SlikStik Tornado Spinner News

[Tiger-Heli]

Just a couple of points regarding the software side...

Firstly, it seems to me the default sensitivity settings in MAME are just whatever the driver author felt like (or more likely the best setting that worked for him/her).

Secondly, it would be VERY handy to be able to specify analog settings (inc. sensitivity) in ctrlr file(s)...but this feature seems to be broken (& has been since the introduction of the system).  If this were fixed it would be hugely beneficial, IMO.

Best hope of adding this is probably to either post it on the PowerMAME forum or the PowerMAME Wiki.

[KenToad]

Hey, guys, come on now.  Who out there has hacked a mouse and had a problem with spinner sensitivity?  I find the discussion of resolution, etc., kind of funny because I've used three different el cheapo mice with definitely low tooth count encoder wheels and had nothing but success. 

For me, the analog settings for spinners is one of the few things that the Mamedev's seem to have designed specifically for playing rather than documenting (the lame-o usual scapegoat) the games (in addition to the rotary issue, which apparently was designed so the Dev's could play Ikari with a spinner). 

The sensitivity thing works brilliantly for me.  I don't care how high of a resolution encoder/analog interface Arkanoid uses in the arcade.  I remember playing it when I was 15.  The game is damn hard on the original hardware or at home.  I love the game, but it's not getting any easier or better by having a higher resolution interface.  The idea to get a perfect spinner for Arkanoid seems a tad ridiculous to me.   

My two cents, enjoy your spinner games guys.  I'm sure both Christian and Randy have wonderful well-designed products to offer, although I have no experience with either one.

Cheers,
KenToad

[PetitMorte]

In light of the uncivil nature of this entire thread, I will no longer require spinners for any of my control panels.  I will be using sliders liberated from my stereo's graphic equalizer, and encoders made of bamboo toothpicks by Bulgarian idiot-savants.

Is the popcorn low salt?  My doctor said I should lower my sodium intake.

[BamBam]

I love my Tornado and it's small foot print.  Highly recommended.

John

[pahchay]

  I bought a Slikstik spinner from Happ and it will only control the Vertical axis.  It looks like MAME wants input on the horizontal axis.  I heard that a jumper will change the axis direction.  there are some jumper pins, but it didn't come with a jumper installed.  I tried every possible connection and the only thing I was able to do was feed voltage back through the USB cable and kill the connection (scary).  no permanent damage, but I'm done trying to mess with it until I get some advice.

BTW I also have the Happ trackball on the same USB hub and they both work simultaneously in windows, but only the trackball works in mame.  I try to use the tabbed controls setup in mame but it doesn't seem to recognize the spinner

for $75 I WANT TO PLAY TEMPEST!!!!!!!!

[NinjaEpisode]

You should contact Slik Stik support. 

[CheffoJeffo]

You should contact Slik Stik support. 

 

[leapinlew]

for $75 I WANT TO PLAY TEMPEST!!!!!!!!

Just don't fire up Arkanoid. You'll really be miffed then...

[u_rebelscum]

BTW I also have the Happ trackball on the same USB hub and they both work simultaneously in windows, but only the trackball works in mame.  I try to use the tabbed controls setup in mame but it doesn't seem to recognize the spinner

Both should be working in mame.  Try:

Disable -multimouse (which is the default).
Remap the spinner to the dial_analog ports, not the dial_inc or dial_dec ports.
You have to spin the spinner fast enough but not too fast while remapping.  (Too fast is very hard to do with the tornado.)

To remap correctly: tab, input (general), player 1, dial_analog, spin spinner, (wait ~1 sec for mame to register inputs), esc or tab out of menu.

If you still have problems, and you run from the commandline, could you add -verbose to the mame.ini or commandline, and post the resulting text?

[pahchay]

You should contact Slik Stik support. 

Slik Stik has Support?? I can't even find a website for them.

[pahchay]

BTW I also have the Happ trackball on the same USB hub and they both work simultaneously in windows, but only the trackball works in mame.  I try to use the tabbed controls setup in mame but it doesn't seem to recognize the spinner

Both should be working in mame.  Try:

Disable -multimouse (which is the default).
Remap the spinner to the dial_analog ports, not the dial_inc or dial_dec ports.
You have to spin the spinner fast enough but not too fast while remapping.  (Too fast is very hard to do with the tornado.)

