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Super Ultra-Mega Massive 49-way Review online at Retroblast!
Tiger-Heli:
--- Quote from: sc1103 on June 28, 2005, 09:23:27 pm ---Great Review-I've been debating swappable panels or the 49-ways, and though I ended up selecting the panels, this review was of great help inmaking the decision. One minor nit-pick; however, in the review you state that the "the drawbacks of a having many different types of joysticks outweigh the drawbacks of playing games with non-original controls". Should the abillity to switch between multiple modes be considered a drawback? I see that as an advantage, not a drawback :P
Great review nevertheless!
--- End quote ---
KenToad may reply to this later, but I think you misread what he was saying.
What I think KenToad means by "having many different types of joysticks" is physical sticks, not multiple modes.
I.e. - the 49-way is not as accurate in any game as the dedicated controls, but the ability to have a single joystick rather than an SNK LS-30 for Ikari, a Wico Leaf for Robotron, a Happ Reunion for Pac-Man, a rotated 4-way for Q-Bert, a Happ Comp for MK, a 49-way for Sinistar, a Yoke for Star Wars, etc. is more important than having all the panels required to support all those other sticks.
At least that's how I took it.
Lilwolf:
The one item I would have liked to hear in the review is using analog+ mame with the floyds rotary adapter.
It has 2 extra settings. One with direct connections (all 12 inputs) but that doesn't work (have to look at this have to look at this have to look at this) with ikari games and vict road. But when you compare it with time soldiers its amazing. SUPER quick turn left 4 shoot then turn right 4 and your back as fast as you can do it. This is a MUST imho in vict road to fully be able to use the sword. I used to be able to make it through the game with just the sword and super bombs.
Then it also has a single "L" or single "R" that will always move one click. This was GREAT with the MK64 encoder since you could change the speed that each input was triggered. I don't know if the druins board can do it....
But anyway, even at stock settings for mk64 boards. The single click left / right was MUCH better then the analog version.
Tiger-Heli:
First off, I have only skimmed the review, but it seemed pretty accurate and balanced, judging by what I have read about the interface in the forums here.
I would like to comment on some of 2600's comments.
--- Quote from: 2600 on June 28, 2005, 05:05:04 pm ---1. I think the descriptions could of been a little clearer and your thoughts more organized. More of a separation, between the products and a description of their use in theory. You describe some aspects well, but if you take Druin's board for example you hardly describe how it operates in theory or anywhere in the article. You go throught all the other parts in the intro and there is a picture of Druins board, but you don't talk about it.
--- End quote ---
Actually, I thought the review did a very good job organizationally. The fact that I could skim over it and not miss too much also confirms this. Possibly the Druin board could be expanded on, but this board has been available for several years now, and I think most forum members will be familiar with it. (I'm not sure there's not a separate Retroblast review on it anyway.)
--- Quote ---2. 4-way description - You mentioned you could make Mario stop if you moved the joystick to the extreme diagonals, but here it's been alluded that in actual game play you wouldn't do that. You kinda left this open ended and it makes it seem a little negative for the GGG board. On one hand, you are playing PAC-MAN fine, but you run the extreme test in Donkey Kong, but don't actually say how Donkey Kong was in normal play.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I came away with mixed feelings about this as well. A true 4-way should NEVER register the diagonals. I understand RandyT left some of the extreme diagonals in on the 4-way mode, so it would work better with TRON, and by nature Donkey Kong suffers more from this than Pac-Man, but I ended up wondering if the GP-Wiz49 really should have a true 4-way mode with no diagonals for Donkey Kong and Pac-Man.
I guess it does to some extent come down to play style, though.
--- Quote ---3. You start off talking about fighters. I don't play these games generally, but I thought oh cool an aspect I haven't heard anything about. But you don't describe gameplay in 8-way at all. And the fighter reference only comes up again a little bit in the conclusion. I think the gameplay section could of been greatly lengthened, that's why we are all here ;D
--- End quote ---
Just want to add my general agreement that the gameplay section is the most important.
