Buttons, which ones to choose

Tech Talk
1

Ahoy, I got a SE fightstick when SF4 was launched (after playing on a 360 controller for two days and going insane when the guide button got pressed while doing Guile’s ultra or then I needed to hit LB and it just wouldn’t come out)

And though I had seen custom jobs I prohibited myself from messing with it, it was still under warranty and unlike some people I prefer not risking an investment, even if it means my stick would rock!… well, until recently.

I work in an arcade, I knew what was wrong with my A button… sediment had gotten on the little ball on the inside of the button making it so it only worked 30-50% of the time… and seeing as thats how I get from match to match, needed to be fixed. I called MadCatz up and the guy I got was funny, we both knew what was wrong and the guy agreed to allow my warranty to include even if the thing is opened and severely maimed…

That bieng said, I am now free to pop the sucker open and put whatever I want into it… But I am new to modding and would like some input.

I like the semitsu buttons, so I am tempted to stick with them, but Sanwa seems to be all the craze… the problem bieng the only Sanwa buttons I can find are in beat up old arcade games (the arcade I work in sucks… one fighting game Tekken 5 (me so sad) )

So from professional modders and players, what is your suggestion for a SF4 stick…

Note: I prefer convex over concave for buttons, Im sticking with my stick as I like it, responsive and since I play charge characters primarily (Blanka, Guile and Gen) the square gate is dead sexy) and the ball top is perfect for my hand, though I may change the color. Also, I will be using the same stick for MvC2 when released on x360 (my Dreamcast can finally rest…) so buttons that go good for both would be preferable…

Sorry for the long post, but for the TL;DR crowd, me first time builder, play SF4/MvC2 what me get for buttons.

2

Sanwa’s are super sensitive, when I first switched to them, I thought they were defective because things I kept on doing EX moves on accident. It turns out that I berly pushed down the other button with my other finger…

They are very responsive also.

3

Sanwa

4

If you want Convex, Sanwa is more convex than Seimitsu. Seimitsus are almost flat. I myself prefer Seimitsu. A Sanwa button will activate if a single drop of sweat falls on it. I am heavy fingered so I Seimitsus are better for me. But you might want to go with Sanwa. But them clear Seimitsus are soo damn pretty.

5

Go with what you are used to or am familiar with. It sounds like you might want to stick with the Seimitsu buttons though.

I grew up playing in US arcades in the 80s and 90s and until this year I couldn’t tell what type of player I was. It turns out that I am one of those that will double tap or triple tap on a button with enough force {As a test, try pushing on your buttons and see if you are one of those heavy tappers or mashers; if you are using enough force to basically dent an empty soda can, then you are like me, a masher… sorry its the best analogy I can come up with}, mainly because of those old concave buttons I was used to back when I was a teenager (I think they may have been Happ buttons). I have a modded SE with all Sanwa parts because I bought into the Sanwa craze and for some reason something just wasn’t feeling right. At first I thought I was too slow but I found recently (because I got a hold of a new stick with Seimitsu buttons) that the Sanwa’s were too sensitive and I was pushing them too hard or too quick and that my timing was off even for a few hundredths of a second. The Sanwas are pretty sensitive that a slight push {that won’t dent a soda can} can trigger an input. I’m sure with enough time I might have gotten used to the so called Sanwa sensitivity, but to me the Seimitsu just feel closer to what I was used to and feel more familiar to those buttons I grew up with. I think that it turns out that the Sanwas were just too sensitive for me. Don’t get me wrong, the Seimitsu buttons are still fairly sensitive, just not as much as a Sanwa. One of these days I will try a Happ to see if that is what I was used to growing up, but I am pretty satisfied with Seimitsu.

So if you think you are used to Seimitsu, try sticking with it… or you can always buy different buttons from lizardlick or modchipman, since buttons are failrly cheap and see what works for you.

Sorry for my winded rant, but I hope its helpful.

6

Hm, I’m thinking of swapping to sanwa, I do have the problem of sometimes underpressing the Semitsu buttons…

Though, I also have a low angle of attack and already have a problem of sometimes clipping the edge of a kick while tapping a punch, blurgh

What I really need is a decent coffee table, playing on my lap sucks.

Thanks for the help, probably gunna go sanwa unless I see a light grey button in semitsu (I can’t find like any grey buttons except the sanwa Black/Gray, whats with the hate on gray >.<)

7

I am in the process of making two cases, one i used Sanwa buttons and the other Seimitsu. When testing the sanwa i found them to be way to sensitive for me, guess i have heavy fingers. Seimitsu worked perfectly for me, just the right pressure to pull off the moves i wanted.

best i can say is test both and see what works for you.