Arcade FPS controls

[twistedsymphony]

So I'm a sucker for really unique control interfaces, during my normal browse of YAJ I came across an auction for 2 sets of Japanese FPS arcade controls, I believe they're from a Half-Life 2 survivor machine (or maybe a different game that used the same controls)... I couldn't help myself so I bid and I won 

in any case here's the listing with some pics: http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r120686218

here are what the controls normally look like in the HL2 cab:




The machines also have a pair of foot-pedals though I'm unsure what those are used for.

Anyway, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these quite yet I was wondering if anyone else has built an FPS cab or panel before or utilized controls like this in any builds. I haven't been able to find any examples of these outside of the HL2 cab and I'd be interested to see any other examples if they exist. 

[jimmy2x2x]

Very cool, would love to see what you do with them!

How many of your american dollars did they cost shipped?

[twistedsymphony]

The auction ended at around $75 with a $8 fee for the proxy bidding service. I won't know the shipping charge for a little while. However, if they're under 4lbs the shipping service I use batch ships them to the USA office for pennies and then I just have to pay a domestic shipping fee. Otherwise it'll wait until I buy a few other items and have them shipped together from Japan to save some of the costs.  I might not actually see them for a month depending on how it works out but in the mean time I'd like to brain storm what I can do with them.

It looks like it's all just potentiometers so depending on the design I'm thinking I might see if I can wire them through an Xbox 360 controller board so that the stick movements are mapped to the analog sticks and that would make interfacing with a PC or console pretty straight forward. beyond that I'm debating whether I should try building a stand-alone joystick or an alternate panel for my Kraylix cab (which is nearly what they were designed for originally anyway).  I'd love to do a full-on head to head cab but I don't have room for that, at least not at the moment.

[Generic Eric]

Congrats on the winning bid.

Something, something, Occulus Rift.

I can't tell from the pics,  how many buttons are on each "stick?"

How can average enthusiasts recreate that controller scheme?  Are you going to reconfigure for an fps? I'd encourage TF2 or CS:GO ($450 knives and such)

You cab continue searching,  but I am reasonably confident if there is a series of FPS cabs, they didn't stay in the spotlight long.  I can't recall any.

[thomas_surles]

There are some programs out to trick things into thinking they are 360 controllers. If you could get it to work with those controls you could play a ton of fps on pc without having to 're man anything.

[SegaOutrun]

Incase You want to build a HL2 Survivor cab, Survivor is actually playable on a regular PC. Using a Taito X dump and mix of steam files from the shady side of the internet, you can play the arcade version. Although its mostly in Japanese and the resolution is nonstandard, Its still pretty fun.

also as someone else mentioned, you can use the xbox360 controller emulator xbox360ce to act like a real 360 controller to play other fps with this

[twistedsymphony]

I can't tell from the pics,  how many buttons are on each "stick?"

the "puck" for your left hand only has 1 button for your thumb as far as I can tell, which is somewhat disapointing (maybe for use as a jump button?). The stick for your right hand has a trigger (primary fire), a thumb button (secondary fire or reload maybe) and then a scroll wheel like a mouse (weapon selection)

  but I am reasonably confident if there is a series of FPS cabs, they didn't stay in the spotlight long.  I can't recall any.

The only USA model FPS cabs i can think of are Atari's War: Final Assault and the Quake II prototype machine... Midway's The Grid could also be considered but it's more of a 3rd person shooter.

Japan gets a lot of exclusive FPS cabs, in addition to the Half-Life 2 game above there's also Border Break which uses an interesting looking mouse controller and in the past they've had the Metal Gear Solid arcade as well as Biohazard Gun Survivor which both use a light gun IN ADDITION to FPS style gameplay. I'm sure there are other games in Japan too I'm just not too familiar withthem.

There are some programs out to trick things into thinking they are 360 controllers. If you could get it to work with those controls you could play a ton of fps on pc without having to 're man anything.

well these are just the sticks so it's just bare buttons and potentiometers, I'll need some sort of interface board that works with USB in order to use it on a PC. I figure just pulling the PCB out of a wired 360 controller and soldering up all the buttons and pots would be the easiest method. As long as the pots are in the right range with what the 360 controller expects from the analog sticks...

Incase You want to build a HL2 Survivor cab, Survivor is actually playable on a regular PC. Using a Taito X dump and mix of steam files from the shady side of the internet, you can play the arcade version. Although its mostly in Japanese and the resolution is nonstandard, Its still pretty fun.

also as someone else mentioned, you can use the xbox360 controller emulator xbox360ce to act like a real 360 controller to play other fps with this

I've already got o copy of HL2 Survivor   though I haven't tried playing it yet

[Vigo]

Cool, man! From our prior convo, you obviously are willing to approach anything with these. I look forward to seeing your results. 

The machines also have a pair of foot-pedals though I'm unsure what those are used for.

My guess would be sprint or reload.

[Generic Eric]

There are some programs out to trick things into thinking they are 360 controllers. If you could get it to work with those controls you could play a ton of fps on pc without having to 're man anything.

well these are just the sticks so it's just bare buttons and potentiometers, I'll need some sort of interface board that works with USB in order to use it on a PC. I figure just pulling the PCB out of a wired 360 controller and soldering up all the buttons and pots would be the easiest method. As long as the pots are in the right range with what the 360 controller expects from the analog sticks...

Incase You want to build a HL2 Survivor cab, Survivor is actually playable on a regular PC. Using a Taito X dump and mix of steam files from the shady side of the internet, you can play the arcade version. Although its mostly in Japanese and the resolution is nonstandard, Its still pretty fun.

also as someone else mentioned, you can use the xbox360 controller emulator xbox360ce to act like a real 360 controller to play other fps with this

Something...something...kade...something...

Did you get the foot pedals too?

[twistedsymphony]

Did you get the foot pedals too?

unfortunately not,  but I don't suspect it'd be difficult to source or make a something similar if I need them.

[pbj]

Foot pedals come in handy for robotron

[thomas_surles]

Any thoughts on a cab? I would like to see a portal cab. But with these controls you should get a decent gaming pc. You will be able to play a ton of games not playable on a regular cab(without Usb controller) like gta, skyrim, and most newer games that require dual sticks. I really need these controls now.

[Generic Eric]

In the event the pics get dropped from the link you posted or for those that didn't click the link:





We can rebuild it.  We have the technology!