--- Quote ---4. I'm not sure how accurate some of your statements are "technically" especially when you are talking about analog modes, but this is pretty picky.
--- End quote ---
I think I see what 2600 is getting at here (and I think MarkRVP and KenToad missed this, no offense).
RandyT has stated that the stick is designed to work on the Hall-Effect and 49-way type analog games - i.e. Food Fight, EPROM, SiniStar, Blaster, Road Runner, Arch Rivals, Blitz, etc.
He hasn't said that it sucks (wouldn't really expect him to ;) ), but he has implied that it does not work THAT well (is usable, is probably the term he used) in true analog games - i.e. Star Wars, PaperBoy, Afterburner, Red Baron, Space Harrier, Outrun, etc.
KenToad's review basically makes it sound like the sticks work fine in any of these games. (Maybe they work better than RandyT is implying, I haven't tried them.)
But I think that was 2600's point.
KenToad:
Hey Tiger-Heli,
Thanks for adding your valued input to the criticism initialized by 2600. I agree with most of what you guys are saying. I also believe gameplay is the most important for the user, but it is also the most subjective part of the review.
I would rather try to forge a consensus here on the forum from users of the hardware than impose my own idea of playability upon the widest variety of games. I tried to make it clear from the beginning that I remember the fighter-type games the best and certainly appreciated the subtle differences between those types of controls better than other types.
I also had mixed feelings about the four-way mode, still do. I kept wondering why RandyT didn't make a "pure" 4-way mode. I actually speculated that possibly having the diagonals there made the 4-way mode more balanced, that it might be really difficult or that the maps might come out slightly unbalanced without the three corner spots on the grid being used for diagonals, if you get my drift. But I really couldn't confirm that suspicion without actually seeing the grid maps that RandyT uses. Still, I'm sure it was a combination of factors--Tron playability for sure, less redundancy among modes as well as possibly an easier mapping scheme overall. Also, maybe RandyT just prefers Tron to Donkey Kong. :)
As for the analog section, it may be too hard to tell just how poorly the 49-way plays higher resolution analog games without the actual games there alongside to test. That said, my point was that it would take a very sensitive person to notice generally that Star Wars is more difficult than it should be. I had several friends try that game and a few other high-resolution analog games with the 49-way stick and certainly everyone was just really happy playing. If you're familiar with the game or expect perfect playability, don't expect the 49-way to make you happy. Again, totally subjective, based on memory, experience, etc.
Thanks for the feedback, guys.
I'm impressed that you gleaned so much just by skimming the article, Tiger-Heli.
Cheers,
KenToad
KenToad:
--- Quote from: Brewser on June 29, 2005, 01:06:40 am ---Fantastic article. I have been waiting for this.
I actually ordered the joysticks last weekend and just received shipping confirmation.
I have the SlikStik CO2 and it looks like I will have to drill bigger holes for the 49-way. I am not sure how I am going to do this. I don't have a drill press or a router and my board is already populated to even get a router in there. This is something I was unaware of when ordering the sticks.
Any thoughts to drilling bigger holes? I believe the holes are drilled 1 1/8" now.
Another questions is I have the IPac 4 now and ordered 2 max's. Would I replace the IPac 4 with the Wiz Max's or use both?
Thanks for the great article and any help to the above questions.
--- End quote ---
I don't have a SlikStik, but I don't see why you couldn't get a drill bit into the holes to widen them. Someone with more carpentry skills may have to chime in here.
I guess replacing the IPac4 would depend upon how many buttons you're using on the control panel. I believe the GPWiz-49 (any version) will give you 23 inputs plus five shifted. It's funny. Even after writing the review I have trouble remembering offhand exactly how many inputs the device has.
Hope that helps. Good luck with your plans. I'm glad you enjoyed the article.
Cheers,
KenToad
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