X-Aracade vs. QuasiCon

[ceeleez]

I was wondering if anyone is familiar with the QuasiCon 2P arcade stick and how it stacks up against the X-Arcade Tankstick. I plan on building my own cab eventually but I want to have the control stick in advance. The Tankstick seems like a thing of beauty to me and the trackball and side button for pinball (which I really enjoy) are a huge draw. The Quasicon has all kinds of cool features as well though (no trackball and side buttons though), and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with it because I'm feeling torn. Would it be better to just build my own control panel? I used photoshop to create a 4-player QuasiCON X-Arcade hybrid (side buttons would be on this thing too if it existed and, I also suck at using Photoshop).

P.S. GameEx if absolutely outstanding!

P.P.S. XPadder v5.0 is available!

[bkenobi]

HOLLY HELL! That's one wide CP! If you want to build a true frankenpanel, I think you are required to have Asteroids buttons and some trigger sticks somewhere, though.

Btw, I was going to point out XPadder 5.0, but I didn't want to create a thread just for that. Thanks for throwing it in there.

[ceeleez]

Yeah it's very wide, but I didn't spend much time photoshopping it into existence. I like the dual analog setup Quasi has and I was hoping someone owns one or has used one and can give me some input.

[Tempest]

Would it be better to just build my own control panel?

P.S. GameEx if absolutely outstanding!

P.P.S. XPadder v5.0 is available!

I think whether or not to buy pre-built is a math problem.

((price of Pre-built panel)-(price of components)/(Spare time)-(time required))* experience / (amount of enjoyment of doing it yourself)

The higher number is, the more likely it is that you should do it yourself, while negative numbers indicate that you probably should not, and an answer of "infinity" would show that you definately should buy a pre-built one.

So it's up to you.... I never understood why someone would buy a prebuilt panel for a cabinet (but I haven't done the math), but one advantage to it would be that you could use it right away. Of course you could always build a box to put the componets in temporarily until you get you cab finished.

I made that equation up...it seems right, let me know if it works for you.

[bkenobi]

If you like customizing things to EXACTLY what you want, a prebuilt won't make you happy. I know a common technique for configuring these things is to install everything in some corrugated cardboard to get a feel. Then, put it in some scrap plywood to play with it for real. Then, when sufficient tweaking is complete, cut the actual CP and install everything.

This could take a matter of a few minutes if you just cut the holes, paint the board black, and drop in the controls. Or, it could take days/weeks/months depending on your measure of perfection.

If the Tank Stick or the QuasiCon is "perfect", then go for it! You will probably be ahead after taking time into account unless you are having fun. (NOTE: The tweaking is supposed to be a big part of the fun!)

[Tempest]

If you like customizing things to EXACTLY what you want, a prebuilt won't make you happy. I know a common technique for configuring these things is to install everything in some corrugated cardboard to get a feel. Then, put it in some scrap plywood to play with it for real. Then, when sufficient tweaking is complete, cut the actual CP and install everything.

This could take a matter of a few minutes if you just cut the holes, paint the board black, and drop in the controls. Or, it could take days/weeks/months depending on your measure of perfection.

If the Tank Stick or the QuasiCon is "perfect", then go for it! You will probably be ahead after taking time into account unless you are having fun. (NOTE: The tweaking is supposed to be a big part of the fun!)

My formula takes time, and enjoyment (fun) into account!

[ceeleez]

That is an interesting formula indeed! Thanks for the feedback. Building a panel does seem like fun, and I do enjoy customizing. I saw some awesome looking setups in the cabinets running GameEx post. I especially like the ones with the see-through and lit buttons. If I used a pre-built I wouldn't be able to have that effect. I may just buy an X-Arcade or QuasiCon to use with my HTPC setup for now and then when I get around to it, I'll build a panel. bkenobi you're right tweaking is tons of fun. I honestly enjoy just messing with GameEx when new stuff comes out. When Another Arcade Emulator came out I had a blast setting it up. Anyone own a Tankstick or QuasiCon or better?

[bkenobi]

Actually, if you went with a pre-built CP, you could always customize it by removing the buttons and installing transparent ones and a controller. I believe there are some examples of people who have done this either here, BYOAC, or arcade@home.

