Rickenslacker
Banned
I think it can't be beat for the price; dual-modded and Sanwa equipped out of the box. Only things I don't like about it are the placement of the start button and cord, but it's a minor gripe.
Super "NeoGAF Arcade Stick Thread" II TURBO
- Thread starter MarkMan
- Start date
if you can find them for cheap i'd recommend the brawl stick. plays fine out the box and are very easy to customize if you wanna upgrade down the road.
i bought a pair when they were 20 bux each to use the pcb's but haven't found a project for them yet. so now i just have them as 2nd player sticks for when friends come over.
i used vinyl wrap like they use on cars to replace the top art. the se is an old beater stick i took the pcb from to use in another stick and converted to ps2.
i bought a pair when they were 20 bux each to use the pcb's but haven't found a project for them yet. so now i just have them as 2nd player sticks for when friends come over.
i used vinyl wrap like they use on cars to replace the top art. the se is an old beater stick i took the pcb from to use in another stick and converted to ps2.
solid mike
Member
1. Are Hori buttons known to be incompetent?
2. Do you have a good estimate how long before the buttons go janky like you said?
3. I'm from an Southeast Asian country so I'm pretty sure the arcades here are the Japanese versions since we're closer to them than the US. Would you say the V3 somewhat gives the same feel as the Japanese arcades?
They don't sell MadCatz fightsticks here. Not in the well-known retailers nor the grey market sellers found elsewhere so the brawl sticks have to be delivered if I opt for them.
So there's a certain MadCatz stick that I'm looking at on eBay, I'm thinking about making an offer to the owner for $35 (he says some of the buttons don't work, it's basically nonfunctional) and replacing the parts myself.
Is it realy as difficult as it sounds? I should be able to take it apart and rewire the buttons fine, but I'm worried about stuff like changing the gate to octagonal if it isn't already one (I don't even know what gates do, just that I should get octagonal) and putting in a new stick, of course all the new parts would be Sanwa. Overall it doesn't seem that bad, but I also want to get it Dual Modded as time progresses like I've mentioned before.
If I could get a Brawl stick on the cheap I'd do the same since there's no difference between MadCatz's SE sticks it seems, but the price seems to have skyrocketed since it was $20, which sucks.
Is it realy as difficult as it sounds? I should be able to take it apart and rewire the buttons fine, but I'm worried about stuff like changing the gate to octagonal if it isn't already one (I don't even know what gates do, just that I should get octagonal) and putting in a new stick, of course all the new parts would be Sanwa. Overall it doesn't seem that bad, but I also want to get it Dual Modded as time progresses like I've mentioned before.
If I could get a Brawl stick on the cheap I'd do the same since there's no difference between MadCatz's SE sticks it seems, but the price seems to have skyrocketed since it was $20, which sucks.
notworksafe
Member
Gate is literally the easiest thing to change on a stick. You just pop out the 4gate and replace it with an 8gate. it's just one plastic piece that attaches to your JLF stick. No tools required other than opening the bottom of the stick.
Changing the JLF stick requires swapping four screws.
Stick modding is very easy, don't worry.
Changing the JLF stick requires swapping four screws.
Stick modding is very easy, don't worry.
AgainstTheGrain
Member
I need some advice. I've got this old PS2 Massystems stick. Honestly, I love the thing
because it's true to it's old arcade feel. And after all these years, it still works perfectly.
The thing is I can't keep all these sticks in the house. I have 3 other sticks and I want a
new, more modern one. Should I sell it or keep it? How difficult would it be to replace the buttons on something like this?
because it's true to it's old arcade feel. And after all these years, it still works perfectly.
The thing is I can't keep all these sticks in the house. I have 3 other sticks and I want a
new, more modern one. Should I sell it or keep it? How difficult would it be to replace the buttons on something like this?
Why should you get an octagonal gate? Do you prefer them personally? I feel like a lot of people do this mod for no reason. Square gate for life.
I've just been told that octagonal is the way to go from multiple people (SRK, stream chats, irl). They said especially if you have no prior experience or bias with a stick, I assumed it was best thing to do. I honestly don't know what a gate does, but from what I understand it involves or changes the movement of the stick. That's literally all I know about the thing.
I've never used a stick before, or played on an arcade machine with one. I'm pretty much going into this blind.
Lies. Square gate is the standard because it is da bes. At least try it before committing to the mod. 99% of people play square gate.
