Robotron control panel dilemma

[rchadd]

I am currently building a cocktail cab and each players CP will have tstick plus + 6 buttons

I regulate see here posting raving about how great the game robotron is - but that has dual joystick controls.

I am wondering if it will be playable with 1 joystick + 4 fire buttons. is it feasible?

or should i just get over the fact that wont be able to play this classic game on my CP

[paigeoliver]

Robotron is not playable with that setup, at least not past the first 2 levels.

[pcates]

Robotron is not playable with that setup, at least not past the first 2 levels.

I second that opinion. Try it out on your keyboard. Might get to level 3, but when you play with dual joys, you will definitely feel the difference. But I Just remapped the player 1 right controls in robotron to the player 2 joystick in mame, they may be a little wider apart than the original, but definitely feels pretty good.
Good luck...

[Mameotron]

Robotron is not playable with that setup, at least not past the first 2 levels.

I second that opinion. Try it out on your keyboard. Might get to level 3, but when you play with dual joys, you will definitely feel the difference. But I Just remapped the player 1 right controls in robotron to the player 2 joystick in mame, they may be a little wider apart than the original, but definitely feels pretty good.
Good luck...

Exactly what I did.

[SteveJ34]

Robotron is not playable with that setup, at least not past the first 2 levels.

I second that opinion. Try it out on your keyboard. Might get to level 3, but when you play with dual joys, you will definitely feel the difference. But I Just remapped the player 1 right controls in robotron to the player 2 joystick in mame, they may be a little wider apart than the original, but definitely feels pretty good.
Good luck...

Exactly what I did.

Me three.

I have a 2 player control panel with trackball in the center and I just play with P1 Joy and P2 Joy for Robotron.....works well for me.

[telengard]

I am currently building a cocktail cab and each players CP will have tstick plus + 6 buttons

I regulate see here posting raving about how great the game robotron is - but that has dual joystick controls.

It *is* that great.  

I am wondering if it will be playable with 1 joystick + 4 fire buttons. is it feasible?

or should i just get over the fact that wont be able to play this classic game on my CP

I hate to say it but it would be pretty hard to play that way as others have mentioned.  I've tried to play it with an atari 2600 joystick and it's next to impossible when it starts getting even slightly crowded.  The game is fast and hard but the controls are designed such that you can actually get out of pretty sticky situations ( much like Defender ).  A lot of the time it's moving in one direction and firing in the *opposite* direction.  The 4 buttons might be better but I would tend to doubt it.

On the good side with that setup you could play Vanguard.    

[paigeoliver]

On the good side with that setup you could play Vanguard.    

I actually play Vanguard dualjoy, it is better that way.

[u_rebelscum]

I am currently building a cocktail cab and each players CP will have tstick plus + 6 buttons

See it you can fit an extra stick for each player:  | stick - 6 buttons - stick |


I think it would be hard to play with the P1 stick & P2 stick on a cocktail cab like some others suggest.  

[spystyle]

Maybe go mudular or removable ?

[pocketbikez]

dont forget Crazy Climber! another great classic game that would benefit from a double 8-way setup.

both robotron and crazy climber are horizontal so maybe add an extra 8-way just to the right of your buttons on one side panel.

[telengard]

dont forget Crazy Climber! another great classic game that would benefit from a double 8-way setup.

both robotron and crazy climber are horizontal so maybe add an extra 8-way just to the right of your buttons on one side panel.

And although it didn't seem popular way back when, I enjoyed playing Krull (still do) which uses 2 8 way joys.  I think Black Widow does too.

[fredster]

I love robotron.  I do the p1 & P2 joystick.

Stupid question: How many dual joy games are there?

[Kremmit]

Smash TV
Total Carnage
Karate Champ (should have 4-ways, not 8-ways)

and check this one out, it's not a real arcade game, but it rocks- BYOAC user KevSteele is responsible for the review: http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/mutant.html

[pocketbikez]

How many dual joy games are there?

another one is Mars (1981)

[telengard]

Maybe go mudular or removable ?

Very good idea!       Not sure how easy it would be to do modular on a cocktail though.

Here's my modular Robotron layout.  Very close to the original spacing too.



IIRC Robotron joysticks were a little longer.  I can't remember if it's so that it can go through the wood on the control panel or just to make them longer for gameplay.

