trigger stick: analog v. digital

[bdsjake]

Have a Raider Blue trigger stick on the way, and read about the hacks.  But, what advantage is there in have a trigger stick on microswitch joystick base, vs. analog pots?

I also have  MS Sidewinder USB, and am able to play Tron, DOT, Zaxxon, Foodfight with this stick.  Is it just easier to mount a microswitch base to control panel?  Are some games not playable with one or the other?

Thanks,

[Druin]

I don't know what types of trigger configurations all the arcades had except I know Xenophobe was switch type because I have one of the joysticks.

In that case, if all the arcade trigger sticks were switch types, then the analog won't give you any advantage, you'd just be using it converted to digital operation at the analog extreme ends of motion...no benefit unless the stick physically feels better to you.

If the games were originally analog sticks and you're using a digital one, you are robbed of a lot of control, where you only get the extremes of each direction on the switch type...like trying to play spy hunter with a digital game pad, one attempted motion to the left or right, and bang, you're in the trees.

[jerryjanis]

Today I was playing Tron with my Raider Pro analog joystick...  This game is one example where the analog joystick works surprisingly poorly.  The light cycles stage doesn't work very well...  I think that Tron had a special restrictor on it so that it is ALMOST a 4way joystick, but if you really jam it into the corner, then it will do a diagonal.  When I use the analog joystick, it's very difficult to avoid moving at SLIGHT diagonal.  On the Light Cycles stage, there is no diagonal, so it's very difficult to get the cycle to go straight - it stutters up/left/up/left, even when I'm trying to just go up.

This is a problem that could be fixed in software by modifying the Mame code to handle an analog joystick in a certain way for 8way joysticks.

[u_rebelscum]

Most arcade games used digital sticks (aka "joystick", "dpad", "arcade stick").  Only a fraction used analog sticks (aka "AD stick", "flight stick", "game port standard joystick").  Very few analog trigger sticks are in mame ATM.

Most of the points are already covered.

....
When I use the analog joystick, it's very difficult to avoid moving at SLIGHT diagonal.  On the Light Cycles stage, there is no diagonal, so it's very difficult to get the cycle to go straight - it stutters up/left/up/left, even when I'm trying to just go up.

This is a problem that could be fixed in software by modifying the Mame code to handle an analog joystick in a certain way for 8way joysticks.

Did you try increasing the "a2d_deadzone" setting?  I think this already does what you are looking for.

"a2d_deadzone" is short for analog to digital deadzone, or something like that.  The default is "0.3000" (30%), and can go up to "1.0" (100%).  It's not related to the angle the stick is moved, unless there is a direct relation between the angle moved and the directX value mame sees; the "relation" can be changed in some drivers.

[jerryjanis]

Did you try increasing the "a2d_deadzone" setting?  I think this already does what you are looking for.

Quite right, thanks!

[Minwah]

I'm trying to decide which to have too...right now Space Harrier & After Burner are good enough reasons to get analog...but I have the DOT spinner so it would be nice to have the digital type too.

Looks like I'm gonna have to make 5 control panels now...

edit:  I suppose an analog stick is the next best thing to yoke for Star Wars, something to consider...

[Minwah]

I just aquired an analog flight stick from a G-LOC machine...atm it's in pieces so I can clean it up, paint it and change the pots for 100k ones.

The throw seems relatively short (compared to some PC analog sticks I've tried), so I'm hoping it may be OKish for some digital stick games (I want the stick on the same panel as my spinner, so I may try it with Ikari Warriors etc.)

Has anyone attempted to add microswitches to an analog stick?  Not sure if this would be particularly beneficial as I suppose it would have to hit the switches at the end of the sticks travel...just a thought.