I asked it before, but… Is the Hori DoA5 a good stick? I want to buy it, but i need it for PS3/PC, and i don’t know if it works on pc… so, if someone knows, pls, tell me >.<
No, The DOA 5 stick is a piece of shit.
You are better off getting a Hori Hrap 3 or Hrap EX and modding it with our own art
I’m trying to figure out whether or not I should get a new stick, as well as what stick to purchase if I do. I currently have a Tournament Edition S stick, but it fell and the ball top is scratched and my Y button is sticking on the way up (button was sticking before the fall). Regardless of the fact that it fell I have been interested in a new stick for quite some time. One of the things I’m trying to figure out is whether or not a better / different stick actually gives you better in game performance. I assume my stick has all sanwa parts, so if sanwa is (assumingly) the best then wouldn’t a new stick only differ in aesthetics / cross platform functionality? I was looking at these Panzer customs (https://www.jasenscustoms.com/Panzer-Fight-Sticks-and-Accessories/) but I honestly know very little about customs. I would be interested in that for the potential to have it work on XboxOne, as well as all of the current consoles (I sent him an email asking if that’s possible). The front page talks about how this stick has a better PCB or that stick has a crappier one. What does the PCB matter in these instances? There’s just so much information here and I’m completely overwhelmed - and have been for a long time. I’d like to keep the stick under $300 so if anyone has any recommendations that would be great. I do not want some massively wide stick so please veer away from those. Thanks
You can replace the balltop and button (might only need cleaned with alcohol, or a microswitch, which is slightly cheaper than a new button) on your TE-S at a very low cost. As long as a stick has quality parts and a working, non-laggy pcb, and performance difference would come from your comfort level with the layout and your lever (the stick itself) preference (buttons too, albeit to a much lesser extent). You could experiment with different restrictor gate inserts (octagonal, circle, or the multitude of options @Moonchilde is working on), different actuators, different springs, and even a bat-top with the JLF your stick already has. Seimitsu levers (get the pcb types, and be sure to buy the correct mounting plate), the Hori Hayabusa, Sanwa JLW (needs 5 pin conversion harness, and I’m not 100% sure it will fit height wise)and the Crown 303-FK (would need a 5pin conversion harness also) will all mount/connect in your stick very easily, and a lever mod or swap will definitely provide more of a feel change than buying another stick with the same Sanwa parts yours came with.
As for cross compatibility, you can put custom PCB’s and padhacks in any case that has the space for them, just takes a little know how to do. Currently a padhack (and not a good one to start with, at least until the crossbone is released) is your best option for Xbone support, and there is no good non professional padhack for PS4 yet (ps360+ pcb is supposed to be working on PS4 support, don’t know how long that will be). Hori has a (currently import only) PS4 stick, and Madcatz is about to release a PS4/PS3 stick, although I don’t know if either of those will be easy to dual mod (depends on how they’re grounded).
If I was building for Xbone + outgoing gen support, I’d use a PS360+ and a Xbone padhack. The case and parts are a matter of your preference- you could use your existing case, or you could gut the lever/buttons to put into a custom build and sell your empty TE-S shell here. I will say that Jasen (the Panzer guy) is great to do business with and makes a very rugged product. Definitely not the cheapest solution, but a high quality one that you have several options with.
Thanks a ton for all of your information. I am also looking at GiantSword for a custom. If I decided to go for a cheaper option (not necessarily cheap, just not as expensive as a custom) do you have any recommendations? I was looking at the Razer stick for a while. Would that be better than my TE-S? As of this moment I only have need to use my stick for PC / Xbox 360. As long as I have to option to mod it to XboxOne in the future (when street fighter even comes out on it) I’ll be content.
What joystick does my TE-S currently have? What are the major differences between the sticks? Is one considered more accurate / better than another? I already use an octo gate since I play shotos. Aren’t you (as a good player) never supposed to “ride the gate” anyway? Also you talk about a ‘non laggy’ pcb. Do any of the tournament edition sticks have laggy pcbs?
Again - thanks for your information! Having someone actually respond and not be condescending helps tremendously.
I consider a quality made custom wooden case to trump a plastic retail case for arcade sticks.