As for what the gate does- a square gate gives you hard corners at each diagonal (since it is a square). An octagonal gate removes these corners. These corners do not inhibit directional input whatsoever, the difference is pure preference. Having the corners will likely help you find your footing in the heat of a match, however - like the raised markings on your keyboard.
Welp, one less thing for me to buy and change then. Thanks, I'd rather roll with whatever's standard. Though I will try to try out different gates from other people's sticks if they let me feel em up.
grap3fruitman
Banned
Yeah, I got an octogate because it seemed like the best route based on everything I read but I've since changed it back to square.
hibachifinal
Member
Square gate is the most versatile, it's good for many genres of games or styles of fighting games imo. I can only really see octogates being good for 2D fighting games (motion based ala street fighter/KOF).
It's also best to get used to a square gate, especially if you frequent gaming sessions/meets, you don't wanna end up borrowing a stick and feel weird because its on stock square gate.
Yeah, these HORI buttons, especially the ones that are soldered directly, tend to be sucky for some reason. It wasn't always like this, but ever since the Hori EX2/FS3, the quality dropped a bit. it's really random, sometimes you might get a good batch, sometimes, they tend to stick/gets stuck in just a few weeks. in worse cases, the buttons just die entirely.
Yes. IMHO They are vauge 'imitations" of popular arcade parts (Sanwa and Seimitsu), the buttons are quite similar to seimitsu in terms of operating force/hardness. And the joystick is trying to imitate a Sanwa JLF lever's feel. In fact, the Fighting Stick V3/VX are known to have the same microswitches as the Sanwa JLF. That's the good thing at least.
again these are just my personal opinions on this stick based on my previous experiences with it (i've owned the FS V3 and VX before, suffice to say, i kinda regretted my purchase). I'm not saying these V3 sticks are unusable, I've used one extensively, it's not so bad. my main issue with it is the pricing. I guess i'm saying that its not worth the $60 tag it has, imho.
ahh thats kind of a downside. I understand that availability is an issue, but i've said my thoughts on the stick, hope it helps you in making a more informed purchase.
It's also best to get used to a square gate, especially if you frequent gaming sessions/meets, you don't wanna end up borrowing a stick and feel weird because its on stock square gate.
Yeah, these HORI buttons, especially the ones that are soldered directly, tend to be sucky for some reason. It wasn't always like this, but ever since the Hori EX2/FS3, the quality dropped a bit. it's really random, sometimes you might get a good batch, sometimes, they tend to stick/gets stuck in just a few weeks. in worse cases, the buttons just die entirely.
Yes. IMHO They are vauge 'imitations" of popular arcade parts (Sanwa and Seimitsu), the buttons are quite similar to seimitsu in terms of operating force/hardness. And the joystick is trying to imitate a Sanwa JLF lever's feel. In fact, the Fighting Stick V3/VX are known to have the same microswitches as the Sanwa JLF. That's the good thing at least.
again these are just my personal opinions on this stick based on my previous experiences with it (i've owned the FS V3 and VX before, suffice to say, i kinda regretted my purchase). I'm not saying these V3 sticks are unusable, I've used one extensively, it's not so bad. my main issue with it is the pricing. I guess i'm saying that its not worth the $60 tag it has, imho.
ahh thats kind of a downside. I understand that availability is an issue, but i've said my thoughts on the stick, hope it helps you in making a more informed purchase.
Lost Fragment
Obsessed with 4chan
solid mike
Member
I just purchased the V3 for $72. I like it very much. The feel replicates the experience I get when playing Tekken, SF and VF on the local arcades. But maybe that's just because this is my first stick.
Thanks anyway hibachifinal. Now I am off to figure out how to convert those df, uf inputs on the PS3 dpad into the stick.
hibachifinal
Member
ARC SYSTEM WORKS will be releasing their own arcade stick alongside the new blazblue.
http://ebten.jp/p/7015013080501/
interchangable overlay designs :v sanwa parts.
http://ebten.jp/p/7015013080501/
interchangable overlay designs :v sanwa parts.
sixteen-bit
Member
something about translucent balltops looks incredibly cheap to me. I don't like the rest of the design either :/
ARC SYSTEM WORKS will be releasing their own arcade stick alongside the new blazblue.
http://ebten.jp/p/7015013080501/
interchangable overlay designs :v sanwa parts.
