Spy Hunter on a Standard CP?

[GAtekwriter]

I've searched but can't seem to find any info on playing Spy Hunter (one of my all time favs) with a standard CP layout (no steering wheel).

If I seem to remember, you had steering, a button to call the truck, smoke & oil & missile buttons, machine gun firing, and a shifter.  Anyone have a good suggestion on mapping these to buttons, joysticks, etc that makes the game even remotely playable?

Jim

[FrizzleFried]

Not going to happen without at least a spinner or even an analog joystick.

An 8-way stick just ain't going to work for steering.

[Ummon]

Even worse, missing an analog throttle just kills it.

[wbassett]

I got my eye on a Spy Hunter steering console!

Question about the analog throttle... will a PC based gas and break peddle work?

[GAtekwriter]

Okay, but isn't the throttle just Hi-Lo gear?  Does this not map to two different keyboard/controller switches?  Couldn't I program a button that puts the car in low gear and a second button that switches it to high gear?

I do have a spinner on my CP, so I have that item checked.  I should be able to map machine gun, missile, oil, and smoke to individual buttons... so it appears that the throttle/gear stick is the only issue?

Thanks for the comments.

Jim

[NoOne=NBA=]

Okay, but isn't the throttle just Hi-Lo gear?

No.
The throttle is the gas pedal.
Without an analog control to simulate that, you end up going way too fast and crashing.

[GAtekwriter]

Good point... can't believe I forgot about the gas pedal.  I was thinking how I played it on some Flash game once and the speed was controlled by how far forward you pushed the joystick or up key... anyone every play a version like that?

Jim

[northerngames]

yeah its playable until you put it in high gear and as mentioned before it is way to hard to control becuase it's to jerky in high gear.

your p2 joy can be used as the high low shifter and p1 joy for steering but it is the gas pedal that is needed with high gear to control it right..

I am going to try out the xbox 360 wireless racing whels and pedal that way I dont have to mess with wiring and opening/closing the cab each time I switch to a non racer.

they pick-up the same as the wireless controllers and can be custom keyed through xpadder if needed.

I guess the original version of the wheel caught fire most of the time until they revised a part.

does not suprise me though seems MS like's to burn up people's carpet and such at launch due to faulty products. 

[SavannahLion]

does not suprise me though seems MS like's to burn up people's carpet and such at launch due to faulty products.

Uh... faulty or not, no one should be putting any heat generating device on carpet.

[erictrumpet]

An analog flight stick can work, theoretically. Forward/back could be the pedal, then left/right and all the buttons on the stick (plus the button bank under your left hand) should cover it all. But man, what a compromise. Spy Hunter is one of those games you just sort of have to live without unless you have a dedicated cab/panel. However, I use my analog flight stick for Star Wars, which is totally wrong of course, but it is very playable and enjoyable, probably because flying an aircraft with a flight stick feels natural whereas driving a car with one is just weird.

Eric.

[Xiaou2]

 Just an FYI:

 You dont really need a button to  call the Truck.    The Truck always
comes at specific intervals.   The truck does not come any faster
if you push the weapons van button during gameplay.

 The Weapons van button is merely used for starting the game.

 The game is way too intense for any compromises on control schemes.

[Ummon]

An analog flight stick can work, theoretically. Forward/back could be the pedal, then left/right and all the buttons on the stick (plus the button bank under your left hand) should cover it all. But man, what a compromise. Spy Hunter is one of those games you just sort of have to live without unless you have a dedicated cab/panel. However, I use my analog flight stick for Star Wars, which is totally wrong of course, but it is very playable and enjoyable, probably because flying an aircraft with a flight stick feels natural whereas driving a car with one is just weird.

Eric.

This is what I'm planning - a cab with a yoke to play this and star wars games, as well as Paperboy - which a yoke is very similar to the handlebars in function.

[TPB]

This is what I'm planning - a cab with a yoke

The CH Products yoke ?

http://www.chproducts.com/retail/y_fsyusb.html


Does this yoke work with MAME ?

