Tron Desktop Cabinet

[bishmasterb]

Hello all,

I'm building a desktop Tron cabinet, and I need to decide on a trigger joystick. While the cabinet will be capable of playing some other classic games, I want it to play Tron as faithfully as reasonable.

I am concerned over which trigger joystick to use, particularly about the restrictor plate. From reading on these message boards, it seems that the original Tron stick was 8 way, but was "semi-restricted" meaning that you could hit the diagonals, but not push the stick all the way into the corner.

Additionally, I would like to know if anyone has a recommendation on a button position for the joystick. Some sticks have it in the trigger position (like the arcade) while others have it on the top of the stick. While I would prefer the button in the trigger position, the sticks I have found with that feature are analog. Any recommendations?

Does anyone have a first-hand recommendation as to the best stick to use to replicate the feel of the original arcade unit?

Thanks

[u_rebelscum]

Have you seen http://oscarcontrols.com/projects/triggerstick.shtml ?  I did the same hack, except with competition sticks.  I just saw a couple black raider pro sticks at my local best buy, but it varies store to store.  You can use other PC sticks to hack.  I doubt there's very many PC sticks that you don't need to hack to get "the feel"; I too thick all the PC trigger sticks are analog.

I like the trigger button more than the top button.
My sticks are "unrestricted" so I can go the diagonals.
I like them, but currently don't use them very much.  (I'm mostly "trackball"ing, ATM)

*shrug*  Not much help, sorry.

[MrArcade]

ummm...had you thought of buying a genuine Tron stick?  They are on ebay often.  There are a few others that are very similar looking (not blue though), but I am not sure if the restrictor is the same...but I imagine you could modify the restrictor without too much difficulty.

You can look for Gorf as a possible substitute.  I have one somewhere around here...

[crsdawg]

another similar idea would be to use an original tron cocktail joystick. finding one won't be easy, but i've seen them on ebay from time to time. they're are smaller than the joy on the ur tron, and would fit the theme of a desktop cabinet. only problem i see is that it won't be the cool translucent blue like you'd be getting with the fullsize tron stick.

if you're going to hack a pc joy, you need to do a search and read some of the past post about tron sticks. it's not a regular 8 way. there is some really good info you can find.

this is a problem many of us have struggled with. i was going to make a tron specific panel with a original stick. then i came up with another solution. i bought a tron ur..........plays just like an original......oh yeah it is. heh. it really didn't cost that much more than the parts for the cp i was going to build. ya gotta love rgvac.

good luck

[2slk]

 I've got a spare tron cocktail joystick if anyone is interested. It's a nice solution.  

[bishmasterb]

2slk,  i didn't even know there was a cocktail version of Tron! If the joystick is smaller than the upright cabinet version then I'd be interested in it. I sent you an email re: it, please let me know when you get a chance.

Things for the other comments. As far as the normal Tron joystick goes though, it is just too large for the size of my cabinet.

Thanks for the ideas, and I will post pics when I'm done with the cab.

-brian

[BobA]

I remember seeing a site with a tron bartop but I do not think they were ever made.  Here is the pic I found incase you have not seen it.

BobA

[2slk]

Cool! LOL!!!

[IceCold]

If any of you guys are hacking wingman warriors for that hack, I would definitely be willing to take the spinner part from it if you guys still have it.

[bishmasterb]

Boba, Yes that image is from a site called www.tablecade.com, which no longer appears to be working. But that is the gist of what I'm doing. The Tron cab in that pic looks rendered however.

You have some cool tabletop cabs on your site. Nice work.

-brian

[BobA]

Boba, Yes that image is from a site called www.tablecade.com, which no longer appears to be working. But that is the gist of what I'm doing. The Tron cab in that pic looks rendered however.

You have some cool tabletop cabs on your site. Nice work.

-brian

Thanks,  I enjoy building the smaller cabs and snap up all the examples that I can find.  I am sure that the tron cab was rendered because the site died while it was still a work in progress.

BobA