Is a spinner worth it?

[leapinlew]

Man... ever since Randy introduced the super cool spinner, I been debating whether I should put one on my mini multi-williams machine I'm building.

The problem I'm having:

Is Arkanoid, Blasteroids, Breakout, Cameltry, Kick, Tempest, Puzz-Loop, and a few driving games worth the $80.

Argh!! This was much easier when a spinner conviently wouldn't fit on my panel.

[ahofle]

It's absolutely worth it IMO.

[ChadTower]

Major Havoc is required.

[javeryh]

Heh, I'm wondering the exact same thing.  I could easily fit this on my panel but I'm going for simplicity.  Are there a lot of vertical spinner games?  I love Arkanoid.... *sigh* I'll have to check maws...

[Ninten-doh]

I debated this for awhile before finally pulling the trigger...and I'm glad I did.  I love playing Warlords and Arkanoid in between marathon Golden Tee sessions.   

Pricey for sure though.

[leapinlew]

Heh, I'm wondering the exact same thing.  I could easily fit this on my panel but I'm going for simplicity.  Are there a lot of vertical spinner games?  I love Arkanoid.... *sigh* I'll have to check maws...

Javeryh,

in your case - you may find that your daughter loves to play Kick(which is natively vertical) but non-vertical games on your 17/19" LCD will also look ok. Kids love to play my driving game because the interface is a steering wheel and shifter.

On the flip side, you don't want your daughter to be playing with the spinner while playing Ms. Pacman!

[javeryh]

Heh, I'm wondering the exact same thing.  I could easily fit this on my panel but I'm going for simplicity.  Are there a lot of vertical spinner games?  I love Arkanoid.... *sigh* I'll have to check maws...

Javeryh,

in your case - you may find that your daughter loves to play Kick(which is natively vertical) but non-vertical games on your 17/19" LCD will also look ok. Kids love to play my driving game because the interface is a steering wheel and shifter.

On the flip side, you don't want your daughter to be playing with the spinner while playing Ms. Pacman!

Stop tempting me!!!! 

I know I'm going to cave - that spinner is just too cool.  Now the only question is whether to install it to the left or right of the joystick.  I'm thinking on the right and in the dead center of the CP with the action buttons to the right and the joystick to the left... I don't know...

[fatfingers]

On the flip side, you don't want your daughter to be playing with the spinner while playing Ms. Pacman!

Why?  It should be no different than if she was playing with the buttons while playing Ms. Pacman.

[postalp123]

Is Arkanoid, Blasteroids, Breakout, Cameltry, Kick, Tempest, Puzz-Loop, and a few driving games worth the $80.

Don't forget the many driving games that work suprisingly well with spinners like: Ironman Jimmy Stewart's Off Road, Super Sprint, APB, etc....

[leapinlew]

On the flip side, you don't want your daughter to be playing with the spinner while playing Ms. Pacman!

Why?  It should be no different than if she was playing with the buttons while playing Ms. Pacman.

It's the law of averages.... add more things, more things to distract her and the longer it will take to get it. I didn't realize there would be   here to point out that if a child is distracted by a spinner they would also be be distracted by buttons. Of course, if you'll notice I addressed that to JaveryH and if you bothered to read his other thread you would know that he was concerned about his daughter actually comprehending what was happening and the addition of a spinner might be too distracting.

[Nannuu]

That's a silly question.  Of course it is!

[fatfingers]

On the flip side, you don't want your daughter to be playing with the spinner while playing Ms. Pacman!

Why?  It should be no different than if she was playing with the buttons while playing Ms. Pacman.

It's the law of averages.... add more things, more things to distract her and the longer it will take to get it. I didn't realize there would be  here to point out that if a child is distracted by a spinner they would also be be distracted by buttons. Of course, if you'll notice I addressed that to JaveryH and if you bothered to read his other thread you would know that he was concerned about his daughter actually comprehending what was happening and the addition of a spinner might be too distracting.

Yikes...I wasn't trying to be difficult (and I did read the other thread).

