Let me answer a few questions. I really hope to help keep arcades and the emulation community thriving. This is a hobby for me and not a real business. I've loved Atari and classic gaming long before it was ever considered "classic". I'm not proud about not collecting prepayments, but I didn't want to do what the folks at Ram controls did and take prepayments and not be able to deliver.
I wish we could have sold these for a lower price. Someone on this thread said that Atari manufactured these in 1983 for $200. I'm not sure where that stat came from but assuming that its true, because of inflation, $200 in 1983 = $505 in today's' dollars--according to these websites:
https://www.dollartimes.com/inflation/inflation.php?amount=200&year=1983
https://www.saving.org/inflation/inflation.php?amount=200&year=1983
http://www.in2013dollars.com/1983-dollars-in-2018?amount=200
That actually makes me feel pretty good about the value we are delivering. These controllers are so complex--it just costs a lot to build them in 1983 and in 2018.
I like your idea of selling kits that you could put together yourself. I'll investigate that so we could pass those savings onto hobbyist.
Over on KLOV, people are reproducing old game parts all the time to help keep these games running. Patents expire after 20 years. These yokes are no longer covered under patents, so they are perfectly legal to sell.
https://www.export.gov/article?id=How-Long-Does-Patent-Trademark-or-Copyright-Protection-Last
Lastly, we are calling them Alan-1 Flight Yokes--to avoid any licensing concerns.
The Atari Paddles are so much simpler to reproduce. I don't have any quotes yet, but I'm certain our USB version would be inexpensive. I'm building it really for me, so I can play Kaboom! and warlords in style.
Well, I was not trying to put you down, just disappointed that it seems you are doing it for your own Arcade + a small few that are able to
scramble with big gobs of free-cash... to get their limited parts reproductions in... rather than an Affordable set of parts / controls, for the masses of
classic fans + collectors. (I too grew up in the height of the classic 80s Arcade era... and got to play almost every classic arcade machine, that was worth playing)
The reality is that Scam Controls (and many other scam-starters) have abused and damaged the trust of others... so its good to see someone who
was genuine about their business practices. Still... once these ship, and you have proven your reputation... it would be good to see a different approach.
As for the so called "Inflation" calculators... thats all BS. The cost of labor and parts in that time period was far lower. Even shipping costs were probably
lower to boot. Taxes were lower. Cost of living, and cost of business was lower (space, utilities, taxes, licenses... ) .. Hell... the actual
Value of the US Dollar, was also far higher too.
I know it may be apples to oranges... but I bought a 8x20 metal cutting lathe made in China... for I believe about $600. The thing has FAR more parts,
and probably enough raw steel to make 100 yokes. And honestly... If one looks around long enough, one may be able to pick up a full Starwars Arcade machine
for about $800 to $1200.. which is not much more than you are asking for a single controller assembly. The only bad parts on them tend to be potentially cracked
gears... or a broken trigger button. (well, if we count the full machine... then add the potential for the failing Vector monitors >_< )
As for the Paddles... I have an idea, that maybe you could help put into reality...
Paddles are nice for Paddle games... but what about making them so that they can also support 360 degree driving wheel games too? (IE: Supersprint)
- With a simple locking and unlocking mechanism... one could physically limit travel for paddle use vs full rotation use.
- Using a high resolution optical solution, one could probably convert the values to be as smoothly accurate, as a pot... and high enough for
a spinner game such as the Geared-Spinner of Arkanoid.. to be at 100% accurate arcade resolution.
- If the spinner is made similar to the Discs of Tron mechanism... it could be used to push and pull, triggering leaf-switches, for Discs of Tron and other uses.
- On an even more Epic level... one could install a brushless? direct-drive motor-driven force feedback, to work with games like Hard/Race Drivin.
Namco made a similar Force-Feedback spinner mechanism called the Jog-Con, for the Playstation 1. However, Namco used a geared motor drive.. and that
caused too much friction to be used for free-spinning 360 degree driving games... and even then, still was a bit much drag + noise,
for normal driving game use.
Where as a direct-shaft-drive-mechanism similar to the Cockpit version of Race Drivin, which used the actual motor shaft as a direct steering wheel mount,
would be the best solution. This would allow the user to easily enable or disable the feedback, and even could possible use the feedback itself as
an automatic physical limitation system... for games like Pong. Obviously, the motor will have to be quite strong + high power, to be effective for this use.
- Id also put in both digital and analog buttons on the controller. The finger buttons would best be actual Leaf-switches, for best feel + for best rapidfire
without fatigue. Then one of them would be a sliding analog trigger for gas. Finally, one could be a Pressure-Sensor based button.. for high-resolution Brake-Pedal
use in Hard Drivin, and other Racing Sim games.
Not only could a controller like this be great for personal and or travel use... but it could be used in bartops, and mame machines.. with a simple shell removal
and re-mount. (which could be part of the design, that included a different mount + shaft extender)
- Going all out... one could add an LED lighting option... to make a ring of multi-colored lighting effects.
- I would add a small port on the device for the paddles to be able to hook up to actual pedal sets, should the Op want to use foot pedals instead
of the in-hand analog controls.
- Id also suggest possibly linking each paddle to each other, via a different onboard port. That would make for less cables,
and no need for a separate high powered USB hub. (Force feeback in itself may require a nice beefy power supply / transformer)