So I just got my first stick (been a keyboard player before that). My friend was in China and picked up a Qanba Q4 for me. I’ve got to say that I love the stick, but the buttons are another issue.
Everyone has been really hyping up Sanwa buttons here, but the buttons that came with my stick were really sensitive, mushy, and did not offer strong tactile feedback. The start button on the other hand, which people mentioned was not Sanwa and was “cheap”, is in my opinion quite clicky and pleasant to press.
I suppose this is simply the way that Japanese arcade buttons are set up, but I’m not sure I like it. There’s no clear breaking point between when the button is pressed and when it isn’t, like there is for the cheaper button. As someone who played on an IBM Model M buckling spring keyboard, this lack of click is kind of hard to get used to, unnerving even.
Can anyone recommend a brand of buttons that is really clicky and has a strong sense of tactile feedback? I don’t want the buttons to be clicky to the point of being hard to press, but I don’t want them to have no feel either, which the Sanwas do.
You got a pretty damn good stick dude. PS3/360/PC compatibility! Switch your buttons to seimitsu I guess? HOW IS ONE NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS STICK!!! I DON’T UNDERSTAND!
Oh don’t get me wrong I love the stick. I’m just not too fond with the buttons haha. Are Seimitsu’s much clickier? The clickiness level of the “cheap start button” is okay for me I suppose.
Get some Seimitsu Snap-in’s. Should solve the problems you have with the stock sanwa buttons. Seimitsu buttons click quieter and have a bit more resistance. It takes about 5 grams of pressure to activate a sanwa switch, and about 6.5 for a seimitsu.
Seimitsu PS-14/15s don’t click, they just offer a bit more resistance.
That said, from a competition standpoint, for certain games, you do want less resistance, not more. IMO, it’s so much easier to plink, kara, mash on buttons with less resistance.
Personally, though, I would just try to get used to the Sanwas. Not only are they better for the kinds of techniques required of fighting games, they’re also the most ubiquitous. If you ever need to borrow someone else’s stick, the chances are they’ll have Sanwas. If you ever go to an arcade, with actual arcade cabinets, you can bet that the buttons in them will be Sanwas.
As for the tactile feedback when you’re playing, that’s just something that will come from experience. I’ve found that a side effect of learning to hit buttons within strict timing (plinking, 1 or 2-frame links) is you’ll naturally start hitting the buttons quickly, and as a side effect, more percussively.
At that point, it doesn’t matter if the buttons click or not, it’s just important that it’ll engage as quickly as possible, and disengage as fast as possible when you release. This is especially important for double-tapping and pianoing (i.e. Chun-li’s legs, or Blanka’s electricity).
But hey, it’s your stick, your choice, and your preference. If you do decide to try out different buttons, hang on to your Sanwas for more options in the future =P.
Since you already have a stick, there’s really not much you can do with the buttons without sacrificing quality. This is because the buttons holes are already 30mm so you can only use 30mm buttons without extensive modding.
I’d say your only two options are to learn to love the Sanwas or try out Seimitsu buttons. The Seimitsus have a bit more “feel” but it’s really about the same as Sanwas. If you ever play anywhere other than on your own stick, you most likely will have to use Sanwa parts since those are the standard. Based on that, I’d just try to get used to playing on the Sanwas for convenience.
I also love model Ms, and I think you might want to look into Happ competition pushbuttons. When I built my controller, I used them for the directions. They have cherry microswitches, and work very well. I suppose it’s not really much help if you’ve already purchased a controller, but something to keep in mind if you ever decide to build one.
I actually use an IBM Model M, so I know that distinct click that you’re looking for. You’re not going to get it out of those puny microswitches used in standard Seimitsu or Sanwa buttons, or even the larger ones used in their -RG buttons. You need one of these:
What you’ll want are Happ Competitions or Sanwa OBS-30As. However, the problem with these buttons is that they are very long - and because everyone is too busy preferring standard Sanwa buttons, very few cases produced today are actually tall enough to accommodate them. I do not know if the Qanba is tall enough, and that is something you’ll likely need to find out on your own.
Is there a better word to use to describe the way Japanese style buttons have taken over the market and American style buttons have become relegated to existing only to invoke feelings of nostalgia?
I DON’T UNDERSTAND!