Arcade games you can play with a Star Wars Yoke

[leapinlew]

Fair enough!

All the games I listed are all a compromise to gameplay. Some more than others. Some games translate directly to a star wars yoke, like Paperboy. The shooting games have been a total blast and I seem to be as good at them with the yoke or with the actual gun. The driving games are a little more of a compromise, but playable enough, that I wouldn't buy a driving cabinet just for them. I was showing my kids how to play the new games and they understood the shooting games right away, the driving games took some explaining (especially on the shifting parts). Spy Hunter just seems like too much of a compromise, and near impossible for guests and my kids to figure out. Your points make sense, and it could be ok for myself, but I could see people not really figuring it out. I also won't cut a hole in my Star Wars control panel, but if it was a different panel, I would.

[NuclearWarren]

The shooting games have been a total blast and I seem to be as good at them with the yoke or with the actual gun.

Im gonna take another look at the shooting games!

Give Lunar Lander a go!

[wp34]

Spy hunter was a no for this for a couple reasons.

1.  Need 5 buttons. I could skip the van button and map it to another button, but it was a small hit to gameplay.

2. The monitor is 19” horizontal and since spyhunter is vertical, it would be a pretty small viewing angle.

3. I have no shifter on the cabinet and in my experience, I would need to map a button or use a low to high return to center shifter. There is no on screen display to show which gear you are in.

All adds up to a no go, but I really thought hard about it.

An appeal:

1. The van button always was a small hit to game play, you have to take one hand off the yoke and hit a button. Its just off to the side, and just as easy to hit.

2. I was surprised to find out the game rez is actually square. Its stretched out vertically--yes its a vertical game--but not by much. Look up some screen shots. As far as MAME goes, I think its square.

3. I mapped the shift to one of the yoke triggers, and the missile to one of the button panels. I like having the shift as a trigger (think paddle shifter) for one thing your right hand is never off your weapons. The missile is more single press, and lesser used (or Im not good enough to see many Mad Bombers...). I actually like having the missile launch button on the panel. I think the sound isn't working quite right or you could hear which gear you're in...

You'd need to adapt a little, but I think the game play is pretty good with the yoke! You have to eliminate your yokes dead zone if there is one.

nuke

I hadn't thought about mapping the buttons like that.  Good to know.   

[wp34]

Apache 3 is playable.   I've never played this one so I have no idea how accurate it is.

https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6893

[PL1]

Apache 3 is playable.   I've never played this one so I have no idea how accurate it is.

https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6893

Looking at the contrtols in MAME, you can map the helicopter cyclic control (stick for X-axis and Y-axis, front and center - pilot's right hand) to the yoke, but there's also a helicopter collective control (Z-axis pitch+throttle lever. left side of the pilot's seat - pilot's left hand) that could make a big difference in gameplay.



The Apache 3 upright cab used an analog pedal for the collective/throttle.




Scott

[wp34]

Apache 3 is playable.   I've never played this one so I have no idea how accurate it is.

https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6893

Looking at the contrtols in MAME, you can map the helicopter cyclic control (stick for X-axis and Y-axis, front and center - pilot's right hand) to the yoke, but there's also a helicopter collective control (Z-axis pitch+throttle lever. left side of the pilot's seat - pilot's left hand) that could make a big difference in gameplay.



The Apache 3 upright cab used an analog pedal for the collective/throttle.




Scott

Thanks Scott.  I didn't notice the throttle in the pictures.  But I did just notice from your picture there is a foot pedal.

[Korbin]

FireFox (Atari) Laser Disc Game (playable in MAME and Daphne) uses the same Flight Yoke as Start Wars, ESB and ROTJ.

[Vocalitus]

Star Fire
Mach 3
Cobra Command
Cube Quest
F15 Strike Eagle  (Had to research that one)
Arkanoid
Kick
Missile Command
Marble Madness (maybe)
Hard Drivin (and sequels)
18 Wheeler
PowerDrift
Outrun
Tempest

I'm sure others will work.  It just a spring restricted mouse.

[PL1]

It just a spring restricted mouse.

Sorry, but that's not correct.   

