Another First from GroovyGameGear - FireTop Prodigy [Old thread from 2004]

[RandyT]

Hi All,

I've been tossing this one around for a while but didn't really do much with it until GGKoul threw me a challenge.  Sometimes that's all it takes (well, that and about 3 hours of parts, pieces and puzzle solving.)  Thanks.

Long story short, I'd like to introduce the FireTop Prodigy Joystick System. The worlds first True 4 / 8 - way, switchable from the control panel top, FireTop Joystick.

Virtually the same feel and precision as the OMNI-Stick line, but with a slightly longer throw.


Available now at the GGG Store.  For those that have never visited, the URL is:

http://www.groovygamegear.com/cgi/surfshop/shop.cgi

or just click on the shopping cart button from any page at the normal site.


Thanks for looking,

RandyT

[Tiger-Heli]

http://www.groovygamegear.com/cgi/surfshop/shop.cgi
or just click on the shopping cart button from any page at the normal site.

Looks good, thanks Randy!

BTW, for those who can't find it - (there's always someone who can't find it), here's the direct link:

http://www.groovygamegear.com/cgi/surfshop/shop.cgi?ud=TDY3M05OM1dEUSUlJSUlJTEwOTQzMTE5MDUA&storeid=1&cols=1&categories=0029&&c=detail.htm&itemid=A0PRODTF

[Martoon]

Holy crap, RandyT, you did it!  Nice work!  I know a number of us have wanted something like this.

Now, if it just had a 2-way mode and 5-way mode, and if you could twist around the vertical axis for another degree of control, and pull up or push down like the DOT spinner, and maybe if the button on top was actually a tiny trackball (but pushing down on it still acted like a button), and if it had an analog mode, and ...  

[Trenchbroom]

Good one-way to throw down the gauntlet.  There's a challenge for you Randy!  

[pointdablame]

wow, that is very cool.  I think I'll have to incorporate this into my upright CP somehow.. perhaps as the 2p joy, or just seperate somewhere.

Nice work RandyT !  

[BLACK KNIGHT]

That is sweet...I think it'll have to go on my Christmas list!  You've changed your website since I got my Keywiz last Christmas.  Nice new look!

Hey btw, is that blood red t-molding a dark red like on the Mortal Kombat cabinets or is it more a fire engine red?  I'm looking for something more like fire engine red to match the red joysticks I wanna get for my Tekken 2 cabinet.

[Hoagie_one]

hmmmmm, trackball on the top of a joystick....HMMMMMMMMM

[SpamMe]

I say trackball on top of a 2/4/8 way trigger up-down perfect 360...

[monkeybomb]

Introducing the "omnistic whack"

It's made from the part left after I combine my prodigy with my top fire.  Thanks for the pic Randy.

[monkeybomb]

seriously,
  is there any way to make an eight way omnistick out of the remaining parts.  The only thing I can think of is grinding the end of the joystick to match the size of the eight way.  but that idea sounds very time consuming.  any thoughts?

[Nannuu]

Wow, that's really nice Mr. T.  I really like my retro Prodigy.  Using both could make a pretty cool panel.

[RandyT]

Sorry I'm so late on this one...thanks to everyone for the positive comments.  As for a trackball on top of a stick.......there are some engineering challenges that need to go unanswered  

That is sweet...I think it'll have to go on my Christmas list!  You've changed your website since I got my Keywiz last Christmas.  Nice new look!

Thanks, the main site is in need of a revamp as well.....might head along similar lines with it, if I ever find the time  

Hey btw, is that blood red t-molding a dark red like on the Mortal Kombat cabinets or is it more a fire engine red?  I'm looking for something more like fire engine red to match the red joysticks I wanna get for my Tekken 2 cabinet.

It's a darker red.  I've been looking around for a local MK machine to compare it to, but I haven't run across one recently.  But in any case, it's probably darker than you are looking for.

RandyT

[SNAAKE]

Interesting !
Out of curiousity..which games can be played with these sticks anybody know ? Like a list of some sort so I can try them out and see how it goes

[Edgedamage]

Interesting !
Out of curiousity..which games can be played with these sticks anybody know ? Like a list of some sort so I can try them out and see how it goes

No offence to Randy but I have only seen these sticks used in redemption games
at places like chucky cheese. But if they stand up to hordes of kids they must last forever!

