The two stoppers for me are: - Having only one stick, an FSTE. Not just that, but since it's modded to have an Seimitsu LS-32-01, which I use for shmups, I have to screw on the 4-way restrictor along with the bottom plate. - General lack of skill with sticks. Not only do I have techniques on a keyboard that are awkward on a stick, but on a stick I have trouble keeping up at lower lock delays; TGM3 Master + stick + all COOL!s up to the 500 section = I near-immediately crap out afterwards. Those who saw me play TGM3 at Sakura-Con this year can attest to this.
I only play TGM with a stick because that is how it was designed to be played. For SRS/guideline games with no ARE I use a keyboard.
That was the same problem for me when i started to play with a Hori instead of a keyboard last summer. TGM might be the first game i used a joystick for if you dont count consoles like n64 or so, and it felt impossible. Its just so unfair when you cant tap directions multiple times any more, and zangi moves are harder to do as well if you have to drop the piece with up first because of that. for me at least, because im so fixed in pressing keys one by one insted of these circle-like moves. on the plus side, it seems to last longer than my keyboards did and multiple rotations at once are much easier to to
I'm not considering people using keaboard as retarded. Especially speaking about SUB 20G (sonic drop), keyboard players can't do just as well as stick.
Excuse me guys, I wanna ask you all something... I`m thinking getting an Arcade Stick... So... Puzzle and Shoot`em Ups (Like DoDonPachi or Mushihimesama) are my favourite gender games... So my question: Is the Arcade Stick structure important for our rendering in these two types of games??? I mean which stick is better for these games??? How should it be??? I mean its length, its "ball" should be little or big??? And the buttons??? Should be aligned??? Look at these pictures so you can tell which is better... I ask you this because I don`t wanna buy something that will be useless. I wait for your answers... Thank you all... Regards... Nahu
Well the first one is a VSHG, so it's definitely better. By a fucking mile, because the others look like absolutely shite sticks (though for that last two that might be because they're bat-tops and therefore usually a crappy US joystick). It's not necessarily better because of the lay-out though. It's better because it has high-quality parts inside it, which is far more important than anything else.
I would recommend getting any of these sticks: SEGA Virtua Stick High Grade (VSHG) Hori Real Arcade PRO 3 Special Addition - Sanwa (HRAP-SA) MadCatz FightStick Tournament Edition X360 (FSTE) Or, building your own joystick using these parts: - Sanwa JLF-TP-8Y (or JLF-TP-8YT) - Sanwa OBSF-30 - Any USB gamepad PCB And make sure to leave approximately 10mm of space between the base of the JLF and the top of the control panel surface (the JLF is designed to be mounted on a retention bracket and has a longer shaft because of this). And in all cases, whether buying a prefab joystick or DIY building one, make sure to set the restrictor to 4-way (diamond shaped).
Just avoid at any cost shity part or manufacturer. Sanwa or Seimitsu are recommended. the flavor is up to you but buying a reliable arcade stick if for life. just avoid this "thing" :
Except you'll want it in 8-way when playing shmups, so probably best to get a second restrictor which is set to 8-way and just swap them in and out.
If you play primarily in US arcades, most of them will have the bat top, and if you wish to practice for that, you should get one of the latter two. HOWEVER, more and more arcades these days, even in the US, are switching to the candy cabinets, which have the japanese sticks in them. SO learning on those is good. And playing in actually arcades these days is pretty rare, so the higher quality japanese sticks are a good bet. THe most important things are stick quality, and then layout after that. A more countured layout, like the top ones, will do much better than the standard sf2 two flat rows one.
Actually, only one TGM machine outside of Japan uses bat top sticks. Seriously, just get something that uses a JLF and Sanwa buttons and you will be good to go.
Bat top and Japanese sticks aren't mutually exclusive terms. You can buy loose bat tops and put them on a JLF or LS-32, if you absolutely must insist on ruining your own gameplay experience. Also, what Kevin said. Japanese games generally get ball top joysticks, even in the US. Personally, if I were to encounter any Tetris game with a bat top I would complain to the arcade operator. Or maybe bring one of my spare balltops and screw it on myself cause I have like at least four green/pink surplus.
I was buying six months ago and was this close to getting a HRAP-SA. I was put off with a cost of GBP 150 before posting and soon discovered that a regular HRAP3 + separate sanwa buttons produced the same result for just over half the cost. And putting them in was simple, even I could do it.
It's not just the top, it's also the well. I could be rocking a Sanwa, but if its well is round-shaped, this will give me problems on shmups. On TGM, I'm just gonna rage-not-insert-coins.
