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New Product: 49-Way USB Interface - The GP-Wiz49 with DRS Technology (TM)
paigeoliver:
Doing it in hardware isn't new either. I sold a cabinet with a USB 49-way almost a year ago. Although Randy's new encoder seems to have a lot more features than the existing SJC 49-way interface.
Xiaou2:
As stated above... not completely explaining the functions lead to misunderstandings.
So what you are saying... is that the system will not ignor diagnols... but really use a "half-circle/half-circle" type of sensing for the 2way for instance - with a small deadzone.
As for the new style of 49ways... I have a low opinion of them. They are essentailly limited analog joysticks. And for that - one wouldnt even need an encoder.
The older Sinistar / Arch Rival joys used an X shaped band to make it harder to reach the edges of the stick. Like a gas pedal -vs- a brake.
The new joys make it hard to play sinistar... as you are able to move too fast - on accident. The additional resistence of the older joys - make it easer to keep your speeds under much better control. Staying slower while collecting the crystals.. yet able to dash off like a rocket with a hard push.
So, if you want an analog joystick that feels like a bat handle joystick.. and has less sensativity than an analog - then fine.
But lets get real here.
First off, I have built a sinistar stick from an analog joystick. I have felt and
playtested the differences between the center mounted spring that was in it... and then the new rubber x mod that I added to it to make it function properly.
I also picked up the real sinistar stick for kicks. Simular feel to the one I made. However - mines a bit stiffer, which makes it even easier to control the ship. This may also be due to the centering spider on the original being aged.
And, Im not 'pooing' your product. Rather, Im simply stating that its not a perfect solution to the serious classic game player. .. and that it would be more benificial to the typical gamer to have a 2-in-1 encoder rather than all those features that really arnt that usefull for the masses. It also promotes the use of incorrect controls for games, thus making the game look to be poor or too hard.
RandyT:
--- Quote from: SirPoonga on February 28, 2005, 01:24:48 am ---To quote you
"Statements like these make me think the unwritten rule stating that one should have some real experience with something before "poo-poo"ing it, should actually be put in writing."
Have you tried analog+ mame? Do you know what it can and can't do with the patterns for interpreting the 49way?
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No. I did not need to. I experimented briefly with the definitions shown for the modes and what I ended up using is quite different. Support for the 49 way in Analog MAME is a hack. It requires 4 times the amount of data to be sent to the host and in use appears to the encoder to be holding down/cycling many keys at once to do what it does. It's a valiant attempt, but it's a controls bandwidth choker. It also only works with that particular piece of software, as I stated. When it's a standalone driver and it's running via the parallel port, feel free to make the "software" comparison. At that point I might even agree.
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--- Quote ---On the other hand, you plug in the GPWiz49 and it works as adverstised. No fancy configuring. It works the same with ALL software. No additional burdens on the CPU.
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The software in your IC is doing the same thing as the software on the PC would do.
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But that's all it has to do. There isn't enough space on this page to list the things the PC must deal with at any given moment in time.
--- Quote --- So it takes a couple extra cycles to process on the PC. Unless the IC the PC has MUCH more resources. The few IRQ requests that go through due to the interpretation from the PC is not enough to slow emulation down, even on a slow PC.
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The controls bus has limited bandwidth. Use more than necessary, you are asking for problems. As far as PC resources go, any task it doesn't need to do, it shouldn't. I know, this goes against the philosphy of those folks that have a million tasks running in the background, but it's still an "ideal" that one should strive for.
--- Quote ---The advantage of software doing the work is you can configure/modify software to do exactly what you want more easily than hardware.
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Here's a simple question: Once you have something working as well as it can, given a specific set of circumstances and limitations based on them, what more do you need to change? I'm asking because if there's call for a 3 or 5 way stick, someone better let me know now :)
--- Quote ---I'm not saying your product is bad. I'm just mentioning to people they can do the same thing with software. Yes, hardware is a better solution in general. But you and I both know in this community there are people who will want to know all the facts and want to know where they can save money when possible.
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Maybe not, but your comments seemed to be bordering on "thread poisoning". I guess I should have posted the thread in the for sale forum to avoid the "you can do it cheaper by X" posts. Just seemed a little unbecoming for a mod.
RandyT
SirPoonga:
--- Quote from: RandyT on February 28, 2005, 02:03:44 am ---It's a valiant attempt, but it's a controls bandwidth choker.
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Not really. All pin signals aren't being sent at ones. The amount of signals being sent is no different then what gets sent during a fighter with huge combos going on.
--- Quote ---Here's a simple question: Once you have something working as well as it can, given a specific set of circumstances and limitations based on them, what more do you need to change? I'm asking because if there's call for a 3 or 5 way stick, someone better let me know now :)
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Simple answer, more control on how the 49way reacts/is interpreted. Here's an example and comparison to analog+ mame.
http://www.urebelscum.speedhost.com/49waySticks.html
Go about half way down and look at the graphics. I'm with paige on this one, knowing how you interpret the grid is a must know if someone wants to know how the 48 way is going to feel. How do you handle the boundries? How do you handle the dead spots?
What be cool is if youhas one more mode that was customixable so someone could put in a custom feel.
Like I said, there are situations where a software solution is better, there are situations where a hardware solution is better.
--- Quote ---Maybe not, but your comments seemed to be bordering on "thread poisoning". I guess I should have posted the thread in the for sale forum to avoid the "you can do it cheaper by X" posts. Just seemed a little unbecoming for a mod.
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you are the one interpeting it that way. I said i am just providing info that there is a software solution. That is all I am doing. I am not saying anything bad about your product. I am even saying buy your product because it is cool. From my point of view it sounds like you can't handle competition with remarks like that.
All I said was "But you and I both know in this community there are people who will want to know all the facts and want to know where they can save money when possible." That's the ONLY time I mentioned something about "price". You know this statement is true. There are people here, that if they can do it for free, even though it takes alot of setup, will do it. Look at arcadevga and such. There are still people who will run dos with an older video card to save money.
I never said it was cheaper though. Time is money. Depending on how you look at it depends on what you think is cheap or not. You obviously looked at it from a monetary point of view. Yes, it would save them money. But it is going to cost a bunch of time to get it set up. Heck, right there I am making the arguement on WHY to get your product.
I know you've been accused of not reading peoples replies the way they wrote them before. Please read more carefully what I wrote. I think about what I want to type before I type it and word it in a way to get the responses I expect to get. That's why I said I am just posting for informational purposes that there is a software solution. I knew you'd interpet that post as a negative against your product when it actually isn't.
In response to Xiaou2. A hardcore classic game is going to do one of two things, have dedicated controls or restrictor plates. IF you don't have the space for dedicated controls and you think plates are ugly this is your next best solution.
Flinkly:
man...and i thought you guys were BYOACers...
randy has come to us offering us a great new plug and play controller and all that i hear is how we don't need it.