Discs of Tron- Controls

[MameMaster!]

Hello all....I'm working on a little project and couldn't remember how Discs of Tron controls.

I know that the original had a joy with a trigger and thumb button. Did both of those shoot the disc? or did one shoot and the other acted as shield?

Also, I know the spinner was an up/down spinner with switches. What did the spinner switches do in the up/down positions? Did they just act as an alternative shooter button for the disk?

 

I can't remember! 

THANKS!

[cw]

the thumb button was for the shield (to block incoming disc)

the push/pull spinner was used when the pads that you are fighting from are higher or lower than each other

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Hello all....I'm working on a little project and couldn't remember how Discs of Tron controls.

I know that the original had a joy with a trigger and thumb button. Did both of those shoot the disc? or did one shoot and the other acted as shield?

Also, I know the spinner was an up/down spinner with switches. What did the spinner switches do in the up/down positions? Did they just act as an alternative shooter button for the disk?

Yeah, as stated, there was a Xenophobe-style trigger joystick (with only a left button and trigger... so one less button than Xenophobe) and it basically functioned as:

Thumb button: shield, can be held down indefinitely
Trigger: shoot your discs
Spinner down/up: adjust the height of your shots

I have an Apache push/pull spinner, but I am really struggling with how to implement a control panel that will work with DoT without a trigger joystick. There would need to be two buttons around (for shoot and shields) and any way I can think of to implement that with just a red ball joystick for the player's right hand looks like crap.

[2600]

I find DOT much easier to play with a optical rotary joystick.  It's not game authentic, but it seems more natural.

[Xiaou2]

Optical rotary might be fine for the first few levels..  but when the up/down  aim levels kick in,
then it would be a real pain.

[cornishHen]

I took an old pc flight stick and converted to a tron stick.  It's probaly doesn't feel like a true tron joystick, but I think the final result looks good.  I like to use it more for games like zaxxon and xevious.   I bought the tron plastic halves from a guy on ebay and then bought the trigger mech/pushbutton/plastic graphic insert from Happ.  Recently I added an el wire into the stick that puts off a nice electric blue through the translucent plastic( i didn't have it wired at time of picture).

If you have any interest in such a mod, I have additional photos I can provide.

[DeLuSioNal29]

I took an old pc flight stick and converted to a tron stick.  It's probaly doesn't feel like a true tron joystick, but I think the final result looks good.  I like to use it more for games like zaxxon and xevious.   I bought the tron plastic halves from a guy on ebay and then bought the trigger mech/pushbutton/plastic graphic insert from Happ.  Recently I added an el wire into the stick that puts off a nice electric blue through the translucent plastic( i didn't have it wired at time of picture).

If you have any interest in such a mod, I have additional photos I can provide.

It's funny, I was thinking about this the other day.  I also have a flight stick for my PC that's new in a box collecting dust that I had thought about modding for my control panel.
What interface did you use for the stick?  Did you connect it to an ipac or did you just use the Joystick plug that came on the stick?

~ D

[cornishHen]

I just used the joystick plug..actually it was a joystick plug to usb adaptor in the end.  I have a small program that is in my startup to map the joystick outputs to keystrokes.

Some of the difficult things to do included sanding the flightsticks plastic shaft to a diameter useable in the tron molds and cutting through the flightstick's thick metal base to make it small enough for cp mounting.   

[DeLuSioNal29]

I don't plan on using the tron covers, but I'll probably leave it as is (it's black).  It's not the wingman so is a little smaller too at the base.  I'll have to take it apart and see.  Thanks!  It's good to hear someone else has succeeded in modding a PC joy.  $100+ for the real deal is a bit steep!

Regards,

~ D

[cornishHen]

I found there was alot of extra plastic/metal in the wingman.. I think they added the extra surface area and metal so it could be placed on a desk and not be tippy..

[2600]

Optical rotary might be fine for the first few levels..  but when the up/down  aim levels kick in,
then it would be a real pain.

I've actually gotten my highest scores using this control scheme so I wouldn't call it a pain.  Different users may feel different about it then me.  Like I said, it just felt more natural to me.

[MameMaster!]

I have a trigger joy that I'm going to have upgrade with the thumb button....thanks for the info guys!

[ids]

I just used the joystick plug..actually it was a joystick plug to usb adaptor in the end.  I have a small program that is in my startup to map the joystick outputs to keystrokes.

I have a few almost identical (the wingman force 3d - base looks identical tho).  Bought them for same reason, but find them a bit awkward for games - esp the tron cycles game -- i draw a lot of stairs in that one.  The stick-to-key mapper must help a lot?

[TPB]

I find DOT much easier to play with a optical rotary joystick.

2600,

How is your optical rotary joystick interfaced ??

Are you using the MiniPac, OptiPac, Opti-Wiz, or perhaps connecting as a "slave device" to the TT2 spinner's interface board ??

[Xiaou2]

2600, 

  I can see where turning the joy for aiming the Horizontal plane would work fine.

 But how do you control the Aim for the  UP /Down  levels?    Maybe you have not
gotten to them?

 
 As if you use buttons... you would have to operate 4 buttons at a time:

 Up
 Down
 Shield
 Fire
 
 I cant imagine you trying to aim vertically by pressing buttons, and at the same exact
time, pressing fire..  and pressing shield when needed too.   Not very natural at all.

 Only way I could see that happening is if you made a foot pedal to control the
Up / Down axis.
 
 

[2600]

txtworld,
Currently a mouse hack, but I was planning on switching that out.  I just haven't played in a while.  If you do a search, I'm actually use the P360 joys that I made into optical rotaries.