The only yoke-shaped controller I can think of that is a spring restricted mouse is the oddball one from Road Blasters.
- There's no Y-axis movement so it's really more of a steering wheel than a true yoke.
- It uses an optical encoder wheel and optical circuits to output a quadrature waveform that the optical (mouse) encoder translates into relative position movements, exactly like an arcade spinner.

AFAIK all of the other yokes use potentiometers (arcade controllers) or Hall Effect sensors (newer controllers from A1UP and GRS) to output an analog voltage based on the pot/sensor position that is translated into an absolute position value by the analog encoder, exactly like an analog joystick or positional gun.

Mouse (relative position) =/= analog joystick. (absolute position)

MAME (and some encoders IIRC) can translate inputs from one type of control into a decent imitation of another type of control, but that does not make them the same thing.
- Some games will play well enough for some people's taste with a different type of controller, but some will not.  i.e. Some people like to play Star Wars with a trackball instad of a yoke.      


Scott

[negative1]

Arkanoid
Kick
Missile Command
Marble Madness (maybe)
Tempest

I'm sure others will work.  It just a spring restricted mouse.

if you're going to just start listing random trackball and spinner games, why bother.

this sounds like the worst possible way to play any of these games.

there's no way you can do the proper acceleration and angles needed for any of these.

later
-1

[Vocalitus]

Arkanoid
Kick
Missile Command
Marble Madness (maybe)
Tempest

I'm sure others will work.  It just a spring restricted mouse.

if you're going to just start listing random trackball and spinner games, why bother.

this sounds like the worst possible way to play any of these games.

there's no way you can do the proper acceleration and angles needed for any of these.

later
-1

Its the challenge to play these games on a non spring (apparently) restrictive mouse.

Have you tried it?

[bobbyb13]

After playing the games in their original cabinet state anything but the proper control is a disappointment.

Granted we are talking emulation of course, but I believe most people here are aiming to play any/all of these games with as authentic a setup as possible.

There is plenty of challenge built into the games themselves when played with the controllers the original designers mated to them.  Using something different certainly gets in the way.

And with a few rather rare exceptions for some people that I have seen, they are far more fun played with the real thing.

Maybe a few games you list are possible to enjoy (somewhat) with the wrong controller, but to put Tempest here...?
Might as well use billiard balls in a bowling alley.

And still, as Scott so eloquently elaborates, a flight yoke is not a mouse.

[Vocalitus]

After playing the games in their original cabinet state anything but the proper control is a disappointment.

Granted we are talking emulation of course, but I believe most people here are aiming to play any/all of these games with as authentic a setup as possible.

There is plenty of challenge built into the games themselves when played with the controllers the original designers mated to them.  Using something different certainly gets in the way.

And with a few rather rare exceptions for some people that I have seen, they are far more fun played with the real thing.

Maybe a few games you list are possible to enjoy (somewhat) with the wrong controller, but to put Tempest here...?
Might as well use billiard balls in a bowling alley.

And still, as Scott so eloquently elaborates, a flight yoke is not a mouse.

I understand purists mentality.  Having a Starwars flight Yoke is pretty cool to have especially if you were lucky enough to snag the 1up cabinet for $75.

But to justify spending $250 on a part that you will have to modify in your existing cabinet when a mouse would suffice, is difficult in this rough economy.

Really, how many times do you play Star Wars?  Every day, once a week or when it takes your fancy, so you look to other uses for the controller, like a driving controller. 

In order to use it like a steering wheel it would have to go left to right and visa versa.  Now you could probably play driving games on a (HOTAS) joystick (I play flight sims and Elite Dangerous) but I tried playing Tempest with it and it worked, not as easily with a spinner but it was challenging to play just the same.  I have been playing Tempest and its variants since it came out, and owned one in another life.

So excuse me for having a bit of fun and trying new ways to play the old and tired format, and why not change this forum to KLOV if you are going to be a bunch of purist ass-hats.

[negative1]

it's one thing to be a purist.

but this is a forum about building arcade controls.

not playing games with the wrong ones.

later
-1

[bobbyb13]

After playing the games in their original cabinet state anything but the proper control is a disappointment.

