Driving Cab

[Sshado]

I am planning on building a driving cab this Summer and was wondering if you could use a Flight Yoke for most driving games?

I am making a single player sit down arcade cab dedicated to flying and driving games, but I am hoping to be able to use a flight yoke for both.

Also, does anyone know if there are any good quality setups that work well with MAME?

Thanks,

Sshado

[Tailgunner]

I'd first suggest you concider converting an older existing sit down cab. They can be acquired fairly cheaply at auction. For instance at the last auction around here I picked up an Atari Hard Drivin deluxe sitdown cabinet for $25, and a Namco Air Combat sit down cab for $20.

A flight yoke would be fine for driving games that use 270 degree wheels, but quite a few driving games use 360 degree wheels and I don't think the yoke would cut it for those. Given the choice I'd more likely use a 360 degree wheel and a side mounted joystick for flying games.

[Sshado]

I really want to build one from scratch, but I like the idea of a side mounted joystick for flying.

Can you play 270 degree driving games with a 360 degree wheel?  I really want to be able to play Spy Hunter and Road Blasters.

Also, can you play Star Wars with a flight joystick?

[paigeoliver]

You CAN play star wars with anything. But unfortunately the game is VERY MUCH written for the controller that came with it, which is super fast and has a HUGE movement range (compared to a joystick at least). My controller of second choice for it is actually a trackball. I have also tried a couple of steering wheels, many flight sticks, and a dual strike pad. Just about everything suffered from simply not being able to accurately move fast enough for the game.
You can also play 360 games with 270 wheels and vise versa, but there are some issues.

I PERSONALLY suggest going with a 360 wheel and skipping out on the 270 games altogether. You can always play those decently on the computer with a desktop wheel anyway.

The main reasons to choose the 360 wheel is that they are far more common. They last longer (MUCH LONGER), they are cheaper, and many of the best games use the 360 wheels.

Also, you NEED a 360 wheel if you want to play the "Sprint" style games. You are gonna want to play those, there is a reason that series kept going for 15 years.

[Sshado]

I think I may base my design on the Star Wars sit down cab, anyone have dimensions?

[Minwah]

I would try to make a complete driving solution if I were you:  Somehow have the controller removable so that you can have a 360deg panel, and a yoke panel (the yoke should be fine for 270deg driving games).

I personally prefer the 270deg type games, but you are bound to want to play both types at some point...

The Star Wars cockpit shape is great, I played on a similar shaped (not sure exactly what it was originally) Pole Position 2 sit-down a few years ago.  A bit uncomfortable (sitting on nothing but wood), but I was addicted nevertheless  

[Sshado]

I do plan on putting a comfortable seat in there and a swing arm pull down keyboard and mouse so I can use this as a gaming rig for MMORPG and other computer games

I think I will figure out some sort of removable panel system.  I am hoping to start working on this some time this Summer and be complete (never really complete) by Winter.  First, I am completing my basement...

Sshado