To remap correctly: tab, input (general), player 1, dial_analog, spin spinner, (wait ~1 sec for mame to register inputs), esc or tab out of menu.

If you still have problems, and you run from the commandline, could you add -verbose to the mame.ini or commandline, and post the resulting text?

Nothing  you said makes sense (I'm new) I'm using MAME32 as my frontend, and don't use the command line version of MAME  I don't know where the "Analog Ports" are in mame and i've never seen the "Enable multimouse" option anywhere.  I really appreciate the help

[scotthh]

You should contact Slik Stik support. 

Slik Stik has Support?? I can't even find a website for them.

pahchay, that was a joke, see this thread.

re: Nothing you said makes sense:
Start Tempest. Hit tab on your keyboard, follow the rest of the scum's instructions.

To remap correctly: tab, input (general), player 1, dial_analog, spin spinner, (wait ~1 sec for mame to register inputs), esc or tab out of menu.

[u_rebelscum]

Nothing  you said makes sense (I'm new) I'm using MAME32 as my frontend...

No problem.  Just don't want to sound condescending by including, in detail, something you've already tried.  (Plus if I start going into detail, I get too wordy too often.)

Multimouse can be set for all games or specific games.  In mameui, all games, go to the top menu, select Options, Default game options, then select the controllers tab.  You sould see the "multiple mice" check box.  It should be unchecked.  For game specific, select the game, right click, and select "properties", then follow the same starting from the controller tab.  The reason you want to disable this is so all mice devices control the same, just like in windows.  Multiple mice option is great for multiple trackball games like marble madness, but it confuses many people.

As for the ports, it's just what mame calls the input buttons, joysticks, mouse axes, etc.  Analog inputs are special, and have three "ports": analog, inc and dec.  The first is for true analog devices, the latter two are for digital inputs (so you can use, say, keyboard to play tempest if that's all you have).  The confusing part is analog devices can be used to control digital ports, but if you map as such, mame converts the analog info to digital, the treats them just like a keyboard (and you get just as bad control).  So map your analog devices to the xxx_analog ports.

As for remapping, scotthh touched on what I left out, but there's also MameFAQ remap basics and remap analog differences.


I love mame's many features, but it does make the learning curve a little steep.

[Gunner]

Hi.  I hope You Rebel Scum will read this:  I am having the same problem described above.  I have a tornado spinner that windows recognizes, but MAME and Tempest do not.  The tornado spinner is the only device I have plugged in.  I don' t even have a mouse.  I do have a touchpad and cursor button (on my Thinkpad), but MAME doesn't recognize those either.

I followed the directions above:  tab, general controls, dial analog, spin, and Mame did notice enough to say "Mouse X" when I hit escape, but the dial still doesn't work in the game.  Any ideas?  Mame says its version 0.128. 

[Ummon]

Hi.  I hope You Rebel Scum will read this:  I am having the same problem described above.  I have a tornado spinner that windows recognizes, but MAME and Tempest do not.  The tornado spinner is the only device I have plugged in.  I don' t even have a mouse.  I do have a touchpad and cursor button (on my Thinkpad), but MAME doesn't recognize those either.

I followed the directions above:  tab, general controls, dial analog, spin, and Mame did notice enough to say "Mouse X" when I hit escape, but the dial still doesn't work in the game.  Any ideas?  Mame says its version 0.128. 

Look up 'mame.ini'...or use MameUI and turn it on in the GUI.

[Barry Barcrest]

if you are using mame32 don't you need to select the game properties (Right Click) and select nable mouse input. It should then work.

[u_rebelscum]

I agree with Ummon & Barry; sounds like mouse support isn't enabled.  Mame's default is enable only keyboard inputs, and so the user needs to enable mouse/lightgun/joystick if they want to use 'em.  (MameDev FAQ)

[Gunner]

Thanks all, you were right.  I was double-clicking rather than running MAME from the command line.  Running it with -mouse fixed it and I'm playing Tempest for real for the first time since I owned a cabinet back in 1990 or so.

[lowrider3121]

Hey all just pickup a cheap spinner but can'tr get it to work in my games I'm running mamewah as a front end spinner works in windows and in mamewah just not in the game any ideals tried the tab input game but the game input does not see it.

[Necro]

...why did you post it here?  You might want to start your own thread on that spinner and provide some info on model, etc.

[Ginsu Victim]