dc light gun question

[countchocula8]

hey guys, i'm thinking about getting a couple of lightguns for the ole dreamcasts, and i want to keep it kinda cheap.  from your experience, is there a difference b/w Interact's starfire and Madcatz dream blaster (is one better than the other accuracy wise)?  is there another better brand out there that i'm unaware of?  thanks

[versapak]

I have never used Interact's Starfire, but I have 2 of the MadCatz guns, and they both have worked flawlessly (On a RPTV none-the-less, so I definitely recommend em).

[Goz]

I've got some Interact Starfires but no MadKatz; but the starfires work well both with use on a TV and VGA monitor if that helps.

-Goz

[JB]

I have an AssCatz. Bought it because it was all I could find at the time.


The things are pretty back-heavy with a memcard inserted.

More importantly, their sights are grotesquely off-line. They shoot a good inch or 2 below where the sights point because someone thought it'd be cool to slope the top of the gun and mount the photosensor low, so you have to aim high to hit anything. Try to part someone's hair and you'll nail 'em in the chest every time.


I figured any lightgun was better than playing lightgun games with a gamepad.
I still play my DC lightgun games with a gamepad.

[countchocula8]

I have an AssCatz. Bought it because it was all I could find at the time.


The things are pretty back-heavy with a memcard inserted.

More importantly, their sights are grotesquely off-line. They shoot a good inch or 2 below where the sights point because someone thought it'd be cool to slope the top of the gun and mount the photosensor low, so you have to aim high to hit anything. Try to part someone's hair and you'll nail 'em in the chest every time.


I figured any lightgun was better than playing lightgun games with a gamepad.
I still play my DC lightgun games with a gamepad.

wow. that sucks. i was planning on grabbing the madcatz because of their availability.  lol on your comment about playing w/ the gamepad.  however, silentscope is kinda fun despite it's lack of gun support

I have never used Interact's Starfire, but I have 2 of the MadCatz guns, and they both have worked flawlessly (On a RPTV none-the-less, so I definitely recommend em).

do you have the same problem with your 'catz, versapak? just curious about your take on the situation.
thanks

[versapak]

Dunno what to say.


I have 2 of the MadCatz guns, and they both work flawlessly. I haven't actually ever tried em on VGA, but will do so here in a couple minutes.


I will post back my results.

[versapak]

Well, I just went and tested both guns out on VGA, and they worked extremely well there also.


I dunno what guns the prior poster had, but they sound like totally different guns to me, because there is NO way he was using the same kind I have.



[EDIT]

On a side note... I have had the VGA box for my DC for several years, and that is the first time I ever bothered to load up a shooter on there. I usually played em on the 50" telly for obvious reasons, but wow... HoTD2 looks really nice in VGA.

[Goz]

All of the shooters look nice on VGA even the craptacular Death Crimson OX.

-Goz

[versapak]

One question...

Do people actually use the sights on lightguns?


The post up top is the first I have ever heard of someone actually doing that.


I just take my first shot to get my bearings, and then my eye hand coordination seems to take over.


The only game I ever recall really using the sight is the Point Blank series, on those single shot stages.


Even so... How can the sights be off, when you actually calibrate the gun yourself?

[TalkingOctopus]

Even so... How can the sights be off, when you actually calibrate the gun yourself?

As soon as you move a little bit -- take a step left or right -- the sights are off.  I have the interact lightguns and I think they are good.

[versapak]

Even so... How can the sights be off, when you actually calibrate the gun yourself?

As soon as you move a little bit -- take a step left or right -- the sights are off. I have the interact lightguns and I think they are good.

That is with ANY light gun though. My point was that such a thing was not an actual problem with the MadCatz gun's sights.

[JB]

One question...

Do people actually use the sights on lightguns?


The post up top is the first I have ever heard of someone actually doing that.


I just take my first shot to get my bearings, and then my eye hand coordination seems to take over.

Not per se, but I line shots up with the top of the barrel.
I use the sights on the AssCatz because the "barrel" top  is curved, so that's not really an option. But they're wide enough that it's a lot more like looking across the barrel than it is using real sights.

Even so... How can the sights be off, when you actually calibrate the gun yourself?

Because when I calibrate the gun to match the sights, a good quarter of the screen is unhittable because I'm under the picture tube.


There is a VERY good reason that most guns, real and plastic both, put the barrrel opening along the top of the gun instead of the middle or bottom.
...
Well, there's mechanical restrictions on the construction of real guns, but...

[versapak]

I see.

Well...

It is never an issue that had come up in my use. I have always been able to hit everything I wanted to hit, where I want to hit, but I can certainly see where you are coming from.


They are the only DC gun I have used, and never felt the need to try another, so it could be that I am just ignorant to the greatness that could be another gun, but I stand by my recommendation of em.

[JB]

I see.

Well...

It is never an issue that had come up in my use. I have always been able to hit everything I wanted to hit, where I want to hit, but I can certainly see where you are coming from.


They are the only DC gun I have used, and never felt the need to try another, so it could be that I am just ignorant to the greatness that could be another gun, but I stand by my recommendation of em.

Remains my only DC gun too. Haven't come across another while I had cash to spend.

I've got a good bit of experience with the GunCon, Zapper, and Justifier, though. And I'm reasonably accurate with all of them(not that you have to be terribly precise with a Zapper, but...).


As far as usage patters go...
I tend to fire away from as far back as possible(the end of the room or cable, whichever comes first), since the distance exaggerates your motions and lets you retarget faster. 
It probably also makes that 1" diffrence on the AssCatz gun a lot more important for me than for "normal" usage, as I gather most people sit/stand a good bit closer than I do for gun games.

[countchocula8]

As far as usage patters go...
I tend to fire away from as far back as possible(the end of the room or cable, whichever comes first), since the distance exaggerates your motions and lets you retarget faster. 
It probably also makes that 1" diffrence on the AssCatz gun a lot more important for me than for "normal" usage, as I gather most people sit/stand a good bit closer than I do for gun games.

wow. thats actually a pretty good tip. i've never thought about it that way. kudos!

[JB]

As far as usage patters go...
I tend to fire away from as far back as possible(the end of the room or cable, whichever comes first), since the distance exaggerates your motions and lets you retarget faster. 
It probably also makes that 1" diffrence on the AssCatz gun a lot more important for me than for "normal" usage, as I gather most people sit/stand a good bit closer than I do for gun games.

wow. thats actually a pretty good tip. i've never thought about it that way. kudos!

No prob.


It DOES require finer control of the gun, so your mileage may vary.

But IMO, once you get used to the finer motions, you'll wonder how you ever played the games any other way.

[versapak]

I don't exactly sit close. I sit far enough away that an extension cable is needed, but then I play on a 50" tv, so distance there prolly can't really be compared.


When I play the shooters on my arcade machine, I am definitely on the closer side, as it feels kind of weird standing far back from the cab.

[Arcadiac]

Versapak am I right in assuming that you have something other than a rear-projection big screen tv?  What kind? 
Gun games on a big screen, great idea but I have a regular, not HD rear-projection TV, it won't work with mine will it?

Thanks, ARCADIAC!

[versapak]

Versapak am I right in assuming that you have something other than a rear-projection big screen tv? What kind?
Gun games on a big screen, great idea but I have a regular, not HD rear-projection TV, it won't work with mine will it?

Thanks, ARCADIAC!

I have never used Interact's Starfire, but I have 2 of the MadCatz guns, and they both have worked flawlessly (On a RPTV none-the-less, so I definitely recommend em).

It is an 8 year old non HD RPTV.

[Level42]

Anyone know anything about the Wireless Bio Gun, is it as good as a wired gun ?