[ceeleez]

Thanks for the pointer! BYOAC led me to this tutorial on x-arcade button swapping.

[ceeleez]

Ironically enough after surfing that site I really do want to build my own arcade controls

[DJ Infinity]

I think whether or not to buy pre-built is a math problem.

((price of Pre-built panel)-(price of components)/(Spare time)-(time required))* experience / (amount of enjoyment of doing it yourself)

The higher number is, the more likely it is that you should do it yourself, while negative numbers indicate that you probably should not, and an answer of "infinity" would show that you definately should buy a pre-built one.

So it's up to you.... I never understood why someone would buy a prebuilt panel for a cabinet (but I haven't done the math), but one advantage to it would be that you could use it right away. Of course you could always build a box to put the componets in temporarily until you get you cab finished.

I made that equation up...it seems right, let me know if it works for you.

hehe I kinda cheated. I bought the finished panels and put what I wanted in them. I dunno if it counts or not but I had fun doing it especially since there aren't too many panels like mine floating around. For that matter I haven't seen too many dedicated arcade machines like mine either but it's entirely up to you. I like that panel cause of the analog joysticks could come in handy for N64 emulation. But other than that I would do my own as I am a arcade person really. Just my 2 cents

[mrserv0n]

that quasi cp looks like a cluster fuck disaster

[Tempest]

that quasi cp looks like a cluster fuck disaster

What do you really think?

[KriSX]

i'm definitely looking at grabbing a tankstick... going to see how it feels out of the box and maybe customise or it have it customised by someone if i'm not entirely happy with the feel of it

don't know if i'd have the skill or patients to build one... so the tankstick looks like the perfect all in one solution for me

[starbuck]

I have both the quasicade and the x-arcade. I own a after school school for kids. The x-arcade, we built the cab for. The quasicade we bought cab and all. Our experience has been, if you want it just for mame, xarcade is the way to go.

But if you want to run other systems, or emulators, quasicade wins hands down. we have a modded x-box in the cab and we can play about any system thru the xbox. Also hooking up a different system thru the cab is a breeze,

Just our humble option.

[Tempest]

I didn't realize that the x-arcade was selling for $199 now, that's a pretty good deal.

Does anybody know how well the trackball works?

Happs sells their USB 3" trackball for $166

Ultimarc 3" trackball & Minipac about the same price...

If the trackball works well, I would consider buying one of these, even if I were just going to use it for parts!

[bkenobi]

They might be using an Imperial track ball which is considered inferior by at least some people. The advantage is that it's a lot less expensive. I don't have an arcade track ball and haven't used the 2.5" PC one I picked up to play around with yet. I keep meaning to give it a try, but it's kinda ugly to sit on the CP, so I'm a bit embarrassed to even bring it out.

[mrserv0n]

IMO, you could just buy a blank 2 player cp from mameroom and put your own happ super 8s, and buttons in it, this wouldn't cost much more and in the end would result in a much nicer cp.

[ceeleez]

@mrservon: mamerrom is such a slick sight! Im looking at it right now. Thanks!

@DJ Infinity: You'r cab looks freakin' amazing. If Santa was handing out merchandise like that when I was a kid, maybe I would have been a believer.

[DJ Infinity]

@mrservon: mamerrom is such a slick sight! Im looking at it right now. Thanks!

@DJ Infinity: You'r cab looks freakin' amazing. If Santa was handing out merchandise like that when I was a kid, maybe I would have been a believer.

Thank you for your kind words on my Mamecab. Actually I'ma have that one pull double duty. It'll be a Mame & JAMMA cab. I am about to place a order with Mameroom today for a fighter blank panel that'll have everything removed except holes for the joysticks and the player 1 & 2 start buttons. I should be reciveing today a Namco System 246 with Tekken 4 and Soulcalibur II. Next on the hitlist will either be a NAOMI System or an Atomiswave (I haven't decided) I also ran across some actual Neogeo dedicated JAMMA boards on E-Bay who knows what I might get next. I just missed a MK4 board for sale