Built a joystick again.

Photon · 21 October 2017, 01:01

I spent last weekend building a joystick and had a lot of fun with it

Article + Picture gallery.

The guys in the Commodore Amiga Facebook group suggested some games that required good joystick control - as if I didn't know, well that's really true if I'm honest - but you know, there are so many games for Amiga that I haven't played half of them... best to ask. Most of the suggestions were familiar though - a good game is a good game, right?

So it's "pretty close to decent" (for my standards). I did learn some things that made me want to build a proper joystick. Maybe some day..? That's how I feel anyway.

Just some pretty basic things being overlooked IMO (hence the saltiness of the article), but it's really because of the manufacturers and the market. I mean, they should be able to tell.

seuden · 21 October 2017, 11:59

Looks smart. Nice work.

Photon · 21 October 2017, 16:25

I should add it's just put on the table for the photo - I use this across my knees (see photo 2 and 18). The comfort level really is faultless.

Depth is 35mm if you want to make a box, or you could make it 100mm wider and put wood sides on it and it would work both in the lap or on a table.

I've played quite a few games with it and that's why I did the second round of mods - I'll probably make another just like this but with a different joystick and button type in a few weeks, but I'm forcing myself to use this now to play all kinds of games with, and not just Amiga but C64, MAME, etc too.

I have a pretty good idea what makes a great joystick, but playing a full spectrum of different game types will inform me further. Plus put it to good use now that I've built it

Retro-Nerd · 21 October 2017, 22:31

But you must be a lefty. I couldn't play with the stick on the right side.

DamienD · 21 October 2017, 22:50

Looks really nice Photon

...but for me, same comment as Retro.

prowler · 21 October 2017, 23:16

Nice job, Photon!

@Retro-Nerd, Damien:
Really? I'm ambidextrous, but I would still prefer Photon's layout.

And no comments about being cack-handed, please.

DamienD · 22 October 2017, 00:07

Well, I grew up in the Arcades so... joystick on the left and buttons on the right

Hence why I have one of these bad boys at home for MAME action:

Photon · 22 October 2017, 00:29

I think it's just up to what you played as a kid and got used to. If there was an obstacle, we overcame it to play that great thing

I think most kids in year X would have
a) loved home computer games and the right-handed ones would hold the stick in the right hand,
b) loved arcade games and I guess even being right-handed adapt to the strange left-handed design of arcade games, or
c) loved consoles and despite using their right hand for fine motorics such as mouse+keyboard games, adapt to the strange left-handed design of gamepads. So.

But if I have to build the damn thing myself, you can be sure of one thing: it will have the correct design for my right-handedness.

I'm sort of driving this point on the chance that someone will go, "Hey! Hmm..." and actually try it and like it better.

Played some more games tonight, just got back to the PC

I'm not sure I'm friends with Apidya just yet

, but it sounds so sweet... And Traps'n'Treasures just looks so lovely on my TV

and feels modern, polished... class!

modrobert · 25 October 2017, 09:47

Photon, I like your joystick build, nice and thin. Most arcade joysticks are too big for comfort in the lap.

StingRay · 25 October 2017, 10:06

Looks really nice indeed. And joystick on the right is fine.

Mikerochip · 25 October 2017, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

Well, I grew up in the Arcades so... joystick on the left and buttons on the right

Hence why I have one of these bad boys at home for MAME action:

Me too!

Cost a fortune to bring it in to the country, but totally worth it!!

Foebane · 25 October 2017, 12:37

Why so many buttons? The Amiga only ever had one fire button. Ever.

PortuguesePilot · 25 October 2017, 12:41

I also like the left-hand stick/right-hand buttons as the original arcades had, but the joystick design you have there is really great.

I don't know if it's feasible (7-bit did it with the Rys USB mk2 adaptor, though) but I think that an Amiga joystick could have at least 4 buttons. Joystick fire1, fire2, a button simulating the joystick "up" and another simulating the "space" key, due to many games having it implemented to circumvent the Amiga's inherent lack of fire-buttons (Dynablaster springs to mind).

Cheers for the design, mate. Looks lovely.

dirkies · 25 October 2017, 14:42

nice! But I would add more buttons in case you use it for MAME aswell.
I only play stick-right+buttons-left combo, as most of the arcade cabs in my days had buttons on both side, so you could choose what hand to use for the stick. Since I am a rightie, I play a lot better with a right stick then a left stick.

DamienD · 25 October 2017, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikerochip

Cost a fortune to bring it in to the country, but totally worth it!!

I know what you're saying...

Purchased / had one shipped to me in London and another to my twin brother in Sydney

Retrofan · 26 October 2017, 00:14

I agree that I prefer the joystick on the left, but it's wonderful so thin.

seuden · 26 October 2017, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

Well, I grew up in the Arcades so... joystick on the left and buttons on the right

Hence why I have one of these bad boys at home for MAME action:

I wonder if there would be enough room inside to fit a Raspberry Pi 3? Would make a great mobile arcade.

