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New Product: Ultimarc UltraStik 360 Analog/Digital Mappable Joystick
Minwah:
--- Quote from: trcroyle on June 15, 2006, 11:35:08 am ---The perspective on the photo may be a little misleading. The top of the stick travels maybe half an inch in any direction. It's not short by any means, but it also didn't feel excessive to me. I had more issues with releasing the stick and getting a little bounce (which I think the heavier springs would fix) than I did the throw.
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Looks OK to me...don't forget in digital games the direction will be activated long before the extent of the sticks travel.
Edit: I was backing up your statement, not disagreeing btw :)
SirPoonga:
ndy, got a question about the command line interface and havinf a frontend set this up.
The only thing a frontend can do is set the UGC file, right?
So one has to make these files first. Is there a batch way of making all the nessessary files based on defaults instead of going through each type (2way, 4way, 8way, etc) and creating a UGC file?
Edit: I just realized the answer to my question is going ot be no. The person has to configure as needed. Nevermind :)
AndyWarne:
Tiger-Heli:
About the I-PAC mode, the reason was simply versatility. When the stick is first plugged in, it always sends un-mapped analog data via USB and mapped directional data to the I-PAC, if connected.
As an aside, it is not possible to return to this mode once a map has been downloaded via USB, because once downloaded, mapped data is sent to both USB and the I-PAC, that's something to be added as a choice in a later software version.
Anyway I digress. The way it is designed, you can use it if you wish as an alternative to a P360. Just drops in. This opens up other application areas. Don't forget that there are other uses for joysticks than MAME. The cost/benefit of adding this capability works favorably as the cost is very low. Incidentally that I/O connector would have to be fitted on the PCB regardless since that is how the chip is originally programmed.
I have already had one user mention that he will always use the stick in the "as shipped" setup, with analog via USB and directions via I-PAC (which he already has) because he is not particularly bothered about setting up maps for all his games. He will never need to download any maps at all, as analog games will use analog via USB and digital will use directional via the I-PAC.
Your wish list makes a lot of sense. Some considerable challenges there though!
Grasshopper:
--- Quote from: AndyWarne on June 14, 2006, 11:13:20 am ---I have no plans to enable a mechanical switch for changing maps, as this is better done programmatically. It can already be done in Mamewah for example on a "per game" basis.
Andy
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I'm very sorry to hear this. I can understand your reluctance to make significant changes to your product so soon after launch but I hope that in time you'll reconsider.
It's kind of ironic that RandyT's GPWiz49 interface originally had the opposite problem. You could change maps by pressing buttons but not though software. Several people here (including myself) argued that switching through software would be a far better solution and Randy eventually implemented this.
However the the point is, the two approaches are not mutually exclusive. This is one situation where you can have your cake and eat it.
Clearly switching maps through software is preferable for most users, myself included. But as things currently stand, that option is only available if you're running a later version of Windows on a USB capable PC. What about people using older PCs, or people who want to use MSDOS, Linux, Apple Macs, or even consoles (with converters)?
OK admittedly the last map used is retained in flash memory but all this means for non-Windows, non-USB users is that they are able to use the UltraStik as a very expensive 4 or 8 way non-switchable digital joystick.
If you're only going to offer map switching through Windows then it might have been simpler and cheaper to have designed a very simple analogue joystick with no sophisticated on-board electronics, and then just written a Windows driver to handle the 4 or 8 way digital joystick emulation.
The ability to connect the UltraStik to an Ipac (or other encoder?) is potentially an excellent idea as it means this joystick can be fully utilised (apart obviously from pure analogue mode) by people who either don't use Windows or don't have a USB port. However, without the ability to switch maps through button presses (or some other non-software means), you're effectively spoiling the ship for a ha
SlikStik Christian:
For the love of god, you people are just never happy. The man releases a revolutionary new first of its kind analog joystick that covers just about every base known to man when it comes to joysticks and all it gets is tons of criticism and I wish had