New Product: 49-Way USB Interface - The GP-Wiz49 with DRS Technology (TM)

[Tiger-Heli]

-  23 additional inputs, including 5 that are "shiftable", for conventional Joysticks, buttons or similar switch based devices. (in Manual and Software Modes.  Rotary Switch/Jumper mode disables "Shift-mode" buttons and provides 15 usable buttons)

So with these 4 units I could have 92 buttons on my CP 

Actually 108 if you use something like RandyT's one-click Shazaaam! adapters.  (But I think that's a bit of overkill).

[MrSaLTy]

The funny part is when you go into the game controller screen in windows to test it there are 23 buttons there. hehe

[IntruderAlert]

So who's got the current record for CP buttons?
I'd love to see a CP with 100+ buttons  lol

[Tommy Boy]

Anyone for a 4-player mahjong panel?   

[dabone]

I finally hooked up one of my interfaces today to play with.

Found 1 more bug in the software.

I have a 1 & 2 adapters, and I hooked up the #2 device.

Software would load up then crash.

After I connected the first board the software ran fine afterwards.


Later,
dabone

[Tiger-Heli]

I finally hooked up one of my interfaces today to play with.
Found 1 more bug in the software.
I have a 1 & 2 adapters, and I hooked up the #2 device.
Software would load up then crash.
After I connected the first board the software ran fine afterwards.
Later,
dabone

You need the latest version of the software.  See the end of this thread.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,35511.40.html

And if you still have problems, post in that thread . . .

[Lilwolf]

For configuration I considered creating a control panel with a full keyboard of arcade buttons...   But when I started realizing how much it would cost, and how useful it would be... the urge pasted.

[IntruderAlert]

... the urge pasted.

 


I don't want any more buttons than necessary.
If I have the software automatically choose the correct mode for each game then I won't really need the 4 JoyMode buttons will I?

[Tiger-Heli]

... the urge pasted.

He means passed.

I don't want any more buttons than necessary.
If I have the software automatically choose the correct mode for each game then I won't really need the 4 JoyMode buttons will I?

Ummn, if you have the software chose the correct mode for each game, you won't need any buttons, but some games will be hard to play.

Okay, I thought you meant 4 JoyMode buttons per interface, but I figured it out.  No, you won't need them.

[IntruderAlert]

you won't need any buttons, but some games will be hard to play.

lol

[dphirschler]

What's the report on the following games...

Q-bert, Congo Bongo (other diagonal games)
Zaxxon
Crazy Climber, Robotron (other dual 8-way games)
Tail Gunner
720 degrees
Sinistar
Gyruss

Especially curious about Gyruss, Qbert, and Tail Gunner.


Darryl

[markrvp]

All games take a little getting used to.  Even though the total throw of the joystick is long, you only have to move it a little to make the Sprite move.

Dual joystick games like Robotron & Crazy Climber work great (8-way mode). 

Q-bert works well in Diagonals (must map in MAME, but easy). 

You didn't ask, but in Donkey Kong I find it hard to make Mario stop.  If he's moving right and you let go of the stick, he keeps going.  1up mentioned something similar and theorized that this was due to the joystick grommet not being broken in.  Same type of effect in 1944 Loopmaster (plane keeps moving around).

Pacman works GREAT in 4-way mode.  Absolutely wonderful.

[Tiger-Heli]

Q-bert works well in Diagonals (must map in MAME, but easy). 

I thought I read earlier that Q-bert should NOT be mapped in MAME and then you selected diagonal 4-way mode.

* Tiger-Heli hangs head in shame and sentences self to 15-minutes in corner for posting inaccurate information on board.

[markrvp]

Q-bert works well in Diagonals (must map in MAME, but easy).

[dphirschler]

How about Gyruss?

I found it played well enough with regular 8-ways.  Is it improved with the 49 way?


Darryl

[markrvp]

Q-bert works well in Diagonals (must map in MAME, but easy).

[Flinkly]

so wait...we still need to map input for the diagonal games even when the joystick is in diagonal mode?  i thoguht the point of diagonal mode was to solve this problem...am i just lost?

[RandyT]

so wait...we still need to map input for the diagonal games even when the joystick is in diagonal mode?  i thoguht the point of diagonal mode was to solve this problem...am i just lost?

Addressing MAME's (TM) odd way of describing controls for diagonal games was not the idea behind the diagonal mode .  MAME sees controls for diagonal games as a regular 4-way, just mounted differently, apparently rotated 45degrees clockwise.

The GP-Wiz49 is not exclusively a MAME controller, so this was not the goal.  If you consider what must be done on an 8-way stick to effect a diagonal, you will see that you would need to position the stick properly to close the 2 switches simultaneously, and do this at every move.  With a Prodigy joystick in 8-way mode this works pretty well due to the squareish mechanical restriction.  But if you try it with a non-restricted 8-way. you will quickly understand the benefits of the GP-Wiz49's diagonal mode.

You need to set up the game as you would for use with an 8-way.  If you do this with the diagonal mode activated, it's very easy to do.  But keep in mind that the set up is where the similarity ends.

RandyT

[RandyT]

You didn't ask, but in Donkey Kong I find it hard to make Mario stop.  If he's moving right and you let go of the stick, he keeps going.  1up mentioned something similar and theorized that this was due to the joystick grommet not being broken in.  Same type of effect in 1944 Loopmaster (plane keeps moving around).

