New LightGun Hack Possiblilty

[PacManFan]

Hey everyone,
PacManFan here.
I was shopping at a place called "Ollies" yesterday. Ollies sells overstocks and buy-out of other companies. I can across something in the toy section that turned my head.

http://www.kidsurplus.com/kidsurplus/s002.html

This is called the Tonka Power Tools CD-ROM Playset.
Basically, it is a light gun that plugs into the gameport and VGA connectors on a pc.
When I got home, I was disappointed to find out why I had gotten such a great deal on it (2$). The CD rom was missing. I tried for about an hour to get Win98SE to recognize it as a joystick, but with no luck.
I think this toy has great hacking potential to become a MAME lightgun.
If someone else can find it in the stores and post a driver for it, That would be great.
I'll keep you all posted on my progress with it.
PacManFan.

[Generic Eric]

I saw one of these at Kmart

[Mike]

I don't know if it will work but try adding it as a mouse. Since that is essentially what it is.

[rampy]

I don't know if it will work but try adding it as a mouse. Since that is essentially what it is.

yeah but it connects to the *gameport* which probably necessitates some sort of special driver/tsr type applet...

*shrug*

rampy

[NIVO]

http://www.ina-support.com/faq/tonkapower_pc.asp  have alook at this pacmanfan, it might show you some insight.

[_Iz-]

Check infogrames (the publisher) website. You can get a replacement cd for 8.50 with proof of purchase.

[PacManFan]

Yeah, I've been to that site. I was hoping for a driver download or a patch. They had a faq file that said to re-read the manual. I'm thinking about buying another one on-line for 14$, That way, I'll have 2 guns and the installation software. I'm in the process of writing some generic joystick read code right now. I'm hoping that I can access the lightgun values (x,y) axises through code.
      On second thought, maybe I'm going about this wrong, I haven't even tried it in MAME yet, I just spent a lot of time last night trying to get windows to recognize it as a joystick. I'm going to try it in MAME tonight and also see if I can read some values from it directly via a simple VB App.
More info later.
-PacManFan

http://www.ina-support.com/faq/tonkapower_pc.asp  have alook at this pacmanfan, it might show you some insight.

[RandyT]

Yeah, I've been to that site. I was hoping for a driver download or a patch. They had a faq file that said to re-read the manual. I'm thinking about buying another one on-line for 14$, That way, I'll have 2 guns and the installation software. I'm in the process of writing some generic joystick read code right now. I'm hoping that I can access the lightgun values (x,y) axises through code.
      On second thought, maybe I'm going about this wrong, I haven't even tried it in MAME yet, I just spent a lot of time last night trying to get windows to recognize it as a joystick. I'm going to try it in MAME tonight and also see if I can read some values from it directly via a simple VB App.
More info later.
-PacManFan

http://www.ina-support.com/faq/tonkapower_pc.asp  have alook at this pacmanfan, it might show you some insight.

I just checked this out.  Have you been able to get it to do *anything* yet to see if it works like you think it will?

The reason I ask is because I saw the picture of this being used, and it looks like the child is holding it very close to the screen.  If the optics are expecting this proximity, it might not work all that well when pulled away.  It might be more like a light pen than a light gun.

RandyT

[PacManFan]

RandyT,

   You're right, it's more like a light pen than a light gun. The light diode is recessed about 1/2 inch from the front with a small plastic tube surrounding it. I have another hacked sega light gun that I was trying to get to work under windows, with no luck, I'm planning on taking the optics from that and a tube to stick on the front of the Tonka device to see if I can extend the range. The first step for me is getting thedevice to work at all.
-PacManFan

Yeah, I've been to that site. I was hoping for a driver download or a patch. They had a faq file that said to re-read the manual. I'm thinking about buying another one on-line for 14$, That way, I'll have 2 guns and the installation software. I'm in the process of writing some generic joystick read code right now. I'm hoping that I can access the lightgun values (x,y) axises through code.
      On second thought, maybe I'm going about this wrong, I haven't even tried it in MAME yet, I just spent a lot of time last night trying to get windows to recognize it as a joystick. I'm going to try it in MAME tonight and also see if I can read some values from it directly via a simple VB App.
More info later.
-PacManFan

http://www.ina-support.com/faq/tonkapower_pc.asp  have alook at this pacmanfan, it might show you some insight.

I just checked this out.  Have you been able to get it to do *anything* yet to see if it works like you think it will?

The reason I ask is because I saw the picture of this being used, and it looks like the child is holding it very close to the screen.  If the optics are expecting this proximity, it might not work all that well when pulled away.  It might be more like a light pen than a light gun.

RandyT

[brandon]

if you could get the Tonka thing to work then you could use it as a sort of interface and simply wire a console light gun to the optics..  Just put the tonka guts in a project box or leave it as is and run wires from the trigger and optics to an external plug.. I would feel a little rediculous playing Area 51 and shooting bad guys with a plastic power tool