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Anybody know what is unique about the Sinistar controls?

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MPTech:
I do searches before I ask, but I'm not going to spend hours / days reading hundreds of posts. I have other things in life as well.  I thought the purpose of this forum was to share knowledge.  Others don't seem to be as "bothered" as you.

I believe you have assumed too much.
Do a Goggle search on Sinistar  or search this forum (I did) and tell me if you find the answer.  Just because it is a 49-way, doesn't tell me if I can get my joystick to work.  (btw, Tiger-Heli, I did understand your explanation and historical application in the Sinistar games (I didn't know that and it was interesting) what I didn't understand was if I could get mine to function like one).  This was the first game I tried playing (that I'm aware of) that requires a 49-way. I may come back and try re-mapping it later, but it's not worth the effort for this 1 game.  I was just asking.  And again, thanks for the information.

HC, ya know, I tried to be nice, but you are rather rude.  Not once, but repeatedly.
I've asked questions before and you do come across as very condescending.
I was appreciative of your assistance, but please don't belittle me.  (slow learner(?), this is really not a humorous comment to someone you don't know) (btw, I have a Masters Degree in Business & Information Technology and taught graduate courses as a professor at a top 100 University, in these disciplans for 5 years. I'm also a certified Project Manager Professional.  So go ahead and call me a slow learner, but pray to god you are never in a class I teach   :badmood:.
I'm sorry if my questions don't challenge you or invoke a deep debate, I'm looking for simple answers so I can enjoy playing my arcade. 


Spending more than a few minutes (and I did perform my due-diligence in researching it) is not the best use of my valuable time.  I asked because I thought somebody may have already come across this. Just because I've been at this for almost a year doesn't mean I've spent every waking hour, absorbed in it.  100+ posts is 2 or 3 questions a week.  I work 60 - 70 a week and have a family too.  I also donate my time and perform charitable work.  Please don't preach to me about "teach a man to fish.....".

If I was lost on a road, after a few minutes (not hours), I'd ask someone in the area for directions, but I wouldn't ask him to drive me there.

I respect your knowledge, but not your tone.
I can only presume you are not mature enough to respect someone you haven't met in person.  I hope you aquire this skill as you grow older.  I speak to people all over the globe every day in my business and I never treat them the way you treated me. 

Treat others as you would have them treat you.

u_rebelscum:

--- Quote from: MiKman on September 12, 2006, 09:10:54 pm ---Well I like to think I have been aound the block for awhile and believe it or not I am quite computer literate but I have no idea what HC is attempting to elude to with the following comment.


--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on September 10, 2006, 01:34:26 pm ---49 way games are mapped to the ad_stick. 

--- End quote ---

--- End quote ---

It was in reference to the post prior to Howard's:


--- Quote from: Tiger-Heli on September 09, 2006, 04:54:19 pm ---... get the best gameplay from an analog joystick (PC flightstick).  If you don't have one, you should be able to at least move the stick using an 8-way stick, but you probably have to go into MAME and tell it that for 49-way games you want to use the keyboard, but I'm not sure how to do this anymore.  You can probably find out at http://www.mameworld.net/easyemu/mameguide/mamecontrolini.htm

--- End quote ---

Mame generalizes all analog joysticks (flightstick, Hall Effect, 49-way, ect) as "ad_stick".  You need to know this (aka "what Howard said") if you want to used the ctrlr file like Tiger hinted at using.  You can also see this if you use the tab remapping as "AD Stick", or look in the listxml as "stick".


Now we get into opinion.  IMO, all games that used any type of analog input, including those catergorized as "ad_stick" in mame, suck with 8-way sticks (those on the X-arcade).  The X-Arcade so called "analog" mode doesn't help in mame since mame does the same thing in software already.  Some of these games are "playable" to some people, but it's worse than the original controls.  To me that means "sucks".

So back to the original question: you're using the wrong control.  Period, IMO.  But look at the prior posts for alternatives.

There are currently four games in mame that emulate the 49-way control, and about 10 more game that don't run on current speed PCs and/or the 49-way control is not emulated yet.  (hint: google "sinistar mame")

MPTech:
very helpful u_rebelscum , THANKS!
Sounds like I would be disapointed if I did get it to work, so I'll pass for the time being.  But the information is good to know, and for anyone else that would be interested.  (btw, I didn't try Sinistar MAME, just Sinistar.

Tiger-Heli:

--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on September 12, 2006, 08:45:21 pm ---I wouldn't have made it a point to say so except that you call my response abrasive in the first sentence, and then elude to what I was getting at originally in your next.

Nicer words don't change your meaning man.  ;)

--- End quote ---
But they do make the reply seem less "abrasive."   :laugh2:

Example (to nobody in particular):  If I say:  "You're an eff-ing idiot" or "You lack the mental capacity to fully grasp the options presented to you", I've basically said the same thing.  Which would you rather hear?

Tiger-Heli:

--- Quote from: MPTech on September 13, 2006, 01:13:15 am ---This was the first game I tried playing (that I'm aware of) that requires a 49-way. I may come back and try re-mapping it later, but it's not worth the effort for this 1 game.  I was just asking.  And again, thanks for the information.

--- End quote ---
It seems odd that you haven't run into this before - with analog stick (or similar games).  Try playing Star Wars or Spy Hunter or OutRun or Chase HQ with your X-Arcade, then with a flightstick, then with a 270-degree wheel, then with a true SW yoke.  For different people, each of these controls will or will not be acceptable.

For Sinistar, in order of increasing responsiveness, your options are (urebel - correct me if I am wrong):

1)  Use the X-arcade and map Map to use keyboard inputs.  You will be able to move the ship, but it will be either full speed or stopped, and SiniStar wants a fine level of control for accurate play, so you probably won't be happy.

2)  Connect a flightstick (cheap $10 PC Joystick) and map MAME to the AD_Stick output.  MAME now knows intermediate joystick positions, but you lack the centering spider, so gameplay may suffer.

3)  Rig your own centering spider to a flightstick (closer) - google or search the forum for Xiaou2 and Sinistar together for more info.

4)  Buy a 49-way stick and ideally a GP-Wiz49 for www.groovygamegear.com (or maybe Daveb's AKI or Ultimarc's A-Wiz).  This converts the input to analog but does a much better job than the flightstick.

5)  Add a centering spider (original repros are available) to the 49-way stick.

6)  Wire the 49-way stick directly to 7 (8?) inputs on a keyboard encoder and use a build of MAME (main build or certain version of Analog Plus (???)) that directly supports it.  Absolutely accurate (assuming you also have the centering spider), but the stick will only work for SiniStar and Blaster and maybe two or three other games.

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