21 October 2017, 01:01	#1
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	Built a joystick again. I spent last weekend building a joystick and had a lot of fun with it Article + Picture gallery. The guys in the Commodore Amiga Facebook group suggested some games that required good joystick control - as if I didn't know, well that's really true if I'm honest - but you know, there are so many games for Amiga that I haven't played half of them... best to ask. Most of the suggestions were familiar though - a good game is a good game, right? So it's "pretty close to decent" (for my standards). I did learn some things that made me want to build a proper joystick. Maybe some day..? That's how I feel anyway. Just some pretty basic things being overlooked IMO (hence the saltiness of the article), but it's really because of the manufacturers and the market. I mean, they should be able to tell.

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21 October 2017, 11:59	#2
seuden uber cool demi god Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent/England Posts: 2,073	Looks smart. Nice work.

21 October 2017, 16:25	#3
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	I should add it's just put on the table for the photo - I use this across my knees (see photo 2 and 18). The comfort level really is faultless. Depth is 35mm if you want to make a box, or you could make it 100mm wider and put wood sides on it and it would work both in the lap or on a table. I've played quite a few games with it and that's why I did the second round of mods - I'll probably make another just like this but with a different joystick and button type in a few weeks, but I'm forcing myself to use this now to play all kinds of games with, and not just Amiga but C64, MAME, etc too. I have a pretty good idea what makes a great joystick, but playing a full spectrum of different game types will inform me further. Plus put it to good use now that I've built it

21 October 2017, 22:31	#4
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,435	But you must be a lefty. I couldn't play with the stick on the right side.

21 October 2017, 22:50	#5
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	Looks really nice Photon ...but for me, same comment as Retro.

21 October 2017, 23:16	#6
prowler Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sidcup, England Posts: 10,300	Nice job, Photon! @Retro-Nerd, Damien: Really? I'm ambidextrous, but I would still prefer Photon's layout. And no comments about being cack-handed, please.

22 October 2017, 00:07	#7
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	Well, I grew up in the Arcades so... joystick on the left and buttons on the right Hence why I have one of these bad boys at home for MAME action:

22 October 2017, 00:29	#8
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	I think it's just up to what you played as a kid and got used to. If there was an obstacle, we overcame it to play that great thing I think most kids in year X would have a) loved home computer games and the right-handed ones would hold the stick in the right hand, b) loved arcade games and I guess even being right-handed adapt to the strange left-handed design of arcade games, or c) loved consoles and despite using their right hand for fine motorics such as mouse+keyboard games, adapt to the strange left-handed design of gamepads. So. But if I have to build the damn thing myself, you can be sure of one thing: it will have the correct design for my right-handedness. I'm sort of driving this point on the chance that someone will go, "Hey! Hmm..." and actually try it and like it better. Played some more games tonight, just got back to the PC I'm not sure I'm friends with Apidya just yet , but it sounds so sweet... And Traps'n'Treasures just looks so lovely on my TV and feels modern, polished... class!

25 October 2017, 09:47	#9
modrobert old bearded fool Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bangkok Age: 56 Posts: 775	Photon, I like your joystick build, nice and thin. Most arcade joysticks are too big for comfort in the lap.

25 October 2017, 10:06	#10
StingRay move.l #$c0ff33,throat Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Berlin/Joymoney Posts: 6,863	Looks really nice indeed. And joystick on the right is fine.

25 October 2017, 12:37	#12
Foebane Banned Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Cardiff, UK Age: 51 Posts: 2,871	Why so many buttons? The Amiga only ever had one fire button. Ever.

25 October 2017, 12:41	#13
PortuguesePilot Global Moderator Join Date: May 2013 Location: Setúbal, Portugal Posts: 609	I also like the left-hand stick/right-hand buttons as the original arcades had, but the joystick design you have there is really great. I don't know if it's feasible (7-bit did it with the Rys USB mk2 adaptor, though) but I think that an Amiga joystick could have at least 4 buttons. Joystick fire1, fire2, a button simulating the joystick "up" and another simulating the "space" key, due to many games having it implemented to circumvent the Amiga's inherent lack of fire-buttons (Dynablaster springs to mind). Cheers for the design, mate. Looks lovely.

25 October 2017, 14:42	#14
dirkies Zone Friend Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Belgium Age: 51 Posts: 1,296	nice! But I would add more buttons in case you use it for MAME aswell. I only play stick-right+buttons-left combo, as most of the arcade cabs in my days had buttons on both side, so you could choose what hand to use for the stick. Since I am a rightie, I play a lot better with a right stick then a left stick.

26 October 2017, 00:14	#16
Retrofan Ruler of the Universe Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Lanzarote/Spain Posts: 6,185	I agree that I prefer the joystick on the left, but it's wonderful so thin.

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