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What specialty controller should be reproduced next?
Kevin Mullins:
--- Quote from: RandyT on August 20, 2006, 10:35:18 am ---
--- Quote from: Kevin Mullins on August 19, 2006, 11:36:34 pm ---
--- Quote from: Dreamwriter on August 19, 2006, 11:12:17 pm ---some sort of electronic pinball plunger that would work with Visual PinMame, that aspect of Pinball is sorely lacking on PC.
--- End quote ---
http://www.johnsretroarcade.com/hardware_pinball.asp
--- End quote ---
While this is an interesting approach, he went through a lot of trouble to do something that could be accomplished with a standard pushbutton with wires connected to the NC contacts of the microswitch. :)
RandyT
--- End quote ---
Yes.... you are correct.... a button will activate the plunger.
But wouldn't that defeat the purpose of the whole concept of having an actual pinball plunger.
I play Visual Pinball all the time on my PC and have the "enter/plunger" mapped to a button an X-Arcade panel I've had around for years. (N.O. switch btw)
But if I were to put any type of PC pinball in a cab I would set up an actual plunger.
I'm sure there's a couple other variations of this setup around, just have to look around some more.
Cameronj:
I would really like some good virtual on twin sticks that work well (and could hook up to my dreamcast also. I have the real arcade in my garage and I really like how they feel and play.
mark shaker:
--- Quote from: Kevin Mullins on August 20, 2006, 02:07:15 pm ---
--- Quote from: RandyT on August 20, 2006, 10:35:18 am ---
--- Quote from: Kevin Mullins on August 19, 2006, 11:36:34 pm ---
--- Quote from: Dreamwriter on August 19, 2006, 11:12:17 pm ---some sort of electronic pinball plunger that would work with Visual PinMame, that aspect of Pinball is sorely lacking on PC.
--- End quote ---
http://www.johnsretroarcade.com/hardware_pinball.asp
--- End quote ---
While this is an interesting approach, he went through a lot of trouble to do something that could be accomplished with a standard pushbutton with wires connected to the NC contacts of the microswitch. :)
RandyT
--- End quote ---
Yes.... you are correct.... a button will activate the plunger.
But wouldn't that defeat the purpose of the whole concept of having an actual pinball plunger.
I play Visual Pinball all the time on my PC and have the "enter/plunger" mapped to a button an X-Arcade panel I've had around for years. (N.O. switch btw)
But if I were to put any type of PC pinball in a cab I would set up an actual plunger.
I'm sure there's a couple other variations of this setup around, just have to look around some more.
--- End quote ---
I think what he meant was that you can use a standard plunger to push a button hooked to a keyboard encoder to the Normally Closed leads, so that when the plunger was pulled back the circuit would be closed and in effect press the enter key, when the plunger was released the circuit would be opened releasing the enter key.
The thing that the circuit adds over a simple switch is to remove any bouncing when the plunger was released.
- Mark
mark shaker:
My thoughts on the items mentioned so far, plus a couple other ideas:
Leaf Stick: I think that a really high quality Leaf Joystick might be the best thing to produce. It's has relatively low complexity, with a relatively high demand.
Lightguns: Gun-Con, Act-Labs, Top-Gun are available, but another option would be nice.
Restrictor Plates: I like the physical feel of my Oscar Control's Restrictor Plates, but I think that most of the community seems to prefer the programmability of the 49-way adapters or the new Ultimarc stick.
8-Way Push to Fire Knob: *I* want one, but I'm afraid that the demand would not justify producing them.
Star Wars Yoke: Originals are readily available. Repros have been done, but none with a constant supply.
Positional Guns: I'm not much of a fan of positional gun games, but I bought one intending to make a add-on to one of my games. The problem was it did not have the range of motion for a 27" monitor. I would like to have one designed for a large monitor, as it would enable a lot of games.
Beatmania Table: I've never played the game, but it could be fun ... (When I get my Major Havoc controller, I'm planning to make it's mounting rotatable, so the roller will rotate either left-right or up-down. I'm hoping it will work well with Beatmania while in the up-down position.)
- Mark
RandyT:
--- Quote from: mark shaker on August 20, 2006, 03:44:24 pm ---I think what he meant was that you can use a standard plunger to push a button hooked to a keyboard encoder to the Normally Closed leads, so that when the plunger was pulled back the circuit would be closed and in effect press the enter key, when the plunger was released the circuit would be opened releasing the enter key.
The thing that the circuit adds over a simple switch is to remove any bouncing when the plunger was released.
--- End quote ---
Correct, except that the circuit is only really required because of the method used. The plunger does bounce a bit upon release, even on a real machine with a ball in play, and mechanical interference between the parts will greatly minimize this anyway. A little bounce in PinMAME at ball release has no effect, so the net gain for all the trouble and expense is "zip".
Again, interesting approach, but it's like smashing an ant with a 30lb sledge. ;)
RandyT
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