Joysticks

[orange]

Its impossible to buy new joysticks for Amiga, or any with microswitches instead of those analogue @#!& for PC.
So what are the options? Is there a single digital model of joystick (with microswitches) for PC?
Can those potentiometers in analogue ones be replaced with microswitches?
Has anyone tried making one from scratch?

[redrumloa]

It's not impossible, you just aren't looking hard enough;-)

LOOK HERE

:-D

[kevh100]

I've bought a few Amiga joysticks from my local car boot sales. If you are in the UK try some shops that deal in second hand bits such as Gamestation or Cash Converters.

Kev

[cgutjahr]

redrumloa wrote:
It's not impossible, you just aren't looking hard enough;-)

LOOK HERE

:-D

Unfortunately that joystick is utter crap :-D

@orange:

Car boot sales or ebay are pretty much your only options if you want to *buy* one.

You could make your own joystick though, using the digital joysticks available for arcade cabinets - It's pretty easy if you know how to handle a soldering iron.

Here are some reviews for modern arcade joysticks:

http://www.retroblast.com/hardware.html

[redrumloa]

Unfortunately that joystick is utter crap

Utter crap? Naah it aint that bad :lol: It's no Wico, but it gets the job done:-)

[cgutjahr]

redrumloa wrote:
Utter crap? Naah it aint that bad :lol:

You're trying to sell it - of course you have to pretend that it doesn't suck ;-)

It's no Wico,

What's a Wico? This one?

Of course, the only worthy joystick ever build was the Competition Pro

[odin]

If it's no Suzo 'The Arcade' you can keep it. Nice, black, stylish and not more button than you need ;-).

I've replaced the microswitches in mine quite often now. I'll probably keep using it until the plastic crumbles :-).

[BoingBoss]

Hi orange,

The best joystick ever made for the Amiga and Atari ST computers was the Wico Bat Handle or Wico Red Ball joysticks.  These used leaf-switches which are better then micro switches.  A micro switch joystick would last me about 3 to 6 months, then they would fail or break.  The Wico joysticks lasted 5 to 10 YEARS of heavy use and I never had any problems with them.  In many of the gaming championships that I have won through the years I used a Wico joystick to kick butt.  In fact, a Wico joystick with a autoblaster plugged in can not be beat.  I still use them today.  You can find them on eBay.    :-D

Here is a picture:

http://www.amiga.org/gallery/photo.php?lid=1838

[Lemmink]

What is it about the CompetitionPro sticks everyone is so exited about. To me the Competition are the most worthless sticks I have ever known.
A decent stick must stick to a plane surface and must have a firebutton on top so you absolutely do not need two hands to operate it.
They might be hard to wear out but you can also say that about the old Atari 2600 controller Red is selling.

My absolut favorite is the SV127 Topstar from Quickshot with one normal firebutton on the front of the handle and an autofirebutton on top.

[lionstorm]

I am a die hard user of the konik speedking, nothing beats it in kickoff2 or sensible soccer. Sad thing is that it broke down after a while.
Lio

[amiga1260]

On the site of Lik Sang you could buy a Playstation joypad converter for the Sega Megadrive/Genesis. I think you could use it for your Amiga.

There are some PS2 arcade joysticks for sale, but they 're very expensive.

Look here for the convertor:

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=214&products_id=3462&

[cgutjahr]

Lemmink wrote:
What is it about the CompetitionPro sticks everyone is so exited about. To me the Competition are the most worthless sticks I have ever known.

A CompetitionPro is precise and you immidiately feel if/when the micro switch was activated. Additionally, it's very easy to repair. Did I mention that it's extremely precise? (unlike the Quickshot crap that requires you to turn the stick for at least 40 degree until something happens)

A decent stick must stick to a plane surface

That's what Competitions do.

and must have a firebutton on top so you absolutely do not need two hands to operate it.

What kind of games are you playing that require you to have one free hand available?

My absolut favorite is the SV127 Topstar from Quickshot with one normal firebutton on the front of the handle and an autofirebutton on top.

Spit - I knew you were going to say that.

[Holley]

CD32 joypad :-D

Competition pro's are nice, but they were often very stiff when new, so needed to be broken in.  I had one of the Bug joysticks too, I liked that as it was precise, light on the stick and small.

I'm not a fan of leaf switches and suction cups as both seem to break for me, regardless of make.

[billchase]

I have always liked the Suncom joysticks,
especially the Slic Stik.  Its shorter handle
provided quicker response time, though the
fire button was not the most durable.

C Snyder