Other Non-Mame games

[Ron Anthony]

Just curious if anyone is playing any other PC games on their cabinets using an IPAC or other encoder.  I would like to play some newer games like Blitz etc. but I don't know if they will work good with the standard IPAC mame controls.  

Thanks

[PCC]

Most PC games work great.  The IPAC is a excellent choice, since it's programable.  Rule of thumb, if you can play the PC game reasonably well using a standard keyboard, it will be even easier to play using arcade controls.

[txcanoeman]

Just wondering.  I suck at UT and didn't know if arcade controls would help.

[Dave_K.]

Arcade controls will probably make playing games like UT harder.  The best controls for FPS games are always be keyboard and mouse.  Although Halo on the xbox isn't all that bad with their contoller. [Damn you Microsoft for not supporting keyboard and mouse on the xbox!]

-Dave

[Frobozz]

Yea, I thought about doing UT on a MAME cab and it would be kinda hard.  Sure, a 3" trackball is an excellent turn left/right, look up/down control.  Sure, a joystick would be awesome for running forward, back and strafing left and right...

That's two hands taken up already... next / prev weapon, primary / alt fire , jump / crouch take an extra 6 buttons.  Where you're missing are the mouse buttons and scroll wheel.  Without those, things get too tough.

...Unless you're a mutant with three arms.

[Ron]

Thanks for the info.  Today I downloaded some demos to test like Golden Tee (PC Version) and NFL Blitz.  They both seem to work pretty good.  It's pretty cool to be able to put on a game like Golden Tee if Ms. Pac doesn't impress someone.  Anyone have any other Arcade ports they play that work well in an Arcade cabinet.  I will probably hook up a PS2 in the future but not too soon.  

[k-spiff]

It would be expensive (unless you use a hack for the analog/trigger joy), but you should consider a panel like Atari's War: Final Assault for FPSs, if you use multiple control panels.. I used to be addicted to that game and the keyboard-like button arrangement and analog stick combo are very comfortable and responsive.. the button arrangement might be tolerable with a trackball, dunno..

I'm considering making a panel like this myself, but need to figure out what to use as an analog joy that would feel right (and not cost $100+).

k-spiff

[generic eric]

If anyone is building a "cockpit" for driving games, check out Interstate 76, Interstate 82.  I also played a racing came where you drove a VW cars, mostly beetles.  I will have those in mine, that is if I ever have space for a driving cockpit.

Other ones might be the Star/War Craft series and other blizzard products.  Maybe those games would benefit from a large arcade trackball

[Frobozz]

Heh, I'm thinking about a cockpit just to dump in something like a PS2 and Grand Turismo 3.  

[Dave_K.]

Ron, try putting in a Dreamcast first (at $39 used you can't go wrong...BTW they have blitz).

-Dave

[Lilwolf]

Black and White, and many golf games are great with trackballs.

I have an analog flight stick (not hacked yet).  I'm excited in trying some good action flight simulators and helecopter simulators.

[Frobozz]

Ohh... I bet the whole Blizzard line-up would work really well:  Starcraft, Warcraft, Diablo...

You can set up a whole bunch of hot-keys on joystick button banks, and even set the joystick to scroll the map.  

Games like Myst and Longest Journay would also be a no-brainer.

I think the only real problem lies in the question "How complex are the controls for the game?"  

[enemyace]

Ron, try putting in a Dreamcast first (at $39 used you can't go wrong...BTW they have blitz).

-Dave

Dave, where can I get one for $39? I want to buy one, but the cheapest I know of is Amazon for $49, which is still cheap, but $39 would be sweet...