.

AFAIK Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, and Congo Bongo were the only three games that used this diagonal stick-mount.

If you want to use the diagonals on a regular 8-way joystick, be sure to clear the inputs in MAME using "Enter" then "Esc", otherwise MAME will recognize both "Up" and "Up+Right" as commands to jump up/right.

If you're trying to go up+left, but hit the Up before the Left, it will send you the wrong way. :angry:


--- Quote from: EMDB on March 09, 2014, 03:14:09 pm ---Don't the diagonals have a very limit area where they hit both switches on an actual stick?

--- End quote ---
Most sticks have a much narrower angle for diagonals than primary directions.

If primary and diagonal directions were divided evenly, each would get 45 degrees. (360/8)

According to the RetroBlast joystick roundup, Happ Competition diagonals are only 10 degrees and Happ Supers are only 15 degrees.


Scott
chopperthedog:
As PL1 stated with setting up the 8 way for qbert works perfectly with a set of servo stiks in my cocktail table. The only thing I needed to do was edit the controls.ini for qbert and congo bongo to read 8way so the servo stik would go to the 8way plate setting for the diagonals.


good day
EMDB:

--- Quote from: PL1 on March 09, 2014, 03:57:49 pm ---For the arcade version, the joystick was rotated 45 degrees so up+right relative to the screen = up relative to the joystick base.

AFAIK Q*bert, Q*bert's Qubes, and Congo Bongo were the only three games that used this diagonal stick-mount.

If you want to use the diagonals on a regular 8-way joystick, be sure to clear the inputs in MAME using "Enter" then "Esc", otherwise MAME will recognize both "Up" and "Up+Right" as commands to jump up/right.

If you're trying to go up+left, but hit the Up before the Left, it will send you the wrong way. :angry:


--- Quote from: EMDB on March 09, 2014, 03:14:09 pm ---Don't the diagonals have a very limit area where they hit both switches on an actual stick?

--- End quote ---
Most sticks have a much narrower angle for diagonals than primary directions.

If primary and diagonal directions were divided evenly, each would get 45 degrees. (360/8)

According to the RetroBlast joystick roundup, Happ Competition diagonals are only 10 degrees and Happ Supers are only 15 degrees.


Scott

--- End quote ---
So if you only have 10 degrees for the diagonals to be triggered you have to hit your corners VERY precise to move QBert around. I guess my setup has about 60 to 70 degrees of area to be detected as UP...
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