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Author Topic: What type of joystick do MAME players use?  (Read 12396 times)

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Offline NWnike

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What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« on: March 08, 2019, 01:56:22 pm »
So, I recently started playing DK on MAME. When I am asking this question I am really asking about handheld devices. I do not have a cabinet, although the plan is to build one later this year. I got an Xbox controller since it is plug and play but the stick has way too much range of motion to be read consistently by the engine, leading to Jumpman stalling for just a bit, which in turn makes it hard to not lose lives in senseless ways. I guess I need something either very stiff or as close to a 4 way controller as possible. Does anyone have any suggestions?
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Offline NWnike

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2019, 08:53:50 am »
OK, that didn't receive any suggestions... lol. I have seen it mentioned in the forums that some play MAME DK with their KB but I did not think that would be what a majority would do since it is so different from a cabinet. Is this the way you play or do you play MAME in a cabinet with a control panel? I'm looking for a more consistent way to control Jumpman since about 1/2 my deaths are from lack of controller response. I thought I would get used to this controller but that hasn't been the case.
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Offline homerwannabee

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2019, 09:06:47 am »
Sorry I can't help, but I am a keyboard video game warrior myself.  I have heard people give a pretty good review to the X arcade joystick.  It's expensive though.

https://www.ebay.com/b/x-arcade-joystick/bn_7024796862
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Offline Weehawk

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2019, 09:19:55 am »
Quote from: homerwannabee on March 10, 2019, 09:06:47 am
I have heard people give a pretty good review to the X arcade joystick.

For Donkey Kong, specifically?

They're not bad for Robotron or Black Widow type games, just a little stiff. I would never recommend them for Donkey Kong or Pac-Man.

I am completely incapable of playing Donkey Kong or Pac-Man with the keyboard. What I would love to find is a simple standard game controller with an ordinary directional pad that is somehow rigged not to recognize diagonals. I would buy that in a heartbeat.

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Offline NWnike

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2019, 11:25:01 am »
I could use a directional pad myself if you find that.

Homer: Thanks for the post of the X-Arcade joystick. I had never seen that and it looks like it would work with a lot of games for MAME. I really like the idea that you could play it almost as if it is a control panel.

Weehawk: How long did you use that X-joystick? could it just be so stiff when it is brand new and it breaks in?

I play a lot of games but I just started focusing on DK a few weeks ago. I just don't have much time to play so I'm improving slowly.
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Offline Weehawk

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2019, 11:33:26 am »
Quote from: NWnike on March 10, 2019, 11:25:01 am
How long did you use that X-joystick? could it just be so stiff when it is brand new and it breaks in?

I never did put it to a lot of use. It's been in storage for 12 years now while I've been moving around. Yes, it's possible they would have gotten better with breaking in.
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Offline xelnia

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2019, 04:06:55 pm »
I use a PS3 or PS4 controller for 99.9% of MAME stuff. D-pad and X for Donkey Kong.

I also have the X-Arcade Dual Joystick, but I swapped out the stock sticks for ball-top J-Stiks from Ultimarc.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2019, 04:09:46 pm by xelnia »
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Offline Barra

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2019, 06:43:20 pm »
Keyboard for 95% of games. Exceptions are most 8-way shooters or some games that require analog where I'll use a PS4 controller
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Offline 1971printer

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2019, 08:52:17 pm »
Sanwa JLF stick + buttons.
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Offline SithOfSpades

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2019, 10:01:44 pm »
I usually play on an arcade cabinet, but I play a little MAME for save state practice and to play the holiday remix ROMS. For MAME, I use the Mayflash f500 with the stick and buttons that came with it, and it is okay. I am thinking about upgrading the joystick and buttons to Sanwa JLF (which are supposed to be compatible). I did get a different restrictor (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GDGLVKX/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that has a 4-way setting that can be turned diagonally to be more like the cabinet joystick. I feel like the practice I do with this setup translates to the cabinet reasonably well, which is something I care about.
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Offline hooch66

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2019, 05:31:05 am »
I sometimes use my PS4 controller for Donkey Kong Mame. You can set it up in the software to only recognize up, down, left, and right, and not register diagonals. This will help it feel like a 4-way joystick.
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Offline dollopuss

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2019, 06:04:37 am »
I started playing DK on a PS4 controller in Retropi, then an Xbox controller in Retropi, then keyboard in MAME on my PC, then got an Xarcade for cheap, didn't like the stick in it so replaced it with a Sanwa 4way, didn't like the Sanwa and replaced it with a Seimitsu 4way, didn't like that and went back to keyboard which is what I'm happy with now. In the end, the keyboard felt the most precise for DK. I do like the DK cab Nintendo stick a lot though.
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Offline jerky

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2019, 09:22:31 am »
When I am not busy working all the time...I use Groovy Game Gear joysticks/dials that I installed in my X-Arcade Tank Stick and Dual Stick. The stock XA microswitch joysticks will wear out pretty fast if they don't drive you crazy from all the clicking noises first! The Tank Stick also fits nicely in a Home Depot 30" x 23.25" x 13.375" shelving unit footprint to help keep it more stable


The Tank currently has a GGG PacPro 4 way joystick on the left and a Dominux8 with a 4 way gate setup on the right (currently for working on DigDug if I ever get time to play again that is). I actually haven't had much time to test out the PacPro. It is also a pain in the A to install leaf switch joysticks on the left hand side of any XA box because it is so close to the sidewall (need to bend the connectors to get them on).

I also have a GGG TurboTwist 2 for the Tank that isn't installed right now (replaces the bottom right red button near the joystick). The silver spinner in the photo is a TurboTwist Hi-Lo I installed into the panel (had to cut a hole for it). I removed the stock trackball because frankly it sucks. Still looking for a good one to play Millipede etc. that I can fit in this unit eventually.

I use the same size shelving unit with the smaller Dual + use a couple of wood shims to hold it in place (along the back and at the front left corner). This one has two Dominux8 joysticks with without any gates installed. Because this unit isn't as deep as the Tank I had to cut holes to keep the Dominux8's from rubbing the bottom panel. They don't stick out the bottom though. They are off by only about half the width of the bottom panel. This is the setup I used to score 35 million points+ on Robotron ;)


The buttons are mostly GGG CLASSX (red/wht) with some left over original XA ones (black). I mostly use their True-Leaf Pro switches with a handful of Micro-Leaf ones here and there. The stock XA switches will wear out on you pretty fast. They tend to stick too sometimes. I replaced most of them with Zippy microswitches that I am pretty happy with so far. My next upgrade is to find a good button/leaf switch combo for Asteroids/Star Castle type gaming (and prob scrap the Dual for another Tank because of the depth/fit issues).


Enjoy!
« Last Edit: March 11, 2019, 09:56:55 am by jerky »
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Offline hooch66

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2019, 12:29:17 pm »
I also have an extra Nintendo arcade DK joystick I'd like to create a control panel around to play on mame but have never gotten around to it (yet)
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Offline krehztim

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Re: What type of joystick do MAME players use?
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2019, 03:35:36 pm »
Keyboard for anything not requiring or allowing diagonal movements.

Everything else gets my Qanba Q4, a great stick for under $200, has survived multiple Yolympics, Craps, and IGBYs.  Comes w/ 9 Sanwa buttons.  Also comes w/ stick restrictors, so can do 4-way, 8-way, and all-way (circular).  Very sturdy, though the stick does auto-center a little too quickly for DK Jr, which might not be a bad thing.

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