4-Way Joystick Question

[adder]

hey all i have been messing around with an 8-way microswitch joystick, modding it into a 4-way joystick. it's going ok, but im new to 4-way joysticks so have this (possibly dumb) question:
if there is an extremely small/short instance of two microswitches being engaged at once when you move from one microswitch to a neighbouring one (i mean a really, really small point), is that considered a fail?   ie. when using a 4-way stick should there never under any circumstances be the possibility of 2 switches being engaged together.
note: the joystick will be used with mame, with an ultimarc encoder (minipac).

[shponglefan]

In my experience it's usually near impossible to have mechanical 4-way joysticks only ever engage a single switch when rotating through the diagonals.  Usually on the diagonals you will have a space where either two switches are triggered at the same time, or no switches triggered.  Ideally you want the switches set up to minimize the physical distance at which those situations will occur.

The only way to truly ensure one direction is only ever engaged is to use something like an Ultrastik 360.

[adder]

cool thanks for the response,
im happy for my 4way joystick to have the slight instance of 2 switches being engaged at once, but am wondering about when i read things like eg. "if playing donkey kong, you can get stuck on ladders"
should i worry about that? (i can mod my joystick some more to eliminate the possibility of 2 switches being engaged together, but didnt want to do that unless it really is a much better idea to have the slight 'gap')

[shponglefan]

It's probably best to have a slight gap rather than two switches at once.  In practice, I haven't found that to make a noticeable difference  The biggest issue is usually the physical four-way restrictor and ensuring quick physical transitions from one direction to the next.

[yotsuya]

This hasn't been asked, but it's obvious: rather than mod an 8-way, why not just buy a 4-way joystick? 

[adder]

This hasn't been asked, but it's obvious: rather than mod an 8-way, why not just buy a 4-way joystick? 

i think i would buy a new 4way joystick if necessary but it's a shame as i have got the joystick (suzo 22-2831 rotterdam, spring) very close to how i want it, i do like these sticks as they are just so solid and strong, and very hard wearing. it does actually allow you to rotate the restrictor gate to make it 4way from 8way, but i dont like the shape (crappy diamond thing, feels like you are going back on yourself when you try to roll to a neighbouring switch). i will give it one more go tomorrow and if dont get anywhere will mutter some curses and then buy another joystick

[mgb]

Are you saying that you don't like the diamond shape for 4-way?

[Slippyblade]

Are you saying that you don't like the diamond shape for 4-way?

That stumped me as well...  Now I'm very confused as a 4-way restrictor is either diamond, plus, or clover shaped.

[yotsuya]

Yeah, sounds like he's talking about a clover.

[adder]

im not into the diamond thing no (by diamond, i mean 'traditional' diamond, as in):

this is how to do it, see below. so you can move around smoothly!

[adder]

...sounds like he's talking about a clover.

clover might be ok yea (or if not i'd just file it a bit )

[yotsuya]

...sounds like he's talking about a clover.

clover might be ok yea (or if not i'd just file it a bit )

I didn't like the clover. I Dremeled that down, bro.

[behrmr]

im not into the diamond thing no (by diamond, i mean 'traditional' diamond, as in):

this is how to do it, see below. so you can move around smoothly!

^This.  Round out your restrictor to be less diamond and more round.  That way you wont feel the diagonals as much.  I don't like the feel/resistance of the hard lines of a standard diamond.  You'll still hit a diagonal or two but it probably won't be that noticeable depending on the game.  Give it a try.

[mgb]

Yeah, I can see where you'd prefer the more rounded lines like the GGG restrictor.
Maybe you should check out the zippyy. Its a cheap way to see how you may like the clover restrictor.

[RandyT]

I'm very familiar with the stick jadder is using.  It's the Suzo 500, and it has a very short travel.  In 4-way, it's very quick to go from one limit to another, so I can understand why he feels like it's reversing directions, rather than traveling diagonally to an adjacent switch.  It happens so quickly, it's hard to feel it moving in that direction.

It can modified by making the restrictor bigger (if you have the skills to do that well), but if you do, you'll likely also want to ream out the center hole a bit in the switch actuator part.  Otherwise, you'll end up with diagonal zones.  Make small mods and test between each.