[ahofle]

Look for a cheap PC steering wheel setup with suction cups on the bottom.  You don't need to modify your CP that way and can just remove it when you are done with Spy Hunter.  I got one of those NASCAR steering wheels for $15 on clearance at Target a while ago.  Other than the original controller of course, I don't think there is any other way to properly play this game.

EDIT: I think this is the one I have:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-NASCAR-Racing-Vibration-Feedback/dp/B0002SAF96

[TheShanMan]

Andy, that has me thinking. Previously I was assuming I'd eventually make a swappable panel using a genuine arcade steering wheel, but of course it's pretty expensive. I wonder if this might be a good solution for me. Looks great! Few questions:

• Do you mind measuring the dimensions of the base? I wonder if it would fit on one of my swappable panels (I think they're 19.5"x6.5"). Would be great if it's smaller, but maybe it could still work if bigger.
• Do you think I could take off the suction cups and run screws through one of my panels up into the suction cup holes (or elsewhere)?
• Is it 270 degrees? I think pretty much all PC wheels are, but that's more a suspicion than any direct knowledge.
• I assume you're happy with this wheel? Does it work well for other games? What about games that have a shifter?

Thanks!

[ahofle]

Sure I will measure it when I get home.  It's a tight fit for sure, but I have it in between my player 1 buttons and to the left of my trackball.  It is 270 degrees.  I think it works very well for Spy Hunter.  It's the only way I've been able to get to the boats phase.  It has paddle shifters which I use for shooting and gear changes.  It also works great for Outrun, Chase HQ, and Special Criminal Investigation (and I think Hang On).  If you want I can test it out with another game.  I'm not sure how well it would work with a game that requires a real shifter, but there is a small Dpad on the left that may work for that.

I forgot to mention that this would obviously only be an option if your CP has a smooth surface like lexan on it.

[Flake]

Sure I will measure it when I get home.  It's a tight fit for sure, but I have it in between my player 1 buttons and to the left of my trackball.  It is 270 degrees.  I think it works very well for Spy Hunter.  It's the only way I've been able to get to the boats phase.  It has paddle shifters which I use for shooting and gear changes.  It also works great for Outrun, Chase HQ, and Special Criminal Investigation (and I think Hang On).  If you want I can test it out with another game.  I'm not sure how well it would work with a game that requires a real shifter, but there is a small Dpad on the left that may work for that.

I forgot to mention that this would obviously only be an option if your CP has a smooth surface like lexan on it.

So, excuse my ignorance but how does it interface with the computer?  USB?  Do you have to setup anything special in Mame to get it to work properly?  If this thing is easy to interface that would be a great option - assuming I can get it on my panel.

I have always been bummed that I cant play Spyhunter.  Which got me thinking I would build a all driver cab one day but I have exhausted all my spare funds on my recent build.

[ahofle]

Yep it's USB.  Basically it's just an analog joystick to MAME.  Just enable joystick and go to the in-game input settings and configure your mappings.

[wbassett]

Just snagged a Spy Hunter console for $26 plus shipping!  Whoohoo!

Now... what's the best/easiest way to interface this to my PC?

[ark_ader]

I play Spy Hunter just fine, using just buttons. 

The car is very difficult to control with a spinner.

If all fails, you can always play the old Xbox version.

[jasonbar]

Solution: come to Pasadena, CA & buy my dedicated Spy Hunter!

(only half-kidding, PM me if you're interested...)


And now back to our non-Buy/Sell-Trade thread...   

-J

[TAG]

Just snagged a Spy Hunter console for $26 plus shipping!  Whoohoo!

Now... what's the best/easiest way to interface this to my PC?

I'd say the easiest way would be to use Ultimarc's A-PAC.

[wbassett]

Just snagged a Spy Hunter console for $26 plus shipping!  Whoohoo!

