I couldn't find much info on this in regards to shmups.
Is it better or worse to have an 8-way gate installed on your joystick for playing shmups (I've heard it's good for fighting games as it makes fireball motions easier to pull off)? Do the Japanese arcade shmup cabs have 4-way or 8-way gates installed? What do you guys use?
Please advise.
Last edited by EOJ on Wed Aug 16, 2006 2:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Because I played Raiden Fighters on a 4-way restrictor. It REALLY sucked, with not being able to move diagonally and all.
I think most people say that square is good for shooters, and octagonal is good for fighters, even though it could be just a crutch for people not wanting to learn on a circular gate.
Yeah I guess I'm talking about square versus octagon. The stock Hori Real Arcade Pro comes with a Square gate, so obviously you can still move in all 8 directions, however I've heard only the diagonals 'click' in a square gate, whereas with an 8-way ('octagon') gate both diagonals and up down left right click. Which makes sense. Anyway, do all the Japanese shmup cabs have square gates?
iatneH wrote:I think most people say that square is good for shooters, and octagonal is good for fighters, even though it could be just a crutch for people not wanting to learn on a circular gate.
I prefer square gate myself...
There is no real difference in using square or octagonal gate in shmups , except the following games:
Time Pilot
Well you turn a lot better, plus you could spread fire in an arc in all dirrections.
Cotton 2
You actually need to perform command move... (in the way like playing fighter game)
*Meow* I am as serious as a cat could possible be. *Meow*
I think it's purely a matter of what you're used to. I'd been using joypads for years before I got an HRAP two months ago, so getting used to not only a joystick, but one with a square gate, took some doing. The gate causes me no problems in shmups though. The only issue there comes from the stock Sanwa stick's fairly large dead zone and long throw, which makes precision dodging tricky until you get used to it.
The real learning curve with the square gate is in fighters. Z moves are a breeze, quarter circles are easy enough, full circles are actually possible (unlike on some joypads). But special moves that require two quarter circles can be tricky until you get used to not jamming the stick right into the diagonals.
From my personal experience, I found it takes a few weeks to really get used to a square gate if you've not used one before. Expect your gaming performance to plummet in the interim.
I have a HRAP coming modded with an Octagon gate, so I was just wondering if I should put the original square gate back in or not. Sounds like the Octagon should be pretty good. Anyway, I'll give it a go when I get it later this week and see how it is.
There's little difference and in my experience Sanwas feel different depending what they're mounted on anyway. If you're talking Sanwa JLF's, try both. They're cheap enough.
Personally, I prefer square.
Personally, I use square gates... I have a HRAP with a square gate, and my cab is equipped with square gates... I think square is standard, no? Most of the cabs I've played had square gates, I believe... Someone once mentioned that square is standard... I could be wrong...
And yes; If you've never played with a stick that has a square gate, it takes some time to get used to the square gate, at least when it comes to 2d-fighters...
twe wrote:I have a HRAP coming modded with an Octagon gate, so I was just wondering if I should put the original square gate back in or not. Sounds like the Octagon should be pretty good. Anyway, I'll give it a go when I get it later this week and see how it is.
It should be fine. While I prefer the square because it's easier to feel the corners, it does not affect my score at all. So like others have said, it doesn't matter for shmups and octagon gates are nicer for most fighters.
For shmups I use circle in moded (smaller actuator diameter is the key) Perfect 360 joystick.
With circle I can do very smooth moves. I tried Sanwa JLW with circle, no chance with my P360.
IMO one of the best shmups joysticks is an MCA.
Nice long thin stick with a super short throw, square gate and can take decades of beating and still feel great.
I dislike circle gates for shmups, although all my joysticks have one.
Ive been told ill never be a pro fighter as I limit myself with a circle gate, playing blind no feel for corners, but i think its BS, you get a feel for your controls.
Octo gates feel weird to me. I popped one in one of my sticks recently and couldn’t get the hang of it. Lots of accidental diagonals in shmups, but that may have had more to do with me not adjusting to it.
Different octo gates feel/play quite differently, so don't limit yourself based on that first bad experience. Sanwa's GT-Y expands the joystick's throw and has true angled corners; Seimitsu's LS-56 octo tightens the throw and has rounded directions so the actuator can actually slot in. The Kowal octo for Hayabusa also rounds the corners but did a better job of it IMO and thus has a much smoother feel. The stick rotates almost like a circle. To me this is the best of the bunch.
Short version, if you're interested try a few of the different types. I couldn't play at all on the LS-56 and figured octagonal wasn't for me. By chance, I tried out the Kowal/Hayabusa and it might be the single best configuration for me.
4 way only ever. Do not ever use an octogonal plate. You will never recover if you try and switch back once you realize it makes finding diagonals harder.
, except the following games:
