rotary joystick question

[stevejt]

I am looking to make a mame CP with rotary joysticks.  I have a few sets of 8 way mechanical and a set of snk optical.  I have used the search and didn't see what I wanted.

In MAME, will games originally designed for either controller work with Druins interface?  (I am leaning towards the mechanical.)  And If I use the optical, will they all work that way too? 

While we are on the subject, anyone feel like listing any rotary games they can think of.

Thanks!

Steve

[AndyWarne]

Yes they will work with either type of controller. The Druin interface connects to an I-PAC and causes keystrokes to be sent. Our own rotary joystick interface plugs direct into USB and also sends keystrokes. This gives a "notchy" kind of control which is more authentic for the games which used these controls.
But optical devices will also work, just a little less authentic. Just need to set the MAME game control menu correctly.
Andy

[stevejt]

I didn't know you sold them.  I think the next time I order from you I will have to try one.

Thanks!

Steve

[Tiger-Heli]

Just to clarify: Optical joysticks need a mouse/spinner/trackball type interface and not Andy's or Druin's boards, but they will still work.

[Kremmit]

This was news to me as well.  I guess Ultimarc now sells interfaces for both types of rotary joysticks:

http://www.ultimarc.com//rotary.html (for mechanical rotary joysticks, Ikari Warriors-type)
http://www.ultimarc.com/optipac1.html (for optical rotary joysticks, Caliber .50-type)

For rotary joystick newbs, the first link is for the kind of stick on nearly every rotary joystick game, and while it is really not good for anything else, that is the way to get the most authentic gameplay for those games.

The second link is for special sticks originally found on (I think) only 3 games, but those sticks can be used to play most (all?) of the games the mechanical rotary sticks are used on, albeit with a slightly different feel than the "correct" sticks.  The OptiPac can also be used to control spinners, trackballs, 360 degree steering wheels, 720 joysticks, and Roadblasters steering controllers.

A list of rotary games and more can be found here:
http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Joysticks#Rotary_Joysticks

[stevejt]

I didn't know there were so many for the rotaries.  I also didn't know there was such good info in the wiki section.

Thanks For the Info!

Steve

[Tiger-Heli]

Again for completeness,

Optical joysticks can be interfaced using any of these options: http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Optical_Encoders as well as the Mini-Pac from www.ultimarc.com.

Mechanical joysticks can be interfaced with either Ultimarc Interface, Druin's Rotary Interface, or Rdagger's Rotary Interface (although I think the latter two are no longer available.)

[Kremmit]

Mechanical joysticks can be interfaced with either Ultimarc Interface, Druin's Rotary Interface, or Rdagger's Rotary Interface (although I think the latter two are no longer available.)

And the discontinued MK-64.  (for even more complete completeness) 

[Tiger-Heli]

And the discontinued MK-64.  (for even more complete completeness) 

Touche !  (And also any extra 16-input each encoder (GP-Wiz, Mini-Pac), and the appropriate build of MAME Analog Plus (for about half of the games).