Now... what's the best/easiest way to interface this to my PC?

I'd say the easiest way would be to use Ultimarc's A-PAC.

Thanks I'll check into that.  I was thinking of there wasn't something out there that I could just plug this into or change the plugs on the wiring so I could plug it into a board I'd try the route of kitbash/hacking it onto a PC steering wheel since ahofle confirmed they work.

I just won the auction so I don't have this baby in hand yet but from the pic of the underside it looks a bit rough.  Probably could use some new springs and maybe even a new pot.  I'll find out when I get it.

Now all I need is a Star Wars yoke and I have all the panels for my driving/flying games!

[wbassett]

Hey guys, after looking at this some more and seeing that ahofle confirmed that a PC steering wheel will work for Spy Hunter...  I think we can make one of these!



Okay hear me out... it would take some clever work modifying the steering wheel on a PC wheel, but I've seen guys in here do harder and more incredible things!

Start with the PC steering wheel and disassembly the wheel.  The center hub will be the hardest part but after that the rest should be a breeze!

Start with these from Happcontrols.  They are even listed as replacements for SpyHunter II.


Get some tubing that's easy to bend, probably copper plumbing I'm thinking.  Get the bend down to look like the real Spy Hunter curve.  The tubing is hollow, so that's a snap to run the wires to the triggers through.  Some rubber flex tubing and it may not be an exact Spy Hunter wheel, but man it sure would be pretty damn close!

Wire the Happ handle triggers up to the buttons on the PC steering wheel and add any additional buttons needed on the grip, cp, or wheel hub.

ahofle- I assume since you said this works pretty good for you and for Spy Hunter, the PC gas pedal works well I too?  If so that's what I plan on going with.

When I get this in I'll take any pictures and measurements anyone wants if they are interested in building one, and I'll see if I can get the cp graphic scanned too.

This could be a cool project and looks pretty easy too.  We sure nobody's ever done this before?

[ahofle]

• Do you mind measuring the dimensions of the base? I wonder if it would fit on one of my swappable panels (I think they're 19.5"x6.5"). Would be great if it's smaller, but maybe it could still work if bigger.

Attached some crude measurements...

[ahofle]

ahofle- I assume since you said this works pretty good for you and for Spy Hunter, the PC gas pedal works well I too?  If so that's what I plan on going with.

Yep, analog pedal works well.  I'm interested in seeing where this goes.  I think the biggest challenge is going to be in the mounting. 

[wbassett]

Mounting of the new steering assembly onto the old PC wheel?  Yeah that will take some thought but like I said I've seen guys on here pull off some more amazing things than this.

[ahofle]

Actually I was referring to the mounting to the cabinet.  Not sure those cheap suction cups (or cheap plastic mounting brackets on other PC wheels) would hold well enough.

[wbassett]

oh that...  I think that is probably the easy part.

One way if the suction cups don't work could be rare earth magnets.

Put some in the cp embedded in the wood and then covered with the cp art and plexi, and then a couple in the steering wheel bottom... cover with felt so it doesn't scratch the plexi...

This is a trick some people have done with a DIY laminate projection screen for a masking system. 

Bear with me because this is an idea on the fly.
One potential issue could be the magnets and any switches that are nearby.  Rare earth magnets are pretty strong so it's possible they could interfere with leaf switches, but if they are far enough away the wood should isolate them.  Or possibly some metal plates in the cp and just the magnets in the steering unit... like I said these babies are pretty strong and a metal plate would hold it pretty firm.  Dunno though, like I said I never tried this and it's something that popped in my head.

I'm positive this part is the least of our worries though!  Getting the tubing bent to have the right look and then the center hub to connect everything to is going to be the tricky part.

My final cp design is going to be modular so I guess I have a leg up in that respect and hopefully I'll be able to mount a variety of panels.

What about a latching assembly where the steering wheel system connects and disconnects on the front vertical board of the cp?  We'll figure something out.

