Using 8 way stick to play 4 way mame games

[rchadd]

I see many people have both 8way and 4way joysticks installed in thier cabs?

i realize that it probably adds to the authenticity when playing games that did have 4 way joysticks originally.

but is it really required?

Doesn't Mame handle use of 8ways internally (ignoring diagonals) for 4way games anyway?

I know you can get switchable 8/4way joysticks - but is this really necessary to play games that orignally had 4 way sticks?

what will happen if i play 4way games using an 8way stick?

[mattv]

what will happen if i play 4way games using an 8way stick?

Your monitor will explode, showering you with glass shards.
Your dog will poop on the carpet
your son will get hooked on drugs
your daughter will start dating a used car salesman
your wife may even start checking out the milkman

Now you see why so many people make room for that 4-way stick on their panels.

[Apollo]

Seriously though, the reason is really because although you can technically play a 4 way game with an 8 way joy, the 8 way is not restricted to 4 directions so at a point in the game where you need to go from say left to up quickly ( Donkey Kong is the classic example ) you may get "hung up on the diagonal" therefore spoiling your game play.

[u_rebelscum]

what will happen if i play 4way games using an 8way stick?

Mame does exactly ignore diagonals.  (The default is) If you're pushing left, and move to diagonal up/left, mame will translate that as up.  This is okay if you're moving the stick from left to up and pass through up/left, bad if you're not.  The bigger a joystick's diagonals, the harder it is to stay in one direction, since diagonal always is treated as a change to the new direction.  

Here's a illustration of this going on.  Left pic is 8-way joystick pressed left and what mame would translate if it moved to any of the 7 other directions (grey being random).  Middle pic is when the stick is moved to up/left diagonal and  what mame would see if moved to any of the 7 other.  Right pic is stick pressed up.  Notice the changes in the directions the diagonals go through.


Diagonal from center picks one of the two directions at random.

Of course, you can use cfg or ctrlr ini files' "NOT" to get around mame's 8-way to 4-way translation.  Of course, it's not exactly like a real 4 way.  Three possibilities:



That's why people have 8 & 4-way joysticks.

[rchadd]

reminds me of that old 80's toy Simon

[REBIRTH]

As Rebel explained, you can use an 8-way for a 4-way game, but it isn't that great depending on the game.  Some 4 way games work better with an 8 way than others, but a majority of them don't work too well.  I vote for the expense of one more 4 way joystick - or - get one that can easily switch from 8 way to 4 way (I've never used one of these, so I am not sure how good they are).

[GGKoul]

If you wanted to use a 8 way as a 4 way.  

You could either get a 4 way Joystick Restrictor from Oscar controls or better yet.  Get a 4/8 way joystick like a T-Slik Plus.  Which is what I have and it works great.

That way you dont have to add another 4 way only joystick on your panel.

[Apollo]

I thought Oscar had stopped doing restrictors?

[Nefesis]

is the happs universal 4-way a good 4-way stick? the book doesn't mention it, but it seems the best choice for 4-way from happs. didn't feel like starting a new thread for this, but will understand if it doesn't get answered. also, i also thought oscar stopped doing restrictor plates. anyone know where i can get some (besides ebay)?

[GGKoul]

If you email Oscar directly, he has some inventory of 4ways but I don't think he has a lot of them left.  As I just purchased 2.

But he has no mounting plates left.  I'm sure if there's enough demand for 4 ways restrictors... maybe he'll do another run.

-GGKoul

[Apollo]

I just want a 2 way, can't remember if he does those. Anyone?

[GGKoul]

He did make 2 ways restrictors... but you'll have to contact OSCAR too see if he has any left.

[Apollo]

emailed him.

[Witchboard]

Friends don't let friends play 4-way games with 8-way joysticks.

[rchadd]

is it really that a big deal???

[Nailz]

It really just depends on how into 4 ways you are.  Some people don't care in the least, others can tell you exactly how far off calibration a stick is.  It's kind of up to you.  I played for a long time with a Wico 8-way leaf joystick and loved it.  With my new cab I have a T-stick 4/8 way and I can tell a difference, but I can't really say that I love it so much that the 8-way sucks in comparison, it was fine the way it was.

[DarkKobold]

rchadd -
  No one can tell you whether or not you like pudding. You either do or you don't. No one can tell you whether or not you will care if you play a 4-way game with an 8-way joystick. Here is a hint. Grab an 8-way joy, play some ms-pacman. Go to any local arcade, guarenteed to have a ms. pac reunion, and play it. If you can't tell the diff, forget the 4-way. If you can... etc. You get the point.

mmmmm.... pudding.

[NoOne=NBA=]

rchadd -
  No one can tell you whether or not you like pudding. You either do or you don't. No one can tell you whether or not you will care if you play a 4-way game with an 8-way joystick. Here is a hint. Grab an 8-way joy, play some ms-pacman. Go to any local arcade, guarenteed to have a ms. pac reunion, and play it. If you can't tell the diff, forget the 4-way. If you can... etc. You get the point.

mmmmm.... pudding.

You DO like pudding--at least the chocolate kind.
That rice stuff is kind of yucky though.

You WILL like a 4-way better for 4-way games, too--trust me, I know these things.
It's really annoying to be running along and just stop dead because you aren't on the EXACT direction you wanted to go.

[FractalWalk]

is it really that a big deal???

IMO, it's not that fuzzy of an issue. Some 4-way games are almost unplayable with an 8-way.

Now if you never had played 4-way games before, you would never know what you are missing and you might think you are fine (much lower scores but fine).

[Nefesis]

emailed him.

what's his email?

[PaulG]

I definetely echo some of the above statements.  If you're old school and rememeber these games and want to replay them, a dedicated or switchable 4 way is a must.  It's not a personal preference, the 8 way will get you killed on a consistent basis on some of the older games.

[Apollo]

sales@oscarcontrols.com

or

info@oscarcontrols.com

[Nefesis]

thanks. i emailed him.

[OSCAR]

If you email Oscar directly, he has some inventory of 4ways but I don't think he has a lot of them left.  As I just purchased 2.

-GGKoul

You didn't mention that you emailed me a few months ago regarding the 4-ways, and I saved a couple sets for you.  

Actually what really happened was I put a couple sets on the shelf when you were interested in them back a couple months ago, and then forgot about them.  When you emailed me last week about them, I found that still had them sitting there for you.

But that is all I had left, no more...