I'm curious to know if anyone has any Robotron tips and what folks high scores are.  The only tip I know is the "Mikey' cheat on the Brain Wave.

[RayB]

You can get away with using buttons when paying Smash TV, but that game is designed for putting in quarter after quarter to continue.  But Robotron is one of those games that is just too fine-tuned and requires the utmost quick, precise reflexes.

[paigeoliver]

Maybe go mudular or removable ?

Very good idea!       Not sure how easy it would be to do modular on a cocktail though.

Here's my modular Robotron layout.  Very close to the original spacing too.



IIRC Robotron joysticks were a little longer.  I can't remember if it's so that it can go through the wood on the control panel or just to make them longer for gameplay.

I'm curious to know if anyone has any Robotron tips and what folks high scores are.  The only tip I know is the "Mikey' cheat on the Brain Wave.

Egad. I get the feeling that is a very complicated control panel setup you have there!

I can go about 30 rounds on Robotron on a good day, I don't really keep track of score though.

[telengard]

Maybe go mudular or removable ?

Very good idea!       Not sure how easy it would be to do modular on a cocktail though.

Here's my modular Robotron layout.  Very close to the original spacing too.

<snip image>

IIRC Robotron joysticks were a little longer.  I can't remember if it's so that it can go through the wood on the control panel or just to make them longer for gameplay.

I'm curious to know if anyone has any Robotron tips and what folks high scores are.  The only tip I know is the "Mikey' cheat on the Brain Wave.

Egad. I get the feeling that is a very complicated control panel setup you have there!

I can go about 30 rounds on Robotron on a good day, I don't really keep track of score though.

Heh, it's not complicated at all.  The modules plug in via ethernet cables.  That particular layout is an extreme example since I wanted the spacing "just right".  I count 7 "modules" in the Robotron layout.  Normally I have 3 or 4.

Flexibility does have it's price though as far as switching to other layouts.  I like playing with the original controls/layouts so I didn't have much of an alternative.

I can't remember what wave I got to but I think my high score is around 440K.  I find my first game or two are good and the rest go downhill from there.  

[FractalWalk]

I'm curious to know if anyone has any Robotron tips and what folks high scores are.  

Back in the day, I could roll the machine over: both score and waves.  I didn't use any tricks other than the "kill everything that tries to kill you" trick.  However today, I can't make it past wave 20. Once my cab is completed, I plan on getting back into fighting shape.

[Xiaou2]

 Funny thing about Robotron...

   When I was young and saw it... I might have tried it once - and got destroyed by it... that and I wasnt impressed with the graphics... so I never got into it...

  Many many years later... smash tv came out - and I liked the way it controlled and played...  thinking that it was better than robotron...

  Many more years go by... and I start chatting with a guy about classics.. and robotron comes up.   He said that Robotron was the best game ever... and I said he was crazy - that smash tv was much better as there was much more details - and you could see what was attacking you...

  He was solid in his arguments... and wouldnt budge.   Completely hated Smash.   I was in awe of how simular it seemed the games were and how he hated the revision.  

  I wondered for some time... and then... I ran into a shop that had the beauty!   The guy there,  told me some strategy that made all the difference.... and within a few plays - I was hooked - and understood why the guy thought that smash sucked (which in comparison does - imop).

  The key to robotron is getting the Humans.   While one might think its only a few points and not worthy of the extra efforts... those buggers add up exponentially.   If you collect a single human... you might get 100 points... but collect a 2nd without death, and the point value doubles.  Collect 5 in a level - and you get an extra guy... and I think... every human after the 5th = another extra guy.

  If you can make it to the brain stages... (I think every 5th stage)... this is where you can rack up incredible extra guys, as its loaded with humans.   This is basically the key to lasting a long time.   There are other tips I could type out if one wanted... but this is the most relavent.

 Now -  as for game control....

 Robotron used those Wico 8 way leaf joysticks...

 I actually prefered happs competition joysticks to any that I could remember  (as leafs sometimes got out of whack)... but,  after trying to play robotron on a friends mame machine with comp's  ...I was severly dissapointed.   It felt all wrong... as the square nature of the acutator caused it to be very hard to move arround as smoothly and quickly as needed.   I was hardly able to get past a few levels - and I was used to getting up to the 30's...