[TheShanMan]

• Do you mind measuring the dimensions of the base? I wonder if it would fit on one of my swappable panels (I think they're 19.5"x6.5"). Would be great if it's smaller, but maybe it could still work if bigger.

Attached some crude measurements...

Thanks Andy. But I'm a bit unclear on the one measurement. Is that a diagonal measurement from the rear cup to one of the front cups? Or is that a measurement that's perpendicular to the other measurement? If the former, then it's a bit deeper than my swappable panels, but I may still be able to work it out anyway - it would overlap onto the rest of the control panel (the non-swappable part), but that might not be a big deal. I'd have to take that baby apart and figure out a mounting mechanism though. Probably doable.

[ahofle]

Thanks Andy. But I'm a bit unclear on the one measurement. Is that a diagonal measurement from the rear cup to one of the front cups? Or is that a measurement that's perpendicular to the other measurement? If the former, then it's a bit deeper than my swappable panels, but I may still be able to work it out anyway - it would overlap onto the rest of the control panel (the non-swappable part), but that might not be a big deal. I'd have to take that baby apart and figure out a mounting mechanism though. Probably doable.

Yes, the 7" measurement is from the center of the single rear cup to either one of the two front cups.  My freehand arrow drawing needs some work hehe.

[TheShanMan]

Oh, that's great Andy. Then by my calculation the depth is 5 7/8" from the front cups to the back, which means potentially those could be mounting points that I could run screws through. Too bad this thing doesn't come with a shifter too!

[Flake]

You know, my question now is I wonder how much clearance those suction cups have?  Do you think they would fit over action buttons?  Oh, hell, if its only 6" deep I could put it behind the trackball. 

So do the pedals connect to the computer via USB as well?  I couldnt tell from the Amazon site.

[TheShanMan]

Good question, Flake. My assumption is 2 wires come out of the back of the steering wheel - one goes to the computer and one goes to the pedals. I sure hope they're not 2 separate USB devices!

[Paul Olson]

wbassett - Damn, I was just a little too cheap. I tried for that cp, but I only wanted to go up tp $50 with shipping. Maybe the next one... 

[TAG]

wbassett - Damn, I was just a little too cheap. I tried for that cp, but I only wanted to go up tp $50 with shipping. Maybe the next one... 

Definitely keep an eye out.  I got mine for $19.99 plus shipping a year or so back on eBay, and I was the only bidder.  I haven't gotten around to hooking it up, yet, but I'm sure I'll get to it eventually.

[wbassett]

wbassett - Damn, I was just a little too cheap. I tried for that cp, but I only wanted to go up tp $50 with shipping. Maybe the next one... 

I had my bid set to $35, and then went and changed it to $42 (incase someone tried $41 thinking I maxed it at $40 )  I was totally suprised it went for only $26.  With shipping it's under $40 so I'm very happy!

[ahofle]

You know, my question now is I wonder how much clearance those suction cups have?  Do you think they would fit over action buttons?  Oh, hell, if its only 6" deep I could put it behind the trackball. 

So do the pedals connect to the computer via USB as well?  I couldnt tell from the Amazon site.

There is only one USB cable that connects to the PC.  The pedals connect to the wheel with a different cable.
There is a little bit of clearance under the wheel.  There wasn't enough room between my trackball and player 1 buttons so it's hovering over a couple of those buttons.  It doesn't seem to make a difference though, just make sure those buttons are not bound to anything in MAME in case they are pressed.

[TheShanMan]

I ordered this wheel, Andy. So thanks for the advice. For anyone else interested, there is a company on ebay selling used but like new units (even in original packaging) for $10 plus $15 shipping through Buy It Now. They still have some.

[Xiaou2]

 Something to consider...

 
   I wasnt that good at the game until I bought an actual machine... and
since then,  Ive come to realize a few things.


