36 replies to this topic

[Zerosquare]

I just built a rotary controller to be able to play Tempest 2000 and Kobayashi Maru in rotary mode (much more fun !). Since I only own one controller and didn't want to spend too much money, I looked for a way to add the knob without making the D-pad unusable.

I've written a mini-tutorial for those who'd like to do the same
Works well, and it's pretty cheap (the total cost was 5€, or about $6.50)

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Edited by Zerosquare, Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:33 PM.

[ggn]

.........

ZEROSQUARE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

You're NOT supposed to let people know that Jaguar stuff is easy

[Jag_Slave]

Nice, Ive been wanting to have some rotaries, but couldnt justify 100+ dollars for one (let alone two).

[CyranoJ]

ggn, on Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:12 AM, said:

You're NOT supposed to let people know that Jaguar stuff is easy

One day, one night. Kobayashi Maru...

[Rex Dart]

Great idea... but how do you hold the controller when you're using the rotary knob? Normal position, or do you hold the controller sideways so the dial is up top?

[sh3-rg]

Some people prefer to use rotary pads rotated 180 degrees, so their right hand has the spinner & the left has the buttons (saw someone playing like that at ejagfest). That should work well with this positioning.

I'm going to make a few up so we've got plenty for some multi-player rotary games at AC/RGC/ejagfest/etc., not sure where I'll put the spinners until I see the encoders in my hand.

[Zerosquare]

Rex Dart, on Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:36 PM, said:

Great idea... but how do you hold the controller when you're using the rotary knob? Normal position, or do you hold the controller sideways so the dial is up top?

You can either hold it normally, sideways or upside down, depending on what your preference is ; it's usable easily either way

[sh3-rg]

Using the infos in this thread I've been busy with rotaries. Pictured on the right is a zerotary controller with switchable rotary/regular d-pad controls. I stuck the detentless little spinner up near the cable - this pad I'm going to use for testing as the switch keeps me from having to swap cables. Before I make any more zerotaries I'm going to try to find a better position for the spinner, possibly on the bottom right and turn the pad 90° to use it. This only cost £2 a pad to make (for encoder, switch and cheap push-on rubber knob), I've still got plenty of spare pads to convert & hope to make a set of 8 for some dual team tap multi-player fun next year (having all 8 pads made using the same encoders will keep it fair & even).

The other one on the left is a straight rotary with a _huge_ aluminium knob Instead of the regular 25mm knob on other spinner pads (roughly the same size as the d-pad) this thing is 40mm diameter (as big as the outer circle around the d-pad) and quite deep at over 20mm. I wasn't actually expecting it to be any good but I think it's the best spinner I've used for the Jaguar. It feels really solid & precise when turned as a dial and moves freely enough to be easily spinnable with the thumb on top (the larger size making this much easier than my other pads). The encoder used here was actually a detented one, but using OMF's idea it was castrated and now spins freely. Only problem was I had to file the encoder shaft down a bit as the socket in the knob wasn't quite the 6mm it was supposed to be.

[CyranoJ]

I guess I'll have to make RAPTOR support 8 spinners via teamtap now

[K3V]

Nice work! For those of us who don't regularly buy electronics, do you have a link to a website to buy the rotary encoders? Thanks!

[Zerosquare]

Thanks

I got mine from an electronics store that only exists in France, and unfortunately they don't mention the manufacturer or part number.

Here are a few USA-based resellers you can try:
MCM Electronics
Digikey Corporation
Mouser Electronics

[sh3-rg]

K3V, on Tue Dec 27, 2011 7:08 PM, said:

do you have a link to a website to buy the rotary encoders?

I used this one. It's a little stiff to turn, but the bigger the knob the better it works.

[Zerosquare]

Interesting, it looks similar to the one I used and has the same characteristics, right down to the stiffness.

[K3V]

Zerosquare, on Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:43 AM, said:

Thanks

I got mine from an electronics store that only exists in France, and unfortunately they don't mention the manufacturer or part number.

Here are a few USA-based resellers you can try:
MCM Electronics
Digikey Corporation
Mouser Electronics

sh3-rg, on Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:51 AM, said:

I used this one. It's a little stiff to turn, but the bigger the knob the better it works.

Thanks guys! I'm going to give this one a shot: http://www.mouser.co...6iMs5fgnA%3d%3d

I built a few rotaries back in the day but they used the Indy 500 controller. This will be much better!

Edited by K3V, Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:45 AM.

[Stephen]

K3V, on Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:44 AM, said:

Thanks guys! I'm going to give this one a shot: http://www.mouser.co...6iMs5fgnA%3d%3d

I built a few rotaries back in the day but they used the Indy 500 controller. This will be much better!

Hey Kev - shame they quit carrying the nice optical I got from Happ in mine. Also a shame I could never get the optical one you tried to work.

[K3V]

No problem! It's time to give it another go. Want to put a rotary on the controller on my kiosk for better T2K play and for the new/upcoming rotary homebrew stuff.

[K3V]

Super mega update: Success! Using the rotary I got from Mouser (see above) I was able to not only create a rotary like Zerosquare did, but also FINALLY got my Jaguar arcade stick back up and running. I originally built this thing more than 10 years ago I think, but was never happy with the Indy 500 rotary controls. Now it's fully functional again, and it's using an original arcade Tempest spinner knob!

Next thing I'm going to do is build a shelf to go inbetween the two halves of the Jaguar kiosk to mount the control panel on, and get some graphics applied to it.

So I've tested it out with T2K (obviously) and Kobayashi Maru. Anything else I should check out? I haven't been following the Jag scene as closely as I used to. Impulse X is supposed to have rotary support when it comes out too, right?

Thanks again for the assist Zerosquare and sh3-rg!

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Edited by K3V, Sun Jan 8, 2012 3:44 PM.

[sh3-rg]

K3V, on Sun Jan 8, 2012 3:44 PM, said:

Super mega update: Success!
Now it's fully functional again, and it's using an original arcade Tempest spinner knob!

Nice one, that's great you have the Tempest spinner knob for T2K! Does it play well with both games? Did you have to adjust the trim on KM to get it feeling how you wanted at all?

Don't know of any other rotary software yet, but as you said Impulse X supports them (along with mice)

[K3V]

sh3-rg, on Sun Jan 8, 2012 5:05 PM, said:

Nice one, that's great you have the Tempest spinner knob for T2K! Does it play well with both games? Did you have to adjust the trim on KM to get it feeling how you wanted at all?

Don't know of any other rotary software yet, but as you said Impulse X supports them (along with mice)

Yep, works great on both games, and didn't have to adjust anything for KM. The other game I was thinking of was Rebooteroids - any ETA on that one?

Just to be clear I am just using the knob from a Tempest arcade - the encoder is the one I got from Mouser.

[sh3-rg]

K3V, on Mon Jan 9, 2012 9:57 PM, said:

The other game I was thinking of was Rebooteroids - any ETA on that one?

Nothing to report yet, sorry. Raptor stuff is taking most of the efforts atm.

[Zerosquare]

K3V > great job !

[K3V]

Got the controller mounted to the kiosk this morning! Nearly finished now.

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[Isgoed]

That looks very cool, nice setup

[K3V]

Thanks!

[Hyper_Eye]

That's looking really good man! Great work.

I have had a rotary for a few years. It is a Chaos Reins rotary and I really love using it with T2K. Now I need to try it with this new game. That's exciting news. I wish I was keeping up with the Jag scene lately as much as I used to.