Analog arcade buttons

[blacketj]

Just stumbled on this Kickstarter project.  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrisgerding/analog-pushbutton-for-makers-and-creative-control

Basically what looks like a standard arcade button is actually a pressure sensitive switch. You can also use the optional microswitch to double as a regular button. Seems like it could be an option to add an analog gas "pedal" to a frankenpanel where you don't want an actual gas pedal.

Not sure if there are any other applications relevant to arcade control panels though.  Seemed neat, and the 'New Arcade Console' project would sure benefit from a full complement of analog buttons I'm sure.

[shponglefan]

It's an interesting idea, but at the same time not one where there is a lot of video game application.  Gas pedal I suppose, but given the relatively little amount of travel, I wonder how much control such a button would yield.  Probably better to just rig up an actual pedal.  It's easy enough to make a separate piece that could be connected/disconnected.

Where I could see this being used is for music controllers.  It could be put into something like a MIDI Fighter controller, but with analog switches for different velocity (volume) levels.

[vwalbridge]

Interesting...but I don't think this is going to see much daylight in the arcade world at least. He is doing a good thing for disabled people and other "maker" communities, however.

But the creator even said in the video "I want to see what ideas you have for this"... so even he is looking for reasons for this to exist.

He also says "I've never seen anything like this out there"....I also think there is a reason for that. Especially in the arcade world. I'm not trying to say that everything that has ever needed to exist in the arcade world has been made...but arcade buttons have been around for a while and so has analog. I feel like the 2 would have met a while ago if it was meant to be.

[JDFan]

Sounds like the guy that was on here trying to clear out old arcade inventory using a kickstarter that failed is at it again with his buttons (or sold them to someone else to sell !)

Old Thread : http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,141498.0.html

and failed kickstarter with the buttons as one of the items along with his Game Gate machines :

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrisgerding/gameroom-arcade-machine-coin-op-classics-xbox360

Yep same person Chris Gerding - guess he hasn't been able to clear out the old stuff and got a bit more realistic about the fundung amount he wants to raise ($500 vs. the $10,000 on the old one)

[vwalbridge]

Sounds like the guy that was on here trying to clear out old arcade inventory using a kickstarter that failed is at it again with his buttons (or sold them to someone else to sell !)

Old Thread : http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,141498.0.html

and failed kickstarter with the buttons as one of the items along with his Game Gate machines :

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrisgerding/gameroom-arcade-machine-coin-op-classics-xbox360

Yep same person Chris Gerding - guess he hasn't been able to clear out the old stuff and got a bit more realistic about the fundung amount he wants to raise ($500 vs. the $10,000 on the old one)

Seems like the same guy:

See the arcade behind him in the video?


Same arcade from his first kickstarter.

[Minwah]

It's a good idea. There's fairly limited uses I suppose but would be good for eg thrust in Lunar Lander.

I believe Clay Cowgill was planning on making something similar along with a multi-vector kit for real vector cabinets. ie so you could play Lunar Lander in an Asteroids cabinet.

[JDFan]

It's a good idea. There's fairly limited uses I suppose but would be good for eg thrust in Lunar Lander.

I believe Clay Cowgill was planning on making something similar along with a multi-vector kit for real vector cabinets. ie so you could play Lunar Lander in an Asteroids cabinet.

Agreed the idea is good but still trying to figure out how it fits into Kickstarter ?? -- He is selling off NOS parts left over from when his company went bust several years ago and has had them sitting around collecting dust but is trying to pass it off as something new so he can get full retail rather than selling at a bankruptcy clearance price and using Kickstarter which isn't really designed for selling NOS parts inventories. 

[pbj]

Agreed the idea is good but still trying to figure out how it fits into Kickstarter ?? -- He is selling off NOS parts left over from when his company went bust several years ago and has had them sitting around collecting dust but is trying to pass it off as something new so he can get full retail rather than selling at a bankruptcy clearance price and using Kickstarter which isn't really designed for selling NOS parts inventories. 

Get the pitchforks.  Yeesh.

Did anything use analog buttons besides original Xbox?  Seemed like that was a very short lived experiment that quickly went into tap vs hold instead.  I always thought analog buttons might be neat for use with pinball flippers.