About Sega's Virtua Stick High Grade

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 12:13 pm

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-zl- ... -1rjw.html

I'm looking to buy this stick to play on MAME. One of the customers reviews say that it's compatible with MAME on PC, can anyone confirm this ?

Also, I would like to be able to use it on a PS2. It is meant to be played on PS3 though... Is it possible to use it on a PS2, maybe with some kind of adapter ?

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:22 pm

For PROMETHEUS,

Yes, both the Sega produced Virua High Grade Stick & Hori Real Arcade Pro PS3 joysticks are compatible with the PS3 console and with PCs with XP OS. The PC will auto-detect the HRAP-3 and load up the appropiate drivers to work with said PC programs.

One will have to d/l a utility program to use joystick buttons setup to register as a keyboard button press with the cool but functional "Joy2Key" program to get it to work with Mame, Mame32, Raine, etc. (then fine-tune what various keystrokes mapped to each push button on the Sega VHGS or the HRAP-3 setups)..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:56 pm

Ok nice ^_^!

However, no compatibility possible with PS2 ?

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 4:18 pm

One would get a Hori Real Arcade Pro or Real Arcade Pro 2 version for true backwards compatibility for use with the PS2 console + PSX & PSone consoles as well.

I haven't seen such a PS3 controller adapter to PS2 console device for sale yet but have seen such a USB 2.0 controller adapter device that allows one to use his or her PSX/PS2 gaming controllers on the PS3.

If you update your PS3 console to firmware version 1.70, you can use your PS3 joystick controllers with both PSX & PS2 games finally. Hope that is good news for you..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Franz the Stampede · Post by **Franz the Stampede** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:06 pm

That High Grade stick is USB...

would it work on Xbox 360?

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:13 am

No idea, I'd say no since no one talks about it in the comments.

Paik4Life · Post by **Paik4Life** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:03 pm

It does not work with 360. Only Microsoft "signed" stuff works for 360. Some kind of weird protection.

~Paik

azmun · Post by **azmun** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 12:04 am

Paik4Life wrote:It does not work with 360. Only Microsoft "signed" stuff works for 360. Some kind of weird protection.

Yeah, really weird. Kinda defeats the whole point and concept of USB where it's supposed to be universal.

Fudoh · Post by **Fudoh** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:20 pm

Small question regarding PC Engine Fan X!'s posting:

You recommended using Joy2Key. Why ? Is there any advantage using Joy2Key instead of the direct Joystick support in apps like MAME ?

I have used a Sega Saturn-style Pad and a few USB arcade boards with MAME and never even thought of setting MAME to keyboard input and using Joy2Key to map the keyboard buttons onto the pad or stick.

?

cody · Post by **cody** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:19 am

The reason for joy2key is that the vshg's stick shows up as a POV / hat switch rather than a joystick axis, and not all pc software recognizes that.

Note that if you upgrade a ps3 to the latest firmware (1.8 i believe), vshg no longer works for ps2 back-compat. Downloaded psx games still do, however.

If you're looking to use it on ps2 as well, check this out:

http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=132937

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:06 pm

cody wrote:Note that if you upgrade a ps3 to the latest firmware (1.8 i believe), vshg no longer works for ps2 back-compat. Downloaded psx games still do, however.

If you're looking to use it on ps2 as well, check this out:

http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=132937

awww... you mean even though it works with 1.7 firmware on PS2 games, it doesn't anymore with 1.8 ?! now that RLY sux, hope they'll fix that in the next upgrade !

your link doesn't work for me (passworded access)

cody · Post by **cody** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:34 pm

Yeah, they broke it in 1.8. Like you said, hopefully they'll fix it next update.

Shoryuken forums are down for maintenance at the moment, that's why you're getting the password promt . . . also, you may need to be a registered user to see "for sale" posts. Anyway, toodles on shoryuken has a very promising project to make a universal joystick pcb that will work on most any system.

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:55 pm

Update : 1.81 PS3 firmware was released and it seems the Virtua Stick High Grade is working again with PS2 games.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:26 pm

PROMETHEUS wrote:Update : 1.81 PS3 firmware was released and it seems the Virtua Stick High Grade is working again with PS2 games.

