Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle

General Chat => Galaxian Theater => Topic started by: stuart75 on July 31, 2012, 09:38:40 PM

Title: What sensors use the gun controller in Starblade Arcade?
Post by: stuart75 on July 31, 2012, 09:38:40 PM

Hello,
I am interested in how the gun controller works. Would like to build my self a similar device for the PC.

But I need to know what is inside the gun controller. Which sensors, mechanics, chips, pictures of the inside outside of the controller.

Any help what be appreciated.

Title: Re: What sensors use the gun controller in Starblade Arcade?
Post by: Etienne MacGyver on August 01, 2012, 09:29:18 AM

here are some pics of the controller in this thread:

https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=28.0

Goodluck

Title: Re: What sensors use the gun controller in Starblade Arcade?
Post by: DarthNuno on August 02, 2012, 07:46:34 PM

Hi Stuart, and welcome to the Starblade fans community  ;)

You can have a look at the manual I've scanned, you'll see all the parts included in the gun controller :

(http://dragonslairfans.com/outsidethelair/starblade/stardoc.jpg) (http://dragonslairfans.com/outsidethelair/starblade/StarBlade.pdf)

Let us know about your project.

Title: Re: What sensors use the gun controller in Starblade Arcade?
Post by: stuart75 on August 02, 2012, 10:41:41 PM

Yes I discovered it yesterday. Thanks you for the hint. During these days I discovered a lot: Grips, input encoders,...

What I want to build is a Yoke that serves for galactic or flak shooters. Like the controller of StarBlade or the old Star Wars Arcade.
I think it would be fun to use it instead of using the mouse.

At the moment my problem is how the movements x y are beeing transformed into digital signals. What is beeing used in this controller?

When it is finished I will put some fotos into this forum.

Title: Re: What sensors use the gun controller in Starblade Arcade?
Post by: uncletom on August 13, 2012, 10:09:36 PM

It's nothing too advanced. The Starblade gun controller is nothing more than a simple analog joystick, except with its directions reversed and two mounted grips with buttons. All you need to learn is the pinout for the PC game-port. Where the x and y analog inputs go and what potentiometer values to use for them. Usually for PC it is 100K pots, but any pot will do. I've converted arcade controlls on a few occasions using original SEGA pots of 5k each. Works every time on any PC.

Actually, the best and easiest for you would be to just buy a ready analog joystick, preferably USB, and gut it. Use the PCB and wire it to your cannon/yoke 's pots. Then calibrate it and you can play.