  The wheel is built like a Tank.  Its made to be slammed at high
velocity from left to right edges.   The reason for this?   To
bump the bullet proof cars..  the game senses how much
turn you made in said time unit.   So... if you only turn part way... the
baddies may not bump far enough away to crash into the curb.
(or their bump will over power yours.. and send you flying)

 Also, if you do not move the wheel fast enough,  it appropriately
makes the forces reduced.  Much like you hitting a pool ball with the
stick.

 If you are moving the wheel really fast.. its bound to slam very hard at
the extreme edges.   Which in most pc wheels which are made of
thin plastic... would probably create damages over a short time.

 Spy Hunters wheel has 2 huge rubber bumpers which absorb
the shock forces, and keep the wheel from ripping apart.  (as well
as being made from heavy gage steel)

Hacks are fun... but generally, they end up costing more than the
original units.. and dont work half as well.

[ahofle]

Another simple option is to set the sensitivity such that you do not need to slam the wheel full right to knock off the enemy cars.

I also don't think anyone is suggesting the original controller is not superior to any other option.  Just that a 270 degree PC steering wheel is an inexpensive and acceptable alternative.

[TheShanMan]

Good point Xiaou2, but for $25 I'm not that concerned about how long it lasts. I view it as my introduction to wheel controls. If and when I need to replace/upgrade, I'll be more knowledgeable about what I need. Better to make mistakes on a $25 setup than a $250 setup!

[Paul Olson]

You must live closer to the seller than I do. Shipping was $30 for me.

[TPB]

Has anyone tried playing Spy Hunter with a Flight Sim. Yoke, such as those from Saitek or CH Products ?


http://www.saitekusa.com/usa/prod/yoke.htm

http://www.chproducts.com/retail/y_fsyusb.html


The yoke appears to be a natural replacement for the Spy Hunter wheel.

You could use the Y axis of the yoke for the gas pedal (acceleration) ... or better still, ignore the Y axis, and use a dedicated "driving gas pedal" in conjunction with the yoke.

These yokes have plenty of buttons to handle the requirements of Spy Hunter :

* Machine Guns
* Oil Slick
* Smoke Screen
* Missiles
* Weapons Van
* High / Low gear change (assign a button to toggle between the two).

[TheShanMan]

I'm finishing up on my swappable 270 wheel panel today, using that logitech PC wheel ahofle mentioned. It turned out to be a bit more effort than I expected (otherwise I wouldn't have decided to take it on right now), but I'm really excited about getting it done. I'm planning to post some CP pics to the CP database thread sometime soon.

[Axe]

lol now i want a dedicated spy Hunter!!

You ---daisies---!

[Flake]

I just purchased a used Logitech Driving Force Pro PC wheel off E-bay for $47 with shipping (not too bad).  I have been watching them for about a month now and they are going between $30-$55 (before shipping). 

Anyway, hope it arrives soon so I can try it out.  I long to play Spyhunter with a decent controller.  Hope the setup isnt too terrible.  I doubt its just plug and play.

[TheShanMan]

It's actually quite simple to set up (I played some tonight on my semi-finished panel) - it pretty much is plug and play. Just make sure joystick is turned on in mame, then in the config menu set the buttons as desired.

I suggest getting a bezel that shows the weapons lights - either the "official" one, or the minimalist one I made (I only care about the lights, not the other bezel stuff). You can find mine in the software forum. Without the bezel you won't know what weapon you get from the weapon truck.

BTW, a steering wheel works really nicely for paperboy too!

[arzoo]

An analog flight stick can work, theoretically. Forward/back could be the pedal, then left/right and all the buttons on the stick (plus the button bank under your left hand) should cover it all. But man, what a compromise. Spy Hunter is one of those games you just sort of have to live without unless you have a dedicated cab/panel. However, I use my analog flight stick for Star Wars, which is totally wrong of course, but it is very playable and enjoyable, probably because flying an aircraft with a flight stick feels natural whereas driving a car with one is just weird.

Eric.

