Realistic pinball NUDGE controls?

[chemame]

I finally got my mercury switches from jameco, and mounted them inside my control panel, wired to my keywiz, so I can have realistic NUDGE functionality. Hit on the control panel like you would hit a pinball table, and the NUDGE keys register.

I even have the sensitivity set so that hitting on the right only triggers NUDGE from the right, hitting on the left triggers from the left (switches are mounted on the left and on the right edges inside my control panel)

My only issue so far is NUDGE UP (mounted center inside edge), which doesn't work so well... it does exactly what I thought it would, which is that it triggers NUDGE RIGHT or NUDGE LEFT just as often as it triggers NUDGE UP. Oh well, a step in the right direction anyway.

Also, I haven't yet, but need to install an inline cutoff switch for the ground to the mercury switches, so you can avoid accidentally triggering those keypresses when you're in other emulators. Maybe over the weekend.

Anyone have any thoughts on a good solution to the NUDGE UP problem? Or any thoughts in general about other ways to achieve the same goal?

fwiw, I mostly use Microsoft Pinball Arcade (I know, blashpemy!), and also Addiction Pinball.

Chemame

[Lilwolf]

As for the up nudge.  Its probably because your cabinet is more sturdy (longer base on that axis) from that side.  You might just need to make it more sensitive.

I would LOVE to see pictures and prices for what you have.  I have always considered making a control panel that doesn't lock down, but instead uses springs to center itself... And add some switches for nudging... But if I could get them to work without it... that would SWEET!

[jelwell]

I have mercury switches as well as an original pinball plumb. But I disabled all of it since:
1) I don't want to encourage people to hit my cabinet.
2) I never mastered, let alone used, the nudging concept when I did play original pinball machines.

How do you keep your control panel from being damaged? I'm afraid my t-molding will fall out, that my plexi glass will chip.
Joseph Elwell.

[chemame]

There's advantages to being DIRT POOR. I have neither t-molding nor plexiglass. My top is just a nice counter-top sink cutout, with the edges sanded and painted, and it is mounted on a nice MDF enclosure, smooth as glass as MDF tends to be. Whole panel cost me $50, and that includes two topfire super joysticks and 28 competition buttons from happ.

It ain't the purtiest, but it ain't so cheesey neither. As far as hitting it, I think it will be ok, but yeah it was already sort of a concern, we'll see how it goes.

Oh also I found out from my dad that these aren't truly mercury switches, they apparently stopped making those long ago and I must just have it burned in my memory from childhood that mercury rules (well, it does, doesn't it?). Apparently now it's little tiny balls rolling around inside the damn thing. Must take some tiny little fingers to assemble these puppies.

Chemame

[youki]

If you want realistic Pinball control , you should find something like my cab. 

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,35685.0.html


 

[chemame]

Sure enough, that is very cool.

Does it nudge when you hit it?

Chemame