The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: idsane on March 28, 2013, 12:04:35 am
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Sorry to keep bothering everyone with so many questions, but does anyone have any experience with either of these?
http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1218 (http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1218)
http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=190_245&products_id=1300 (http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=190_245&products_id=1300)
http://www.tornadoterrys.com/surplus.htm (http://www.tornadoterrys.com/surplus.htm)
I believe the first two are the same, and on Terry's site he has a pac man 4 way and a mod'ed super that also look like they might be the same.
My question is if anyone has used them and their thoughts. I am specifically looking at the wood panel long shaft models. Are these all supers? I just installed my first true 4way, a GGG gold leaf, and love the response to it. 4 way games are soooo much easier. However, I do not like the cheap non-changable ball top, and the very short height as it is wood mounted and about the height of a galaga stick. I want to try others before committing and was going to place a twisted quarter order before seeing these. The TQ ones are also 40% of the price of the TT ones. Thanks!
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I am specifically looking at the wood panel long shaft models. Are these all supers? I just installed my first true 4way, a GGG gold leaf Leaf-Pro, and love the response to it. 4 way games are soooo much easier.
I seem to post this often, but I'll do it again anyway :)
9 times out of 10, long sticks = reduced response. This is why you see such short 4-ways on the Pac-type games and others. With a 4-way stick, you need restriction, which adds another level of complexity to the mechanical equation. The Leaf-Pro sticks use leaf switches which can easily be tuned to provide the sensitivity desired, but making them more sensitive comes at the cost of being able to actuate more than one switch at a time, which partially defeats the mechanical restriction. Making the restriction smaller to accommodate increased sensitivity is also very difficult, if not impossible, as it would severely shorten the throw of the stick.
Short shafted sticks will almost always provide better control. Mounting these types of sticks below a thick wood panel results in a short exposed shaft. For that reason, it is necessary to route out a pocket a bit larger in size than the base of the joystick assembly, in the underside of the panel. If using carriage bolts to mount it, 1/4" of material is enough to leave at the top. They can also be top-mounted, by making a pocket in the upper surface of the panel, and covered with an overlay. These methods reduce the shaft length a bit, but nowhere near what the full panel thickness would. Another option is a metal mounting plate, which replicates the metal panel for which short shafts are really designed.
RandyT
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Thanks for the detailed response Randy. I definitely understand that longer shaft negative, but wanted to give it a shot anyways. I think I'm trying just about every stick out there for my prototype panel so it is perfect for my final panel. I've gotta say, I really love the leaf pro. I wouldn't even be able to get past the first board of the current game challenge of the month without it. I fine tuned all the leafs to have zero dead zones but without activating 2 at once. I think the diamond restriction built in the middle really helps too. If I end up liking it the most I will do the routing, but don't want bolts on the top of the panel. If you have any plans of making the stick again with a removable ball top and I would probably buy the new version too in order to get a better ball. Does anyone sell a metal mounting plate for routing the bottom and still doing the clean undermount install?
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Someone reviewed Tornado Terry's version here:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,91010.0.html (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,91010.0.html)
I also reviewed Tornado Terry's version here in video format (3/4 wood version):
Ms. Pacman Replica Stick (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJt_PGljhPg#)
And have the metal version installed here:
Green Invader Vertical Arcade V.1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuVGNjg76pY#ws)
DeLuSioNaL29
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Thanks for the detailed response Randy. I definitely understand that longer shaft negative, but wanted to give it a shot anyways. I think I'm trying just about every stick out there for my prototype panel so it is perfect for my final panel. I've gotta say, I really love the leaf pro. I wouldn't even be able to get past the first board of the current game challenge of the month without it. I fine tuned all the leafs to have zero dead zones but without activating 2 at once. I think the diamond restriction built in the middle really helps too. If I end up liking it the most I will do the routing, but don't want bolts on the top of the panel. If you have any plans of making the stick again with a removable ball top and I would probably buy the new version too in order to get a better ball. Does anyone sell a metal mounting plate for routing the bottom and still doing the clean undermount install?