[RandyT]

No offence to Randy but I have only seen these sticks used in redemption games
at places like chucky cheese. But if they stand up to hordes of kids they must last forever!

None taken

But these are hybrids and use the OMNI-Stik/Prodigy switch actuation assembly, not the method associated with the normal Firetops (although that one works well too!)  From a "nuts and bolts" and "general feel" point of view, the only difference between the regular Prodigy and the Firetop Prodigy is a slightly longer throw, and of course the fire button on top.

Snaake:

If you have ever played a game and wished you had another hand, there's a good chance these will help.  And then of course, there are Battlezone, Tron and others where a stick mounted fire-button is a virtual necessity.


RandyT

[monkeybomb]

I'm putting mine in tron formation with the intention of using it as my four way as well.  
This will cut out a designated 4-way joystick and allow me to play tron.  It also allows my frankenpanel the advantage of 2 style 8-ways.  I love this thing

[goofy]

This is a great looking product, I just have a problem paying $30 more than the T-Stik Plus from Ultimarc for the fire button. The T-stik Pluswhich is a 4/8-way switchable with no fire button.

So, what games other than tron need the top fire button?

[GGKoul]

If you have ever played a game and wished you had another hand, there's a good chance these will help.  And then of course, there are Battlezone, Tron and others where a stick mounted fire-button is a virtual necessity.

Now you can have a Battlezone setup PLUS be able to play Karate Champ with the 4 ways!

[GGKoul]

Post regarding "Multiple 4 ways games"

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

[GGKoul]

Good one-way to throw down the gauntlet.  There's a challenge for you Randy!  

Thanks!

[RandyT]

This is a great looking product

Thanks

I just have a problem paying $30 more than the T-Stik Plus from Ultimarc for the fire button. The T-stik Pluswhich is a 4/8-way switchable with no fire button.

There's also the normal Prodigy without the Firetop that comes very close to the same price once all the extras are factored in (mounting plate, etc).  Ask anyone who has a Prodigy system about the construction of the units.  Until you hold one in your hand, you won't really understand .

RandyT

[goofy]

Randy,

A little off topic here, but does your keywiz allow inputs for Trackballs and Spinners?

Also, it looks like all the wires need to be soldered to the keywiz. Is this correct?

[goofy]

Nevermind about the soldering question. I was looking at the econo KeyWiz. I see that the other KeyWiz's do not need soldering.

But, please answer the other question if you would.

[RandyT]

Randy,

A little off topic here, but does your keywiz allow inputs for Trackballs and Spinners?

Also, it looks like all the wires need to be soldered to the keywiz. Is this correct?

As you already noticed, no soldering on anything other than an Eco model.

The KeyWiz is an interface for  digital (ON or OFF) controls only, i.e. 4/8 way joysticks and pushbuttons.  

My recommendation is to use a separate interface for analog (spinner/trackball) controls.  I use the one from oscarcontrols.com.  You can't make it backspin unless you really, really try.  During gameplay it works great.  Nice price too!

RandyT

[greywolf22]

Wow Randy, this is something I've been looking for..what a great idea.  Thanks for another fine product  

[Tommy Boy]

Randy --

This truly is an awesome development.

Now to press our luck just a bit further: any chance of a trigger-style 4/8-way Prodigy?  I'm not saying a FULL Tron-style trigger stick, as those always seem too big to share space with other controls on a standard panel anyway.  But something that could fire with an index finger, trigger-style motion.

[KevSteele]

Very nice!

I played around with the non-switchable version of this joystick on the Treyonics Centurion, and it's a much better top-fire joystick than the Happs one (which I detest, even though I've got one on my cab  ) Adding 4/8-way switching makes it an even more versatile addition to a cab.

Kevin

[froggerman]

Randy,

Could you please post the mounting diagram for this joystick?

Thanks.

[RandyT]

Randy,

Could you please post the mounting diagram for this joystick?

Thanks.

A printed mounting template comes with the stick and it is the same as the Prodigy.


Email me for the template.


RandyT

[mahuti]

I finally got around to installing this last week.  It only took me 10 years.

[bfauska]

I finally got around to installing this last week.  It only took me 10 years.

Makes me feel better about unearthing my project from 2008.
Is installing a product 10 years later when it's no longer being sold considered a new build/project or is that more like restoration with NOS parts?