I'm not a fan of those buttons
notworksafe
Member
Fuck standard. Always go with what makes you the most comfortable since you'll be the primary user. I have a custom stick specifically because I want a lot of non-standard things on my stick.
As far as octo-gate I've found that it actually very effective training wheels for someone who's never used a stick before. It allows you the ride the gate a bit more when doing motions and learn how a stick works before switching over to square gate (if you want). And since the cost like is $1, it's worth checking out imo.
I don't suppose you have an ohmmeter do you? You can use that to test if the wires are sending signal to the buttons. It could just be shorts in the wire. Also if you just want single console support (or dual mod in some cases) you can buy a cheaper PCB and rewire your stick on your own. You can even use the wires in your current stick to do so. It's very easy and doesn't require soldering for the most part.No bueno. FML, I'm not gonna be able to afford a new stick for a while
I rewired an SE using a Cthulhu PCB just this past weekend. Took me about an hour to do it and required only one solder (and that's because I wanted a custom change).
StarCreator
Member
That's exactly what's wrong with it. You should never encourage players to ride the gate. That's just creating bad habits.
notworksafe
Member
It's training wheels. Nothing wrong with that. As long as they are still able to do the motions effectively, why not let someone ease into it?
Are circle gates on American sticks bad suddenly as well? They basically require you to ride the "gate" to do anything effectively.
Are circle gates on American sticks bad suddenly as well? They basically require you to ride the "gate" to do anything effectively.
StarCreator
Member
I've never understood the purpose of training wheels in any context. All they do is teach reliance on an external aid that shouldn't be there in the first place. If you want to learn to do something, learn it the right way instead of having to learn it twice over.
Not getting the American stick analogy. People don't normally modify the restrictors on them to their liking for no good reason.
TheFightingFish
Member
Just wondering, what other sticks do you have? Just from what I can tell with what you wrote it sounds like you love the MAS stick and you have some other sticks in your possession. So why ditch the MAS? I actually don't have an american stick at all, but I'd personally love to add one into my stable. Figure if I have a japanese stick or two having something like the MAS would be fun to have that old concave clicky arcade feel to it. That's just me though.
notworksafe
Member
Ease of use for those just starting is a "good reason". Also personal preference is a "good reason". I always suggest trying as many mods and changes to your stick as possible. They are often very cheap to buy and it's nice to make your stick as comfortable for your own use as possible.
ARC SYSTEM WORKS will be releasing their own arcade stick alongside the new blazblue.
http://ebten.jp/p/7015013080501/
interchangable overlay designs :v sanwa parts.
It is kinda weird looking...at least the angle at which it is shown. I was not really a fan of the old EXAR/Ebten/Arc release. Wound up being very expensive for what ultimately showed up as a cheap product.
StarCreator
Member
Even in these days I still think it's a strange argument that people should personalize their own controllers away from an accepted standard. All you're doing is making it so you can only play effectively on your own controller and no one else's, which can really come back and bite you in the end. Do people modify their 360 controllers or Dualshocks to suit their personal habits?
I guess this is a mindset I will just never understand.
sixteen-bit
Member
The case design reminds me of those old Chinese knockoff sticks with the suction cups on the bottom that were big in 2008 and 2009
NinjaCatfish
Member
Ok so I've been giving it some though and you guys are right, the Hori Fighting Stick Mini 3's buttons are too small and there's just not enough space for my big hands.
So, what does GAF think about pic related? I think I can spare more money for it. I've been seeing some sites saying that it costs around $60.
I used to use a similar older model for Xbox 360. They get the job done, to be sure. It's hard to go back to after using a hefty quality stick like the Madcatz TE though.
notworksafe
Member
I spent around $200 in materials and parts to make my arcade stick the exact way I want it. Why would I want to play on someone else's?
I've got about six different stick types between my arcade cabinets and console sticks and don't personally have much issue switching between them, but when it comes to actual competition in modern games I use the custom stick which I made for that exact purpose.
Yep! Here's a template for it and IIRC you can just use the plexi that comes with the stick without issue. http://www.mediafire.com/download/vlcthxv0v6coc4h/Fighting+Edge.psd
MezzoForte
Member
I need some advice. I've got this old PS2 Massystems stick. Honestly, I love the thing
because it's true to it's old arcade feel. And after all these years, it still works perfectly.
