Looking for the simplest Rotary joystick out there (USB?)

[postalp123]

Yo guys, simple question.

Looking for a pair of rotary joysticks to replace my HAPP Supers (Been jonesin' for some Heavy Barrel & Guerilla War) and I'm trying to keep it simple.

Are there any USB based rotary sticks out there?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Ninten-doh]

I think the new joysticks that Randy T is coming out with will have a rotary option.  I would wait to check those out.   

[Kremmit]

None of the rotary sticks currently available have their own interface, USB or otherwise.  You could drive the rotary functions on a pair of Happ optical rotary sticks with a single USB Opti-Wiz, Opti-Pac, or Mouse Hack.  The regular directional functions hook up through a normal keyboard/gamepad encoder, just like a normal stick.  MAME defaults to this type on control, so there's considerably less fiddling to do with making it work.  It's the easiest method currently available. 

Of course, the optical rotary sticks won't "click" into position like the mechanical rotary sticks you used on the original games.  Mechanical rotary sticks can currently be interfaced with a Druin's interface or the Ultimarc Rotary interface to handle the rotary functions, and the regular directional functions hook up through a normal keyboard/gamepad encoder, just like a normal stick.  MAME needs some special fiddling to make this setup work, and it is not always click-for-click accurate, or at least it was not the last time I checked. 

Whichever route you choose, the Happ rotary sticks are built on a Happ Super base, so either will be a drop-in replacement for you current Supers.

I believe RandyT has stated that the new sticks will be 49-ways with a rotary function.  I think Happ 49-way bases fit the Super mounting holes as well.  My bet is that the new GroovyGameGear sticks will use a mechanical rotary system , and I'd also bet that they have their own on-board USB encoders for both the rotary and directional functions, all in one unit.  Hafta wait and see on that one, though.

[Donkey_Kong]

I believe RandyT has stated that the new sticks will be 49-ways with a rotary function.  I think Happ 49-way bases fit the Super mounting holes as well.  My bet is that the new GroovyGameGear sticks will use a mechanical rotary system , and I'd also bet that they have their own on-board USB encoders for both the rotary and directional functions, all in one unit.  Hafta wait and see on that one, though.

Kremmit, I believe you chimed in on my 720 post and gave me some much appreciated direction there. Now, I believe you are a 720 player yea?...How do you (or anybody else) think Randy's new 49 rotary stick will be for the game 720? Maybe it is to early to even consider it since we don't really know...RANDY?? are you by chance a 720 fan?

[postalp123]

How many inputs does the Rotary Action of the HAPP Mechanical ones take?

Super Joystick: 4 direction inputs

Rotary: 4 direction inputs + 2 rotary inputs?

If this is correct, I may have another 4 spare inputs left on my IPac-4, but no more than that.

(EDIT) After reviewing the HAPPS mechanical Rotary, it looks like it needs 12 inputs for the rotary position function alone (Sheesh, thats an IPac-2 all by itself)

[u_rebelscum]

How many inputs does the Rotary Action of the HAPP Mechanical ones take?

Super Joystick: 4 direction inputs

Rotary: 4 direction inputs + 2 rotary inputs?

If this is correct, I may have another 4 spare inputs left on my IPac-4, but no more than that.

(EDIT) After reviewing the HAPPS mechanical Rotary, it looks like it needs 12 inputs for the rotary position function alone (Sheesh, thats an IPac-2 all by itself)

If you get a rotary encoder like ultimarc's, you hook the 12 to the encoder, which reduces the wires to two (left & right), so it only takes up two wire slots per rotary in the Ipac.

[Timoe]

Or you can just buy (2) of my new Happ Optical rotaries?

[Kremmit]

720 requires either an analog stick or an optical rotary control. 

Assuming the new GGG sticks are 49-ways with a mechanical rotary add-on, then the rotary functions won't do anything for 720.  However, 49-ways are sort of a "low-resolution" analog stick, and the resolution seems to be enough for 720.  So they'll play the game, although the stick action won't feel anything like an original 720 stick.  That's because the 49-way bases GGG uses have a rubber grommet centering/pivot system that you'll be fighting the whole time you're trying to spin the handle around the outside.  The grommet cannot be removed, as it's integral to the handle mounting.

The 49-ways I reccomended (specifically for 720) in the other post were Williams 49-ways, which do not use a grommet.  The centering system can be removed, leaving the handle to travel freely on the ball-pivot.  This provides a much closer match for the action on an original 720 stick.

On the other hand, Williams 49s cannot be modded to play rotary games at all.  The GGG sticks will be more versatile.  That's the way it always is in this hobby; there's just no one perfect stick that plays every single game with perfect authenticity, and there isn't likely to be such a stick down the road.  You've either got to make the best compromise you can, or turn into a joystick junkie like me and wind up with a closet literally full of specialty controllers. 

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As for hooking up a mechanical rotary stick to 12 inputs, that arrangement is only supported for a handful of the rotary games under MAME Analog+.  Many of them (including Ikari Warriors) won't work that way anyhow.  The dedicted rotary encoder will get you more games, albeit with slightly lesser accuracy.