Joysticks: Optical versus Microswitch?

[mwoody]

I'll be ordering a Slikstik Quad unit in the next week or so.  I've decided to splurge, so cost isn't an issue.  My question, though, is which joystick is the best choice: the standard Happs competition sticks, or the pricey optical perfect 360 upgrades?

I've read some very good reviews of the 360 - the retroblast guy was practically drooling   - but my question is about its "feel": will this be a good stick for true arcade gaming?  I've always been a fan of tactile feedback, evidenced in my love for those old-school IBM keyboards.  Will this stick feel too "soft" in the absence of actual switches inside?

I play a wide variety of MAME titles, from side scrollers to fighters to puzzle games to the classics (though I'll have a 4-way for the older stuff).  Though, to be honest, it's been quite a few years since I've played many of these on an actual machine; am I just misremembering what a real machine feels like?  What style stick most closely resembles the "real thing"?

Essentially, I guess what I'm asking is: "I know the reasons the 360 is better than the Competition.  Can someone give me reasons the Competition is preferable to the 360?"

Thanks!

[JODY]

Some will have different tastes and preferences but I've got several Competition sticks and Perfect 360s and the main differences are:
Competitions are not as stiff.
Competitions are cheaper.
Competitions click while 360s are silent.

I've seen the 360s on sale for less than $30 each several times the last few years.  Bought mine when on sale.  I prefer them to the competitions but if they weren't on sale I'd settle for the Competitions.

They are both very nice.

[enchntr]

This post may not be of any help to you, as I only have the 360s and a Wico 4-way leaf.

I absolutely LOVE the 360s.  They have a great feel to them and are completely silent.  Extremely good in fighting games, and not bad overall in 4-way (set up as 8-way).

I'm very glad I got them...don't know if I would like the clicking that the competitions have.

Ed

[Minwah]

Does anyone *like* the clicking of microswitches??  It seems most don't, but I do - you can hear when you hit a direction.  Not quite sure why I like that

[Dekelia]

Does anyone *like* the clicking of microswitches??  It seems most don't, but I do - you can hear when you hit a direction.  Not quite sure why I like that

I totally agree.  I have always liked the clicking sound.  I feel like I have better control of where the stick is when I hear it (and feel it to some extent).  For 8 way games, it seems almost nessesary.

[mwoody]

I've heard it said that with the microswitches, fighting games are much harder - the "fireball" motion being the example used.  Is it true that such motions are difficult with the switches?

[Gunstar Hero]

This is an EASY one!

The P360's are the best feeling arcade stick I've ever used. They really do make the machine in my case. I WAY recommend them unless you really need to save the bucks.

I play alot of SF2, SFA and MK on my machine and I've never used a stick with more exact diagonals. No "slop" at all.

The serious fighting game fans I know who have custom arcade controls either use or suggest using P360's as well.

Go optical young man. You'll never look back! =)

[Minwah]

I've heard it said that with the microswitches, fighting games are much harder - the "fireball" motion being the example used.  Is it true that such motions are difficult with the switches?

I wouldn't agree...I think you can get used to any joystick really.  A bad workman blames his tools

That said, I have never used P360's, so I can't comment on those.  They seem to be *very* popular tho...

[DaveStall]

As far as the P360s go, I guess I have both good and bad feelings towards them.  If you are putting these sticks in a heavy cabinet or a stand alone controller that is somehow mounted so it can't easily move, they are probably a good choice.  If however you are planning on using these sticks in a desktop type controller, be warned that the springs are extremely stiff and your controller will be sliding around quite a bit as you are moving the stick.  I ordered two of these sticks when they were on sale to replace a pair of J-Sticks in my desktop controller and I quickly took them back out as they pretty much made my controller impossible to use.  I have heard that the Happ Comps use a much ligher spring of the same size (they are 30 cents each), so perhaps replacing the default P360 spring is also an option.

Dave

[Gunstar Hero]

Yeah, we gots some killer springs here. Made these babies a "joy" to assemble. They also made odd sounds for the first few days, but that quicky went away.

My P360's have loosened up a bit after some playtime tho.

I still don't think they would be too stiff for a desktop panel, unless it had a pretty damn small footprint. Maybe some rubber feet might help!

Changing the spring is an interesting option, although with the lack of switches for resistance at the end of the throw it might be too loose? I dunno, but if you swap them out I'd like to know! =)