Analog beatmania controllers ?

MsK` · 10-15-2008, 04:22 AM

Hi,
I'm student in a school of video games and in the next sixth months, we are going to the pre-production of a new game : a real time strategy game played with a beatmania controller, sounds crazy ? yes !

One of our problem - besides the game design - is that we need an analog beatmania controller, we already did some tests with the small konami controller, the turntable is digital and it's just impossible to play our game with a turntable like that...
I noticed that beatmania 1 on mame has analog control, well, at least, the keys configuration menu says that, so I believe that analog turntables exists, at least in arcades.
Do you know where I can find such a controller ? I also saw on youtube a video of an analog controller but it was a custom one made with an optical mouse...
Also, I contacted DJ Dao but it doesn't seem to understand our needs...

Any help is appreciated, thanks !

word · 10-15-2008, 05:29 AM

Know what would be easier? Using a mouse and keyboard.

Suvi · 10-15-2008, 05:55 AM

lol, your idea is pretty unique and if it combined beats and strategy, that's pretty sick (Good way). But in the end, making an RTS with a beatmania controller is very hard to think of. I don't know how the gameplay would go about. Sort of interested, sort of confused.

Good luck.

And your question. I've never heard of an anolog Beatmania Controller before. I haven't played that long ago so the only thing I know of are ASC and KOC

MsK` · 10-15-2008, 06:05 AM

Quote:

lol, your idea is pretty unique and if it combined beats and strategy, that's pretty sick (Good way). But in the end, making an RTS with a beatmania controller is very hard to think of.

It's not actually my idea, I'm programmer not game designer, but they are hardly working on it and it does look pretty cool for the moment

guessing...
ASC = Arcade Style Controller ?
KOC = Konami Original Controller ?
I'm not very familiar with the terms used here...

Can anybody plug Buy beatmania IIDX Arcade Style Controller (PS2 & PS) - Order Now! into a PC and see if it's analog in windows game controller control panel please ?

Quote:

Know what would be easier? Using a mouse and keyboard.

It will be of course playable with a normal controller, we are not going to buy 10 controllers to test/debug the game

MsK` · 10-15-2008, 06:10 AM

Ok, seems that my reply got lost...

So, I was saying : yes, the game will be playable with a normal controller. We are not going to buy 10 IIDX controllers to test/debug the game...

Quote:

lol, your idea is pretty unique and if it combined beats and strategy, that's pretty sick (Good way). But in the end, making an RTS with a beatmania controller is very hard to think of.

It is not my idea, I'm just programmer not game designer, but they are hardly working on it and it does look good for the moment and is evolving fast

Also, I'm not very familiar with the terms you use : what are ASC and KOC ? Arcade Style Controller ? Konami Original Controller ? just guessing...

And, can anybody plug Buy beatmania IIDX Arcade Style Controller (PS2 & PS) - Order Now! into a PC and see, in windows game controller control panel, if it has an analog turntable ?

MsK` · 10-15-2008, 06:25 AM

3rd test reply, my last 2 seem to have gone to the holywebtrash...
EDIT: Ok so we can't write links to play-asia or something...

So I was saying, 3rd try :

Yes, of course, our game will be playable with a normal gamepad. We are not going to buy 10 IIDX controllers to test/debug...

Quote:

lol, your idea is pretty unique and if it combined beats and strategy, that's pretty sick (Good way). But in the end, making an RTS with a beatmania controller is very hard to think of.

Actually, it is not my idea, I'm just a programmer, but the game designers are working on it and it's evolving well

Also, I'm not really familiar with all those terms you use, so just guessing : ASC = Arcade Style Controller ? KOC = Konami Original Controller ?

Also, can anybody plug this controller to a PC and look in windows gamepad control panel if the turntable is analog ? Thanks.

BemaniAK · 10-15-2008, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsK`

Also, can anybody plug this controller to a PC and look in windows gamepad control panel if the turntable is analog ? Thanks.

1. You'd need a converter.

2. No home controllers for Beatmania IIDX are analog as far as I know, I think the arcade machines are, but they aren't exactly easy to get into your house, and wouldn't be worth the effort just to play an RTS with it.

MsK` · 10-15-2008, 07:05 AM

Any idea why home controllers aren't analog ? (besides money...)
I never played IIDX but it may feel different with analog control.

BemaniAK · 10-15-2008, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsK`

Any idea why home controllers aren't analog ? (besides money...)
I never played IIDX but it may feel different with analog control.

Keeping the cost down at first.

The initial home controller was digital, so the games were designed to handle that, therefore, every other controller needs to be made the same way so they actually work.

hooded_paladin · 10-15-2008, 10:21 AM

All Konami controllers use an optical encoder (like an old mouse), which they have a circuit to produce a digital signal with but if you want to do some hardware work you could mod it.

MsK` · 10-15-2008, 11:16 AM

Even the small and cheap Konami one ?
I'm going to dismantle it tonight

m335h73r of PBJ · 10-15-2008, 11:35 AM

Turntable goes up and down.

and only up and down.

Empathy · 10-16-2008, 03:22 AM

I'm pretty sure you could come up with something with the help of an OptiPAC Ultimarc, the Ultimate in Arcade Controls.*

MsK` · 10-16-2008, 05:19 AM

Interesting, thanks for the link. I was going to connect the turntable to the left joystick up/down (or even pad up/down on PS2 controller, they are analog if I'm not wrong) and hoping that the controller still work with beatmania. This will help if I can't get it to work on joysticks.

Blackraven · 10-16-2008, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empathy

I'm pretty sure you could come up with something with the help of an OptiPAC Ultimarc, the Ultimate in Arcade Controls.*

Seems interesting.

I do wonder if they have something to interface PC with JAMMA connections....

Anyways

Thanks though for bringing this up.

P.S.
I like your sig and your avatar though

I beg to ask though: Is it from an actual anime?