Granted we are talking emulation of course, but I believe most people here are aiming to play any/all of these games with as authentic a setup as possible.

There is plenty of challenge built into the games themselves when played with the controllers the original designers mated to them.  Using something different certainly gets in the way.

And with a few rather rare exceptions for some people that I have seen, they are far more fun played with the real thing.

Maybe a few games you list are possible to enjoy (somewhat) with the wrong controller, but to put Tempest here...?
Might as well use billiard balls in a bowling alley.

And still, as Scott so eloquently elaborates, a flight yoke is not a mouse.

I understand purists mentality.  Having a Starwars flight Yoke is pretty cool to have especially if you were lucky enough to snag the 1up cabinet for $75.

But to justify spending $250 on a part that you will have to modify in your existing cabinet when a mouse would suffice, is difficult in this rough economy.

Really, how many times do you play Star Wars?  Every day, once a week or when it takes your fancy, so you look to other uses for the controller, like a driving controller. 

In order to use it like a steering wheel it would have to go left to right and visa versa.  Now you could probably play driving games on a (HOTAS) joystick (I play flight sims and Elite Dangerous) but I tried playing Tempest with it and it worked, not as easily with a spinner but it was challenging to play just the same.  I have been playing Tempest and its variants since it came out, and owned one in another life.

So excuse me for having a bit of fun and trying new ways to play the old and tired format, and why not change this forum to KLOV if you are going to be a bunch of purist ass-hats.

 

Your version of "works" and mine (and that of many others here) obviously differ.

The purists you speak of buy real machines, rendering this discussion (and your incorrect assessment of controls) moot.

Sorry to have an opinion (which happens to be strikingly similar to that which you will find many here have I suspect.)

[leapinlew]

Right on Bobby!

[Vocalitus]

Played another game last night on my star wars controller.

Steel Talons.  Awesome game back in the day.

[PL1]

Like Apache 3 (see reply #44 above), the SW yoke should be great for the cyclic (stick) control in Steel Talons.
- There is also an analog control axis for the collective (throttle/lift) and another analog control axis for the rudder pedals.

Seems like it would be hard to play properly without at least microswitch controls for the collective and rudder.

Yoke and two microswitch pedals should cover it all if you map:
- Cyclic X- and Y-axis to the yoke X- and Y-axis.
- Missile to the left yoke trigger.
- Gun to the right yoke trigger.
- Collective increase/decrease to the yoke right/left thumb buttons.
- Rudder right/left to the microswitch pedals.

If you have an analog pedal, map the collective to the pedal and map the rudder to the yoke thumb buttons.   


Scott

[bobbyb13]

Like Apache 3 (see reply #44 above), the SW yoke should be great for the cyclic (stick) control in Steel Talons.
- There is also an analog control axis for the collective (throttle/lift) and another analog control axis for the rudder pedals.

Seems like it would be hard to play properly without at least microswitch controls for the collective and rudder.

Yoke and two microswitch pedals should cover it all if you map:
- Cyclic X- and Y-axis to the yoke X- and Y-axis.
- Missile to the left yoke trigger.
- Gun to the right yoke trigger.
- Collective increase/decrease to the yoke right/left thumb buttons.
- Rudder right/left to the microswitch pedals.

If you have an analog pedal, map the collective to the pedal and map the rudder to the yoke thumb buttons.   


Scott

I need to keep an eye on this reply Scott because that is a brilliant idea for making that work. 
Especially since I already have a 2 pedal cluster stuck in the monstrosity build
 

[Vocalitus]

I tried firefox last night on my Star Wars controller and I nearly seriously injured myself.

Not sure what is up with this game, safer to play it with a mouse.

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

Necromancy! 

I haven't tried them yet (just got my yoke), but I always thought that Danger Zone (and its follow-up Viper) might be fun for folk with a yoke. They're basically positional gun games like T2, but they were rather unique in that you moved the entire monitor setup(!) relative to on-screen gameplay:

https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7507

I have distinct Chuck E. Cheese memories of this one...

[NuclearWarren]

I most recently added Seawolf and Seawolf II to my Star Wars Yoke setup. Then I watched Das Boot.

Stay on Target!

nuke.