The thing is I can't keep all these sticks in the house. I have 3 other sticks and I want a
new, more modern one. Should I sell it or keep it? How difficult would it be to replace the buttons on something like this?
awesome, I still have my mini MAS from a couple years ago as well. If you like the OG American arcade feel you can't really get it from anyone else besides another custom builder. As far as replacing buttons goes, if you're just planning on switching for maybe other Happ/iL buttons like their convex style for example it's a simple swap. The thing is though if you have an original MAS, the wiring is all soldered so you'll need a soldering iron. Going from American to Japanese, the work required is kind of advanced. You'd need to enlarge the holes to accommodate 30mm buttons using a router (messy and likely dangerous job without templates and experience). It was a project of mine to convert my MAS to full Japanese + plexi but I never finished it. Honestly I would keep the stick and leave it as-is but if you wanna modify it it's definitely doable if you know what you're doing.
edit:
BTW the stick looks like it's mounted extremely deep, tension must be through the roof lol.
Finding diagonals is easier on a square gate and unless you're playing a game that doesn't use them like P4A I'd argue that octagonal gates are less intuitive for beginners. And as luck would have it, square gates are even cheaper than octagonal gates at $0.
If you prefer octagonal gates, more power to you. They resemble American circle gates and lots of people had their first experience with these controllers there.
However, it's silly that someone who is just starting feels the need to mod their first arcade stick to an octagonal gate and doesn't know why. Square gate is by FAR the more popular option, in my opinion most games are easier to play because of the gate and it doesn't obstruct motions at all unless you're pushing on the stick like you're trying to break it.
notworksafe
Member
I personally use square gates on JP sticks (I use "circles" on American/Korean but that's a whole other thing and there isn't any choice involved there).
But like I said, I think the low cost of modding makes it easy for someone to try out all types of sticks, buttons, and placements/layouts. I'm not saying it's a requirement for new stick users, I'm saying it's something that they should try out at least a few times just to see how they like it.
To each their own, but not even trying something because it isn't "standard" is silly to me. As far as "easier", well again that is personal preference. For 2D I'll agree that JP square gate has become the easier option for me, but I still adore the feel of Happ parts. For 3D I think Korean stick is the easiest of them all but it's not always feasible for someone to keep two stick boxes around for 2D and 3D.
In other news, buttons for my SE are on their way. I'll post pics of my stick in progress whenever they arrive.
But like I said, I think the low cost of modding makes it easy for someone to try out all types of sticks, buttons, and placements/layouts. I'm not saying it's a requirement for new stick users, I'm saying it's something that they should try out at least a few times just to see how they like it.
To each their own, but not even trying something because it isn't "standard" is silly to me. As far as "easier", well again that is personal preference. For 2D I'll agree that JP square gate has become the easier option for me, but I still adore the feel of Happ parts. For 3D I think Korean stick is the easiest of them all but it's not always feasible for someone to keep two stick boxes around for 2D and 3D.
In other news, buttons for my SE are on their way. I'll post pics of my stick in progress whenever they arrive.
@gates
Gates are just different. They may be better or worse depending on person and characters you play, but you should understand the differences.
Square gate:
Octo gate:
First thing is first, each zone of the images is a different approximate trigger range for the stick to be indicating directional motions to the console. You can see that the octo gate has significantly less corner area, which means it is harder to go from neutral->diagonal. For precise movements, this can sometimes suck. The neutral area is also larger on an octo gate, which is actually nice in some games (KOF XIII) which encourage you to return to neutral for different movements.
I started with a square gate, didn't like not being able to rest my stick in the up/left/down/right positions, tried an octo gate, and have been using one ever since. However, my recent frustrations with not being able to hit diagonals perfectly have made me want to go back to a square gate.
I recommend trying both. Gates are cheap and easy to install. Give yourself at least a month using each gate.
edit: Oh yeah, another thing I was gonna iterate on:
Because of the curvature of the octo gate, it makes circular motions (quarter, half, full) much easier because you can swing along the edge more easily than on a square gate. And for the square gate, because you don't slide as much, it makes DP motions easier. Since I play Juri in SSF4 who has -no- DP motions, the octo gate is a great choice. I just have problems when I venture outside her
Gates are just different. They may be better or worse depending on person and characters you play, but you should understand the differences.