[PoDunkMoFo]

Is Arkanoid, Blasteroids, Breakout, Cameltry, Kick, Tempest, Puzz-Loop, and a few driving games worth the $80.

Remove Arkanoid, Blasteroids, Breakout, Cameltry, Kick, Puzz-Loop, and a few driving games from your list and the answer is still YES.

[ChadTower]

The obvious solution:

If you don't want it to clutter your panel, you have to build a second cab for it.

[leapinlew]

Yikes...I wasn't trying to be difficult (and I did read the other thread).

My reply was all bark... no bite! 

[Fozzy The Bear]

The problem I'm having:
Is Arkanoid, Blasteroids, Breakout, Cameltry, Kick, Tempest, Puzz-Loop, and a few driving games worth the $80.

 
Surely this isn't even a serious question.....

If you've got space for one then, not fitting one isn't even an option. It's one of those things in life that just has to be done. Your games list is a bit short too dude! way more games than that can take advantage of it.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[FrizzleFried]

Even if there was only one game that used the spinner and that games name was TEMPEST...

...IT'S WORTH IT!

[leapinlew]

Surely this isn't even a serious question.....

If you've got space for one then, not fitting one isn't even an option. It's one of those things in life that just has to be done. Your games list is a bit short too dude! way more games than that can take advantage of it.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

I assure you it was most serious! My games list is the games I would play. For me, it's one of those things where I'm near the end of my cab build and a spinner was never in the budget.

I'm THINKING!!!    RandyT.... love'em and hate'em

[fatfingers]

... a spinner was never in the budget.

Isn't Santa coming soon?


P.S. I'm with Fozzy -- it's necessary.

[Texasmame]

Man... ever since Randy introduced the super cool spinner, I been debating whether I should put one on my mini multi-williams machine I'm building.

The problem I'm having:

Is Arkanoid, Blasteroids, Breakout, Cameltry, Kick, Tempest, Puzz-Loop, and a few driving games worth the $80.

Argh!! This was much easier when a spinner conviently wouldn't fit on my panel.

How about just getting a used Tempest on or something similar for half that off eBay?

Lastly, depends on how much you like spinner games.  I couldn't do without Tempest for example. . .

[Thenasty]

try playing Tron w/out a spinner 

[leapinlew]

try playing Tron w/out a spinner 

As hard as that is - playing it without a "tron" stick or a top fire stick is even harder.

[AlanS17]

Ever since RandyT's new announcement, I've been wondering the same thing - especially with that clever wheel attachment. I had absolutely no plans to add a spinner since it didn't get much use in my last machine (crappy homebrew thing), but this thing is just so freaking cool!

My solution - I'm adding his other new clever idea (GGG gift certificates) to my Christmas wish list.

Of course, if you're giving a cab as a gift, you probably don't have the luxury of waiting til Christmas.

[Gh0sty]

Beside Arcade games i run some Console & Computer emulated Games. some of them
are Spinner/Paddle games, i plan to get two of this fine Spinner cuz playing Pong two
Player is all worth it !

[quarterback]

Is a spinner worth it?

I'm going to buck the trend and say 'not really'.  I mean, I have a spinner on my cab and for ~$20 for a NastySpinner I can say that it was 'worth it' but I rarely use it at all.  A trackball on the other hand is 'more worth it' in my mind.  AND it's cheaper.

When asking about 'worth' it's all about weighing the alternatives.  If I had $80 in my pocket to spend on an item or items for my cab, there are so many things I'd buy first before I ever got to a spinner.   For $80, you could populate your entire CP with translucent leaf buttons and LEDs and still have a chunk of change left in your pocket.  Hell, you could probably do that AND add a trackball.   

The downside in the past is that spinners have cost closer to $100 than $70 and they still didn't do EVERY spinner game justice. At that price point, again, I'd say it's definitely not worth it to me.  There're so may other things I'd spend $100 on first.