  The comps also were too long a throw - thus causing too much delay in directional changes... thus you get clobbered.   Comps and supers are decent for fighters... but just not suited for this type of game.   Also, due to the violent nature of the controls... and the poor design of the new joysticks... you will surely wear the plastic spacers down till the joy dosnt work properly - within a very short time (if you could actually stand playing the game that long with those types of sticks).

 If you love Robotron,  or Want to know what the fuss is all about... then you ***NEED *** to get those wico 8way leaf type sticks.  (or another 8way "leaf" stick that is close in design).  

  With that said... the 1 + 2 player control is a good and typical plan.  However... if your using micros,  then you need to either have leafs somewhere on there... or swapable..ect.

  I will go as far as to say... that leaf joys will extend your playtime (and enjoyment!)  more than 85% over any other microswitch joystick type.  

 A note... Ive heard that the programmer of the game wouldnt even play his own game on a mame machine while at a convention.  Im certain it was mostly because the panel lacked the proper leaf controls.


 BTW - There are some people who may try to dispute the Leaf -vs- micro on this... and I will say this...   Anyone who says such a thing has NOT played a real robotron recently (if ever),  and if they had a side by side comparison setup...  would never ever be happy playing robotron with micros ever again.   Also, the game is that much fun that its totally worth the extra efforts of finding and installing leaf joys.

 Ahh - and installs:  On a cocktail... you do have 4 sides... so 2 of those could be leafs, while the others are micros.  Or you could have 2 levels of controls.. basically,  a mini panel that is below the main panel (simular to how musicians have multiple keyboards stacked up)   You could make a pull out panel... or a way to pop on a panel as an extention to the existing panel.  
 
 Something I do not think Ive seen on a cocktail - which would be cool, is a driving game setup.   Just a a few internal pedals... and a nice 360 degree spinner : )  

 

[paigeoliver]

There are a couple microswitch joys that work for Robotron. The wico ones that are exactly like the leaf kind, and the Wico microswitch type ones that take the same handle, but have a spring in them (BUT you have to change out the spring for a Happs heavy spring).

But, the real deal is still better.

Smash TV sucks because more and more bad guys keep coming out. It is rediculous because you are on each screen way too long and it just gets stupid. On Level on an arcade game should not take a half hour.

[neuromancer]

I guess I'm the odd man out, but I'm used to that

My first joystick only had one stick and 4 buttons, and I played Robotron on it a fair bit. I use the upper left button as "up" and the lower right as "down".

I won't even pretend it's an accurate representation of the game, but I can get just about as far using buttons instead of dual joys. Maybe level 20.

I think the 2nd key to Robotron (after "get the humans") is shoot in a different direction from the direction of travel as often as possible, and shoot in two directions at once whenever possible.

Bob

[pocketbikez]

found 2 more dual 8-way games... Cloak and Dagger and Fire Trap

so far that makes 10.

robotron
crazy climber
crazy climber 2
mars
cloak and dagger
black widow
krull
fire trap
smash tv
total carnage

[Bgnome]

multiple 4 ways
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=16325

what games use duel joysticks i.e. Karate Champ?
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=20143

[Chris]

found 2 more dual 8-way games... Cloak and Dagger and Fire Trap

so far that makes 10.

robotron
crazy climber
crazy climber 2
mars
cloak and dagger
black widow
krull
fire trap
smash tv
total carnage

Assault. Vindicators, and Battlezone are all 2-stick games, but not 8-ways, and they really need trigger sticks.

[Apollo]

Whats the "Mikey" trick on the brain waves?

[telengard]

Whats the "Mikey" trick on the brain waves?

My understanding is that if you can keep Mikey alive the brains will not touch the Mommys and Daddys.  You may want to do a search on it as I could be wrong.  All I know is I keep Mikey ALIVE on that wave.  

[FractalWalk]

In each brain wave the brains target on one human. Once that human is "progged" or picked up by our hero, then the brains will go for all the other humans.

If you can keep that human alive, then you are free to scoop up all the other humans without interference (huge points!). On wave 5 the target human is the only Mikey.  On subsequent waves, you can't really tell which one is the target.