which joystick?

[xinixske]

hi,

i'm a noob  but i'm going to build an arcadecab.
I've got a xbox with coinOPS and will buy 2 KADE miniArcade convertors.
I've read you've got 4way/8way joysticks analog or digital.
Which one should i buy?

[n3wt0n]

Ugh... I have been trying to write a nice short response to this question but I don't think it exists. It's probably why it hasn't been answered yet.

I think this largely depends on what games you want to play but it is still very subjective. What I have learned about joystick selection can be summed up with one quote - "A jack of all trades is a master of none".

Using 8 way sticks with classic 4 way games can be very frustrating. I think most people who have been in the same boat would agree that it can be a bit tricky to play the classics well with an 8 way stick. That being said 8 way games are impossible to play with a 4 way joystick (properly). One solution to this problem is to have an 8-way stick with a removable 4-way restrictor that limits the joysticks motion. There are a few different ways to adjust the 4-way/8-way restriction. Some joysticks have to be accessed from the bottom to change it while others can be changed from the top. Some are even changed with a servo when each game loads. Now, throw in analogue sticks like the Ultrastik360- these sound like the holy grail of joysticks and to some people I am sure that they are - they have a ton of configurations available and probably tackle the 4-way/8-way issue quite well. I can't really speak of the pros and cons of the Ultrastik360 because I have never tried one but if you search the forums I imagine it won't take long to decided if this or any other joystick out there is right for you.

Also, there is a lot of look and feel to a joystick that we can't help you with but a lot of it comes back to what games you want to play.

Check out some of the active vendors on this forum that sell joysticks like https://www.ultimarc.com, http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/ or http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/.

After you see some of the differences, use search to see what others are saying about specific joysticks that you think may work for you. If you have specific questions about a type of joystick or a specific quality that you are looking for in a certain stick ask away! If you can narrow down the topic you may be more likely to get some quick responses.  I am positive I left some stuff out so anyone who wants to chime in, please do.

Good luck on your search!

[eds1275]

the u360 is nice, but it's analogue and I miss the clickyness of a more traditional stick. Also the stock shaft seems really short to me, likely to encourage you to buy the longer shaft. The bat top also feels small compared to other bat tops.

[tscottn]

I did a lot of research in this area, and I read lots of the forums about what works for some people and not for others.  Many people used the Mag Stik Plus due to the 4/8 way config by twisting the handle from the top.  its very convenient to say the least.  it seemed like a great stick.  However, many of the reviews were very down on this stick because of the short throw in all directions.  so I was very worried about that and if I would actually like it because of the limited throw.  I decided to try it anyway.  I ordered it from Ultimarc, installed it and I have to tell you I absolutely love it!  I DO NOT feel the throw is too short.  I actually think it is perfect.  Maybe if I had another stick in my cab already with longer throw would I feel different, however being a new install and not having messed around with cabs for a long time I didn't notice any problems with it.  I love the 4/8 way actuator from the top.  Its the simplest method out there and still retaining that "clicky" feel.  It works very well and I am very pleased with it.  I will definitely buy more of these for future cabs.  The only thing I would like to try other than using the mag stick plus is a U360.  However I am not sure about not having that "clicky" feel that comes from using actual switches as opposed to it being analog.  I am definitely going to try one though in the future.  But for now my review on the Mag Stik Plus is two thumbs up.  Dont be discouraged by what people say about the limited throw.  Its not bad at all and the stick feels really good. 

[yotsuya]

I'd like to try the Mag-Stik Plus one day. Thanks for the info.  I hear that complaint about the throw as well, but I want to see for myself.

[opt2not]

It's not just the short throw, it's the heavy actuation as well. The spring feels stiff too me, and the switches themselves have a much heavier depression than say, Cherry's.
I've even tried switching the stock switches out with Cherry's and I still couldn't get the feel to work well for me. The problem is that the softer switches made hitting the diagonals even tougher, which made 8-way games impossible to play. It felt pretty good in 4-way though, but at that point I would have just bought a better dedicated 4-way joy.

But Joystick preference is also a pretty subjective topic.
So if you like short throw joysticks with heavy actuation force, plus a solution for 4/8-way switching, then sure don't be discouraged to try the Mag-stik+'s.

(disclaimer: one of my early projects here was using Mag-stik+'s, and while I still like a lot of Andy's products, I found the Mag-stik+'s were not for me. I prefer softer actuation, since I grew up playing in the arcades on Happs comps, and on Japanese sticks like the Seimitsu LS-32)

[mgb]

N3wt0ns advice is good.

Take a long hard think on what games are most important to you.

It takes some trial and error. If your favorite games are pacman, donkey kong and pengo, then don't build a panel with only 8 way sticks.
Likewise, if shmups like Raiden and Donpachi are your thing, don't use only a 4 way.

As already said, a jack of all trades stick will be a master of none. So be prepared to be somewhat disappointed in some area

[dashingw]

Magstick Plus all the way here, I find nothing wrong with the throw and get nice smooth movements, love being able to change from 8way to 4way and back in a flash. I even added stainless steel extensions onto mine to make the shaft an inch longer as I have a 1" thick wood panel :-)

[behrmr]

I agree with opt2not's assessment of the magstik plus.  It's a great stick but does require a lot of force to actuate.  I tried different switches that were softer and the stick didn't seem to center properly.  But I think with a lot of tweaking and experimenting with different microswitches that could be overcome.  I ended up swapping them out for U360's with the ball top and top mount restrictor which I found to be much smoother and quieter.  I think that if I was going to build something new right now I would use GGG Dominux8 for 8-way and GGG Pac-Pro for 4-way.  I have these sticks in other cabs and love them.

[actionless]

A U360 without a restrictor doesn't feel like a typical stick and makes no noise when you use it BUT a U360 with an octagonal restrictor feels pretty close to a micro switch stick and even makes sounds when hitting every direction.  I cant recommend them enough.