Mad Catz FightStick Review - Sanwa joystick analog control!

[opt2not]

http://gear.ign.com/articles/947/947933p1.html
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3172420

...features six white Sanwa buttons and a white Sanwa joystick

Nice high quality parts...

In addition to the standard six-button layout, the FightStick includes two additional grey buttons, a "turbo" feature, a switch that toggles the joystick between directional pad and analog controls, and a locking mechanism to prevent accidental button presses.

...but what is this joystick switch all about?  I'd be interested in knowing how they mapped the Sanwa stick to the analog controls. This could be an avenue to look at for us DIY'rs that have been salivating over the idea of having dual-stick Analog control with arcade parts! Geometry Wars anyone?

Does anyone have an info on this?

[Jack Burton]

It's analog emulation only.

All it does is press the analog stick in the farthest direction possible in eight directions.

[Ginsu Victim]

I already have a switchable Sanwa analog joystick.

[J.Max]

I already have a switchable Sanwa analog joystick.

'

Too bad it doesn't work on a console...

[Ginsu Victim]

Since that SF IV stick isn't sending true analog, yes it will.

[opt2not]

Since that SF IV stick isn't sending true analog, yes it will.

This is fine, if I can hook up a second joystick for right stick control... I've been looking for information on creating a dual-stick XBOX 360 controller for all my favourite console SHMUPs (Geometry Wars 2, Mutant Storm 2, etc...) and was wondering how they mapped these switches to the analog input of the 360 controller.

Brian Crecente on Kotaku took the back panel off this stick to look at the insides. The sanwa stick has microswitches that are soldered directly to a PCB, which I'm assuming emulates the  faux-analog signal.
http://kotaku.com/5140845/hands-inside-the-sfiv-tournament-edition-fightstick

If I only could get my hands on one of these, or a similar cheaper equivalent to dissect. My Xbox 360-ready cabinet would be 100 times more awesome if there was a Dual stick option for the analog sticks.

[Jack Burton]

I'm 99% certain that you could hack an Xbox 360 pcb and wire analog sticks to a digital joystic, albeit with the "always 100% direction" restriction. 


Also, MAS systems used to used analog emulation on their sticks.  They had an analog/digital button, and you could hold down L1 and L2 while holding Start and Select to set the analog sensitivity.  Maybe they could help you  out?