I've been playing a bit using my u360 in analog mode. It works ok but I can't seem to get the sensitivity correct - the steering and gas are just too quick. It would probably work better without the restrictor plate (which shortens the throw).

[Neverending Project]

BTW, a steering wheel works really nicely for paperboy too!

How do you simulate pushing the handlebars forward with a steering wheel?

[Darth Nuno]

With an A-Pac, there should not be to difficult to hack the originals controls... except the Low/High Shifter 

Maybe a special version of Mame would be able to handle this ?

[TheShanMan]

BTW, a steering wheel works really nicely for paperboy too!

How do you simulate pushing the handlebars forward with a steering wheel?

As long as your wheel comes with pedals, then you're set! No pedals = coasting. Gas = pedaling. Brake = braking.

[Ummon]

This is what I'm planning - a cab with a yoke

The CH Products yoke ?

http://www.chproducts.com/retail/y_fsyusb.html


Does this yoke work with MAME ?

No, I meant an SW yoke. Although if it's analog, I suppose you could use that one you posted. The important thing with these kinds of modern products are the span and resolution (if that's what it's called in this case) of the steering pot. I've tried a 270 degree analog PC wheel and it just blew. Granted, it was only a sixty-dollar wheel (I think - I got it for thirty bucks online), but still.

[TheShanMan]

It's unclear to me whether you're talking about playing Spy Hunter with a 270 wheel, but if so, I have to disagree. It's very playable with my 270 wheel. Paperboy also works well with a 270 wheel, but I'd guess a yoke would be even better. But if you're referring to star wars I would agree - a wheel definitely isn't the way to go, though an analog joystick I hear works well.

[G1zm0]

ive got a old racin force cab (namco 94) im going to convert to racing, it has 270 dg wheel,2 peddals,hi/low shifter,
so i wonder if i add  some buttons aswell

 if spyhunter will play ok on that setup

[Ummon]

It's unclear to me whether you're talking about playing Spy Hunter with a 270 wheel, but if so, I have to disagree. It's very playable with my 270 wheel. Paperboy also works well with a 270 wheel, but I'd guess a yoke would be even better. But if you're referring to star wars I would agree - a wheel definitely isn't the way to go, though an analog joystick I hear works well.

No. I meant Spy Hunter - with the wheels I used. Maybe a hundred dollar one would work better? However, a big reason to use an SW yoke for SH and Paperboy is that X axis (sorta confusing, but it is the X axis - the rotaton of the grips) can be used as a throttle, which wouldn't be too different than Paperboy and I'm betting easier to manage. I think the design for it's 'yoke' is unstable given the plane it's mounted in relative to the player.

I tried to map a gamepad that has dual analog sticks for Paperboy and I just couldn't find a configuration that I wasn't a gimp with.

[TheShanMan]

My $25 logitech 270 wheel works great for SH. What problem did you have with it? Maybe you just need to adjust the joystick settings. I did.

Works very well for paperboy as well, with wheel to steer and pedals to brake or accelerate. I don't know that a yoke would make it easier to manage in paperboy, but it certainly is closer to the real paperboy controls (though it's not like the real controls are that realistic anyway in terms of braking and accelerating).

[Minwah]

Works very well for paperboy as well, with wheel to steer and pedals to brake or accelerate. I don't know that a yoke would make it easier to manage in paperboy, but it certainly is closer to the real paperboy controls (though it's not like the real controls are that realistic anyway in terms of braking and accelerating).

What Mame version are you using? Last time I tried it the Paperboy X axis seemed to not quite work right...with controller centered I think the bike was turning slightly to the right. This could be my setup, I haven't had much chance to look into it yet.

However I can say, accelerate/brake works nicely with a SW yoke

[TheShanMan]

I'm using 0.126.

