DDR How to make a pad?

[mimic]

I was looking at Ebay for DDR steel dance pads and they're very expensive 2 with shipping around $200, and then on one of them I noticed a description that it has a wooden base and plexi or lexan on top, that can withstand 500 pounds of weight, and it dawned on me, that I could make one myself, especially that I already own DDR pads for xbox. Both are fabric pads not very good quality, but what's most important in DDR pads, that they don't register very well. I also got 2 Kraft USB pads, that can be hacked, they've never been used and I could totally use them for such project.
Unfortunately I'm not a pioneer, I'm a leming, and I follow others guides, so question here is have anyone attempted building sturdy DDR pads or know of a website, where someone might have?

[Octo]

Just a tip, but the force applied to the pad when dancing will be multiple times the players weight, somewhere around 3-4x I think, making a 150lb person exert 450-600lbs of force on the pad. (at 270 I would crush it into dust, with my Riverdance-like jig) So make sure to reinforce the base and not skimp on fasteners/adhesive...

Homemade pad using vinyl floor tiles
Simple metal and wood
Similar to the above metal and wood, but with better instructions
A nice professional looking pad
A really nice designer-looking pad

Most of these use a PS controller hack, but I think it would be worth it to gut the pads from the cheap vinyl pads and use them. Hope that helps.

[MonMotha]

If you'd like to see how the "real thing" is built, here's a teardown of an actual stage my friend wrote up.

FWIW, the arcade stage seems to be built the way it is for a reason.  They hold up remarkably well.  Never seen any other design fare nearly so well, especially in commercial arcade duty.

One other technique that can work but feels totally wrong is to do it optically.  You run IR beams across the step areas and if any sensors are interrupted, you assume something is stepping there.  This requires no pressure at all, but it feels really weird since the stage has absolutely no "give" to it, and this is not as easy to get working 100% as it first sounds.

[Octo]

I would think that optical would be more trouble than it's worth, especially for a home pad.

Since mimic already has the 2 Xbox pads, I would think he could make a set of doubles for around $80. I'd suggest that last link I posted, as the guy gives decent instructions and pics.

[Turnarcades]

I have contemplated this many times for a Stepmania machine, but decided it's not worth the relatively low saving for something that may fall apart, look ugly or play badly. As you'll likely want a good looking pad to match the flashiness of the arcade, plump the cash for the well-made metal ones and save costs elsewhere.

I've said it to customers a million times - don't try to save money when it comes to the controls - they are the key that will make or break your machine.

[Franco B]

What fun is there in buying your own controls

This is BYOAC is it not? Ok, not everyone can make there own U360 but a dance pad can't be that hard.

Granted it maybe more expensive to make your own but its all part of the fun.

[Turnarcades]

Granted it maybe more expensive to make your own but its all part of the fun.

But then he's already said cost is an issue, so in this case the fun of the self-build is second priority.

[MonMotha]

a dance pad can't be that hard.

You might think that, but experience has shown that pretty much any design other than the one used by Konami and Andamiro on their respective arcade stages (both are identical) won't stand up to the abuse that gets dished out in an arcade.  It might work for home usage, but you won't be able to treat it like an arcade game, and that's half the fun on these things.

[Franco B]

Granted it maybe more expensive to make your own but its all part of the fun.

But then he's already said cost is an issue, so in this case the fun of the self-build is second priority.

True, it would help if I read the whole post! I had just got in from an 11 hours session tho so thats my excuse

a dance pad can't be that hard.

You might think that, but experience has shown that pretty much any design other than the one used by Konami and Andamiro on their respective arcade stages (both are identical) won't stand up to the abuse that gets dished out in an arcade.  It might work for home usage, but you won't be able to treat it like an arcade game, and that's half the fun on these things.

I still think it could be done. If I was into DDR I would design something but I have too many enough projects in the works.

[Octo]

Alrighty then... Just buy Red Octane's Afterburner Metal pad. It connects with USB and has a 3 month warranty, for $140

[mimic]

Octo, Thx for all the links. I think I will give it a shot building one!

[reko19]

interesting thread. my foam pads are at the verge of falling apart, need to make a decision on buying / building. anybody else who built one or purchased one recently wants to add to this thread? assuming I am willing to spend around $250, could I get two decent metal pads?