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Happ Competition Joystick sloppy - RESOLVED w/ shims
MaximRecoil:
--- Quote from: Zebidee on December 02, 2007, 09:42:12 am ---
In G&G you have to tap-tap-tap the joystick in one direction while tapping the fire button to get your shots to bunch together. If I do that (essential) tactic in G&G, I often get turned around because the joystick has bounced back the other way. The result of this, usually, is that you get killed. You can't avoid this by "Holding onto the joystick" because the response would be too slow.
It might not be a problem in Streetfighter-style games or shmups, but it is for heaps of others.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I have a pair of them on an SFII machine where it is not a problem. I wouldn't know about G&G or others that might require a technique where the bounce would be a problem.
Xam:
The comps do have a light spring and do "twang" back to center. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I have never had an issue with mine.
Xam
Ahigh:
Anecdotally, the weak spring is what makes it easier for me to play robotron on comps. It's definitely a preference thing. I wasn't so sure about these joysticks at first myself, but it only took a short while before I adapted and preferred them. Add to this how inexpensive they are, and it makes sense why they are so popular, especially for people who have to buy a lot of them (operators and manufacturers).
Stiffening the springs to your preference is a great idea.
On the flip side of the equation, I have some 4-way joysticks I bought from MikesArcade for my mspac galaga cocktail cabinet, and they have the opposite problem. The spring is too stiff. I have to use so much force to reverse directions that it interferes with gameplay. I'm not sure if I could take some wire cutters to the springs to fix this, but your fix has me wondering.
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- Ahigh
kowal:
this is not the problem of spring.
it is problem of pivot construction.
RandyT:
--- Quote from: kowal on December 02, 2007, 12:06:09 pm ---this is not the problem of spring.
it is problem of pivot construction.
--- End quote ---
No, actually, it's a combination of both things. A larger circumference on the pivot part, the more likely it is to "lock" at center. Likewise, the more pronounced this locking effect is, the more it is felt when trying to "unlock" the center position when you want to move it.
A ball pivot may be better, but if the spring power is not balanced to the pivot mechanism, one would still be able to get the bounce effect.
Proper balance of the components, based on the way they are used, is the key. On models where it is possible to do so, even changing the knob to one that is a different weight than the original can affect this balance.
As for the Competitions, they are a very good stick. A harder spring may prevent "twanging" but it will also lead to a more tiring game session. Most will opt for less resistance in this case.
RandyT