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Light guns FAQ?
Florp:
Hi guys. Is there a up-to-date FAQ regarding lightguns and MAME? I'm interested in adding a pair of guns to my cabinet with an arcade monitor, but much of the info I've found seems to be outdated (i.e., ActLabs no longer makes light guns for monitors?).
What's the State of the Lightgun Union out there?
Thanks,
Scott
ErikRuud:
There isn't a FAQ that I know of.
The state of the union is this:
The Act Labs gun for monitors is no longer available, except maybe through Ebay at high prices. They may bring it back, or they may bring out a new gun. No one knows for sure. Go to the Act labs site and get on the wish list!
The Lik-Sang PC Virtual Gun appears to be discontinued also, but is stil available from some vendors.
The Lik-Sang Bio Gun is still available, but is considered to be the worst choice.
Florp:
Thanks for the summary, Erik.
What about adapting actual arcade lightguns to a PC? Happ sells a couple of them, including a really cool-lookin' "Recoil Gun". Has anyone had success with this?
-Scott
NoOne=NBA=:
--- Quote from: Florp on December 23, 2004, 03:48:54 pm ---Has anyone had success with this?
--- End quote ---
No.
The light gun is only PART of the system.
The rest of the system is the interface.
In the case of the Act-labs, it's the box that sits between the monitor/gun and USB port/gun.
In the case of arcade games, it's contained on the actual boards of the individual game.
Silver:
--- Quote from: Florp on December 23, 2004, 03:48:54 pm ---What about adapting actual arcade lightguns to a PC?
--- End quote ---
There was some talk on this a while back re the happs unit - if I recall someone was trying to buy a unit from happs to test/write a driver. No idea where this is at now.
A far more promising point - for the future anyway - was that Andy Warne (he of IPAC/Optipac fame) posted a few weeks back saying he was planning to look into the Namco light gun interface. Promising because while more complex/expensive (it uses several sensors placed round the screen instead of a "white-blanking" approach) it is very accurate once calibrated (in the arcades anyway) and can track a guns position at all times, not just when they fire (this is an issue when trying to use light guns for games like T2 that actually used a joystick). This would allow it to be used *perfectly* for all light gun games that I am aware of.
I was planning to email Andy in the New year and ask if he still has plans to pursue this. If so I personally intend to get hold of a set. In fact I'm tempted to do so anyway and post them to Andy to work on if he doesn't have any....
Andy?