TRON On 412 in 1 - Spinner Connection?

[ckalkhof]

Hello all! Just joined - first post.

I'm getting all the components put together for my first arcade cabinet build. I will be using the 412 in 1 . One of my favorite games is TRON and I really want to make sure I can get TRON working properly. Does anyone have any input if the 412 in 1 can run TRON correctly and if yes, how is the spinner wired? I've searched the forums a little , but didn't seem to find a really good answer and most of the posts were pretty old. Regarding my background, I'm an Electrical Engineer , so I know just enough to be dangerous :-)

Thanks in advance for any help ! 

[PL1]

Does anyone have any input if the 412 in 1 can run TRON correctly and if yes, how is the spinner wired?

Drnick posted some useful wiring info here.

You'll need a spinner that outputs the raw quadrature waveform on 2 data lines from the opto circuit, NOT one that connects via USB or PS/2. i.e. a spinner without an optical (mouse) encoder.
- Pretty sure the optos will need to be an "active low" circuit. (some older opto circuits are "active high")



The default is spinner on the X-axis of the trackball inputs for P1.

There are 4 connections per spinner: 5v, ground, and 2 data lines.
  J6 Pin 1 - 5v
  J6 Pin 10 - Ground
  J6 Pin 2 - X+ data line
  J6 Pin 3 - X- data line

If the spinner operates opposite the expected direction, swap the X+ and X- data lines to reverse the axis.

If you have a spinner for P2, it will either go on the X-axis for P2 (J6 Pins 6 and 7) or the Y-axis for P1 (J6 Pins 4 and 5) -- not sure which the 412-in-1 uses.   




Scott

[ckalkhof]

Thanks Scott. So something like this would probably work? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085ZLCYS1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A2CH56PPVFOUBF&th=1

I wonder what type of resolution would be the best choice?

[PL1]

Thanks Scott. So something like this would probably work? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085ZLCYS1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A2CH56PPVFOUBF&th=1

I wonder what type of resolution would be the best choice?

That looks familiar.   

WARNING: Make sure you don't wire it wrong.  Accidently connecting 5v to one of the data lines will instantly kill the encoder.

Here are several 3d printable mounts for that type of encoder.
https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,152421.msg1740629.html#msg1740629



That 600 ppr encoder should be fine for almost all games, but it might be a bit low for Arkanoid.

You will probably need to adjust the sensitivity in each game's settings.
https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,164017.0.html


Scott

[ckalkhof]

Thanks again Scott.

I guess I should ask the question:
Has anyone been able to get TRON to work correctly on the 412 in 1 board? I've been scouring the internet for several days now and have not found anything that gives me confidence this will work. The board has many other games I really like, but TRON is one of my favorites.

[PL1]

Has anyone been able to get TRON to work correctly on the 412 in 1 board?

If TRON doesn't work as well as you like on the 412-in-1, it will probably be because of the controls you're using.

The hardest thing to get right with TRON is the joystick.
- The Light Cycles are 4-way and other levels are 8-way.

Le Chuck used a 4-8 way servo switcher with an AHK script here, but that approach won't work with a 412-in-1.

The original TRON stick had a restrictor that made it easy to hit primary directions, but hard to hit diagonals.
https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,78233.0.html

You can use these 3d print files to modify a Happ heavy-duty triggerstick to make a TRON stick.
https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,71229.msg1751695.html#msg1751695


Scott
EDIT:  As if on cue, this just popped up in B/S/T.
https://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,168706.0.html

[ckalkhof]

This was the joystick I was going to use - it has a restrictor plate: https://thunderstickstudio.com/products/arcade-flight-stick

The big question is still the spinner. It seems no one has gotten TRON to work on the 412 in 1.

[PL1]

This was the joystick I was going to use - it has a restrictor plate: https://thunderstickstudio.com/products/arcade-flight-stick

4/8 ways manual swappable restrictor gate

To make it act somewhat like a real TRON stick, you'll need to add some mods like a servo switcher . . .
https://thunderstickstudio.com/products/tos-grs-switchable-4-to-8-way-restrictor-for-grs-flight-stick-extension-kit
. . . and a controller board.
https://thunderstickstudio.com/products/tos-grs-restrictor-controller-board

Pretty sure you can set the controller board so it switches at the press of a button so you can use it with a 412-in-1.
- IIRC you can automate switching for most games on a PC or RasPI, but not on a 412-in-1.
- Pretty sure automated in-game switching for TRON won't work unless you can use a PC or RasPi with an AHK script and .bat files like Le Chuck did.

You'll also need to find an external power source for the servo and controller board -- too much current draw to get it from J6 Pin 1.

The big question is still the spinner. It seems no one has gotten TRON to work on the 412 in 1.

Just because you aren't seeing any replies doesn't mean that it won't work.
- If a spinner works with any of the games on the system, it will work with all of them once the sensitivity is adjusted.

There have been lots of posts asking how to connect a trackball/spinner to an X-in-1 board, but I don't remember ever seeing a post that ended with someone finding that you couldn't get a trackball/spinner working with it.


Scott

[ckalkhof]

Scott -
This is amazing. I had no idea the joystick used 4 then 8 way joystick movements! Now this is really getting to be fun, I love this stuff. Unfortunately, now I have more questions , but I don't want to consume too much of your time.

[PL1]

I had no idea the joystick used 4 then 8 way joystick movements!

The difference between a 4-way stick and an 8-way stick is the shape/size of the restrictor plate and/or actuator.
https://slagcoin.com/joystick/restrictors.html

A 4-way will have a diamond or clover-leaf shaped restrictor so you can hit the cardinal directions, but not diagonals.

An 8-way will have a square, circle or octagon restrictor.

The servo-switched ones turn the restrictor 45 degrees to switch between a 4-way diamond and an 8-way square.

The TRON stick has this diamond-shaped urethane restrictor.
- If you press lightly, you don't hit diagonals.
- If you press harder, you can hit diagonals.



The only level that really needs the 4-way is the Light Cycles.  If you hit a diagonal, you get a stair-step pattern.

The Battle Tanks level is technically 4-way, but will play OK in 8-way mode.

The I/O Tower and MCP Cone levels are both 8-way.

I have more questions

Ask away.   

If I take too long answering, you might find the answers in some of the over 1.7 million posts here.   



Scott