Leaf Pro or Dominux8?

[Mr. Peabody]

I was finally getting around to purchasing a Dominux8 and then remembered the Leaf Pro. There's a tremendous price difference. What are the performance and feature differences?


http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=365


http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=407

[CheffoJeffo]

Haven't tried either and didn't know that Randy had two options, but a Wico-like grommet would be the deciding factor for me. Controls are all about the feel and I'm an old-school Wico fan/hoarder.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Yup.  The gromett is what the difference is for a "Wico replica feel".  I own 4 Dominux 8's and I don't regret it.  However, I have the 8 way versions for my Total Carnage/Smash TV and Robotron needs.

Also, the Dominux 8's (I found this to be true for me at least) are awful for Street Fighter type games.  It's almost impossible to pull off quarter circle moves.  But for any other game they feel nice!

D

[harveybirdman]

Impossible to tell you unless we know what it's going into and what games it will be playing.

[RandyT]

Also, the Dominux 8's (I found this to be true for me at least) are awful for Street Fighter type games.  It's almost impossible to pull off quarter circle moves.  But for any other game they feel nice!

I think much of how well they do for a particular type of game, will depend on the adjustment of the leaf switches.  What works great for one type of game, may not work well for another, and vice versa. 

The normal switch adjustment of the stick as shipped, is to provide a well balanced, but sensitive, actuation of all 8 directions.  This is optimal for most 2-way and 8-way classic titles, to include shmups.  Sticks used in fighting games tend to have a bit smaller diagonal zone, and longer throw before actuation, which can be accomplished with the Dominux by adjusting the leaf switches to actuate a bit further out in the throw of the stick.  For machines dedicated to a particular genre, or title, the switches should be adjusted to provide optimal gameplay for that type of game.  For a "do all" machine, the installer will need to find a compromise which does well for all games, with perhaps a bit of emphasis on the titles most often played.

Some fighting game players like to ride the physical restriction surface when doing circular moves.  For these folks, a throw limiting circular restrictor may be helpful, and is something I am working on.  The "mild" 8-way restrictor may also benefit these players, as it provides some positional feedback, but the feel may not be acceptable to them.

The length configuration also plays a part in the throw before actuation, so a bit of experimentation before final installation will go a long way in making them ideal for a particular installation.

[Xiaou2]

Leafs are made for older classic and Pinball games   (IE: Robotron,  Black Knight 2000)
Micros are mainly for fighters                                     (IE: Streetfighter II)

 Trying to make adapters for a Microswsitch based fighter stick to play classics...
is like cutting 6 inches off a heavy winter boot,  and calling it a running shoe.

 We have different gear,  for different applications:

 Formal Dress shoes,
 Casual dress shoes
 sneakers
 sandals
 winter boots
 hazard / fishing / hunting boots  (waterproof rubber. high length. seamless)
 fashion boots
 work boot
 orthopedic shoes
 dancer shoes
 tap shoes
 slippers
 steel toe shoe / boot
 snowshoes
 cleats
 high heels


 Do you use a baseball bat to play a round of golf?


 There is no reason to try to make converters.   
 Pick the right tool,  for the right job.

[RandyT]

There is no reason to try to make converters.   
 Pick the right tool,  for the right job.

It's easy to have several pairs of footwear .  Not so easy to have every original control on a panel for each game which might use them, or many dedicated panels and cabinets.

But do feel free to post a photo of your attempt at such an endeavor, to let folks decide which route they would rather take.

[CheffoJeffo]

But do feel free to post a photo of your attempt at such an endeavor, to let folks decide which route they would rather take.

Randy just won BYOAC ... and he owes me a new keyboard!

HA!

[behrmr]

I was finally getting around to purchasing a Dominux8 and then remembered the Leaf Pro. There's a tremendous price difference. What are the performance and feature differences?


http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=365


http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=407

Keep in mind the leaf pro doesn't have a standard mounting pattern if that matters to you.

[Xiaou2]

There is no reason to try to make converters.   
 Pick the right tool,  for the right job.

It's easy to have several pairs of footwear .  Not so easy to have every original control on a panel for each game which might use them, or many dedicated panels and cabinets.

But do feel free to post a photo of your attempt at such an endeavor, to let folks decide which route they would rather take.

 Another attempt to attack me personally.   Nothing new.

 Actually, footware takes up quite a bit of space, especially with a large family.   
The thing is... having many froms of footware is a necessity.


 But lets apply your screwed Logic towards this... and see where it really goes...


 You intend to introduce a converter,  that will eventually make both game type experiences Worse.
Or a separate converter, that will most likely be installed permanently, and cant easily be swapped.


 I guess you were not paying attention to all of the Criticisms of another Vendors multi-functional magnetic stick...  with its many optional parts...   whom people have eventually come to replace them with standard (and cheaper) equipment.


 But hey, go ahead and make your Poop-Stick.   Reduce gameplay to stink on every possible platform.

