Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: RayB on November 08, 2004, 07:44:30 pm

Title: Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: RayB on November 08, 2004, 07:44:30 pm

Keep in mind the monitor's orientation here... I don't want people saying "you gotta have a 4-way for pacman!" when that game is a vertical game...

I'll eventually build a vertical cab, or multi-purpose cocktail...

~Ray B.
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on November 08, 2004, 07:56:37 pm
A spinner adds alot more games to the list than the 4-way will.

You can play MOST 4-way games with an 8-way, but you can't play many spinner games with a joystick.
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: whammoed on November 08, 2004, 08:46:21 pm
If you only want to play games in the correct orientation then discs of tron is the only horizontal I can think of off the top of my head that uses a spinner...unless you want to play the driving games with it.

I suggest going here for horizontal and spinner:
http://link.mywwwserver.com/~jstookey/arcade/sortinfo/index.php?num_switches=2&do_search=1&switch0=orientation&operator0=%3D&switchvalue0=horizontal&boolean0=AND&switch1=control&operator1=%3D&switchvalue1=dial (http://link.mywwwserver.com/~jstookey/arcade/sortinfo/index.php?num_switches=2&do_search=1&switch0=orientation&operator0=%3D&switchvalue0=horizontal&boolean0=AND&switch1=control&operator1=%3D&switchvalue1=dial)

and here for horizontal and 4-way:

http://link.mywwwserver.com/~jstookey/arcade/sortinfo/index.php?num_switches=2&do_search=1&switch0=orientation&operator0=%3D&switchvalue0=horizontal&boolean0=AND&switch1=control&operator1=%3D&switchvalue1=joy4way (http://link.mywwwserver.com/~jstookey/arcade/sortinfo/index.php?num_switches=2&do_search=1&switch0=orientation&operator0=%3D&switchvalue0=horizontal&boolean0=AND&switch1=control&operator1=%3D&switchvalue1=joy4way)


just pick the one that has more games you want to play
or put in a switchable joy and a spinner
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: willyum on November 08, 2004, 08:57:54 pm
well did you already purchase the joysticks, cause if not they have a couple that are dual purpose without going under..........one has a lever on the top to switch to 4-way and the other one you lift and turn to lock it into 4-way. I'll try to find the links to both. I know one of them I saw at RetroBlast.

http://www.retroblast.com/index.php (http://www.retroblast.com/index.php)
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: deadmoney5 on November 08, 2004, 08:59:26 pm
you can always gets a t-stik plus and use that for your 4-way AND 8-way...

then you can have a spinner, too
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on November 08, 2004, 09:03:52 pm
There are more horizontal spinner games than what was listed above.

Off the top of my head, I can think of Star Trek, Blasteroids, Cameltry, Omega Race, Major Havoc, Off the Wall and Zwackery.
The driving games run the tally up even higher.
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: willyum on November 08, 2004, 09:10:22 pm
Kev is definately the man of Steele.....That is Kevin Steele over at RetroBlast has done reviews on both of those multi-purpose joysticks that I mentioned..........He's actually done reviews on practically everything 'Arcade' related.....

The Groovy Game Gear OMNI-Stik Prodigy Joystick

http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/prodigy.html (http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/prodigy.html)

(http://www.retroblast.com/photos/joysticks/omni_main.jpg)

--------------------------------------------------------

The Ultimarc T-Stik Plus and T-Stik Plus Balltop Joysticks

http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html (http://www.retroblast.com/reviews/joysticks/ultimarc_tstik.html)

(http://www.retroblast.com/photos/joysticks/u_tstik_both.jpg)


If you already have your joysticks then none of this matters.
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: RayB on November 08, 2004, 09:39:20 pm
Ahhh I forgot to mention I already have my joysticks, and they are Wico leaf-switch with a button on the top. I'd consider making ONE of them a switchable 4-8way, but then for game like Robotron, it might feel real weird that one joy is clickey (microswitch) and the other leaf-switch style... Or would it matter?? hmmm...
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on November 08, 2004, 09:51:32 pm
The clicking isn't the big issue.

I don't like the sticks with corners for games like Robotron.
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: Kremmit on November 09, 2004, 12:08:04 am
Mabye you could find somebody that would sell you a set of the 4-way restrictors Oscar used to sell.  Then you could use your Wicos.  Or make a modular system...
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: Lilwolf on November 09, 2004, 12:15:28 pm
Pick the games you like better.

I would rather play Pengo on a keyboard then an 8way.  It DOES make a difference.

But I also love my trackball...  And want a spinner (missed an ebay auction a few months back that I'm STILL kicking myself for... havent' seen another deal since...)

I would personally go with a trackball (2 1/2) if you have space.  Can be used for trackball and spinner games... And plus would give you a decent tron setup with your joystick... and maybe later you could get a wico 4way and swap the joystick base ever few months.
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: paigeoliver on November 09, 2004, 01:12:25 pm
I voted 4-way.

Not a lot of horizontal spinner games.

Not a lot of horizontal 4-way games.

Two words.

Zoo Keeper
Title: Re:Spinner or 4-way joystick?
Post by: neuromancer on November 10, 2004, 12:51:01 pm
I voted for a spinner for Major Havoc.

Bob