[Flake]

OK so I just finally got my Logitech Driving Force Pro last night and hooked it up.  Pretty much plug and play however, I have one question.  The wheel itself seems to have a short range off center in both directions where the games (like spyhunter) dont recognize the movement and therefore the car doesnt move until I get past this point.  It also seems to be the point where the wheel "resistance" seems to kick in.  I'm sure if I am explaining myself well but within in this range off center in both directions the wheel moves without any "resistance" and past that point you can feel and almost hear the resistance the wheel gives.

I bought this thing off E-bay.  Do I have a defective wheel?  Does anyone have any other issues like this or is this just the way it is.  I can get used to it but for SH it makes it a little more difficult to control the car.

I also tried it with Cruisin World and it seems to not be so much of an issue in that game.  Cruisn World doesnt run 100% for me though, the sound lags and I'm the sure the game play itself lags a bit but it is playable.

[u_rebelscum]

OK so I just finally got my Logitech Driving Force Pro last night and hooked it up.  Pretty much plug and play however, I have one question.  The wheel itself seems to have a short range off center in both directions where the games (like spyhunter) dont recognize the movement and therefore the car doesnt move until I get past this point.

Decrease mame's -joystick_deadzone from the default 30% (0.3) to closer to 1%-5% (0.01 to 0.05).

[Flake]

OK so I just finally got my Logitech Driving Force Pro last night and hooked it up.  Pretty much plug and play however, I have one question.  The wheel itself seems to have a short range off center in both directions where the games (like spyhunter) dont recognize the movement and therefore the car doesnt move until I get past this point.

Decrease mame's -joystick_deadzone from the default 30% (0.3) to closer to 1%-5% (0.01 to 0.05).

Awesome Rebel - thanks so much I will try it out tonight.

[Flake]

One more question I forgot to ask.  The wheel I have is a 900 degree wheel.  I noticed last night it only seems to be utilizing 270 degrees.  Does this option on the wheel only kick in for 360 degree Mame games?  Does it automatically detect the mame game settings and adjust accordingly?  So if I select pole position will it switch to the 900 degree settings automatically?

[u_rebelscum]

The wheel I have is a 900 degree wheel.  I noticed last night it only seems to be utilizing 270 degrees.  Does this option on the wheel only kick in for 360 degree Mame games?  Does it automatically detect the mame game settings and adjust accordingly?  So if I select pole position will it switch to the 900 degree settings automatically?

270 vs 900 is totally up to the wheel's driver, AFAIK.  Not sure if the driver can tell the difference between different games in mame.  And even if it could, the degrees turn we use to describe the input is misleading.  "270" really means "limited turn" in mame, and "360" is short for "free spin."  The 900 degrees on your wheel is still limited turn, so it won't work well with free spin games like pole position.

FWIW, hard drivin and race drivin used wheels that could turn almost 1080 degrees, but the games are still described as "270" games since they are limited turn.  Not sure about the newer driving games, but these used to be the only games that your wheel in 900 degree mode would bring it closer to the original arcade control.

[Neverending Project]

I'll post this here instead of starting a new thread, as it seems to fit. I am trying to configure my Logitech Steering Wheel for Spy Hunter in MAME (v127u6) and I can't get the throttle set correctly.

I have set the Digital Inc and Dec to None for both Paddle and Throttle. In the Analog Paddle setting, I selected it, turned the wheel, and it was subsequently set to Joystick 1 X axis. This works correctly. But on the pedals connected to my steering wheel, the brake pedal is the -Y axis, and the gas pedal is the +Y axis. To explain: if you were looking at the joystick movement, stepping on the brake pedal has the range from center to the BOTTOM of the screen, and stepping on the gas pedal has the range from center to the TOP of the screen. OK, so I select the Analog Throttle in MAME, step on the gas pedal, and it registers Joystick 1 Y axis. But in a game, stepping on the gas pedal will stop the car, and foot OFF the gas pedal will be full acceleration.

What am I missing here?

[Flake]

I'll post this here instead of starting a new thread, as it seems to fit. I am trying to configure my Logitech Steering Wheel for Spy Hunter in MAME (v127u6) and I can't get the throttle set correctly.