 Thats far better than buying two different originally purposed controllers...  uhh...   Not.

 Instead, they will just end up buying 3 sticks.   Selling or burying the poop stick... then getting the correct controllers, as they realized they should have in the first place.


 Infomercial Coming soon:   the  Multi-Dootie-Shoe
Dont have room for two pairs?   Now you can wear the Dootie Shoe,   and stink at everything.   (except minor space savings)

[CheffoJeffo]

Steve -- this thread is about what appears to be the best Wico replacement I have seen. Randy did that.

You, OTOH, built something described as "there is ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- like this that you have to take tainted meth to come up with" which applies with equal favour to your shoe analogy.

[Ginsu Victim]

Which person's creation wound up on CrapMAME again?

[RandyT]

Another attempt to attack me personally.

Not sure where you saw a personal attack in what I wrote.  I've been trying very hard to avoid it, in fact.  But sometimes, for the sake of others, something needs to be identified for what it is.

As for the Dominux stick, I will not defend it (but I will try to help users to get the most from it.)  Not only do I not feel the need to, I feel that's something which is up to it's users.  Here's the most recent unsolicited review submitted to our site, from one who knows what they are talking about and has put it to the test:

My high score in Robotron is 4.8 million on default settings, 1 million on difficulty 10. The Dominux8 is the best joystick for playing Robotron that I have tried so far. I purchased the long shaft version, which is longer than the Wico joysticks in Robotron arcade games. The extra leverage of the Dominux8 long shaft joystick allows you to use light fingertip pressure to control the joystick. I use a gel wrist rest which is made for keyboards to rest my wrists and to elevate my hands as I manipulate the joysticks. You can adjust the leaf switch spacing by pushing the leaf switches inward toward the joystick shaft with your fingers to get the hair trigger responsiveness which is necessary for playing Robotron. I also recommend getting the optional Hand-Candy joystick ball top which is slightly larger than the default economy ball top and feels more like a Wico ball top.

You don't have to believe him, but from what I can tell, he seems to be a happy camper.  And that makes me a happy camper

[CheffoJeffo]

I wonder if Xiaou has figured out that we are talking about leaf sticks yet. 

[xefned]

I will splurge for the Dominux8 next time. I have a pair of leaf pros and they're good but something is lacking in the feel. Also the LeafPro has a round center disk that edges above the plane of the mounting plate so they couldn't be mounted flat against a metal panel without modification.

The quick disconnect side of the leaf switches is very thin and bends easily so you may need to loosen up your quick disconnects a bit.

Its a big price jump for the Dominux8 but I suspect in the long run, you'll be glad you splurged.

[Mr. Peabody]

Cheffojeffo, Delsulsional29, and xefned gave the kind of answers I'm looking for. Randy didn't talk about the Leaf Pro.


@xefned: the Leaf Pro pictures at GGG shows the disc and mounting screws to be recessed in the base. Yours was different?

[RandyT]

@xefned: the Leaf Pro pictures at GGG shows the disc and mounting screws to be recessed in the base. Yours was different?

I can answer that one for you.  The 8-way version is as pictured, with the support ring recessed into the base.  The 4 and 2-way versions have an additional restrictor plate, which raises the depth profile by ~.050" (< 1/16")

This can be accounted for by routing a shallow pocket in that area of the underside of the panel, or using a couple of washers on each mounting bolt, placed between the top of the Leaf-Pro base and the underside of the panel.

[boudin4evr]

I am an avid Donkey Kong Player and gaplus and few other 4 and 8 way games. I am running the Arcade SD board in vertical mode and my control panel
has 8 way joystick (unknown brand AND Bat top) plays ok hate the bat 3 fire buttons and also a trackball for those games as well.
I mainly play the classics pac man Gaplus ms pac dig dug frogger dig dug 2 Gaplus galaga's  etc which are 8 way and 4 way sticks.
I am on the fence as to what joystick. I am leaning towards the Dominux 8 with restrictor (don't know which one to go with and short option because my CP is steel

*anybody out there play lots of DK and other 4 AND 8 way games on this stick?
thanks

[boudin4evr]

RANDY T are you there?

I am an avid Donkey Kong Player and gaplus and few other 4 and 8 way games. I am running the Arcade SD board in vertical mode and my control panel
has 8 way joystick (unknown brand AND Bat top) plays ok hate the bat 3 fire buttons and also a trackball for those games as well.
I mainly play the classics pac man Gaplus ms pac dig dug frogger dig dug 2 Gaplus galaga's  etc which are 8 way and 4 way sticks.
I am on the fence as to what joystick. I am leaning towards the Dominux 8 with restrictor (don't know which one to go with and short option because my CP is steel

*anybody out there play lots of DK and other 4 AND 8 way games on this stick?
thanks

[Howard_Casto]

What is it with people bumping years old threads lately?  The last post to this thread was in 2016.... I doubt anybody still has it subscribed.