Your TE-S if stock should have a Sanwa JLF.
You can get a really fancy case from www.b15sdmdesigns.com, the guy has made probably the coolest customs I’ve seem. That said, it will definitely cost a lot, and it’s not going to perform any better than your current stick- a fancy case is an aesthetic upgrade. If I was going custom, I’d order a Panzer for the extreme durability (also significantly cheaper than the “Cadillac case” guys).
The Razer or any other 360 stick won’t be any better than your TE-S in terms of performance, your stick already has authentic arcade parts (Sanwa JLF lever and Sanwa OBSF buttons, same as the Razer and almost every other good mass market arcade stick) and a good PCB. The biggest difference about the Razer is the nice flip top case that provides easy access to your parts and an easier artwork swap. Nice features IMO, but neither will improve the performance of the stick if that’s what you’re wondering. Another commercial option to consider given your stated goals would be the Madcatz TE2 for Xbone, which also has a flip top design and simple art swap like the Atrox. Currently you wouldn’t be able to use it on the 360, but with the soon to be released TE2 crossbone and a PS360 pcb that would be solved via dual mod.
The JLF in your stick is a good lever, definitely the most popular among players (the Atrox and TE2 both have JLF stock also). The biggest differences between quality (i.e. not shitty Chinese knockoffs) levers are engage distance (how far you have to move the stick before a microswitch is tripped), throw (how for the stick can be moved before the actuator hits the gate), tension (self explanatory, and changeable by swapping springs), and microswitch feel- all of which can be altered in your JLF. What you like is subjective, the only way to find what you like best is to try mods and other levers. Personally, if what you’re looking for is a different feel, I’d suggest you start with a 2lb JLF spring and a Kowal actuator, which will provide more tension (which you may or may not like), faster engage, and shorter throw. From there you can start trying different levers to see what you like best, and sell what you don’t like. This would certainly give you more bang for your buck (in terms of getting a different gameplay feel) than buying whole new sticks that come stock with the exact same parts you already have (though I should add that having a pop up lid like the Razer Atrox or TE2 will make constant swaps much more convenient).
As for gate riding, I don’t care one way or another, play how you want. If you want to train yourself to avoid moving the lever more than is needed, consider a short or no-throw lever or gate. The custom gates I mentioned earlier will offer short or no-throw options (with your choice of square, circle, or pseudo octo profiles) for most popular Japanese levers.
When it comes to PCB quality, the considerations are lag (neither your TE-S nor the other sticks mentioned so far have lag problems, very few currently on the market do), reliability (your TE-S has a reliable pcb, some of the earlier Madcatz sticks had a few issues), compatibility (cross compatibility is very rare outside of custom PCB’s like the PS360, MC Cthulhu, etc), and whether or not they’re common ground (which is needed to dual mod- your TE-S and the Atrox are both common ground). Basically, you’ve got a perfectly good common PCB for 360 in your stick.
This, 110%. Well said Camacho.
Now, got to get back to doing something about all that starvin’ bullshit- running out of french fries, burrito covers, etc.
Thank you so much for your information. That literally answered every question I had. I guess I just need practice and a way to figure out how to best hold the stick. I know this isn’t necessarily the correct place for this - but do you all change your grip contingent upon which way your character is facing? I feel like I have to alter a little bit in order to best double hit; dash. The reason I kept feeling that I needed something different is a) I watch a lot of streams and never see anyone with the TE-S (everyone seems to have that SFxTekken stick, or some custom) and b) I just, after months of playing (albeit very casually) still have a ton of trouble with the stick. I was just under the impression that it was the weapon; not the warrior. I think I’ll wait on getting a custom until these newer boards are out so that I won’t have to mod it myself when I get an XboxOne. In the interim I may experiment with different levers in order to determine what best suits me.
What are your thoughts on Fanta style stick and GamerFinger buttons?
Again thanks a ton for your assistance.
You have to find what works best for you in terms of grip. I believe I’ve seen at least a few youtube videos on the basics of using a stick, might be a good place to start (although I would take nothing as gospel). It’s unavoidable that things will be different from left to right, it’s a push/pull thing. That said, a faster engage will make it easier to get those dashes since less movement is required.