Square gate:
Octo gate:
First thing is first, each zone of the images is a different approximate trigger range for the stick to be indicating directional motions to the console. You can see that the octo gate has significantly less corner area, which means it is harder to go from neutral->diagonal. For precise movements, this can sometimes suck. The neutral area is also larger on an octo gate, which is actually nice in some games (KOF XIII) which encourage you to return to neutral for different movements.
I started with a square gate, didn't like not being able to rest my stick in the up/left/down/right positions, tried an octo gate, and have been using one ever since. However, my recent frustrations with not being able to hit diagonals perfectly have made me want to go back to a square gate.
I recommend trying both. Gates are cheap and easy to install. Give yourself at least a month using each gate.
edit: Oh yeah, another thing I was gonna iterate on:
Because of the curvature of the octo gate, it makes circular motions (quarter, half, full) much easier because you can swing along the edge more easily than on a square gate. And for the square gate, because you don't slide as much, it makes DP motions easier. Since I play Juri in SSF4 who has -no- DP motions, the octo gate is a great choice. I just have problems when I venture outside her
Interesting, thanks for this.@gates
Gates are just different. They may be better or worse depending on person and characters you play, but you should understand the differences.
Square gate:
Octo gate:
First thing is first, each zone of the images is a different approximate trigger range for the stick to be indicating directional motions to the console. You can see that the octo gate has significantly less corner area, which means it is harder to go from neutral->diagonal. For precise movements, this can sometimes suck. The neutral area is also larger on an octo gate, which is actually nice in some games (KOF XIII) which encourage you to return to neutral for different movements.
I started with a square gate, didn't like not being able to rest my stick in the up/left/down/right positions, tried an octo gate, and have been using one ever since. However, my recent frustrations with not being able to hit diagonals perfectly have made me want to go back to a square gate.
I recommend trying both. Gates are cheap and easy to install. Give yourself at least a month using each gate.
edit: Oh yeah, another thing I was gonna iterate on:
Because of the curvature of the octo gate, it makes circular motions (quarter, half, full) much easier because you can swing along the edge more easily than on a square gate. And for the square gate, because you don't slide as much, it makes DP motions easier. Since I play Juri in SSF4 who has -no- DP motions, the octo gate is a great choice. I just have problems when I venture outside her
Since I play VF, 1 and 3 and to a lesser extent 7 and 9 are critical for me. However, even with SF I had a dreadful time with corners on an octagonal gate.
Axis
Member
Lol what? You can't be serious.
notworksafe
Member
Why would anyone even make their own stick? You'll take your stock MadCatz TE and you'll like it goddamnit!
Axis
Member
Apparently I'll be missing out on so much cool shit if I use my octogate.
I prefer octo, anyway. At least for Vampire Savior, which is the only game that matters anyway :B
sixteen-bit
Member
lol @ custom stick shaming
play what you like.
play what you like.
Axis
Member
but if you play octo, dementia, you'll be missing out on being able to share sticks
it's the only reason to exist.
notworksafe
Member
I love the look of that case but the button layout bums me out. I guess that's why TE metal plate replacements exist!
A 3D stick for a 3D man.
How much was it?
In other news, my Street FIghter X Tekken Pro Stick is on it's way. Should be here Firday or Saturday. Gonna attempt to mod the crap out of it.
notworksafe
Member
Holy shit that's a steal!
sixteen-bit
Member
IIRC they went as low as $66 shipped.
StarCreator
Member
Why would an octo gate change the amount of neutral area? A gate swap doesn't change the location of the microswitches or the size of the actuator.
What's so hard to understand? And why do people keep ignoring the question of why it's somehow normal to alter the function of arcade sticks yet no one thinks anything of leaving any other type of controller alone?
Axis
Member
What in the fuck are you talking about?
notworksafe
Member
Actually I've modded SF4/SxT fightpads plenty, as well as done some changes to my PS2 Saturn pad. I've seen D-pad mods to 360 controllers, shell swaps, even stick mods to PSPs. There's plenty of controller modding out there.
Arcade sticks just happen to be very easy to mod because they are larger and have cheap, easily removable parts.
Arcade sticks just happen to be very easy to mod because they are larger and have cheap, easily removable parts.
If other controllers were easier to modify then I'm sure enthusiasts would do so. I'd love to be able to easily exchange the d-pad on my 360 controllers, for example.