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OFFICIAL "Do It Yourself" Joystick thread...

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Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: SandEagle
has anyone picked up the official SF4 fightstick:
http://www.buy.com/prod/Offici...loc/108/210674136.html

or the fightpad:
http://www.buy.com/prod/Offici...loc/108/210674137.html


i cant decide which to get
Click to expand...

I would definitely get the stick. It'll be hard as hell to find but it's a much better choice.
Click to expand...

that stick linked has actually been having pretty poor hardware failure rates out of the box. it is a pretty cheapo joystick actually, the $150 TE is the one you want if you are goign to spend the $$ on it, or at least replace the parts on the one linked above.
Click to expand...

What's failing? Is it something electronically that switching out the sticks and buttons wouldn't fix?
Click to expand...

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02...iv-fightstick-defects/
 
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: gorcorps
Originally posted by: SandEagle
has anyone picked up the official SF4 fightstick:
http://www.buy.com/prod/Offici...loc/108/210674136.html

or the fightpad:
http://www.buy.com/prod/Offici...loc/108/210674137.html


i cant decide which to get
Click to expand...

I would definitely get the stick. It'll be hard as hell to find but it's a much better choice.
Click to expand...

that stick linked has actually been having pretty poor hardware failure rates out of the box. it is a pretty cheapo joystick actually, the $150 TE is the one you want if you are goign to spend the $$ on it, or at least replace the parts on the one linked above.
Click to expand...

What's failing? Is it something electronically that switching out the sticks and buttons wouldn't fix?
Click to expand...

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02...iv-fightstick-defects/
Click to expand...

Bummer, wonder how widespread it is. With how viral net stories can get it's hard to judge just how bad a problem is until a while after it's been released.
 
Alright I'm pretty excited now. I bought a cheaper Hori stick made for the wii, and I found a store that carries that $10 joystick purbeast mentioned. I bought an octagonal plate for the stick as well as the 'bat style' head as I can't stand the ball. I'm not going to change the buttons yet as I have to decide if I'll use this stick enough to be worth it, but I'm psyched to get everything and start swapping things out.
 
Originally posted by: Atrail
I ordered the XBOX 360 Hori Stick from a site that "supposedly" has them in-stock. Should ship today or tomorrow.
We shall see...

Amazon has the Pro version in-stock, free shipping.

Hori Real Pro Arcade
Click to expand...

I didn't think those hori sticks are hard to find. I've seen them all over eBay and lots of e-stores I was browsing.
 
So from what I'm reading purbeast, if I want to do what you did by using the cheap joystick PCB and rewiring it to higher-quality buttons/stick, but I don't want to make it cross compatible with the PS3, then I can follow your diagram, but just leave out the cthulhu board and the switch?
 
Originally posted by: peritusONE
So from what I'm reading purbeast, if I want to do what you did by using the cheap joystick PCB and rewiring it to higher-quality buttons/stick, but I don't want to make it cross compatible with the PS3, then I can follow your diagram, but just leave out the cthulhu board and the switch?
Click to expand...

yah, as well as leave out the USB and power stuff. you would only have to wire up the ground and signal wires from the xbox360 pcb.
 
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: peritusONE
So from what I'm reading purbeast, if I want to do what you did by using the cheap joystick PCB and rewiring it to higher-quality buttons/stick, but I don't want to make it cross compatible with the PS3, then I can follow your diagram, but just leave out the cthulhu board and the switch?
Click to expand...

yah, as well as leave out the USB and power stuff. you would only have to wire up the ground and signal wires from the xbox360 pcb.
Click to expand...

Nice, I might start the search for one of those cheap Mad Catz joysticks, then. If I go ahead with this, I'll probably pick up some walnut or cherry from the local hardwood store and make my own box as well, then use my connections in the sign industry to get a nice full-color graphic made.
 
Originally posted by: Imported
I knew I should have picked up the 3-4 Madcatz joysticks thing at Fry's the other day! They were only $6. 🙁
Click to expand...

Before I leave work today, I'm gonna call a Gamestop that's 20 minutes away to see if they'll hold one of these for me (they are the closest that says any are in stock). Hopefully they'll still have one and will hold it, since Gamestop's site only updates once in the morning.

If not, I would be willing to pay someone full price and shipping if they find one locally for $10 or less.

EDIT: After posting this, I figured I might as well just go ahead and call since I'm leaving in 2 hours anyway. They had a few of them and held one back for me.

He did say they had a few of them, so if anybody wants one, let me know and I'll get one for you. They are $9.99 and you can just pay me back for the total price + shipping, not a big deal at all. This is, of course, if they have any left by the time I get there. You'll have to let me know before 3pm eastern, that's when I head out 🙂.
 
