Main > Lightguns
VOTE for a NEW LIGHTGUN...
fjl:
This is mostly what I care for in a Light Gun. First and most important is compatability. Plus being able to use two of them at once. It has to work with MAME. Another addition to that is accuracy. If it contains all that, I'm already sold. The next parts that are just pluses is a strong arcade like casing, style and finally the recoil thing. Recoil is a cool feature but not necessary.
So the most important parts is that it has to be compatible and spot on accurate but yet adjustable on distance use. Anything after that is just a plus.
wbassett:
--- Quote from: aljupy on June 13, 2008, 04:27:48 am ---Thatīs normal.
Direct Sunlight or some IR lighti will interfere with your topgun.
Sometimes it advice you with a "blinking" laser.
Solution is to put your courtains, or be careful with reflecting surfaces.
TOPGUNS with a b/1 mark, have a special driver to see if you have some IR reflecting on surfaces.
Ah!!! Direct sunlight also affects the Guncons, the Actlabs, and every brand for users, even in some arcades
Regards
--- End quote ---
I understand what you, others, and hk-ems say about stray lighting and sunlight. My question is though is the new gun any better at handling it? Yeah sure if direct sunlight is coming in on your cab it will have an effect on just about any gun, but what I am talking about is mid day, lots of sunlight but not necessarily directly on the cab. My LED based GC3 works perfectly fine, but my generation one TopGun doesn't. My question is have they resolved that? I have a gun that uses virtually the same technology as the TopGun, and under the exact same conditions, one really does perform better than the other. For EMS to blame room lighting or sunlight, or any 'stray IR' is really pretty lame when another gun using the exact same technology doesn't have any problem at all. Nobody should be expected to only play at night and with all their lights off. I would expect to be able to play with the same amount of lighting as there is in an arcade... and when I take my grandson to Chuck E Cheese, they have tons of windows and lights on and all their light gun games seem to work just fine. Maybe it's just me, but I really do expect the same performance at home.
I'm not trying to slam the TopGun, but you have to understand when the company and others constantly say it's 'the best' and I've seen a direct comparison that proves it isn't, or has issues, just saying it's the best doesn't make it the best. Now... I will say this in complete fairness, the GC3 will not work with a PC. So in that respect it negates the GC3 as a PC gun and it can be said since the TopGun is the only PC gun that works with LCD and Plasma, it is the 'best'. That is splitting hairs if you ask me. It's true, but only by virtue that it's the only one in the game. My point has always been when compared to other guns using the same technology, how does it rate then?
My other question still hasn't been answered by anyone as far as a percentage rating. How much of an accuracy improvement was made with the new drivers? Is it slight or a major improvement? Again I am not busting on the gun, after all I own one myself. People really do want to know if this is a significant improvement or not. I am swapping PCs, so I have the luxury of testing the new drivers and being able to fall back to my old system if they don't work. Others may not have that luxury and if they uninstall something that is working moderately well now and end up with nothing working, or something that doesn't work as good... they can't put their old PC back in like I can until they fix things.
My next question naturally is the TopGun II. It works with Vista, which after 18 months is great they finally have one that works with a major operating system, but again is it a step up from the original gun?
I really am not blasting it, these are some questions that people really want to know though. Is the new gun better than the old gun (old gun with the new drivers) and is the new gun going to replace the old gun altogether?
The other curiosity question I have is the original gun was made by Hais. It's pretty obvious EMS simply replaced the electronics, but their track record is that it took them almost two years to come up with a driver that is a significant improvement over a beta driver and their recommendation to use a driver someone on a forum wrote.
Here is the Hais gun...
http://www.consoleshop.com/product.php?productid=16345
http://www.chipstation.it/i_PISTOLA_HAIS_GAME_LIGHT_GUN_-_COMPATIBILE_PS2_XBOX_nPS2X-LIGHTGUN.html
I guess its possible EMS and Hais are partners, or even the same company, but this isn't a totally original gun designed from the ground up. EMS can't take credit for the excellent button layout same as they can't be blamed for the recoil issues- but they did not 'make' this gun, unless they and Hais are the same company or EMS is a sub division of Hais. It's not really a whole lot different than someone stuffing a Wii mote inside a gun casing and saying they 'made' a new gun.
Yes it is a PC gun, but up until now, it's had some problems for many people. Is it a totally original design? No. Is the technology original? Again no. It's basically Wii tech, which is what the GC3 also uses... so right now my question is what are they really offering besides being the only current PC LCD/Plasma gun? Or should people wait for the G1 Light Gun PC gun to come out which should be available shortly?
Without competition it is very easy to become complacent. Once EMS has some real competition in the LCD/Plasma/Projector arena, only then can there be a title of 'best'. If it's EMS, then great, they truly are the best with those displays, but I also would like to see some original gun designs from them too and not just using another company's gun and borrowed technology that they didn't work all the bugs out for a couple of years.
Before anyone goes off on me, I own one of these guns myself and although I think it looks cool and love the buttons, it isn't what I expected. We're talking two years now and they are finally delivering what they should have on day one. Don't bow to them just because they are the only LCD gun, they made claims... we all should demand they meet those claims with each and every gun they sell.
Like I said, the G1 light gun is saying they will have an PC compatable LCD/plasma screen gun out very soon. If they come through, then we can say who really is the 'best'. Until then, EMS is it as far as LCD screens, but there are still options if you have a CRT based cab.
As far as the thread topic and vote, I just want something that works and works well.
Shoegazer:
I'm sorry, but I just don't get it when a company like EMS has several years to design a second-generation product, then releases it to the masses with "Vista compatibility" as it's big selling point. Beyond being disappointed, I'm disgusted they are forcing people who want to continue using the TopGun to buy a new gun (and in my case, TWO new guns) just to keep up with the latest OS. Shame on you, EMS. You just lost a ton of my respect.
So yeah, total BS. If my GunCon2 drivers don't work with my yet-to-be-delivered Vista machine, I'll just wait for another competitor. Hey, maybe GGG will make a decent gun. ;-)
Shoegazer
Timstuff:
While we're :soapbox: about all the ways light gun makers are screwing their customers, would anyone happen to know why a few years ago, an Act Labs gun was $30, but now they're $100? I don't think the dollar has actually fallen that far...
wbassett:
--- Quote from: Timstuff on June 14, 2008, 10:48:48 pm ---While we're :soapbox: about all the ways light gun makers are screwing their customers, would anyone happen to know why a few years ago, an Act Labs gun was $30, but now they're $100? I don't think the dollar has actually fallen that far...
--- End quote ---
Although I haven't tested the old ActLabs gun myself, or this one for that matter... if I recall the old ActLabs was very similar to this is functional design (not looks though, the old ActLabs looked like a Raygun)
http://www.ps2modchip.com/flash/pc_virtualgun.htm
These guns have a connector that you plug into your video card VGA connector and it has a passthrough that you then plug the monitor cable into. Then you plug the other cable into the computer's USB port.
ActLabs now has a different interface. The gun itself is still inexpensive, but the VGA adapter is what drives the price up. Is it better? I honestly don't know, but that's what changed from a couple of years ago until now.
I really would like to test the new ActLab gun, not the funky red or blue one, but the Walther PPK style gun, but... at around $100, that's a lot to spend just to test something. Now if they would send me one to do a review on with the stipulation I send it back, that would be cool, but somehow I don't see them doing that.
I am trying to get an advanced loan of the new Happ's interface card to test.
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