But, obviously, RandyT has changed the landscape a bit.  He's offering an option that (afaik) can do triple duty as a "tempest", "arkanoid" and "steering wheel".  PLUS it's at a lower cost.   It really starts to change the landscape.

I guess it comes down to priorities.  If you have everything else you want on your cab, then why not.   Even though I'm really tempted by the TT2, I still have other things I'd like to do with my machines that take priority.  But at the point I'm all 'done' with layout, controls, CP overlay, artwork, marquee etc then the TT2 will be next on the list because it does look SWEEET!

[ahofle]

For $80, you could populate your entire CP with translucent leaf buttons and LEDs and still have a chunk of change left in your pocket. 

 

Spinner > Lighted buttons

 

[ChadTower]

Not if you have enough lighted buttons.

[quarterback]

Cost of Spinner > cost of Lighted buttons

 

Fixed

[ahofle]

 

[ChadTower]

I like the irony of the guy with a big ARCADE AMBIENCE PROJECT in his sig recommending something over lighted buttons.

[Hoopz]

I like the irony of the guy with a big ARCADE AMBIENCE PROJECT in his sig recommending something over lighted buttons.

You realize that his project is audio right? 

[ChadTower]

The term ambience includes lighting.  It was a joke.

[Congui]

Beside Arcade games i run some Console & Computer emulated Games. some of them
are Spinner/Paddle games, i plan to get two of this fine Spinner cuz playing Pong two
Player is all worth it !

I concur.    Pong is really sweet.

[rackoon]

gotta agree with FRIZZLEFRIED and say itz all about TEMPEST! .

[screaming]

Is a spinner worth it?

I'm going to buck the trend and say 'not really'.  I mean, I have a spinner on my cab and for ~$20 for a NastySpinner I can say that it was 'worth it' but I rarely use it at all.  A trackball on the other hand is 'more worth it' in my mind.  AND it's cheaper.

How hard is it to play spinner games with a trackball?  If "not hard" or "its playable" is the answer then I will definitely agree.

[Donkey_Kong]

Is a spinner worth it?

I'm going to buck the trend and say 'not really'.  I mean, I have a spinner on my cab and for ~$20 for a NastySpinner I can say that it was 'worth it' but I rarely use it at all.  A trackball on the other hand is 'more worth it' in my mind.  AND it's cheaper.

How hard is it to play spinner games with a trackball?  If "not hard" or "its playable" is the answer then I will definitely agree.

Well it might work but not well!! Tempest...Tron...Arkanoid??...With a trackball?? I can tell with out even trying it that it would be pretty cruddy to say the least.

[JustMichael]

Well it might work but not well!! Tempest...Tron...Arkanoid??...With a trackball?? I can tell with out even trying it that it would be pretty cruddy to say the least.

They just aren't the same without a spinner (not even close).

[ChadTower]

Spinner games with a trackball just isn't worth it.  You're better off trying to play them with a 2 way stick.

[FrizzleFried]

I'd have to disagree with the above poster regarding the 2-way stick.   I find that the trackball is MUCH more intuitive than a joystick when a spinner is not an option...for many games.   Arkanoid is one that works "OK" with a trackball.   Tron is another that works "OK" with a trackball...especially since the only other option are the buttons and that sucks to HIGH HELL.  That said,  a spinner is MUCH MUCH more desirable.

[u_rebelscum]

I'd have to disagree with the above poster regarding the 2-way stick.   I find that the trackball is MUCH more intuitive than a joystick when a spinner is not an option...for many games.   Arkanoid is one that works "OK" with a trackball.   Tron is another that works "OK" with a trackball...especially since the only other option are the buttons and that sucks to HIGH HELL.  That said,  a spinner is MUCH MUCH more desirable.

Agree.  Basically, if the spinner moved the "player" left and right (arkanoid, DOT, etc), trackball is pretty good, and IMO far better than a 2-way joystick.  But if the spinner rotated the "player" in a circle (tempest, forgotten worlds, etc), spinner is better than a TB (and a 2-way is still worse).