I took apart my old stick and now I'm waiting for my Cthulhu board. I also have to desolder a few things, hope it goes well :-\
 
I picked up the last 2 of those cheap Madcatz sticks they had at the store I went to. The second will be a backup, but might also go to my brother since he expressed interest in getting one. I feel sorry for whomever paid $50 for one of these things when they first came out, they are pretty cheap feeling.

Purbeast, I noticed this stick has a turbo switch and even a spinner. Did you just not care about hooking those up? I actually might think about putting something on my board for these, hopefully I can figure out the wiring from the stuff you've posted above.

EDIT: Also, care to give the dimensions of your overall board? I'll be looking more in-depth at other schematics and stuff once I start trying to lay out my design.
 
Originally posted by: makoto00
i wish i had the skills to make one of these
Click to expand...

It honestly doesn't seem too hard. I already have a little bit of woodworking skill under my belt, it's the soldering that will be new to me. But since I'm not doing anywhere near the amount of work purbeast did, I'm not too worried about it. Plus, it looks pretty simple.

I just ordered my joystick and buttons. Stuck with the HAPP competition joystick and competition buttons. I ordered 6 white buttons for my punches and kicks, 2 black ones for the P+P+P and K+K+K, and 2 black ones for Start and Back. After I placed the order, I started wondering what I was going to do with the guide button, because I'll need that most definitely. Purbeast, do you think it'll be possible to still use the lighted guide button already present on the Madcatz stick? Hell, I don't even care if it lights anymore, as long as I can access the guide with my controller.
 
Originally posted by: sygyzy
What kind of moves are P+P+P and K+K+K?
Click to expand...

That's how you do your ultras. Having one dedicated button for pressing all punches or kicks seems kinda cheap, but if it's there, I'll use it. This is, of course, assuming this button doesn't exist on the arcade, because I don't really know.
 
Originally posted by: peritusONE
Purbeast, I noticed this stick has a turbo switch and even a spinner. Did you just not care about hooking those up? I actually might think about putting something on my board for these, hopefully I can figure out the wiring from the stuff you've posted above.

EDIT: Also, care to give the dimensions of your overall board? I'll be looking more in-depth at other schematics and stuff once I start trying to lay out my design.
Click to expand...

I just made sure the turbo switches (all of those switches) were set to off when I wired everything up. The spinner I just basically ripped off. I pretty much just tried to get my PCB to match the diagram of the PCB on slagcoin.

I'm not sure what you mean about the dimensions of my board, since I used the same PCB as you, you should be able to get it too 🙂.

Originally posted by: peritusONE
just ordered my joystick and buttons. Stuck with the HAPP competition joystick and competition buttons. I ordered 6 white buttons for my punches and kicks, 2 black ones for the P+P+P and K+K+K, and 2 black ones for Start and Back. After I placed the order, I started wondering what I was going to do with the guide button, because I'll need that most definitely. Purbeast, do you think it'll be possible to still use the lighted guide button already present on the Madcatz stick? Hell, I don't even care if it lights anymore, as long as I can access the guide with my controller.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about usign the lighted guide button. You would definitely have to have it mounted somewhere. I do know that the PCB has the lights on the actual PCB, so you would need the PCB to be right near wherever you want to expose that button. When my controller turns on, i still see the lights on the PCB (if I have my case open, it's not exposed when I'm actually using it).

Originally posted by: peritusONE
That's how you do your ultras. Having one dedicated button for pressing all punches or kicks seems kinda cheap, but if it's there, I'll use it. This is, of course, assuming this button doesn't exist on the arcade, because I don't really know.
Click to expand...

The arcade doesn't have these, only 3 rows of 2. It's all personal preference as to what you want to use, but me personally, when I originally used the SF:AC joystick it had the same setup (where the last 2 buttons were all 3 p/k together) bothered me and I would sometimes get my hands "out of place" (kind of like when you shift your fingers by accident on Guitar Hero or Rockband when playing the guitar) so I removed the last 2 buttons.

That is the reason I just put button plugs on mine this time around and didn't wire up LT/L2, RT/R2.
 
Originally posted by: purbeast0
I'm not sure what you mean about the dimensions of my board, since I used the same PCB as you, you should be able to get it too 🙂.
Click to expand...

I'm talking about length/width of the top of your entire top panel, not the PCB. I've read elsewhere that a size around 8"x12" is typically big enough. Just by setting a 8.5"x11" piece of letter paper down and placing my hands on it, I think that size will be good enough.