When 1UP first mentioned this I thought he was loopy.  The reason is that the first sticks I started experimenting with were original Midway sticks straight out of old arcade machines.  They didn't show any of this type of behavior as they had been well broken in.

I have since verified this to be the case on the brand new sticks and could see them slowly crawl back to center after extending them in a direction. 

The answer?  Be rough on them   They are built to take it, so torque them around for a while, or play a nice long game of Gyruss (and Darryl, the answer to your question is definitely, Yes).  That will take care of the situation nicely

RandyT

[Kremmit]

How about Gyruss?

I found it played well enough with regular 8-ways.  Is it improved with the 49 way?


Darryl

It ought to play well enough with regular 8-ways!  That's what Gyrus originally came with in the arcades!  (It'll also play great with a 49-way in either 49-way mode or in 8-way mode.)

[brandon]

You didn't ask, but in Donkey Kong I find it hard to make Mario stop.

[Kremmit]

Mame sees 49-ways connected through a GP49 as an analog joystick at all times, regardless of which mode the GP49 is in.  So yes, deadzone could help with that.

[MajorLag]

Not nessesarily. The stick may look like an analog to the OS (and thus to MAME), but that doesn't mean it will act like one. The four way mode, I imagine, only ever reports 4 different analog positions, so adjusting the deadzone in mame would do nothing. Any deadzone adjustment would have to be done in the firmware of the GPWiz49.

In other words, just beat the hell out of it until works. Thats how I always deal with technology problems anyway.

[Kremmit]

Good point.  I hereby retract my support of a deadzone fix.

[IntruderAlert]

So when's MinWah coming back to see about this anyway?

[screaming]

So when's MinWah coming back to see about this anyway?

MrSalty came up with something that works in the meantime here.. 

-sab

[Steve Kaz]

Randy T,

I plan on running a 49 way stick with Flloyd's rotary adapter into a Druin interface board and then into your GPWiz49.  We were discussing this on another thread and saw that the Druin needs 5 volts of power.  Could i run a second wire from the Wiz49 into the Druin?

Thanks,

Steve

[stevio99]

I was looking at the spec sheet of the holes for the 49-way, and it looks like it will drop right into a Street Fighter Anniversary edition stick.  Seeing that that stick has quick disconnects, its should be pretty easy to wire up.  A guide to taking it apart is at:

http://www.arcadestickmonk.com/SFACmod.html

Most EBgames still has these sticks for $60.  So that plus $30 for the 49-way and $20 for the eco gpwiz will give you one heck of a joystick for $110 ($10 more than X-arcade).  I think this is gonna be my first project (yey, no more keyboard playing)

[RandyT]

We were discussing this on another thread and saw that the Druin needs 5 volts of power.  Could i run a second wire from the Wiz49 into the Druin?

It depends on the current draw.  But I'll say that it should be fine.

RandyT

[Flinkly]

um, you need more than quick disconnects to hook up the 49-way.  i hope you don't think you can just unhook the current joystick and stick the new one in.  if you do end up doing this project, you'll end up with two wires coming out, one for the 49-way/gpwiz, and the second for the original hookup.  or i guess you could use the gpwiz for the buttons and still have only one cord...

good luck anyways.

[Tiger-Heli]

I was looking at the spec sheet of the holes for the 49-way, and it looks like it will drop right into a Street Fighter Anniversary edition stick.  Seeing that that stick has quick disconnects, its should be pretty easy to wire up.  A guide to taking it apart is at:

http://www.arcadestickmonk.com/SFACmod.html

Most EBgames still has these sticks for $60.  So that plus $30 for the 49-way and $20 for the eco gpwiz will give you one heck of a joystick for $110 ($10 more than X-arcade).  I think this is gonna be my first project (yey, no more keyboard playing)

Yep, what Flinkly said, you'll have to scrap the original SFAE guts and it won't work with the PS2 anymore, but it should be a cool mod.  BTW, you might need a larger center hole, see the mounting template thread elsewhere on this forum.

[fl0yd]

Most EBgames still has these sticks for $60.  So that plus $30 for the 49-way and $20 for the eco gpwiz will give you one heck of a joystick for $110 ($10 more than X-arcade).  I think this is gonna be my first project (yey, no more keyboard playing)

Don't forget your rotary adapter   

I must say that Randy really has made an interface for a stick that can finally serve all my purposes.  I know others have asked for ball tops, but I'm more than happy with a 49-way, a GP-Wiz, and a rotary adapter.  I don't have to open my CP anymore to switch modes. 

Thank you Randy.
<bows to Randy>

[KenToad]

RandyT,

  Where is my ball top replacement, dammit?

KenToad

*Edit* Patiently Waiting, like for everything else good in life.

[RandyT]

  Where is my ball top replacement, dammit?

Waiting for a quote.  Should come in Monday, at which time I get to decide on how many to stick my neck out for.

In other words, they are still coming, just not as quickly as I would like. 

RandyT

[fl0yd]

[markrvp]

If you put out a ball top for the 49-Way, what is left for you to do?

[mahuti]

Yeah, that'd be amazing.

[Magnet_Eye]

Where are the balltops? 

So, for my next cab, all I need are 2 49-way sticks and the GPWiz? No IPAC needed? The GPWiz has enough extra inputs for all my buttons/coin door/etc?

Anyone try the rotary interface yet? Does it work with an Opti-Pac?

[markrvp]

Where are the balltops?

[Timoe]

How do you love it markrvp?


I'm itchin' for the Retroblast review.  I wish I could put my 49way+rotary  together now, then I'd write the review!