ultimarc 360 v other joys

[G1zm0]

hi thinking of getting one of these joys as it connects without ipac, but what i want to know is do i have to go into a control panel in windows to keep changing the sticks or can it be cslled up with a button since cab is going to hide windows without kboard mouse? and does the cp always need removed to change 2x4x8 way ? and is this the best stick or is ther another good one that can be adjusted from the top without removing cp alltime?

[fjl]

The u360 cannot be changed from 2, 4 or 8 way from the top. It's done through a program in Windows. You can use a frontend to automatically change for the game that will be played.

As for being the best stick, that's really up to the user to decide. It is one of the most versatile though.

[Zobeid]

As FJL said, the U360 is configured using software and you can set it up to configure automatically when you start each game.  I've been testing them here, they work well.  It's the only stick that can do analog, 8-way, 4-way, 4-way diagonal, mouse emulation, plus customized maps.

There are some other options out there.  The Omni-Stik Prodigy is switchable 4-way or 8-way with a lever on top of the control panel, doesn't require special software (so you can use with Linux, Macintosh, anything), and is available in a top-fire version.

[G1zm0]

thanx i think i will go for the 360 as i dont require a ipac so money saved,and if front end software configures it for you then happy days, the front i dont know what ill use yet mame mamewah, will the keymap for the buttons work in daphny and a door coin mech?  what front configure s/w do yous recomend for this stick

[gatordad]

The u360 is a great stick and can play any game that mame and the other emulators offer. I love my 2 u360's. There are lots of upgrades available for it as well. eg. stiff springs, ball and bat top handles, regular and long length handles, restrictors, round, 8way hex, and 4way, and you can add a button harness and wire 8 buttons to each stick, changable ball top colors. Think of the u360 as a analog gamepad for windows (thats how windows sees it) but you have to pay extra for the buttons.

Via plug-in support the u360 analog stick can be programed to be anything, 2way only, 4 way only, 8way only, analog or any number of user created maps.

The only consideration would be if you have already decided on a frontend that does not have a u360 plug-in. I know mala does and I think there is a plug-in for 1 or 2 more frontends but I don't know which, as I am currently using mala.

If you use a frontend that does not have plug-in support  Then you would have to manually select the map prior to each game. Not a huge big deal, but an extra step.

Other joysticks are cheaper but don't offer what the u360 does.

[u_rebelscum]

The only consideration would be if you have already decided on a frontend that does not have a u360 plug-in. I know mala does and I think there is a plug-in for 1 or 2 more frontends but I don't know which, as I am currently using mala.

If you use a frontend that does not have plug-in support  Then you would have to manually select the map prior to each game. Not a huge big deal, but an extra step.

Nope, if all you're playing is mame:

Mame automatically switches from 8-way / 4-way / 4-way diagonal and "2way", if the controller is analog.  No need to special plugins, no need to setup the FE.  Just leave the u360 in analog mode and let mame do the work.

Of course, if you play other games, they're not as good as mame , thus needing that FE plugin.


So yes the u360 can switch without lifting the CP or using a keyboard/mouse.  Either automatically within mame, or with special plugins.

[fjl]

Since which version of mame has it been auto configuring an analog control to other modes? Far as I know, it never did that.

Do I have to set something up in MAME first so it automatically changes the analog control on the u360?

[gatordad]

Since which version of mame has it been auto configuring an analog control to other modes? Far as I know, it never did that.

Do I have to set something up in MAME first so it automatically changes the analog control on the u360?

Ditto
I am using 114
Please tell how........

[Zobeid]

Since which version of mame has it been auto configuring an analog control to other modes? Far as I know, it never did that.

Do I have to set something up in MAME first so it automatically changes the analog control on the u360?

I don't know what version the improved mapping was introduced, but I'm pretty sure MAME does not ever reprogram your U360.  What happens is, you leave your U360 in analog mode (and this works with any analog stick, not only the U360) and MAME will map the inputs to whatever the game requires.

As I heard the story. . .   The mapping algorithm the U360s uses -- with the 9X9 grid -- was first suggested by one of the MAME developers.  It worked pretty well, so then later it was incorporated into MAME itself.

You can customize the mapping using the -joystick_map or -joymap option.

[u_rebelscum]

Since which version of mame has it been auto configuring an analog control to other modes? Far as I know, it never did that.

Since 0.117u1:

"  * Added new option: -joystick_map. This option allows for a 9x9 grid
    to be specified which controls analog-to-digital mapping of
    joystick inputs."

Mame has default analog2digital maps, or you make your own with the -joystick_map option.  It's automatic with any analog joystick.

The difference is, with mame the conversion is done in mame with data it receives through directX and works on all analog joysticks, while with the u360 remap the conversion is done in the u360 and each u360 can be mapped differently at the same time.

[TPB]

I know mala does and I think there is a plug-in for 1 or 2 more frontends but I don't know which

GameEx has a U360 plugin, developed by Oggalz.

[Ginsu Victim]

What about using the U360 with Mamewah? I'm using FastMAME .84, so there's no -joystick_map option.