Verdict on MAME + lightguns... Nightmare or not?

[ARTIFACT]

... SO

I've been reading threads... and these "LCD TopGun" lightguns keep popping up all over the place.. I check their website, and it all looks great ("works with mame... plug and play!...").

OK

But then I hear "guns are a nightmare on MAME... I'm waiting for better models!"

SO

Does it work or not?
What does nightmare mean here exactly?
Calibration / accuracy problems?

I think being able to play some mame and model2 games with the proper interface would ROCK (I cannot stand aiming with the mouse).

Thanks for letting me know! What it is that prevent people from using lightguns as much as they use joysticks?

[Green Giant]

1.  Does it work or not?
2.  What does nightmare mean here exactly?
3.  Calibration / accuracy problems?
4.  Thanks for letting me know! What it is that prevent people from using lightguns as much as they use joysticks?

1.  Yes they work.  It won't be as perfect as playing an original game of house of the dead, but you won't find anything better.
2.  Nightmare are people that expect perfection from all things mame.  Sort of surprising they don't compain about 8way joysticks not feeling right compared to 4way or having to switch.  It really only takes 20 minutes to set them up and you are good to go; although you must be somewhat techsavy, able to program the clock on a vcr, to figure it out. 
3.  Accuracy is good, calibration is easy, but you have to stand a certain distance away from the screens and calibration is based on that distance.  Can't run up and shoot the screen.
4.  Less people use these for many reasons.  Mainly cause fewer people like shooting games.  Other is an aesthetic reason.  You either have to store them somewhere or have them hanging off the side of your cab which isn't as pretty.

[mrserv0n]

Mine works as perfect as the arcade on house of the dead and every other game, just dont play with lots of lights on. Win XP + Smogs driver = success

[Sir Auros]

What I intend to do if/when I get light guns is just store them somewhere other than the cabinet when I'm not using them and plug them into the usb hub under the CP when I want to play a light gun game.

[mrserv0n]

Or you could sacrifice those silly cup holders people are putting on there cabs and build a gun holster.

[bfauska]

Or you could sacrifice those silly cup holders people are putting on there cabs and build a gun holster.

+1

Seriously people, use a table.  Cupholders are for cars, sports/theater seats and jock straps.

[ARTIFACT]

ok, so... USB LightGun is the model I want?

Any gotchas I need ot worry about?

My monitor is a 27" monitor plugged to the computer via a VGA > BNC adaptor. It has multisync, low res up to VGA. My video card has also an S-Video output free. I say all this because I know there is some kind of "sync" I need to plug to the guns?

Total lightgun noob warning ... Yes I did use the search, but I wanted more cut & dry "to the point" syaing tat this works or not!



thanks again guys... I started with joyticks only, now I have a lit trackball, spinner, U360 sticks with all the maps/modes, actual coin door with mechs, etc.. So much fun!

[ChicagoDave]

Currently I an experiencing a nightmare with the Topguns.  Prior to these, I was using dual Act Labs TV USB Guns and never had a problem with them.  I had both guns up and running within minutes.

I was really happy with the Act Labs guns, but they stopped working when I switched TVs.  With my new TV, shots only register on the top 2/3 of the screen.  Act Labs says it's an incompatibility with my TV.  This forced me to try the Topguns.

The Topguns seem to be very "touchy".  All the posts on them seem to confirm this.  They work for some people, and not for others. 

I had one topgun working pretty well with the EMS driver, but when I wanted to install the second gun, I needed to switch to Smog's driver since the 3.2 EMS driver does not currently support dual guns.  After this, it has been all down hill.  I had one gun working with Smog's driver, but when the second gun was plugged in the BSODs started.  I cannot even boot with the guns plugged in.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling drivers.  Windows System restores, etc.  I just cannot get these things to work.  Now Windows just detects them as an "unrecognized USB device".  I'm going to try Registry Mechanic to see if that can clean up some of the garbage left behind by the drivers.


As for cup holders.  I like them.  I actually have a table about 12 inches from the cabinet, and noone ever used it.  I would continually catch people trying balance their drink on the top of the control panel.  An accident was destined to happen.  This made me get the cup holders.  Now they always use the cupholders, so it solved my problem.

