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Electronic 4/8 way 'el cheapo' style.
blueznl:
(It's just an idea. I did not know where else to post it.)
Let's assume we got an 8 way joystick and we want to play 4 way games. Now, unfortunately, some games will get a little confused when using that 8 way joystick, as they don't recognise the diagonals.
So, we don't want diagonals, and thus decide to add restrictor plates. Great solution, but costly, mechanically troublesome, etcetera.
I was wondering if there was no other solution, and perhaps there is one. This would need either a little 'add-on' board for your controller, or it could be done by the controller software itself (all *pac's and *wiz's may want to take notes now :D)
Here are two solutions, the 'reluctant' and 'aggressive' approach.
Method 1: the 'reluctant' approach:
- When moving from a horizontal / vertical to a directly adjacent diagonal we stick with the last input. Only a movement towards a new horizontal / vertical (without a diagonal component) will change the 'direction information'. In other words, cutting a corner in packman means you'll have to be exactly spot on, BUT you're never stuck.
- Hitting the 'opposite' horizontal / vertical will change the direction that way, regardless of a diagonal component.
Method 2: the 'aggressive' approach:
- When moving from a horizontal / vertical to a directly adjacent diagonal means the user wants to change direction. To give the fastest / sharpest input possible, we'll immediately change direction into the expected next horizontal / vertical, ie. we assume that the user is going to move to the next 90 degrees position.
Does this make sense? When reading it back, I think I should reword it perhaps, but I hope you see what I mean.
Such an 'electronic' feature would make a great addition to our encoders / controllers, and could perhaps be realized entirely in the software / drivers (at least for USB modules).
It's just an idea, one could probably test it with a little TTL. Anybody care to comment on it?
Kremmit:
I believe MAME implemented this in software and it was so poorly received that it was taken back out. It sounds good, but works poorly.
leapinlew:
Good news! You can purchase an Ultimarc 360 and it comes with mapping software. Based on the game selected, the stick can be a 2 way, 4 way, 4 way diagonal, 8 way stick.
The 49ways have had this ability as well.
Mame also allows you to turn off inputs for a direction. It's so/so. Works good in frogger, the pacman games still don't like it.
horseboy:
--- Quote from: leapinlew on February 22, 2007, 09:54:18 pm ---Good news!
--- End quote ---
Was that a little Professor Farnsworth? :applaud:
leapinlew:
--- Quote from: horseboy on February 22, 2007, 10:11:27 pm ---
--- Quote from: leapinlew on February 22, 2007, 09:54:18 pm ---Good news!
--- End quote ---
Was that a little Professor Farnsworth? :applaud:
--- End quote ---
whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop