Super "NeoGAF Arcade Stick Thread" II TURBO

To swap your PS3 stick to PS3/4, just remove the PCB of your PS3 stick and put an MKX pad or Hori FC4 in there. In PS4 mode it is usable on both PS3 and PS4.

If you are going to EVO, just bring the pad with you and your stick. The modders in the booth there could probably do the mod for you in less than an hour. They also may just have pads there ready to mod, worth checking on SRK to see who is bringing what to EVO.

As far as a blank shell with PCB already installed, that'll be harder to come across. You're probably better off buying a used SE, ripping out the guts/buttons, and putting in a PS4 PCB if you want the cheapest solution
 
Speaking of EVO, there's some really cool stuff that's gonna be there.

I saw this posted on SRK, so this is all info I got from there. Paradise Arcade is releasing buttons with Cherry MX switches! The best part is that they fit inside standard 30mm Sanwa rims. Gamerfinger am cry. They said their will be a black version there as well but you might be out of luck if you don't like the transparent look as there doesn't seem to be an option to add your own art.

The four versions will be
without rim, basic (DIY led mod, this is what is shown)
without rim, LED (will function with the Kaimana series controllers)
with rim, basic
with rim, LED

Gamerfingers with the stock cherry mx are ridiculously good. Hopefully these are just as good so you guys that are turned off by the octagonal aesthetic can finally feel what you have been missing.
JMekNSTm.jpg
H4wTy2am.jpg


Sanwa will have wood balltops & battops! I got this from their twitter and it was in japanese but the translate said they will be offering these four models.
nmTOv1Nl.jpg

I am not a fan of battop but I might have to make an exception here.

I believe this next pic is just all of the ones they've ever offered and it's a beautiful thing.
JzXyqWBl.jpg
 
If you are going to EVO, just bring the pad with you and your stick. The modders in the booth there could probably do the mod for you in less than an hour. They also may just have pads there ready to mod, worth checking on SRK to see who is bringing what to EVO.

Ah! Thanks for the advice. I've never been to EVO before, so I had no idea what to expect in terms of what would be there. I'll pick up one of the Hori pads and bring it and my stick with me.
 
Speaking of EVO, there's some really cool stuff that's gonna be there.

I saw this posted on SRK, so this is all info I got from there. Paradise Arcade is releasing buttons with Cherry MX switches! The best part is that they fit inside standard 30mm Sanwa rims. Gamerfinger am cry. They said their will be a black version there as well but you might be out of luck if you don't like the transparent look as there doesn't seem to be an option to add your own art.

The four versions will be
without rim, basic (DIY led mod, this is what is shown)
without rim, LED (will function with the Kaimana series controllers)
with rim, basic
with rim, LED

Gamerfingers with the stock cherry mx are ridiculously good. Hopefully these are just as good so you guys that are turned off by the octagonal aesthetic can finally feel what you have been missing.
JMekNSTm.jpg
H4wTy2am.jpg


Sanwa will have wood balltops & battops! I got this from their twitter and it was in japanese but the translate said they will be offering these four models.
nmTOv1Nl.jpg

I am not a fan of battop but I might have to make an exception here.

I believe this next pic is just all of the ones they've ever offered and it's a beautiful thing.
JzXyqWBl.jpg


I will definitely get a set of gamerfingers at EVO!

Also buying a bat top and balltop. So good. :)
 
I've had a Qanba Q4RAF for a few years now and suddenly it has started to desync/disconnect randomly from the PS3. The 1-2-3-4 display will start flashing and then reconnects as Player 2 even though there is no other controller connected.

I took a look inside and didn't see anything obvious. All connections looked solid, USB cable is in good shape. Any other troubleshooting I can do as I am way out of warranty?
 
Ah! Thanks for the advice. I've never been to EVO before, so I had no idea what to expect in terms of what would be there. I'll pick up one of the Hori pads and bring it and my stick with me.

No problem. The mod booth is always right next to the Mad Catz booth so just head there right away. The guys there usually have a list of people who signed up online to get stuff modded but if you show up early you can often jump the line.

Those lacquered wood balltops are hot fiyuh.

They are even more gorgeous in person. I bought the last one they had in stock and got to have a bit of a conversation with the guys there about how much they take to make.
I still haven't used the balltop in anything, I just can't come up with a good looking stick idea to use :(
 
I will definitely get a set of gamerfingers at EVO!

Also buying a bat top and balltop. So good. :)

Oops, sorry if how I worded it was confusing. These are not gamerfingers. They're basically the same idea but with a circular rim because they are using actual sanwa rims but also have a built in LED depending on which one you choose. Another difference is that gamer finger has builtin padding so they feel nicely cushioned upon actuation. We'll see how these ones feel.

I hope to score a bat top and ball top as well =)
 
I've had a Qanba Q4RAF for a few years now and suddenly it has started to desync/disconnect randomly from the PS3. The 1-2-3-4 display will start flashing and then reconnects as Player 2 even though there is no other controller connected.

I took a look inside and didn't see anything obvious. All connections looked solid, USB cable is in good shape. Any other troubleshooting I can do as I am way out of warranty?
If you have a multimeter, I'd open it up and start checking for shorts. My guess is the PCB has a short in it and that is what is causing the reset. You might be able to resolder or change out some wires if that is what is causing the issue.
 
How crazy/stupid would it be to buy one only to rip out the pcb to make it 360-compatible? Lol

You could probably sell the PCB at a high price to someone who whats to mod themselves a PS4 TE since it would be drop-in ready. At least you'd recoup some of the investment, lol.
 
How crazy/stupid would it be to buy one only to rip out the pcb to make it 360-compatible? Lol

Yeaaaaaaaaaaah, don't do that. Instead you should dual mod with a ps360+, that way it doesn't hurt your resale value in case you want to sell it later on. Add an imp v2 so you can switch by holding a button on plug-in.

Thank you. I've got mine pre-ordered. :)

Ah glad to be of help.
 
Dammit! Forgot to cancel an order and have a brand new Razer Atrox for 360 on the way and can't return for a refund. Ugh...
 
Finished just in time for Evo, the custom features:
Hard maple Painted case
Paewang PCB PS3/Xbox360
Sanwa JLF w/ Sanwa Buttons



 
Man that looks great.

Now that I've finished my internal mods I suppose I'll post my, much more modest, stick. This was the first stick I've done both the art (if you can call it that) and the electronics for. So I'm pretty proud of it despite its modest appearance. Cthuhlu PCB and Sanwa stick/buttons.

 
Finished just in time for Evo, the custom features:
Hard maple Painted case
Paewang PCB PS3/Xbox360
Sanwa JLF w/ Sanwa Buttons
Man that looks great.
Now that I've finished my internal mods I suppose I'll post my, much more modest, stick. This was the first stick I've done both the art (if you can call it that) and the electronics for. So I'm pretty proud of it despite its modest appearance. Cthuhlu PCB and Sanwa stick/buttons.
I love clean-looking sticks. Nice work to the both of you.
Loving the depressed buttons on Rigbaby's stick as well, does your stick have anything on the sides or top, Juraash?
 
I love clean-looking sticks. Nice work to the both of you.
Loving the depressed buttons on Rigbaby's stick as well, does your stick have anything on the sides or top, Juraash?

Nothing special on the sides. The top overhangs the base by about an inch or so all the way around. It does has some 24mm Sanwa buttons for start, select (right side) and home/PS button (left side). So while the buttons for that stuff aren't recessed, they are fairly well protected from being accidentally pressed.
 
I currently have the original PS3 tournament edition arcade stick. Do you guys think it is worth the upgrade to go for a PS4 stick? Should I hold out for something better to come along and just deal with this stick for now? I'm really hoping Street Fighter V has innate PS3 stick compatibility without needing a dualshock and without any extra lag or other nonsense...


Edit: what sucks is that this stick doesn't even work with my pc, although I think I can fix that pretty easy with a usb port adapter...
 
Hi guys. So i just bought a Hori Rap4 with Kuro buttons, and man it sure feels strange. Too lousy and too big for me. Anyone on the same opinion?

I preferred much Hori's old HRAP and HRAP 2/3/EX cases. The build quality just felt more robust. The HRAP V onwards have a domey and hollow feel in comparison. I'm probably one of the few that feels that way, though.
 
Forgive the potato-quality pics, but here's my first ever art mod. It's nothing fancy, but I think it turned out alright for a first try. Unfortunately Office Depot could only print legal size on card stock, so cutting out the button holes was quite a trial. I ended up having to poke little perforations millimeter by millimeter around the perimeter of each cutout before prying it carefully off of the page. The end result was some white fuzziness around some of cutout holes, but it's not too noticeable unless you're looking really closely.

TRPWIjh.jpg
uE9Jonn.jpg


Click to enlarge.

The art was originally a Third Strike Online wallpaper made by Bosslogic Wallpapers. I simply edited out the Third Strike logo from the background and left it otherwise the same. I thought it would go nicely with my new Sanwa translucent red balltop. :)

PS - the stick is a GGXrd TE2.
 
Ohmygosh those ball tops look so good! I'm actually looking into making a normal but really clean looking stick because the ones I have now are a bit too...yeah. (on rock quality) Love them to death but :y


I'm a bit conflicted on whether or not to go back to stick though. I love the cleanliness of the hitbox input-wise but my arcade cabinet game has gone to hell.
 
Finished just in time for Evo, the custom features:
Hard maple Painted case


Looking good! So you made the case? How much do you charge for your work? I love the black & white color scheme.

Now that I've finished my internal mods I suppose I'll post my, much more modest, stick. This was the first stick I've done both the art (if you can call it that) and the electronics for. So I'm pretty proud of it despite its modest appearance. Cthuhlu PCB and Sanwa stick/buttons.
Looking good as well! looks super clean. I can't help but feel you have a little too much negative space on the right though. I think it's because how the buttons overlap the symbol so it looks like a lot of red just focused in the middle. I'm probably being too picky but hopefully I'm being constructive because I'm really just trying to help.

This is going to be a dumb question, but what size gamefingers should I buy for a TE2?

Where are you ordering from? I hope I am not too late but hold off on your order if you can! Paradise Arcade has them the cheapest I've seen at $4.25 a piece but they are closed til August. Barring that Focus Attack will be 15% off everything starting this Saturday at 12AM EST.

Forgive the potato-quality pics, but here's my first ever art mod.
PS - the stick is a GGXrd TE2.

Looking good. Did you ever consider changing the button caps to something reddish? I mean it looks good right now but that little change could bring it to the next level, considering you already changed the balltop. Focus attack sells the caps for pretty cheap.

I'm a bit conflicted on whether or not to go back to stick though. I love the cleanliness of the hitbox input-wise but my arcade cabinet game has gone to hell.

I've always been curious about hitbox but seeing your comment about affecting your stick game definitely deters me.
 
Looking good as well! looks super clean. I can't help but feel you have a little too much negative space on the right though. I think it's because how the buttons overlap the symbol so it looks like a lot of red just focused in the middle.

I don't disagree. If/when I do it again I'll have to try something different. That stick will always be like this though. The art is afixed to the top so I'd have to basically create a whole new top for it to change the art.

I'm still happy with it overall, even if I feel it's a little simple when I see all the great work other people have done.
 
Hi, GAF, so I wanted to get a stick for a while, and I had my eyes on this one. How good is it? http://tinyurl.com/ocwvcyh
Either that or Madcatz TE2. Which one is better?

TE2 is nice, but it has no touchpad button of any kind and it costs 50 bucks more than the Hori one. But the TE2 can be customized without voiding your warranty and it uses Sanwa parts stock. I think it's more preference on the feel of the buttons and the stick that will dictate what's "better". Both seem to be high quality sticks though.
 
Hi, GAF, so I wanted to get a stick for a while, and I had my eyes on this one. How good is it? http://tinyurl.com/ocwvcyh
Either that or Madcatz TE2. Which one is better?

It's a good stick, the negatives being

- If you want to put a octo-gate on it's a bit of extra work, no just clicking it on like on Sanwa sticks
- Some people dislike the buttons though others are fine with them
- The stick is a bit loose imo and need a stronger spring (might be fine for you)
- I personally find it doesn't have enough room underneath the stick or buttons to rest hands.
- No mic jack.

