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Super Ultra-Mega Massive 49-way Review online at Retroblast!
KenToad:
Hey, RandyT, thanks for the kind comments and for inventing the GPWiz-49, still enjoying that piece of hardware.
Kevin asked me via email whether it would be cool to just go ahead and do the review as a "setup" and I said I thought it should be done that way (something like that--we had an email exchange). So, it wasn't entirely an editorial decision is what I mean to say.
I guess I could have done two reviews and sort of linked the Druin's board w/Rotary Adaptor to the GPWiz-49 w/Happ 49-way joystick, but really I think that this setup is super-cool all together. I can't imagine that anyone would get the mistaken impression that you need the Rotary Adaptor or Druin's board to get your products to work. I would think that, together, it would only serve to help show just how versatile your product is.
Only one spot in each of the corners? That's surprising. I really thought it was three, but I guess you already said that the maps wouldn't be as anyone would expect. :)
Now I really wish I had a DK machine to test out what the difference is between the original and the 49-way joystick with DRS Technology, as to how far you can rotate the joystick before it stops you on the ladder.
Thanks a lot for your input.
Cheers,
KenToad
Tiger-Heli:
Thanks for the comments, Randy.
Curious what Mattp and the TOKN fans will say about me arguing with my "alter ego" 8)
--- Quote from: RandyT on June 30, 2005, 02:46:52 pm ---First of all, I want to thank Ken for the outstanding work, although I'm not too keen on the editor's use of the word "co-dependant" in refering to these products. The GP-Wiz49 works quite well without extra interface boards or rotary adapters, thankyouverymuch :).
--- End quote ---
I'm sure KevSteele will respond to this, but I think we're splitting hairs here. The GP-Wiz49 could be used standalone with a standard joystick, but no one would buy it over the GP-Wiz or Eco unless they were going to use it with the 49-way stick. The rotary adapter doesn't work without the 49-way stick, and Druin's board is the only way to interface it and have it work will all games.
The only thing I would be concerned with here would be if the performance of the GP-Wiz49/stick combo were worse with the rotary adapter than just using the plain stick, but it apparently isn't (except for one extreme corner), a testament to good design work by Fl0yd.
--- Quote ---Specifically, you must continue moving up until the Mario is standing there facing away from you with both hands at his sides. Only then can you move left or right. Any attempt to do so before he is in that position will result in being "stuck" because he is still on the ladder. As you can see, the joystick plays far less a role here than one's playing abilities.
--- End quote ---
Thanks for the clarification on DK, I was unsure how the problems affected this game.
--- Quote ---Due to the long throw of the 49-way and the fact that it isn't necessary to travel anywhere near the end of it for the DRS modes to function well, it's very, very unlikely that you will hit that diagonal without having the actual intention of doing so. And in the case of DonkeyKong, rolling through it won't make even the tiniest bit of difference, so long as you are actually at the top of the ladder.
--- End quote ---
Question for RandyT, Markrvp, or KenToad, or Kremmit, or others:
KenToad says that the throw is approximately 20 degrees at full travel. Mark has said that the mounting (center) hole should not be wider than 1-1/4" to keep travel limited (presumably below a 3/4 inch panel). Randy has recommended routing out the panel to 3/8 to allow smaller mounting holes.
Assuming 20-degrees is the full travel, can someone comment on how much travel can be restricted before the diagonals don't register. Or in simpler terms, what is the minimum recommended hole size for each panel thickness that keeps the stick from having such a long throw, but still allows the diagonals to work in Tron.
Thanks again to all who made this possible.
RandyT:
--- Quote from: KenToad on June 30, 2005, 03:10:46 pm ---Hey, RandyT, thanks for the kind comments and for inventing the GPWiz-49, still enjoying that piece of hardware.
--- End quote ---
No problem, and I'm happy you like it.
--- Quote ---Kevin asked me via email whether it would be cool to just go ahead and do the review as a "setup" and I said I thought it should be done that way (something like that--we had an email exchange). So, it wasn't entirely an editorial decision is what I mean to say.
--- End quote ---
Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with how the review was put together. What bothers me is that anyone who knows what the word "co-dependent" means, will get the impression that you need all of that stuff, and it may scare them off. It all comes down to whether or not appropriate importance is placed in making sure that you "say what you mean and mean what you say."
--- Quote ---Only one spot in each of the corners? That's surprising. I really thought it was three, but I guess you already said that the maps wouldn't be as anyone would expect. :)
--- End quote ---
Only one and it's in the far corners. If anything, it might take a little practice just to hit it. not the other way around.
--- Quote ---
Now I really wish I had a DK machine to test out what the difference is between the original and the 49-way joystick with DRS Technology, as to how far you can rotate the joystick before it stops you on the ladder.
--- End quote ---
The original is mechanically restricted, so the only way to stop on a ladder is to move horizontally before you are supposed to. No stick can account for that. But I think I understand what you are saying.
Randy
KevSteele:
--- Quote from: RandyT on June 30, 2005, 02:46:52 pm ---First of all, I want to thank Ken for the outstanding work, although I'm not too keen on the editor's use of the word "co-dependent" in refering to these products.
--- End quote ---
Tiger-Heli:
--- Quote from: RandyT on June 30, 2005, 03:31:58 pm ---Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with how the review was put together. What bothers me is that anyone who knows what the word "co-dependent" means, will get the impression that you need all of that stuff, and it may scare them off. It all comes down to whether or not appropriate importance is placed in making sure that you "say what you mean and mean what you say."
--- End quote ---
Fair enough. I withdraw my earlier comment. Mattp should note that I now agree with myself, so maybe I am RandyT (okay, I'll drop the TOKN references). I suggest using "inter-related" instead of "co-dependent", but then again, Kev already used intertwined, so maybe just scratch the co-dependent reference.
--- Quote ---Now I really wish I had a DK machine to test out what the difference is between the original and the 49-way joystick with DRS Technology, as to how far you can rotate the joystick before it stops you on the ladder.
The original is mechanically restricted, so the only way to stop on a ladder is to move horizontally before you are supposed to. No stick can account for that. But I think I understand what you are saying.
--- End quote ---
Let me expand on this as I no longer see a problem.
With a restricted 4-way, depending how the leafs are adjusted, you will either get a dead zone, a diagonal, or a transition from up to left if you move the stick CCW while climbing the ladder. I'm not sure how the game handle diagonals, but presumably it either keeps the primary direction or shifts to the new direction (sticky or non-sticky mode in MAME) or ignores it - same as a dead spot). Either way, you end up stuck on the ladder if anything beyond the diagonal is registered.
With the 49-way, we know the stick is going to send Up, then Up-Left (for one position only), then Left.
The in-game behavior should be identical to a pretty well-adjusted 4-way stick. (In other words, even with a restricted 4-way, you can bend the leafs in until it will easily hit the diagonals. You can also bend the leafs out to where the stick has a large dead zone, but will not hit a diagonal. The 49-way seems to hit the balance just about dead-on).
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