For PROMETHEUS,

Thanks for the heads up about the latest PS3 firmware update -- it's reassuring to hear that SCEI finally "fixed that problem" of not being able to use PS3 USB-based controllers with said PSX & PS2 games booted up on a PS3 endowed with firmware 1.80..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Sonic R · Post by **Sonic R** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:45 am

PROMETHEUS wrote:Update : 1.81 PS3 firmware was released and it seems the Virtua Stick High Grade is working again with PS2 games.

Thanks for info

Now I can update! I have keep my PS3 offline because of this issue and now I can go ahead and do update.

Franz the Stampede · Post by **Franz the Stampede** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:49 pm

Apart from this firmware troubles, is the High Grade Virtua Stick as good as it seems?

I mean, precise diagonals, VERY fast at coming back to the original position, little throw (which hels fast playing too)?

cody · Post by **cody** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:02 pm

It comes stock with a genuine sanwa JLF stick and sanwa buttons. . . personal preferences for seimitsu aside, can't get much better than that.

The case is extremely well built, very low profile, very heavy (extra steel plate in the middle to weight it down), good internal box reinforcement, quick disconnects for everything.

You cannot buy a better consumer level stick than this, especially for the price.

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:04 pm

I don't know, I'm having a LOT of trouble playing with it but it's probably because it is my first stick. geez, I do a lot better with a keyboard T.T

The main things that are bothering me are exactly what you mentioned : inacurate diagonals, slow at coming back to origin, and too long throw lol -_- But maybe all joysticks are like that... ? I wont buy another stick just to try though, it's too expensive :(

kemical · Post by **kemical** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:23 am

PROMETHEUS wrote:I don't know, I'm having a LOT of trouble playing with it but it's probably because it is my first stick. geez, I do a lot better with a keyboard T.T

The main things that are bothering me are exactly what you mentioned : inacurate diagonals, slow at coming back to origin, and too long throw lol -_- But maybe all joysticks are like that... ? I wont buy another stick just to try though, it's too expensive

Are you sure??? I'm curious about this stick. All the Sanwa joystick parts I've tried are very "snappy", firmer than Seimitsu. The diagonals shouldn't be inaccurate, unless the stick isn't being pushed to the extents... but that wouldn't make much sense because Sanwa's don't really require much throw before the switches click. If it is slow coming back to origin it sounds like something might be wrong with the spring.. Sanwas literally snap back to center, if you flick the stick it will make a fast springy "boing" type motion, I don't remember them being very loose or mushy/soft feeling.

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 1:09 am

Don't take me wrong, I'm probably only feeling this way because this is the first time I play shmups with a joystick. And I feel really, really messed up as I'm losing a LOT of the accuracy I have with a keyboard, but it's probably at least 95% because I'm totally used to keyboards and totally not used to joysticks. This stick is probably very good, I can't compare it with any other since I haven't tried any other.

Edit : Somebody told me the stick that is implemented in the Virtua Stick High Grade thing is the same stick that you find on the HRAP2, and also the same stick than on "asto" things (no idea what this is, is this a standard arcade cabinet ? or another commercial stick ?).

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 5:01 pm

PROMETHEUS wrote:Don't take me wrong, I'm probably only feeling this way because this is the first time I play shmups with a joystick. And I feel really, really messed up as I'm losing a LOT of the accuracy I have with a keyboard, but it's probably at least 95% because I'm totally used to keyboards and totally not used to joysticks. This stick is probably very good, I can't compare it with any other since I haven't tried any other.

Edit : Somebody told me the stick that is implemented in the Virtua Stick High Grade thing is the same stick that you find on the HRAP2, and also the same stick than on "asto" things (no idea what this is, is this a standard arcade cabinet ? or another commercial stick ?).

For PROMETHEUS,

"The same stick on the Sega 'Astro' -- is a Japanese arcade cabinet"

One can either go with Sanwa or Seimitsu branded joysticks & push buttons for that authentic Japanese arcade feel. If you are more used to playing with American produced Happ Competition arcade joysticks or Wico arcade joysticks, then there are those as well for your perusual -- whatever floats your boat to play console games or arcade PCBs comfortably..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

shmups.system11.org

About Sega's Virtua Stick High Grade

About Sega's Virtua Stick High Grade

Update your PS3's FW to version 1.70 for PS3 joystick usage!