Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: lovespicyfood on January 22, 2006, 05:07:14 pm
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Okay, I have very fond memories of Tempest, but besides that game, I can't remember many that used the spinner. I used to love Frontline, but if I remember right, that was a positional spinner which may not work w/ the type of spinner I'm thinking of...
I'm in the planning stages of my arcade build-out and *think* I want a cp w/ 2 joysticks (probably 4-8 switchable Magstick Plus'), a 3" trackball (probably a Happs) and a spinner.
The more I think about it, perhaps I don't need a spinner? Would I be better off putting a dedicated 4 way stick in its place?
I barely remember Tron. Does Tron necessiate that I buy a push-pull spinner or can that be accomplished w/ a normal spinner and a joystick?
Any thoughts or advice is much appreciated! I figure the more research I can do now in the planning stages, the better off I will be in the long run!
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Warlords
Discs of Tron
Arknoid (or any similar... breakout etc.)
These are games that just aren't the same without a spinner
You could potentially use it for
Super Sprint
Off road
Just some of my favourites off of the top of my head.
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You could also use a spinner for Omega Race and Arkanoid, as well as Tempest. Also for many driving games like Pole Position and Iron Man Stewart's Off Road, in lieu of a steering wheel; it's not the same, but it's better than a mouse or joystick.
I think it was Discs of Tron that used the push-pull spinner. Tron uses a spinner along with a trigger joystick. It's really tough to play even with a spinner using a regular joystick like a Happ Super.
Personally, I put a lot of effort into building my own spinner, and I even bought an Oscar MAME knob for it. Had a great time doing it and it works great, but I really don't use it much! If you like driving games and don't envision building/buying wheel controls, maybe you'd use the spinner. Otherwise, if you're not a Tempest addict, maybe you could do without. Probably ought to come down to budget issues rather than space, since it shouldn't take much space on a two player CP.
That's just my 2 cents. I'm sure you'll hear more examples of spinner games from others...
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Okay, I have very fond memories of Tempest, but besides that game, I can't remember many that used the spinner. I used to love Frontline, but if I remember right, that was a positional spinner which may not work w/ the type of spinner I'm thinking of...
You could always try it with a mouse in MAME.
The more I think about it, perhaps I don't need a spinner? Would I be better off putting a dedicated 4 way stick in its place?
Unless you want a specific 4 way, the 4/8 way switchable IS an official hardware restricted 4 way, so I don't see the value in that.
I barely remember Tron. Does Tron necessiate that I buy a push-pull spinner or can that be accomplished w/ a normal spinner and a joystick?
until you get to the higher levels you could accomplish what you need to with a topfire stick and a normal spinner. Once you get past the first few levels though.. it really needs the up/down spinner.
Click here for a pretty good list of spinner games (http://fe.donkeyfly.com/controls/gamesbycontrol.php#Spinner)
OH, and "search is your friend", as is the stickied FAQ at the top. These topics have been all been covered pretty extensively.
1. 4/8 way switchable vs. dedicated controls (might also see GP-wiz & 49 way joystick topics)
2. discs of tron options
3. spinner games & favorites.
4. control panel planning & building.
Note; Not trying to give you a hard time... there has just been some pretty extensive discussion about all of these things in the past that will provide a wealth of information.
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http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=19817
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hey, only DISCS OF TRON uses a push-pull spinner. Original TRON uses a regular spinner.
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hey, only DISCS OF TRON uses a push-pull spinner.
And Zwackery!
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used to love Frontline, but if I remember right, that was a positional spinner which may not work w/ the type of spinner I'm thinking of...
Correct.
The Frontline "spinner" is really a topfire joystick underneath the panel. It uses a rotary knob to determine which position the joystick is pointing, and you push down on the knob to activate the button. There's no reason you couldn't play Frontline with a topfire stick in place of the "spinner".