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Just saw the X-Arcade machine at Fry's (an informal review)
Jazzbo:
I bought a big batch of parts from X-Arcade when first getting started... the sticks are OK at best but the buttons are fine, if noisy.
However, I've found since then that my very best buttons are the mix-and-match ones... I did it just for the colors, but found that the action on a button with Happ button and X-Arcade skirt is really happenin'. Now I'm gonna order a bunch of Happ buttons and do them all that way.
severdhed:
x-arcade is not top of the line, but it is a nice gateway product, something that can pull people in. I had wanted an arcade cabinet since i was about 12..i remember that my TV used to sit on top of my clothes dresser, so i would pull out the top drawer, put a board across it, and set my two SNES joysticks on it and play mortal kombat 2 for hours that way. Years went by, and i still was trying to get that arcade feel, but just didnt know how to do it. Then a few years ago, i saw a review for the x-arcade 2player stick on ign. I ordered one right away with all of the console adaptors. when i got it, i used it alot to play soul calibur 2, as well as many other fighting games. but i found that the button layout and spacing left alot to be desired when a second person was using it.... time went by and it got used less and less, eventually packed away in the attic with the turbografx, jaguar and other gaming stuff i never use anymore. then one day i saw an add for it again and i got to thinking, i have the room now, and i have an extra pc sitting around...i could build an arcade machine. i set the monitor on top of the bar in the basement, pc on the floor, and used an old a/v rack to set the x-arcade on. it was awesome for a while, but i just wanted more. eventually, i bought a junk cabinet for $20, an lcd monitor and a few misc parts, and after quite a few revisions, ended up with a functional arcade cabinet. i gutted the x-arcade and made my own control panel, which got rid of the spacing and layout issues and now i couldnt be happier with it. the best part is the fact that you can have 4 different layouts that you can easily switch between by flipping that switch..... that or the fact that it easily connects to consoles so i had no problem integrating a dreamcast in my cabinet as well.
my point is, while the x-arcade may not be desirable for verteran arcade builders, the product they make works well, isnt too expensive, and is easy for people to use. It bridges the gap. It opens a new door for people who would have never considered owning their own arcade machine before. Sure, if i ever build another cabinet, i'll probably not use an x-arcade, but it really helped me get my first cabinet started.
http://www.severdhed.com
only a few pics right now...just major turning points...i'll soon be making a proper web page with many more pics of the process....i've been looking for a reason to learn how to use dreamweaver...now i have one.
jubeininja69:
don't like x-arcade
johnperkins21:
--- Quote from: jubeininja69 on December 04, 2006, 12:05:46 am ---don't like x-arcade
--- End quote ---
Thank you for that informative, well-versed review. Really clears up most of the questions I had about the quality of build and service provided by x-arcade. I really enjoyed the amount of detail provided in exactly how you used the product, and the particular nuances that formed your opinion.
I certainly hope to read more reviews from you in the near future. ::)
tranq:
And people say I'm stuffy. At least that person didn't go on an on about it, they just expressed their opinion, briefly.
Adding my own experience, here:
I felt the unit was fine for what it was supposed to do. The controllers worked fine, though the throw was long (far too long for me). Like expressed in the Retroblast review, I thought the buttons were the same noise level as HAPP, just higher-pitched. (...and perhaps a slight larger diametre, it seemed... Anyways, I actually liked the actuation of these better than HAPP buttons, cos though they had similar travel, they actuated at the bottom of the stroke.) The overal design was definitely not arcade level quality, but very sturdy, and I REALLY liked the finish (powder coat, perhaps). The bolts through the panel marred this, though.
Technically, the only problem is not having a true 4-way (or 4-way assumable) stick. (Or 4-way assumable - like the P360, as it has no switch feedback. Supplemental: however, in this latter case, since diagonals feel the same as standard directions, it's really an issue of MAME that you can't properly set the controls so that you can use the same stick for 4 and 8-way use.)
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