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ROTARY T-STIK PLUS (PLUS) - Willy Wonka Edition

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2600:

I was wondering if you thought it would be easier to go optical.  Instead of the belt system, put an encoder wheel on the bottom like a spinner.

Any thoughts?

mr.Curmudgeon:


--- Quote from: Minwah on June 03, 2004, 07:55:19 am ---That's pretty damn cool, and to think I said it couldn't be done!  :-[

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Hehe...thanks!


--- Quote ---You could further the idea on a 2 player panel by hooking up the 2nd mouse axis optics in some kind of custom housing for the Player 2 stick.

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I do plan on having two of these on the CP, so I'll be sure post more info/photos once the second joy is modded. My only question, so far, is in a game like Ikari, how do you assign the X-axis to P1 and the Y-axis to P2?  I've had two mice hooked up at once in MAME and they both control P1 completely.


--- Quote ---I decided I wouldn't bother with rotary sticks for the sake of a handful of games - might have to change my mind now... :)

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Awesome! Let me know if it works out.

mr.Curmudgeon:


--- Quote from: 2600 on June 03, 2004, 09:53:00 am ---I was wondering if you thought it would be easier to go optical.  Instead of the belt system, put an encoder wheel on the bottom like a spinner.

Any thoughts?

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Originally I tried this, but it then becomes either expensive or difficult to create a mechanism that keeps the encoder board stationary, while allowing the joystick shaft to pan and tilt and spin. Even when I came up with something that might work (joy shaft through a rollerblade bearing attached to a encoder board on a spring), it didn't allow for the joystick raising when you engage in 4-to-8-way switching. Plus, I couldn't figure out a way to add it without altering the joystick (ie: drilling into it, or extending the shaft).

The belt allows enough room to manuver while avoiding all of those issues. Plus it's super easy to install. The hardest part was making sure the gear remained straight while it was threaded onto the joystick.

Added Note: Of course, someone else may come up with a completely different and totally viable optical solution  ;D. So you never know. Keep in mind that the T-Stik is different than all other joys on the market, so the real challenge was "geared" (pun-intended) towards that specific beauty.

Witchboard:


--- Quote from: 2600 on June 03, 2004, 09:53:00 am ---I was wondering if you thought it would be easier to go optical.  Instead of the belt system, put an encoder wheel on the bottom like a spinner.

Any thoughts?

--- End quote ---

That's the first thing I thought of, but after a little brainstorming I don't think it would work.  When you pulled the stick up to change from 4/8 way it moves the shaft up so far.  Your optics would have to move with the wheel, not to mention moving the stick side to side and such.  You'd have to mount the optics on the same rod as the wheel.  This would allow it to stay in the correct position, but when you twisted the stick, the optics would spin with the wheel.  That's all I could think of so far.

Ed ONeill:

mr.Curmudgeon ,

Awesome ! Now when you gonna make me one...LOL

Guys this is pretty unbeleiveable considering we just built the control panel within the last three weeks.

Signed
Ed



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