Xiaou2,
I use buttons for the up/down levels.  You use 4 buttons, but you don't really operate them all at the same time.  IIRC, you can only have 3 discs on the screen so you aren't constantly pressing fire.  Because of that, you also have to set your shots up and you plan ahead.  Once I see a shot, I tend to fire all 3 discs at once at SARK(?) so that I get the angle right and he can't move left or right.  It gets faster during the later levels and there is more strategy, but I tend to do the same thing unless I see a quick shot.


It just comes down to different strokes for different folks.  I don't have an actual tron sitting in front of me to compare side by side, but last time I played it I just didn't like playing it that way and preferred to aim like I did in Ikari.  It's probably the same reason why I can not use a keyboard and mouse to play a FPS, but a lot of other people say it's the only way to play a FPS.

[elsie]

If you have any interest in such a mod, I have additional photos I can provide.

Im thinking of doing something similar with my saitek st-290.  How did you wind up mounting your joystick in your cp?  Any pictures from underneath?

Thanks

[DeLuSioNal29]

I don't plan on using the tron covers, but I'll probably leave it as is (it's black).  It's not the wingman so is a little smaller too at the base.  I'll have to take it apart and see.  Thanks!  It's good to hear someone else has succeeded in modding a PC joy.  $100+ for the real deal is a bit steep!

Regards,

~ D

I finally got a chance to take a couple of pics.  Do you think it's doable?

[genesim]

2600,

I agree totally.  It is all about how you learn a game.   Of course there are some people that can't stand if you waiver at all from the norm.

That said, how do you handle computer games?   Do you do like I do and go with a trackball for point of view mouse movements and use the trigger and joystick for movement?

I never could stand the keyboard at all.    Even back when I was discovering Doom, as soon as I figured out how to hack buttons on a gamepad, the keyboard went out the window.

[genesim]

Only way I could see that happening is if you made a foot pedal to control the
Up / Down axis.

This is could work.    Something like this could be a great work around.

[2600]

2600,

I agree totally.  It is all about how you learn a game.   Of course there are some people that can't stand if you waiver at all from the norm.

That said, how do you handle computer games?   Do you do like I do and go with a trackball for point of view mouse movements and use the trigger and joystick for movement?

I never could stand the keyboard at all.    Even back when I was discovering Doom, as soon as I figured out how to hack buttons on a gamepad, the keyboard went out the window.

I map the inputs to a PS2 controller.  I try to use the same mapping the console version used.  That being said I think I fired up SW: BF2 last year and can't recall the last computer game I played before that. 
I'm more of a console or arcade gamer.

[genesim]

I would call myself more of an Arcade player first all the way up to the C64, and then Doom and beyond on PC.  i.e. First person shooter.

The consoles...while having their high points, really don't hold that much fun for me.   Yeah there is Sonic, Mario, and Crash, but I just don't have the time for the indepth gameplay.

I would much rather beat a high score and rely more on skill then long term strategy.   Even with the C64, it was only a means to get closer to real arcade gameplay.   Up until then, it just wasn't too impressive.    Even playing Archon on the NES, was such a letdown.

The interface has always been the problem for me.   Playing arcade games on crappy gamepads just doesn't cut it for me.

I am still working on my flight stick and I am hoping for some improvements to Tron really quick.   While I can play the game dedicated 4 way, it is too limiting for analog gameplay as in Afterburner..etc.   

The Atari joystick was a great way to play...though there just wasn't enough buttons.    Fighter games are another problem with me when it comes to a game pad.   Thumb pads just aren't good enough when it comes to precise gameplay as in particular 360 moves.   Maybe it is carpal tunnel, but I just hate hate hate using my thumb over my hand.

[tommyinajar]

I took an old pc flight stick and converted to a tron stick.  It's probaly doesn't feel like a true tron joystick, but I think the final result looks good.  I like to use it more for games like zaxxon and xevious.   I bought the tron plastic halves from a guy on ebay and then bought the trigger mech/pushbutton/plastic graphic insert from Happ.  Recently I added an el wire into the stick that puts off a nice electric blue through the translucent plastic( i didn't have it wired at time of picture).

If you have any interest in such a mod, I have additional photos I can provide.

It's funny, I was thinking about this the other day.  I also have a flight stick for my PC that's new in a box collecting dust that I had thought about modding for my control panel.
What interface did you use for the stick?  Did you connect it to an ipac or did you just use the Joystick plug that came on the stick?

~ D

There is a tutorial on converting a Raider Pro into a flight stick using a Happs base. Happs quality control with out the $$.


http://mamecheats.fateback.com/tutorial.htm

The mod really isn't that hard, I bought 5 Brand new raider pros on Ebay last year for 26$ I believe. Then you could have it 8 or 4 way also. I have only done one as of now, but it feels MUCH better than the plain old PC joystick IMO, more solid.

(5 raiders you say ? ) One for Tron and the like and 4 for Vindicators and Assult

[DeLuSioNal29]

Quick question... is the Tron Joystick originally 4 way or 8 way?  Would an 8 way flight stick work OK?  If not, is there a restrictor plate that can be installed on the flight stick to make it a 4 way?  I would also like this control to be used for games like Afterburner II so 8 way would be ideal, but I would sacrifice this for Tron to work properly.

~ D

[Neverending Project]

Quick question... is the Tron Joystick originally 4 way or 8 way?  Would an 8 way work OK?  If not, is there a restrictor plate that can be installed to make it a 4 way?  I would also like this control to be used for games like Afterburner II so 8 way would be ideal, but I would sacrifice this for Tron to work properly.

~ D

Tron was an 8-way, with a special restrictor which made it more difficult to hit the corners. This is so you didn't get the jaggies in the light-cycle stages.

See here for a restrictor I have read good things about.