Posted by Derrick Renaud on 15, 2001 at 6:20 PM:
In Reply to: I reckon it has to be mechanical posted by Andy Warne on 15, 2001 at 1:09 PM:
If you slowly move an 8-way joystick from center to (eg) the upper right diagonally, you will notice that 1 switch activates before the other.
If you move a little more up then right as you move the diagonal, then the up switch is activated first. If you move a little more right of the diagonal then up, you will notice the right switch is activated first. It is just about impossible to activate both switches at the same time. A micro running at 1MHz would sample at 1us.
It is a simple matter of only allowing the first switch to be activated. You now have a decent 4-way/8-way switchable joystick.
Mine works great. See link below for code.
I could probably sell them for $50 Canadian for 2. This would include an 18" ribbon cable for hookup. Everything would be soldered and ready to hook up. Just mount with the double sided tape provided. $30 for 1. Of course the toggle switch for 4/8 way would be extra and should be supplied by you to meet your cabinet needs. I could provide a nice black one for under $10 Canadian. Both ICs/Joysticks could share 1 switch.
American prices would have to be worked out based on exchange rates and a couple bucks more for the post office. Further then that and I would have to talk to the post office.
I personally use 2, because I set MAME on single control games, to function from either controls, for ease of use when playing 2 players. Instead of both players sharing 1 joystick.
$50 canadian is probably around $35US.
Remove the NOmoreSPAM to contact me.
Sorry if I am stepping on anyones toes, but this is electrically do-able.
Derrick
P.S. as a bonus, each IC will add turbo fire to 1 switch. With settings of Turbo Off / 2Hz / 4Hz / 8Hz.
: This is a great idea provided it is a mechanical method. This needs to limit movement of the stick just like the plates that are normally mounted on the back of a 4 way stick and can be flipped to make an 8-way. Real 4-way sticks have a diamond-shaped limit plate. It is not authentic at all doing this electronically because the feel is all wrong as anyone who has tried to play Pacman with an 8-way stick will know! You have to be able to slide the stick across the diagonal which you can't do unless there is a physical limitation.
: I have a version of the I-PAC firmware which does an 8 to 4-way "conversion" electronically, which I put together as a test but have no plans to incorporate this as it is not the real arcade "experience".