I just wish I could get these guns working!!!!!  I miss HOTD!

[DarkBubble]

Or you could sacrifice those silly cup holders people are putting on there cabs and build a gun holster.

+1

Seriously people, use a table.  Cupholders are for cars, sports/theater seats and jock straps.

Two words:  beer helmet

[Green Giant]

Or you could sacrifice those silly cup holders people are putting on there cabs and build a gun holster.

+1

Seriously people, use a table.  Cupholders are for cars, sports/theater seats and jock straps.

Two words:  beer helmet

I am a bottle man, helmets just don't cut it.

[ARTIFACT]

thanks for the insightful reviews and comments

would the act labs work with my setup (see monitor ddscription above)?

im shying away from the lcd topguns after what i read...

divemaster doesnt carry lightguns... who sould i buy mine from?  if i have problems i would just return / send them back...

[kiddk1]

I had the lcd top gun (until my wife broke it) it was kind of a PITA to program, but once it was calibrated it worked fine.

[clanggedin]

I had the ACT LAB TV USB guns. Back when I built my cab there wasn o native support for dual guns so with the help of Urebelscum and other BYOACers I was able to get Dual Light Guns. I do have to re-calibrate for each bame, but it works flawlessly once done.

If you can get a hold of the ACT LABS guns then it won't be such a nightmare.

[ARTIFACT]

what is the best place to order them?

thanks guys

[AcidArmitage]

does nobody use guncons! 

[ARTIFACT]

does nobody use guncons! 

do you, and do they work well with MAME and Model2 games?
I know they use "hacked" drivers for the PC ... and the Wiki says that it doesn't work on CRT monitors (which is what I have, a 27")

Regarding the LCD topgun, the wiki says:
"Requires you to stand far away from the monitor"

(EDIT nevermind ... I read the FAQ regarding distance - 4 feet for a 27" screen)
http://www.wizardsworks.org/chod/gun/topgun.htm#gen13

[mrserv0n]

Dude just buy the topgun and be done with it, there the cheapest and work perfect, your not gonna be upset and a gun game would be gay if you were closer than 4 feet on a 27" tv anyway.

[Joystick Jerk]

Dude just buy the topgun and be done with it, there the cheapest and work perfect, your not gonna be upset and a gun game would be gay if you were closer than 4 feet on a 27" tv anyway.

I don't recall standing 4 feet away from any shooting games in the arcade, and that's the experience we're trying to replicate.


I too am sort of shying away from lightguns on my latest cab as it does seem way too complicated for the result. Hell, in just this thread two different people have recommended two different sets of drivers for the Topgun. There was another thread that had a link to supposed "easy" instructions on settiing up the Topgun, but it was this crazy long document that was edited poorly, repeated info several times, left out info, and had some info that contradicted other info on the same page.

What's the deal with the latest Act Labs guns? Ingoring price, how do they fare. I remember reading an old review that said the passthrough degraded the picture on the screen. Is that still true with the latest models?

[ChicagoDave]

Dude just buy the topgun and be done with it, there the cheapest and work perfect, your not gonna be upset and a gun game would be gay if you were closer than 4 feet on a 27" tv anyway.

I don't recall standing 4 feet away from any shooting games in the arcade, and that's the experience we're trying to replicate.


I too am sort of shying away from lightguns on my latest cab as it does seem way too complicated for the result. Hell, in just this thread two different people have recommended two different sets of drivers for the Topgun. There was another thread that had a link to supposed "easy" instructions on settiing up the Topgun, but it was this crazy long document that was edited poorly, repeated info several times, left out info, and had some info that contradicted other info on the same page.

What's the deal with the latest Act Labs guns? Ingoring price, how do they fare. I remember reading an old review that said the passthrough degraded the picture on the screen. Is that still true with the latest models?

I loved the Act Labs guns and would still be using them today if it wasn't for the incompatiblity with my new TV.  I had two guns working almost immediately.  No problems or tricks, they just worked.

The Topguns are driving me crazy.  Every time they seem to be working, I reboot, and the nightmare starts over.  Crashes, missed shots, ect.  I just cannot get them to work.

I may just focus on getting one gun to work right now and forget the second gun.