Agreed. The best sticks have a moveable detent plate.


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Posted by Andy Warne on 17, 2001 at 5:49 PM:

In Reply to: Turning the rubber piece over is not the same as a 4-way joystick either. posted by Derrick Renaud on 16, 2001 at 1:40 PM:

The Happ super joysticks say they are 4/8 way switchable but in fact all they do is limit ability of the actuator to travel far enough to make both switches on a diagonal. There is still a circular field of movement. This is not a true 4 way stick because there is no mechanical detent into the 90 degrees and out of the diagonals. Also with this design there is a large dead area when set to 4 way, when no switches are made. There does not appear to be any reason why this stick should ever be set to 4-way as there is no benefit. The Suzo System 500 stick does it right, they use a rotatable plate with a square hole. The square is either set upright (8 way) or rotated 45 deg (4 way). This replicates exactly the feel of a 4 way stick. (it can be set to 2-way as well) Some other sticks have a plate with two holes which can be screwed in either position.
A real 4 way stick uses a limit plate like this but fixed.
The original Namco Pacman sticks used a limit plate in front of the switches. This was metal and so was the shaft, so they used to be quickly worn away making the hole round, and the game much more difficult to play because you could not "find" the 90 degree directions so easily.


: If you have ever seen a true 4-way jostick, it does not have metal levers on the switch. It just uses the small switch activator mounted so the activator is at the center of the direction.

: An 8-way puts a lever on the switch and mounts it so the activator is off side from center. Turning the rubber piece on bottom of the joystick handle around does not do true 4 way either.

: So if you want to be a purest, feel free to use only true 4-way joysticks.

: But my circuit comes as close as you are going to get. Especially when passing thru center first. 4-ways should switch direction when 45degrees from center. My IC switches (depending on the joystick used) about 60 degrees, when rotating thru directions. And has close to 45 degrees on either side when passing thru center. Slowing rotate an 8-way joystick and listen to the switches click. 1 always activates before the other on diagonals, depending if you are left or right of the diagonal. This tells you your response points.

: This circuit is for people who want the best of both worlds and do not want to mount 2 different joysticks. If you don't like it don't use it. But a mechanical switch is not going to be any better.

: I will post some true joystick switch shots, if I can get them, to explain the difference.

: Also if you think I am trying to make money at this you are wrong. Everything is there to make your own on my site. If I bought enough parts to make 50 I could sell them for $25 canadian for 2 (including wires and shipping)

:
: : A circuit CANNOT "switch" an 8-way stick to a 4-way. NEVER.

: : Here's why: In a 4-way stick you can NEVER activate two switches at once. A properly set up 8-way stick should easily activate two switches with a minor amount of deflection. So all a conversion circuit does is create a partially disabled 8-way stick rather than a properly functioning 4-way stick...

: : the Mav




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