I have set the Digital Inc and Dec to None for both Paddle and Throttle. In the Analog Paddle setting, I selected it, turned the wheel, and it was subsequently set to Joystick 1 X axis. This works correctly. But on the pedals connected to my steering wheel, the brake pedal is the -Y axis, and the gas pedal is the +Y axis. To explain: if you were looking at the joystick movement, stepping on the brake pedal has the range from center to the BOTTOM of the screen, and stepping on the gas pedal has the range from center to the TOP of the screen. OK, so I select the Analog Throttle in MAME, step on the gas pedal, and it registers Joystick 1 Y axis. But in a game, stepping on the gas pedal will stop the car, and foot OFF the gas pedal will be full acceleration.

What am I missing here?

hmm...wish I could help you out here.  I dont remember doing much to get mine setup other than adjusting the analog settings on the .ini file.  I certainly dont remember "mapping" the pedals but i could be wrong. 

Did you have to change a setting in your .ini file?  Like change analog from 0 to 1 maybe?  I doubt this is your problem, I'm pretty lame when it comes to activating controllers and adjusting the .ini file.  Hopefully URebelScum will hear your call for help and pipe in with some advice.....

[ahofle]

OK, so I select the Analog Throttle in MAME, step on the gas pedal, and it registers Joystick 1 Y axis. But in a game, stepping on the gas pedal will stop the car, and foot OFF the gas pedal will be full acceleration.

What am I missing here?

Have you tried reversing the Y axis in MAME?  I seem to recall something similar but I can't remember what I did.  Now that I think of it, maybe I have been just using the brake pedal for acceleration in Spy Hunter.

[Neverending Project]

Have you tried reversing the Y axis in MAME?

How do you do this? And would it apply to every game, or just Spy Hunter?

[TheShanMan]

I don't have a good answer for you, other than it worked out of the box with my wheel. Pedals work the same as you describe. I wonder if you just have a messed up cfg file. Perhaps try deleting and start over, seeing if it plays without any input modifications (you'll probably need to modify buttons though).

[ahofle]

Have you tried reversing the Y axis in MAME?

How do you do this? And would it apply to every game, or just Spy Hunter?

Press tab in game, and select 'analog controls'.

[u_rebelscum]

Have you tried reversing the Y axis in MAME?

How do you do this? And would it apply to every game, or just Spy Hunter?

Press tab in game, and select 'analog controls'.

This should fix it.  If it doesn't, that's a new bug (feature stopped working).  Let us know if it worked.

[Neverending Project]

OK, I deleted the .cfg file as ShanMan suggested and started over. The default setting for the throttle worked as expected.

But I realized what is happening. The default setting is Joystick -Y Axis. If I select this and step on my gas pedal, the registered setting becomes Joystick Y Axis. Note that it doesn't differentiate between +Y or -Y, but rather only registers that it is the Y Axis. Is there a way to set the +/- Axis manually? I would assume that the +/- settings is specifically for a situation like my pedals, where the gas pedal is only +Y and the brake pedal is only -Y.

[u_rebelscum]

OK, I deleted the .cfg file as ShanMan suggested and started over. The default setting for the throttle worked as expected.

But I realized what is happening. The default setting is Joystick -Y Axis. If I select this and step on my gas pedal, the registered setting becomes Joystick Y Axis. Note that it doesn't differentiate between +Y or -Y, but rather only registers that it is the Y Axis. Is there a way to set the +/- Axis manually? I would assume that the +/- settings is specifically for a situation like my pedals, where the gas pedal is only +Y and the brake pedal is only -Y.

Ah, that's right.  It used to work the following way: enter, move analog axis --> mame maps full analog axis, then repeat the enter, move same analog sxis --> mame maps that half of that analog axis.  Bug reported and fixed, but I don't have an analog stick at work,err... with me ATM, to test.

[Neverending Project]

Perfect. As always, thanks for the info and help.