I under mounted mine on 1/2" MDF. I just used like 5/8" #8 wood screws, if I recall. I also used a 1 5/8" (I can't recall the exact diameter) forstner bit to shave off just enough for the 4 way restrictor plate on the top, so the mount was flush to the MDF. Another alternative is to get some of the screw inserts that you install in the wood, and then can mount it using machine screws.
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I have used at least 20 of the Twisted Quarter ball top joysticks and found them to be one of the best sticks i have ever bought, and i have bought many others. The 4 way response is perfect, the feel is nice and they are cheap. The ball just unscrews to make mounting easy. My favorite before that was the ms pacman/galaga reunion sticks, but these are better.
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Great, looks like I'm buying both >:D . I contacted both sellers and both responded quickly. For the twisted quarter one, they are both indeed the same stick. Both also state they are NOT happ parts and are custom. For the tornado products the pac man version does have a physical diamond restrictor on it so it can only be used for 4 way whereas the twisted can be 4 or 8. Both have balls that can be removed but the tornado one is loc-tit'ed on so you much request for it not to be.
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The original Ms pac/galaga stick was made by happ and was good, the TQ stick i have not seen elsewhere, very well done, no problems with pacman getting stuck in the corner!
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Great, looks like I'm buying both >:D . I contacted both sellers and both responded quickly. For the twisted quarter one, they are both indeed the same stick. Both also state they are NOT happ parts and are custom. For the tornado products the pac man version does have a physical diamond restrictor on it so it can only be used for 4 way whereas the twisted can be 4 or 8. Both have balls that can be removed but the tornado one is loc-tit'ed on so you much request for it not to be.
If the TQ stick is able to be configured for both 4 and 8-way, and judging from the appearance, is the same import "Super" clone I have on my desk, but with a ball-top shaft, is there any reason to believe that it will perform any better for 4-way games than a HAPP Super with the actuator flipped to 4-way?
Don't underestimate the importance of 4-way restriction on performance. For a dedicated 4-way, mechanical restriction is always the way to go :)
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For the TQ stick, I actually ordered to try as an 8 way and not the four way after finding out it didn't have physical restriction. I like my super but wanted to try the ball top and maybe different switches. For the tornado one, it has the mechanical restriction like the leaf pro, but with the longer shaft so want to try that out too. After using the leaf pro and mag stick pro, I don't think I would ever use a 4 way without the diamond physical restriction on there since it makes it much fast then having to 'round the corner'. Like I mentioned before, if you had the leaf pro with interchangable ball tops and a shaft that allowed dual heights, I think it would be the perfect 4 way stick due to the added configuration possibilities. :laugh:
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Like I mentioned before, if you had the leaf pro with interchangable ball tops and a shaft that allowed dual heights, I think it would be the perfect 4 way stick due to the added configuration possibilities. :laugh:
Heh. Sometimes I think I need to create an alter ego here and post using it when discussing things. I wasn't defending one of our products, only pointing out some of the mechanics of what you said you were considering, based on the dozen+ stick types I have here as a reference. ;)
Just an additional "heads up" in case this is important to you... these types of sticks don't use the standard 6mm thread that are common on the myriad ball replacements. I have made some special ones for folks who have requested them in the past, but if you had your eye on others, the threads won't accommodate them.
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Cool thanks, I didn't know about the threads being different. I think I'm leaning towards moving from bat to ball tops so I would like it if the 4 and 8 ways matched.
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glavin
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Someone please assist and clarify, what joystick is the best for ms. pac-man?
PacPro Joystick from Groovy
https://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=402 (https://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=402)
OR
Namco Reunion from Groovy
http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=190_245&products_id=1300 (http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=190_245&products_id=1300)
OR
Joystick from Tornado Terry
http://www.tornadoterrys.com/surplus.htm (http://www.tornadoterrys.com/surplus.htm)
OR
Any other joystick which is the best for ms. pac-man?
Best for durability to play for hours and most important also quickness / response
Regards
Francois du Toit
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Pac pro and the reunion stick are both very good sticks for playing Ms Pac-Man. Both are very stiff tho much like an original midway stick with a new grommet.
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Wico 4-way
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With an adjustment to the spring, the reunion stick can be lightened a bit. Wish I had the room for the pacpro. My stick is too close to the CP box :-[