Do they make a Frontline style spinner shooter?

[BillytheGoat]

Old arcade games like Frontline and Wild Western used a sort of spinner shooter rotary dial.   Do they make a spinner that works like this or is there a good substitute setup?  Also, what other games beside Frontline and Wild Western used this kind of spinner?

Thanks!

[PL1]

Old arcade games like Frontline and Wild Western used a sort of spinner shooter rotary dial.   Do they make a spinner that works like this or is there a good substitute setup?  Also, what other games beside Frontline and Wild Western used this kind of spinner?

Six games used this type of controller:
- Bandido (clone of Sheriff)
- Frontline
- Sheriff
- The Tin Star
- Western Gun Part II (clone of Sheriff)
- Wild Western

IIRC there is one version made by Nintendo (?) and another made by Taito called the Aim-n-Fire. (third photo)

   

It is more like an 8-way joystick than a spinner.

The knob turns a cam that presses either one (U/D/L/R) or two microswitches (diagonals) at a time.

Here's a preliminary design for a 3-D printed version.

"Fixed washer" = fastened to shaft.

Smooth the ends of the 140 degree arc into a ramp so the microswitch nubs don't catch on them.

The reasoning behind 140 degrees is that the diagonal should start to register about 1/2 way between 0 and 45 degrees. (~20 degrees)

If the center of the wide spot is at 0 degrees, the right edge is at 90 (next microswitch) - 20 (how far it turns before that switch registers) = 70 degrees.

Mirror that for the left edge ==> 70 * 2 = 140 degrees.

Scott

[BillytheGoat]

Scott,

Thanks for the thorough reply.  I can't say I love Frontline enough to sincerely consider making that controller part of a future cabinet build.   Wild Western might be okay but the rest wouldn't be of any interest to me.   

So these controllers are pretty much only available as genuine arcade cabinet parts and are not made by third parties like ultimarc or happ, etc. ?

[PL1]

So these controllers are pretty much only available as genuine arcade cabinet parts and are not made by third parties like ultimarc or happ, etc. ?

AFAIK there are no third parties making this type of control.

You could substitute an 8-way stick -- maybe even a top-fire model -- and one or two buttons.
- Button 1 = fire
- Button 2 = jump (Tin Star, Wild Western) or grenade/tank (Front Line)

The nice thing about this approach is that it also allows you to play dual-joystick games.


Scott

[paigeoliver]

If you are into that single game that much, then consider buying the whole game. The loose controls to games like that rarely come up anymore.

[BillytheGoat]

Food for thought.  Thanks guys.

[Darug]

I saw a YT video that has similar support?

[PL1]

I saw a YT video that has similar support?

Different type of controller.

More details in the other thread where you posted the same video and a similar question.   


Scott