Oh and if you undo it to mod it, lose warranty.
 
It's a good stick, the negatives being

- If you want to put a octo-gate on it's a bit of extra work, no just clicking it on like on Sanwa sticks
- Some people dislike the buttons though others are fine with them
- The stick is a bit loose imo and need a stronger spring (might be fine for you)
- I personally find it doesn't have enough room underneath the stick or buttons to rest hands.
- No mic jack.

Oh and if you undo it to mod it, lose warranty.

That the Hori or the Madcatz one?
 
Hi, GAF, so I wanted to get a stick for a while, and I had my eyes on this one. How good is it? http://tinyurl.com/ocwvcyh
Either that or Madcatz TE2. Which one is better?

As someone who has the Japanese version of that stick (only difference is color and distance between stick and buttons), I'd definitely recommend it. The touchpad really comes in handy for PS4 games that use it as the select button. The buttons are not very good and I'd recommend replacing them though. The stick is fantastic!

Some people are concerned about where to rest your right hand for the buttons, and I was too before I tried it. The base of your palm rests right on the angled part and it feels perfect! It's just like the arcades in Japan. I honestly get wrist cramps from TEs because of the flat surface.

On top of all this, you can remap/turn off L2, R2, and Start. If you don't want to accidentally press start during a game, you can turn it off.

Plus it's cheaper.
 
As someone who has the Japanese version of that stick (only difference is color and distance between stick and buttons), I'd definitely recommend it. The touchpad really comes in handy for PS4 games that use it as the select button. The buttons are not very good and I'd recommend replacing them though. The stick is fantastic!

Some people are concerned about where to rest your right hand for the buttons, and I was too before I tried it. The base of your palm rests right on the angled part and it feels perfect! It' just like the arcades in Japan. I honestly get wrist cramps from TEs because of the flat surface.

On top of all this, you can remap/turn off L2, R2, and Start. If you don't want to accidentally press start during a game, you can turn it off.

Plus it's cheaper.

Thanks for the write up. I'm strongly considering getting it. What buttons do you recommend, and how hard is replacing them? Also, do I HAVE to change the square gate, or is it easy to do motions on it? (QCF, DP, etc...)
 
Thanks for the write up. I'm strongly considering getting it. What buttons do you recommend, and how hard is replacing them?

A full set of 8 will be about $20 I think. I'd give you a link, but focusattack.com is down right now. Just be sure to get sanwa buttons.

Replacing them is just a matter of unscrewing the bottom plate, pulling out the wires from each button, popping the buttons out, popping the new ones in, and reattaching the wires. No need for soldering or fancy equipment. This will void your warranty though!

edit: Square gate is standard for most sticks/arcades. I'd say stick with square. That's what almost everyone uses.
 
Thanks for the write up. I'm strongly considering getting it. What buttons do you recommend, and how hard is replacing them? Also, do I HAVE to change the square gate, or is it easy to do motions on it? (QCF, DP, etc...)
what gave you the impression that you should change the square gate?
 
Looking good. Did you ever consider changing the button caps to something reddish? I mean it looks good right now but that little change could bring it to the next level, considering you already changed the balltop. Focus attack sells the caps for pretty cheap.

Yeah, I might order some red caps and see how they look. Focus Attack is down at the moment, unfortunately, so that'll have to wait. I think the black rim/grey buttons fit well enough for the time being.

The main lesson I learned was to not use Office Depot in the future for art prints. The fact that they could only print legal size on two types of card stock is what kills. Cutting out the button holes in card stock is more trouble than it's worth, and the end result doesn't look very clean.

Not only that, but now the plexi kind of bubbles up in the middle by the buttons, so I keep having to push it down and slide it under the button rims to get it to stop. I'm guessing that's happening because of the thickness of the new art underneath.
 
Hm. I looked for "button caps" but those are just the things you use to plug holes for unused buttons. Where can I find the standalone button/plunger portions without having to buy entirely new buttons with switches included?
 
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