[DeLuSioNal29]

Subject has been modified as such.  :-)

[AzureKnight]

I finally got around to installing this last week.  It only took me 10 years.

Well don't leave us hanging, how do you like it?

[yotsuya]

I finally got around to installing this last week.  It only took me 10 years.

Well don't leave us hanging, how do you like it?

He'll let you know in 2024.

[wp34]

I finally got around to installing this last week.  It only took me 10 years.

Makes me feel better about unearthing my project from 2008.
Is installing a product 10 years later when it's no longer being sold considered a new build/project or is that more like restoration with NOS parts?

Glad to see you are still around.

[RandyT]

This thread makes me feel old.

I'm surprised the photo is still on the site

[PL1]

I'm surprised the photo is still on the site

I'm surprised that you still use this image for your Happ Super listing.      




Scott

[RandyT]

I'm surprised that you still use this image for your Happ Super listing.      

Being that they've been out for ages, I figured everyone knew what they looked like {j/k}

I've got some catalog additions to do here shortly, so I'll try to remember that one as well

[mahuti]

He'll let you know in 2024.

That made me laugh.

 

Well don't leave us hanging, how do you like it?

I like it. The feel of the button top stick isn't that great... the action is great, but you know, the shape kinda sucks for fighters and pacman and stuff. But the feel of the throw itself is pretty good. For the 8 way, it'd be nice if it magically had an 8 point to 4 point restrictor change instead of square to diamond, but hey... it worked well in fighters.

I do have to tighten up the restrictor screws though. It's been loosening up very easily during play. I'm guessing that either tightening the screws, or making sure that wiring is pulling on the restrictor switch will take care of it. Probably a little of both. In any case... this is a project that was beyond me 10 years ago. I didn't have a router then, but I didn't want to put this thing in without flush mounting it. By the time I got a router I'd lost interest in building new stuff. But I recently decided to putz around again and I've been having fun.

This thread makes me feel old.

Yeah, well, trying to set up a Dell Dimension 2350 (that I bought for this cabinet in 2004) with an arcade front-end makes ME feel old. XP is dead. Back then it was the thing! Downloading service packs through third parties! No automatic updates. THAT MAKES ME FEEL OLD. The OS that I consider my go-to OS doesn't even get support anymore. Heck, even MameWah runs awfully slow on this thing. Forget about Gameex or Hyperspin (hyperstall on this machine).

In any case it's nice that I managed to get what I needed to get done on the software side of things within a couple of days of trial and error. And the new part i ordered (GroovyGameGear's GP-wiz 40) did a perfect job (as expected) and now I'm just starting to try out Ikari Warriors on my LS-30. Pretty cool.

BTW Randy, My first gen Led-wiz, translucent buttons, leds, 49 way sticks, other buttons and encoders I bought from you way back in the day are still going strong. The WIFI card crapped out, but my GGG electronics still work the way I expect. Thanks!

[RandyT]

I do have to tighten up the restrictor screws though. It's been loosening up very easily during play. I'm guessing that either tightening the screws...

That's will do it. 

Yeah, well, trying to set up a Dell Dimension 2350 (that I bought for this cabinet in 2004) with an arcade front-end makes ME feel old. XP is dead. Back then it was the thing! Downloading service packs through third parties! No automatic updates. THAT MAKES ME FEEL OLD. The OS that I consider my go-to OS doesn't even get support anymore. Heck, even MameWah runs awfully slow on this thing. Forget about Gameex or Hyperspin (hyperstall on this machine).

I just updated my cabinet system with a super clean, $67 shipped, complete Core2 Duo w/XP, which easily overclocked to 2.8ghz.  Added in an ATI card, modded with Calamity's ATOM15 for my arcade monitor (which works great, BTW.)  It feels amazingly fast compared to the sad Athlon 900mhz w/Win98, which it replaced.  Haven't tried Hyperspin, but I think it would run fine.  With older systems as cheap as they are, I can't imagine why anyone would bother considering the underpowered single board approaches.  Progress definitely works in our favor in this hobby.

BTW Randy, My first gen Led-wiz, translucent buttons, leds, 49 way sticks, other buttons and encoders I bought from you way back in the day are still going strong. The WIFI card crapped out, but my GGG electronics still work the way I expect. Thanks!

That's good to hear!  I still get support requests for software for gen 1 KeyWiz's, which are 11 years old.