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New Product (In Stock/Shipping) - Apache Controls Blackhawk Push/Pull Spinner
u_rebelscum:
--- Quote from: 2600 on July 12, 2006, 08:26:04 am ---...1x is easy because you don't need to know the previous state.
Stating this part for completion and I think 1UP asked:
2x would be the same, except you are polling both rising and falling edge. And 4x would be polling of rising and falling edge of both signals. This is what allows the increase in resolution, with NO "jumpiness". The data is there you just have to read it correctly. These also require a bit of memory and you need to process faster.
--- End quote ---
Agree, except most current hardware now does 4x by "change of state", not at edges. (source (pdf file)) Basically the same thing, except now there can be errors.
Or is this what you meant by "These also require a bit of memory"? (And you need four bits of memory: 2 bits for current state, 2 bits for previous state, with each bit coresponding to one of the two sensors. ;D )
u_rebelscum:
--- Quote from: RandyT on July 11, 2006, 10:41:43 pm ---... It seems that it would be more appropriate not to focus on the data, but rather the elements that affect it on it's way to the final destination. ... the following possible variables ... explain it more clearly;
A) Translation of quadrature signals to step quantity and direction by hardware
B) Conversion of step quantity and direction to mouse or other format usable by the PC/OS
C) Alteration by OS (acceleration, DirectInput, etc)
D) Alteration by MAME's "sensitivity" routines.
E) Alteration by the individual game drivers.
--- End quote ---
You're right; that's much clearer and direct to the point (and shorter ;) ). Any and all of these (can) change the resulting number the game sees.
I was stuck in my old train of thought ("mouse" means different things at different times) for so long (since before I started editting mame code) and been applying this train to everything, it's good to get the rust shaken off with a new view. :)
telengard:
--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on July 09, 2006, 06:40:20 am ---
An interesting thing about Crystal Castles..
I looked up the picture, and indeed, the trackball is mounted at a 45 degree angle.
I thought.. Can this really affect gameplay?
So I took out a Happs trackball (unconnected) and tried a few spins...
Sure enough, at a 45 degree angle the ball travels faster and more fluid
when moving in Diagnal directions.
Why?
Its due to the placement of the rollers and the friction that is creates.
When rolling the ball in such a way that makes Both rollers spin
at the same time.. it causes more friction.
This means that even when you roll the ball
very hard.. it will slow down very quickly. Its also harder just to "start"
getting both rollers to roll at the same time.
If the ball weighed more,
it might actually be better.. but as it stands, the ball sometimes
wants to hop a bit between the rollers, as well the ball "slipping" instead
of actually turning the rollers.
but...
When rolling only "One" roller.. its smooth as butter! The "spin time"
will be very long (as long as yout T.ball is clean and bearings are
lubed properly). To stop and start is effortless, and theres no
"slipping" at all. Perfect control, smooth feel, fast and accurate.
So... I guess I will have to build a Rotating Trackball Mounting Plate now :)
I think someone needs to find a way to make a near frictionless trackball...
Or at least, much less that whats currently available.
--- End quote ---
Sorry to dreg up such an old post but I played Crystal Castles again not too long ago (with the latest mame) and was still frustrated with the controls & my 3" happ. Did a search to see if anyone had found any new info and found this. Not sure how I missed it.
I was aware of the orientation being different but I am happy to hear that it does affect gameplay. Looks like I too am going to have to make a 45 degree rotated module so I can play CC the right way! It's one of my favorite games but it's so frustrating to have it so close but still not "right".
thanks so much for the info...
~telengard
Xiaou2:
Sorry, It turns out that I was mistaken. I got confused because I
saw the bolt holes at 45 degree angles. If the trackballs are mounted using
a happs mounting plate, the holes will be aligned differently. However,
the arcade machine did not use a mounting plate.
brandon:
so if Arkanoid had 486 teeth but the screen resolution is only 224 pixels wide would all that resolution be nesessary since there arent even 486 descreet positions? maybe I'm confused...