What did you do for Q*Bert?

[Droler]

I know this has probably been talked about here, but what did you do for Q*Bert? I can play it OK without rotating the joystick, but what did you guys do for a diagonal stick (aside from buying a real Q*Bert which is my next move).

Adding a new stick isn't an option since I already have two and a trackball and spinner on my CP which is only 26 inches wide.

Any rotatable sticks out there? One of my sticks is the mag stick that I can switch from 8 to 4 way by rotating it, but it doesn't do diagonal.

[squirrellydw]

U360 from ultimarc is great

[Droler]

Hmm, I see it but how does that work to limit movement to diagonal only?

Or, does it help with the fact MAME is trying to accept a single keystroke from the control panel for diagonal movement for Q*Bert?

If I could force MAME to only move the character if I hit down AND left, or up AND right, then it would not need a special stick.

[javeryh]

u360s are totally programmable.  There is a map that loads when you launch the game that restricts movement (not physical) to the diagonals only.  It works great.

[EwJ]

If I could force MAME to only move the character if I hit down AND left, or up AND right...

You can do just that.
Hit tab while in the game, and set the controls with the diagonals (should register both directions).

[telengard]

I took a joystick I had (ms one) and rotated it 45 degrees.  So far works great.  Way back when I had a panel with Oscar restrictor plates on it.

~telengard

[Ummon]

I took a joystick I had (ms one) and rotated it 45 degrees.  So far works great.  Way back when I had a panel with Oscar restrictor plates on it.

~telengard

That's what it always was - a 4-way rotated an eighth of a turn. Alternatively, you can use the diagonals of an 8-way, but there will be dead spots, and the dead spots will be larger than the active ones. U360 is the best (and perhaps only) non-dedicated solution.

[TheShanMan]

If I could force MAME to only move the character if I hit down AND left, or up AND right...

You can do just that.
Hit tab while in the game, and set the controls with the diagonals (should register both directions).

Yep. That's what I do and it works great. When you are setting the key mapping, just push it into a diagonal and you'll see that both keys appear, and both are required to trigger movement in that direction.

[jdjuggler]

Does anyone know if I can do the same diagonal only restriction like the U360's on the Happ's P360?

[Thenasty]

I added a Leaf Style Switch under my P360 (for 8-way games) and installed the Switches diagonally.

I had to change the stick for that had a longer shaft.

[Ginsu Victim]

Does anyone know if I can do the same diagonal only restriction like the U360's on the Happ's P360?

More than likely, if you use the analog map function in the more recent versions of MAME. I have U360s, so I can't be sure about what the P360 does exactly.

[NoOne=NBA=]

One of my sticks is the mag stick that I can switch from 8 to 4 way by rotating it, but it doesn't do diagonal.

It doesn't need to do diagonal.

1) Set the stick to 8-way mode.

2) In the "this game" setup, set:
    Up=JoyUp&JoyRight
 Right=JoyRight&JoyDown
Down=JoyDown&JoyLeft
   Left=JoyLeft&JoyUp

This will make it so that the game won't see an "UP" signal until the joystick is pushed to the upper right diagonal.
The other directions will be similar.
The square shaped restrictor on the 8-way mode will make it feel like a diamond shaped restrictor that is rotated 45 degrees--which is what Q*Bert had from the factory.

[u_rebelscum]

Does anyone know if I can do the same diagonal only restriction like the U360's on the Happ's P360?

No/Yes.

The p360 can do a diagonals only like any 8-way stick. (as TheShanMan & NoOne said)

It it's analog, so it can't do it exactly like the u360.

[jasonbar]

I've got a massive SlikStik Quad & the outer 2 joysticks are already rotated 45 degrees.  I swapped out the player 4 normal 8-way sticks for one of those pull-me-and-twist-me-and-I-magically-become-a-4-way joysticks.

-Jason

[Ummon]

I've got a massive SlikStik Quad & the outer 2 joysticks are already rotated 45 degrees.  I swapped out the player 4 normal 8-way sticks for one of those pull-me-and-twist-me-and-I-magically-become-a-4-way joysticks.

-Jason

Hadn't thought of that one...although, then you're off to the side playing Q-bert.....

[erictrumpet]

Don't forget Congo Bongo!
A workable Q-Bert solution is worth it considering these two cool titles.

Eric.

[jasonbar]

And Q*Bert's Qubes!