Special Criminial Investigation question!

[AE35]

Hey guys!

I need to find out if the SCI machine has an auto-centering wheel? That means, if
the machine is turned off, does the wheel return to center by it self?



Thanks!

Nicholas

[Gehrig]

I just picked up this game myself.  For some reason I can't find any sites that have a manual.

Anyways, the wheel itself does not center.  It spins all the way around and around as much as you want.   (Reading around.. this sounds like correct behavior).  Can't remember if the car centers itself out when I stop spinning the wheel or have to spin it the other way.  I will try it when I get home tonight.  I don't get any "force feedback" on this game.  Or the kind I am used to anyways.  Only feeback I get is that the wheel shakes when you drive into something. 

Is this the same behavior you are experiencing?  Also, if you have a manual or know where to do download one.. please PM me.  Thanks

Oh and to answer your question.  When I turn the game off and on.  The position where I last left the wheel is considered center by the game.

[Gehrig]

Ok.. just tried it out.   The wheel does go back to center whenever you take your hands off of it.  It seems as though there is some sort of weight/balance that makes it center.  It goes back pretty slow.  Doesn't seem mechanical at all.. just a balance thing.  It doesn't matter if the game is off or on.

[brandon]

Ok.. just tried it out.   The wheel does go back to center whenever you take your hands off of it.  It seems as though there is some sort of weight/balance that makes it center.  It goes back pretty slow.  Doesn't seem mechanical at all.. just a balance thing.  It doesn't matter if the game is off or on.

maybe this is due to the "T" shape of the wheel... Its not ballanced so the heavy part falls to the bottom.. is it a optical 360 wheel like pole position? 270 degree with pots?

[Gehrig]

Not sure.  It is 360.  You can spin it around as much as you want... around and around and around..

[brandon]

well.. 360 wheels dont have a "center"  Its basically a spinner like Tempest or Arkanoid.   If it did there would be some way to calibrate it in the service mode.   It probably just takes whatever position the wheel is in at the start of the game and calls that center.  So if you started a game with the wheel upside down the car would still drive straight.  It *could* have a second encoder that tells it a North or "0 degrees" mark like the 720 joysticks had but I seriously doubt it.  I've never seen that on a steering wheel or anything else other than 720.

[u_rebelscum]

It *could* have a second encoder that tells it a North or "0 degrees" mark like the 720 joysticks had but I seriously doubt it.  I've never seen that on a steering wheel or anything else other than 720.

Not common in arcade controllers, but the "0 degrees" index is more normal than not in industrial incremental encoders (aka relative encoders) AFAIK.

Not sure.  It is 360.  You can spin it around as much as you want... around and around and around..

Interesting.  There are such things as 360 degree POTs and were used in warlords, and mame emulates with a paddle type input (IOW, assumes POT 270 degrees).  OTOH, in addition to indexed incremental encoders (like 720 controllers), there are absolute encoders.  I doubt absolute encoders were used, though.  Hmmm....

Any chance of posting pics of the insides?  You've got me curious.

[Gehrig]

I'll see if I can find the time tonight.   Since I will be bringing home Area Site 51: 4, I should be spending some time in the man cave 

Really wish I could find a manual.