Main > Main Forum
Special controls: Do you use them? (Trackball, spinner, etc)
Warborg:
I have both a trackball and a spinner and use them both moderately... The spinner is primarily used for Tempest, but I like Tempest enough to have the spinner just for it... :)
The trackball I use to navigate the PC, plus many different games such as Marble Madness, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Missile Command, golf games, etc...
But I guess it really boils down to what many others have said, it's really just a matter of what you enjoy playing on the cabinet, and if you are concerned with catering to other potential players as well. In my household we are all gamers plus many of my friends are, so I tried to give it as much flexibility as I could without making it a frankenpanel.
gildahl:
I was "into" arcade emulation for at least fifteen years before I finally built a cab for myself. Among my top 10 favorites of all time are Tempest, Missile Command, and Centipede. So it was a no brainer to make sure I included a trackball and spinner. I actually ended up with two spinners since I also figured that a universal cab that couldn't even play Pong properly would be a shame.
Part of the joy in having a cab is having arcade controls. When someone plays Pac Man on my cab it's certainly fun (and also in my top 10), but they know its fun on their PC too--or even their phone. But get them into a serious trackball frenzy with Centipede or Marble Madness, or a great spinner game like Tempest or Arkanoid, and they know this is a treat they're not going to be able to effectively duplicate at home.
Since building the cab, I've "discovered" many other games that use these controls that have made them well worth the investment. Millipede, Tac/Scan, Omega Race, Blasteroids, Cameltry, Wacko, Mad Planets, Tron, Off The Wall, Slither, Reactor, Quantum, Crystal Castle, Snake Pit, Rampart, Golden Tee, Shuuz, and Major Havoc among others. And of course, if you don't have a steering wheel, a spinner can work quite well as a substitute for certain racing games such as Pole Position, Night Driver, etc.
Naturally, if these games are a yawn for you, it would be silly to include these controls; but if even a few of them are in your top 20 list I'd strongly consider giving them proper support.
mgb:
Oh yeah, I forgot. Wacko.
That's worth a trackball right there.
The only problem I have with wacko on my set up is that I find it most comfortable playing with the left stick for shooting but my left stick Is a dedicated 8 way so I have to be careful to hit it right.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[*] Previous page
Go to full version