Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: creepfactory on September 20, 2003, 01:20:58 pm
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Has anyone thought of or made a way to have an arcade steering wheel that can switch from a full 360 degrees spin (like sprint) to the I think it's 270 degrees that some arcade games like San Francisco Rush use, and all pc driving games use? So you can have a cab with one wheel, but it can be switched instantly from full spin to partial spin. Maybe some sort or restrictor mechanizm, simple but effective like the 8/4 way restrictor plate used on joysticks? Or even a system of heavy steel pins somewhere on the shaft that restrict the spin to the 270 degree spin? Or would each degree setting require a totally diferent way of reading the spin? Like does a full 360o wheel have a radically diferent sensor, as opposed to a partial spin wheel? Does MAME even care whether you are using a pc wheel or a full 360 wheel on any game. just that it wont control correctly with the wrong spin type? THEN it seems this idea may work, a restrictor pin or some other setup. I want to make a mame sut down cab and dont want to either switch wheels or have tro wheels
Thanks!
James
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They're completely different kinds of inputs, so this wouldn't work. You'd end up with a 360 wheel that only turned 270, but that wouldn't make it a 270 wheel.
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A 270 degree wheel uses a potentiometer and self-centers with a spring.
A 360 degree wheel uses an optical encoder (like a mouse axis) and does not self center.
However, in MAME you can play driving games with the mouse, which also means that you can play them with a 360 degree wheel, but without the self centering or the limiting to 270 degrees.
But wait, there's more. If you mount a 360 degree wheel but also make two pins that can slide in and out (for limiting to 270 degrees or not) and a spring that can be unattached from the wheel (for self centering or not) then you've got it made.
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(http://www.xiaou2.homestead.com/multiwheel.gif)
Threres a concept design I made up a while back ago. Should be doo-able.
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Combine that concept with a way to turn off the mouse input from the codewheel when the pot is engaged, and you are all set. :) Or maybe you can configure .ini files to get Mame to ignore mouse input for joystick games, that would probably do the same thing.
Oh, and I would add something to the concept design - get a hollow pipe that the main shaft fits into, and put it around one of the shafts right where the D-pot linkage system is. Use a dremel with a cone shaped grinding wheel to taper the inside of the larger tube, so that when the links are put together, one D-link slides nicely into the tapered hole and locks with the other inside the tube. That way, one D shaft won't have a tendency to slide off the other if the limiting bar hits the sides in a tough race, or if you think you are in 360 mode and try to spin it real fast. ;)