Question for Hori RAP owners

[LRa]

Hi,
I used to play shumps with the keyboard.
Now I got myself a Hori and the thing is, that when I push the stick right or left, it seems to move too much.
So when I play non-maniac shmups it's fine, but if I need to dodge insane patterns, with small, fast, etc maneuvers it seem too crude.

Is there something I am missing? is it because I need to get some practice with stick(although even when I try to make the slightest move, the ship in most games move by much)


Note that there's like a dead zone when I move the stick right or left, i.e. I move it right few milimeters before I get a reaction from the ships.

[it290]

It definitely takes some time to get used to using a stick when you've been using something else for a while. Using small tapping movements is the key. Also, take a look at your grip -- I find it's much more precise to sort of pinch the ball from above rather than grabbing the whole thing from the left side. I don't think a stick is ever going to be quite as precise as a keyboard, but on the flip side your reaction time should be better while using it.

[LRa]

It definitely takes some time to get used to using a stick when you've been using something else for a while. Using small tapping movements is the key. Also, take a look at your grip -- I find it's much more precise to sort of pinch the ball from above rather than grabbing the whole thing from the left side. I don't think a stick is ever going to be quite as precise as a keyboard, but on the flip side your reaction time should be better while using it.

I don't grab it from the left side; I hold it from underneath between two fingers.

And if it's not so precise, why not use a analog stick like consoles have?

[Texhnolyze]

I don't grab it from the left side; I hold it from underneath between two fingers.

And if it's not so precise, why not use a analog stick like consoles have?

Try changing your hand position. I find holding the stick from the top is easier and more precise than using from underneath. In any case, it will take lots of practice if you've switched from keyboard or pad.

Also, I find the Seimitsu stick better suited for shmups than the Sanwa stick in the HORI RAP.

[LRa]

I don't grab it from the left side; I hold it from underneath between two fingers.

And if it's not so precise, why not use a analog stick like consoles have?

Try changing your hand position. I find holding the stick from the top is easier and more precise than using from underneath. In any case, it will take lots of practice if you've switched from keyboard or pad.

Also, I find the Seimitsu stick better suited for shmups than the Sanwa stick in the HORI RAP.

I see.
So the behavior of my stick is normal?

[Texhnolyze]

I see.
So the behavior of my stick is normal?

Yes, it's normal. The best way to get better is to practice. Also, using a slight tapping motion is necessary for more precise movement.

[Ganelon]

Note that there's like a dead zone when I move the stick right or left, i.e. I move it right few milimeters before I get a reaction from the ships.

When you hear your stick click, that's when actual movement is received.

[LRa]

Note that there's like a dead zone when I move the stick right or left, i.e. I move it right few milimeters before I get a reaction from the ships.

When you hear your stick click, that's when actual movement is received.

I know, but it takes quite a movement to hear the click.

[Ganelon]

Yeah, and that's normal. It should occur towards the edge between neutral and the boundary.

[LRa]

Ok.
Thanks.

[Ex_Mosquito]

i find jap sticks easier if you achor you hand and move stick with finger and thumb. For subtle maneuvers i use my thumb and brush it along the top of the knob (damn that sounds so gay) this way you can get very tiny movements.


try this grip.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark9/Grip.jpg

[raiden]

And if it's not so precise, why not use a analog stick like consoles have?

there are analog arcade sticks availlable for some modern consoles. However, the problem with analog controls is inputs are hard to reproduce exactly. Negotiating bullet patterns is mostly a series of very precise inputs at a very precise timing. Analog control makes the input part easy, but distorts the timing, so it doesn´t work too great for shmups.
To get used to an arcade stick, you should try games with only a few, but quick aimed bullets, as these are the cases where you benefit most from the improved reaction time. Once you´ve gotten used to the handling in general, you can move on to modern bullet-hell kind of shmups, because precision with an arcade stick requires familiarity with it. At some point, you will have internalized your stick´s behaviour to a degree you control it without even realizing what you´re doing.

[LRa]

Well I guess it's practice time.

[SAM]

The dead zone for Seimitsu stick is much smaller. You could swop the Sanwa joystick with a Seimitsu LS-32. The scraw holes even got an exact mathch. You just unscrew and screw it back and it is done.