Main > Main Forum

Tron Style Joystick Options

(1/3) > >>

442much:
I just discovered this hobby before Christmas, and I have just started building my first cabinet.  Definitely lots to learn.  Anyway, I want to add a Tron Style joystick to my cabinet.  The new ones from Happs are just too expensive for me.  I looked at several pages on joystick hacks and decided to try that.  I went to several stores and there were very few options for PC joysticks anymore.  The only ones they had were very expensive. 

Does anybody know of a source for a good joystick to hack?  Another other options?

Thanks,

Dan

Kremmit:
If you're willing to be patient, you can watch ebay for the Happ-type sticks and get a used one a lot cheaper than from Happ.  If you want a new one, Ponyboy sells Happ products at a reduced price in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum.  If you want a cheaper PC stick to hack, try ebay or a surplus electronics site.

ArtMAME:
Tron is one of my favorite games, so a good trigger stick is a requirement for my CP.

The first thing I tried was an old Atari Wico bat handle joystick interfaced to my Ipac controller.  This joystick did the job OK.  Please reply to the post  or email me if you would like me to show you how I did this.

Next I tried the Saitek ST90 hack.  Here is a link:
http://www.willcoxonline.com/mame/controlpanel/controlpanel.htm

Here is a link with a couple of options.  This guy hacked a cheep PC joystick onto a Happ Super base. He also did a Saitek ST90 hack.
http://www.beersmith.com/mame/index.htm

The willcoxonline Saitek hack was pretty easy to do,  the beersmith hack looks a little more involved.  Anyway... the Saitek was cheep, about $15 new at Fry's.  and it has a USB plug so it is basically plug-and-play.  This joystick performed only so-so for Tron, it was OK for other games that use a trigger stick...for some reason, mine
was somewhat painful to use for more than a few minutes, I did not like it very much.

Right now I am using a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. Costs about $25 - $30 brand new and it feels pretty good, nice and smooth and ergonomic.  I have it mounted temporarily on a test control panel using plastic zip ties, so I can test its performance.  Works better for Tron than my previous trigger stick hacks.  But still it is not perfect.  But for now I will stay with this one since it performs very well for other games that would benefit from an analog stick like Blaster.  I even use it for Sinistar which originally uses a 49-way joystick.  Since the Logitech is an analog stick, it performs better than an 8-way for Sinistar.

Anyway, the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro is the best solution I have found  for me so far...but still not perfect.  I would like to get a Happ trigger stick but it is a bit expensive, and I have other projects that take up my time and money...oh well...someday...
 
I also have an early Oscar Spinner that works OK. I am in the process of building a better spinner.  I am doing doughansen's hard drive spinner hack:
http://www.doughansen.net/arcade/spinner.htm
I may post that when I am done...

Hope this helps...good luck :D

MinerAl:
Megamacs.com has a translucent blue joystick like the one I made this trigger stick hack with for $5.

ArtMAME:
Try going to the thrift stores in your area and see what they have.  I find old PC joysticks, console joysticks, trackball mice, computer parts, etc...  I have shelves full of old joystick and gamepad parts that I hack and experiment with.

Fry's has good deals (I live in the Metro Atlanta area) you can go there at:
http://www.outpost.com and order online.  I have never ordered online from them so I don't know how good their service is.  They have limited selection online.  They have way more stuff if you ever get a chance to go to one of the retail stores.

And then there is always Ebay... just keep a lookout and you may find something really cool...  8)


Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

Go to full version