That’s because it is a professional stick. The X-arcade is a commercial outfit.
why don’t they get their heads out of their asses and stop making those sticks sooo close together…man, they’re asking for people to have bruised elbows.:bluu:
Yeah, they do it to the Computer thread also. Haters:bluu:
damn that trackball guy looked like he did wayyy more work than needed. Buying the metal carriage bolts to tie him over until the brass ones get there. lol.
I was referring to the second link I posted. I know that they sell the X-Arcade and knew before it was popular and was linked by many websites. I mean that guy had all the tools and shit, literally he had a freakin wood shop with everything he needed to work with. I don’t have much, but if I did my sticks would look somewhat professional like his.
He’s a woodworker. In my opinion, the woodworking is more difficult than the electronics in joystick making. Not necessarily in terms of complexity but effort, time, and patience are taxed much more when building the box compared to doing the actual crimping, and soldering (I find it quite relaxing to crimp and solder actually).
I agree, building the enclosure takes me a while. Getting the proper measurements, experimenting, sanding, cutting, drilling, painting, leveling and etc… That shit adds up to mad hours, then putting it together is another thing, making sure everything fits and are even and whatnot. The wiring part doesn’t take that long, not does the crimping or soldering.
My friends and I are making 4 arcade sticks in our electronics class at school. This will be the first sticks we’ve made, and although we feel we have a fairly good grasp on what we are doing, we currently aren’t entirely sure what sticks to use.
Currently we already have a Perfect 360 and a Super, and we were originally planning to make the other sticks both Ultimates. Then we read the reviews at arcadecontrols, and they mostly gave us negative thoughts about the Ultimate joysticks. We aren’t going to get anymore Perfect 360s, so that’s not an option really. So what are all your opinions on the Ultimates? I’m sure this has already been talked about earlier in this thread, if so, what pages? If they suck, should we use more Supers, or Competition joysticks? Of course, if the Perfect 360s go on sale again, I just might open that option back up. So anyways, I need opinions.
I’m extremely new to this, I just wanna know how u can switch the X-arcade stick and buttons for new Happ ones? pics also plz
Yeah, you’re better off with competition joysticks. They’re the closest thing to real arcade joysticks… heck they ARE what most arcades use. Ultimate joysticks are not as good because when you rotate the joystick, you will feel restricted because the rotation will be in an octagon shape and not in a full circle, making it really hard to pull off 360 rotations.
Go with the Competition joysticks. I haven’t made a controller using Perfect 360s yet, you’ll have to tell me if it’s worth spending the extra 30 bucks for that.
Ehm, the Competitions have that SAME square actuator. It feels square and it’s not as easy to do 360 and 720 motions.
I’d go with the Supers if I wanted a round feel and couldn’t get the p360s.
If you like that square feel then sure, go for the Comps. But stay away from the ultimates.
Yes, Competition and Ultimates both uses square actuators(whatever they’re called). Let’s see, how do I explain this…
Competition joystick’s square actuator only triggers the microswitches and stops short from hitting the housing units of the microswitch… while Ultimate sticks has an larger radious to its rotation and hits the housing units, generating an restricting octagon feel to its rotation.
I explained this to the people at HappsControls a while ago when I returned my ultimates. When you actually play with the Competition stick, there’s no restricting feel when you do 360 degree rotations. Competition joystick is basically the best priced sticks for game play. My friend has a controller using Supers, it’s a bit shorter than Competition and performs about the same.
I guess it’s really preference which sticks you use… just stay away from Ultimates because it really sucks.
I’d go with competitions. This is how I view this and how it feels to me.
Competitions: I can feel each direction (8-way), and I know I am hitting each direction.
Super: I can’t feel each direction as much as a competition, but I know I am hitting each direction.
Like m3talslug said, the competitions feel more sqaure, but it’s a little harder to hit 360’s and 720’s, but still pretty easy. And the supers you can hit a little easier, but I think you loose some feeling with a super…
that’s my $.02
http://www.oscarcontrols.com/joycompare/joyreview1_2.htm
There’s a review site for each of those. I personally like the competition best, I even like it better than a 360 because I can feel each direction…
I’ve use an ultimate stick for a year and never really had much trouble for it, and thats is right about competitions stick. You can’t feel the corners as much on a competition stick. I’m using a super stick right now and it works great. The shaft is a little shorter though.