I haven’t tried a Korean (Fanta) stick yet, would like to though. They have a rubber grommet that should change the feel dramatically. Unfortunately, a Fanta will not fit in any case designed for Japanese parts (need a wider opening for the grommet and more vertical clearance), though the Crown 303-FK ( http://www.focusattack.com/crown-303-fk-korean-joystick-clear-black/ )is a Fanta style stick that will work.
Haven’t tried Gamerfinger buttons either. The big draws there are different microswitch options and extreme longevity of the microswitches, though they’re really expensive compared to Sanwa or Seimitsu buttons.
Go with what ever comfortable for you to play and works for you
Nope, it is very much the Warrior and not the weapon (in all fields not just Arcade sticks).
A controller is only as good as the person using it. I heard of folks at tournaments who won and there stick broke mid match and have to forgo using a button or even a direction for the whole match.
It is like how a veteran pilot in a out-of-date fighter plane can beat a rookie pilot in the most advance fighter. The expert, seasoned swordsmen can beat a lesser swordsmen with wooded sword and so on.
Tradesmen, carpenters, electricians, mechanics, meat cutters and so on will also tell you the same thing.
I haven’t used them so I can’t say to be honest. Many Tekken players swear on Korean joysticks. Now Game Finger, uses Cherry MX switches, which my keyboard uses (which is nice).
Also Game Finger buttons are customizable by changing out the switch for another MX switch (there are 4 styles of Cherry MX switch ready available on the US market).
Yea - I’m a mechanical keyboard enthusiast. I’d probably go with red for fighting stick. Make it easier to press. Having tactile feel doesn’t seem to make sense when you’re going to bottom out anyway.
Edit: Also, to change just the balltop on a stick do you have to take the stick apart? I’ve tried unscrewing the balltop since it turns and it won’t come off. I have another stick (the original TE) and the balltop is undamaged. I was going to switch it out.
Also - could dropping my stick on the floor from my lap (fell asleep and it slid off) caused damage to the integrity of it? I’m just sitting here with the stick on my lap going over hadoken movements and going to the right doesn’t feel like its giving me that ‘click’ as much as going to the left. When I go to the left I hear more clicks than when I go to the right. I feel like there’s a click missing sometimes.
No, just put a screwdriver in the slot on the bottom of the shaft, then twist the ball top counter clockwise. You will have to open the case, but there is no need to disassemble the lever itself.
On a Japanese Joystick, NO. On a Korean or American style joystick, YES.
On Japanese Joysticks
There should be a slot on the underside of the joystick shaft where you can stick a flat head screw driver in, this would help in unscrewing the ball top.
On Korean and American style sticks
The Top is molded into the shaft and you normally need to replace the shaft, either with a shaft with a different color top or
a shaft with screw threading to allow for a ball top.
Thanks. I’ll try that. What about dropping the stick? Do you think I could have damaged it? All of the inputs register in training mode with show command on.
I also really need to figure out the best way to learn combos. I’m really peeved that Capcom didn’t add trial mode for any of the new characters from like, 2 games ago - or update the trials for the newer frame data / balance changes on the current characters.
Edit: I’m trying hadoken right now in game. Sometimes I can get 20 in a row, after that I’ll punch instead of hadoken every other. Is that just me? Or could it be a broken stick?
practice mode and use the command list
about dropping a stick, too many variables.
Hard to say without looking at it.
Oddly enough I have command list on. There are times when the command shows that a hadoken should have come out but it didn’t. Any thoughts? I think I’m derailing this thread. I may open a new one or ask somewhere else about some of these. I don’t want to get too far off topic for the people who need it.
EDIT: This actually belongs here: What type of PCB issues did the original TE have? You mention in page 1 that it has issues.
If you suspect your lever is damaged, you could replace the jlf pcb for about $12.
Why do you think the Hori DOA5 stick is a piece of shit? The DOA4 stick is a piece of shit but the DOA5 HRAP A3 is the same quality standard on all A/N HRAPs. I, personally, love the A/N HRAPs. Nice, big, and sturdy.