And thanks for the info about the lighted guide button. I seriously doubt I'll be able to mount it due to wood thickness and other factors, so I may just have to tear the guide button off and install a dedicated microswitch arcade button to bring up the guide. If I'm feeling venturous, I'll brush up on wiring LED's and create my own lighted system so I can see what player I'm plugged in as (which will be player 1 99% of the time, but whatever 😉).
 
Originally posted by: peritusONE
Originally posted by: purbeast0
I'm not sure what you mean about the dimensions of my board, since I used the same PCB as you, you should be able to get it too 🙂.
Click to expand...

I'm talking about length/width of the top of your entire top panel, not the PCB. I've read elsewhere that a size around 8"x12" is typically big enough. Just by setting a 8.5"x11" piece of letter paper down and placing my hands on it, I think that size will be good enough.

And thanks for the info about the lighted guide button. I seriously doubt I'll be able to mount it due to wood thickness and other factors, so I may just have to tear the guide button off and install a dedicated microswitch arcade button to bring up the guide. If I'm feeling venturous, I'll brush up on wiring LED's and create my own lighted system so I can see what player I'm plugged in as (which will be player 1 99% of the time, but whatever 😉).
Click to expand...

the top part is 15.5' x 9'. if you are building your own you could probably cut down the width by a few inches.

as for the guide butotn, i just hooked it up (and the PS button) to the "back" button on my joystick.

Back/Select, LT/L1, and RT/L2 are not hooked up at all on my joystick.
 
I guess this is as good a place as any to ask this..

What's the difference between the 40$ arcade sticks and the 140$ arcade sticks (I'm guessing a DIY stick should fall somewhere nearer the more expensive models quality-wise) What bang am I getting for my buck?

I want to get an arcade stick because I think that playing with the gamepad may have stunted my growth in Street Fighter 3.. I got used to working with just weak and fierce on the dreamcast controller, mostly ignoring the middle buttons. I'd like to avoid that with SF4..
 
Originally posted by: mxyzptlk
I guess this is as good a place as any to ask this..

What's the difference between the 40$ arcade sticks and the 140$ arcade sticks (I'm guessing a DIY stick should fall somewhere nearer the more expensive models quality-wise) What bang am I getting for my buck?

I want to get an arcade stick because I think that playing with the gamepad may have stunted my growth in Street Fighter 3.. I got used to working with just weak and fierce on the dreamcast controller, mostly ignoring the middle buttons. I'd like to avoid that with SF4..
Click to expand...

There's a $40 "Fightpad" that is just a controller with the d-pad and 6 button layout on the face. Then there's the $70/$80 "Fightstick" that is a joystick and 6 face buttons, but all the parts are lower quality. Then there's the $150 "Tournament Edition" joystick that uses a professional quality Sanwa stick and buttons, pretty much guaranteed to hold up.

Making your own from scratch with higher grade parts could costs upwards of $100-$150 depending on what tools you have to make it with and what kind of PCB you end up with.
 
Originally posted by: mxyzptlk
I guess this is as good a place as any to ask this..

What's the difference between the 40$ arcade sticks and the 140$ arcade sticks (I'm guessing a DIY stick should fall somewhere nearer the more expensive models quality-wise) What bang am I getting for my buck?

I want to get an arcade stick because I think that playing with the gamepad may have stunted my growth in Street Fighter 3.. I got used to working with just weak and fierce on the dreamcast controller, mostly ignoring the middle buttons. I'd like to avoid that with SF4..
Click to expand...

What system? You can also go with Hori's Real Arcade Pro 3 for the PS3 which runs around $90-100. Their 360 version is $130 I believe, and you're probably better off trying to get a TE stick for $20 more if you can.
 
Originally posted by: mxyzptlk
I guess this is as good a place as any to ask this..

What's the difference between the 40$ arcade sticks and the 140$ arcade sticks (I'm guessing a DIY stick should fall somewhere nearer the more expensive models quality-wise) What bang am I getting for my buck?

I want to get an arcade stick because I think that playing with the gamepad may have stunted my growth in Street Fighter 3.. I got used to working with just weak and fierce on the dreamcast controller, mostly ignoring the middle buttons. I'd like to avoid that with SF4..
Click to expand...

Basically, real arcade parts (buttons, joystick) versus generic buttons/generic stick. Real arcade parts tend to last longer and feel better/more responsive.

The SF4 TE stick has arcade parts and arcade buttons (both are Sanwa brand).

The Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 for PS3 has a Sanwa joystick but Hori buttons (which aren't as good quality and durability-wise). The HRAP EX for 360 is similar.

The SF4 Fight Stick has neither arcade buttons nor an arcade joystick.

Custom made joysticks can obviously use whatever you want, but of course you can get arcade quality stuff.
 
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