I want a custom arcade stick, but Im not so
techy in making them. but my friend is!
however, he’s not good with the wood,
only good at wiring. so, I wanted to point
this one out!
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=pete77_sbay&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25
stay tuned to that guy! he usually puts up
empty wooden cases so people horrible
at woodwork like me can make custom sticks!
(btw the link may be empty. if that’s the case
check out an old auction of his:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3021202993&category=3677 )
the only bad part is price!! I won a case for $8
and T Molding + Rubber feet + shipping
added another $16 to the total!! not to mention
I still needa buy the buttons, a stick, ps2 pad,
and pay my friend a bit of cash to do it for me.
and down the line there’s the ps2->dc adapter…
SO EXPENSIVE!:eek:
edit: for no good reason at all, here’s somethin
else u can find on ebay (sorry if ive seen it before)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20385&item=3016493858
pretty on the outside, but skin deep it’s UGLY!!
look at how huge it is!! it’s taller than me!:lol:
btw his latest ones are small… finally
I don’t know how many times I explained it in this thread, but here it goes again…
It’s all preference to what game(s) you play
Some people like their sticks tight…
… others like theirs loose and broken in.
Ultimates have the cheap feeling, but you’re able to perfrom 360’s and 720’s better than Competitions
Competitions feels nicer, but you can feel the directions a bit too much.
P360’s are really great. No clicking noises, the handle feels nice, but it’s bit pricey.
About the shaft length, that could be fixed with a little routing of the joystick mounting box or whatever you want to call it. Just route in the wood about half way or less (the deeper, the longer the shaft), insert the mount box and screw it down then install the shaft and test out the length. No problem.
Almost forgot… Supers are okay as some people love them cuz of the 360 feel or something. I hate em and this is why: In the end, the leaf switches tends to bend in and you won’t get a response so you’ll have to go in and bend them a little so it’ll connect when the ROUND actuator makes contact. Personally I prefer the square actuators over the circle ones.
Whatever feels good to you it the one you should get. Not only that, but if you can pull everything off also, then that’s the one.
Rotendo,
I would just like to say thx for starting this thread and even now helping ppl out, with this thread i been able to make great sticks for me and my friends. and saved lots of money.
I have a masstick and i gotta say that there is nothing better then playing on your own stick. With your own stick you can choose the spacing between your the joystick and button, add more wrist space and make the stick itself heavy or light and have a custom design of your choice.
about joysticks, how long does it take you guys to “break” in a p360? i have had mine for at least 2 months now and it still so stiff.
Thanks again Retendo, your da man!
~RaNDoM
Thanks, I really appreciate the appraisal and shit. If you have a older joystick that’s broken in, what I would suggest doing is using it’s spring (as it should be really loose and springy) and put it in the p360. Of course you’ll have to take it apart and etc… to switch out the springs. DON’T LOSE ANY SCREWS OR PIECES!!
note: doesn’t matter what previous stick i.e. super/competition/ultimate; they all use the same type springs.
There you go, a broken in p360 in a matter of minutes!!
I would like to say thx also, for starting this thread and helping people out with making sticks. Much info was scattered through different webpages in the past, unless people had the idea to look for it, they would’ve never find it.
What we need is to clear up the threads, because after awhile the threads just grows too big for people to read through everything, so newbies keep asking questions previously answered… adding more volume to the threads.
Have you tried to contact the webmaster to see if we could start a FAQ page on building sticks? I guess info on modifying various pads would be helpful so people don’t ask the same questions over and over.
Thanks Rotendo
Ok, so I’m thinking at least 1 Competition. I’m not too worried about needing to bend the micro-switches in the supers, because, that’s nothing. One thing I like about sticks beside P360 is that they click, and clicky is coo! 
So I know I’ll get at least one Competition one, but I’m not sure if the other should be Super or Competition.