doubledown's ATARI 7800 WICO Arcade Controller

[doubledown]

In case anybody missed my post in the 2600 forums, I've determined that it is possible for a single 2-button controller, to switch back and forth, between 7800 & 2600 2-button wiring schemes, using a 5PDT switch, and simple passive components.  

 

I recently modified & re-wired my Commando controller with this new feature:

 

 

When the switch's mechanical indicating cap is outward, and black...the buttons are wired for 2600 2-button games (hacks & homebrews); and when it's inward, and green...it's wired for 7800 games.  I know how much people like having one controller work for as many consoles as possible!

[Machine]

5 hours ago, doubledown said:

In case anybody missed my post in the 2600 forums, I've determined that it is possible for a single 2-button controller, to switch back and forth, between 7800 & 2600 2-button wiring schemes, using a 5PDT switch, and simple passive components.  

 

I recently modified & re-wired my Commando controller with this new feature:

 

 

When the switch's mechanical indicating cap is outward, and black...the buttons are wired for 2600 2-button games (hacks & homebrews); and when it's inward, and green...it's wired for 7800 games.  I know how much people like having one controller work for as many consoles as possible!

 

That is amazing!!!! You make amazing controllers!!!

I need to send you a Commando patch so they can finally be together!

 

[BIGHMW]

Nicely done!!!  

[doubledown]

13 hours ago, Machine said:

 

That is amazing!!!! You make amazing controllers!!!

I need to send you a Commando patch so they can finally be together!

 

Thanks...and yes you should!  I'm still looking for a copy of the game too.  I've seen 1 or 2 pope up on ebay, but just a little more than I wanted to spend.  Hopefully with my Concerto on the way, I'll be able to play it with that, before I can track down an actual cartridge.

12 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

Nicely done!!!  

Thanks.

 

I also ran across another neat little vintage arcade joystick recently, that I got from a guy over at the KLOV forums.  Its employs a rubber grommet for stick centering (like the WICO and Bally/Midway sticks), but it uses a round metal actuator and lever arm micro-switches, (like some of the Taito and Nintendo sticks), not leaf-switches.  So I bought it from the guy thinking that it's just something unique, and I'll give it a shot and see what I think of it, and eventually use it in some upcoming build.  Come to find out, we're pretty sure it's from a small company Artic/ATW, who released a few forgettable games back in the day, but they also apparently released a bootleg version of Scramble, called...wait for it...Scramble.  So as there are 2600 and 7800 ports of Scramble, and now the upcoming 8-bit version, it seems only proper to make a Scramble edition controller using this new joystick.  So this will give me my Commando controller, as my leaf-switch controller, and soon to be, a Scramble controller, as my micro-switch controller.  It just seems like all of the pieces fall into place when they need to.  

[BIGHMW]

45 minutes ago, doubledown said:

Thanks...and yes you should!  I'm still looking for a copy of the game too.  I've seen 1 or 2 pope up on ebay, but just a little more than I wanted to spend.  Hopefully with my Concerto on the way, I'll be able to play it with that, before I can track down an actual cartridge.

Thanks.

 

I also ran across another neat little vintage arcade joystick recently, that I got from a guy over at the KLOV forums.  Its employs a rubber grommet for stick centering (like the WICO and Bally/Midway sticks), but it uses a round metal actuator and lever arm micro-switches, (like some of the Taito and Nintendo sticks), not leaf-switches.  So I bought it from the guy thinking that it's just something unique, and I'll give it a shot and see what I think of it, and eventually use it in some upcoming build.  Come to find out, we're pretty sure it's from a small company Artic/ATW, who released a few forgettable games back in the day, but they also apparently released a bootleg version of Scramble, called...wait for it...Scramble.  So as there are 2600 and 7800 ports of Scramble, and now the upcoming 8-bit version, it seems only proper to make a Scramble edition controller using this new joystick.  So this will give me my Commando controller, as my leaf-switch controller, and soon to be, a Scramble controller, as my micro-switch controller.  It just seems like all of the pieces fall into place when they need to.  

 

You DO know that there is also a 5200 version of Scramble out too. check the AtariAge store for details: 

 

https://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1209

[doubledown]

9 minutes ago, BIGHMW said:

 

You DO know that there is also a 5200 version of Scramble out too. check the AtariAge store for details: 

 

https://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1209

Yeah, I'm aware, but with the "analog" 5200 controller requirements, I'd just assume keep this one digital for the 2600/7800/8-bits.  

[BIGHMW]

No problem with that.

[Lynxpro]

Nice! That's big enough to be a 5200 controller. Just move the joystick a little bit further to the left and stick the keypad to the far right so the right hand doesn't mash against it when pressing the fire buttons... 

[doubledown]

If I was going to build a 5200 controller in an enclosure this size, I'd just shift both the joystick and buttons outward a bit, and install the keypad and S/P/R buttons between them, like this:

 

 

...so my right hand wasn't resting on top of the keypad during gameplay.  

[Battlefish]

On 12/15/2020 at 7:07 PM, doubledown said:

In case anybody missed my post in the 2600 forums, I've determined that it is possible for a single 2-button controller, to switch back and forth, between 7800 & 2600 2-button wiring schemes, using a 5PDT switch, and simple passive components.  

 

I recently modified & re-wired my Commando controller with this new feature:

 

 

When the switch's mechanical indicating cap is outward, and black...the buttons are wired for 2600 2-button games (hacks & homebrews); and when it's inward, and green...it's wired for 7800 games.  I know how much people like having one controller work for as many consoles as possible!

Holy moly, thank you! I'm glad that people are finally able to build dual-mode controllers. It'll make things much easier for us 7800 owners!

[doubledown]

A special thanks to @Machine for my new Commando patch, which pairs very nicely with my Commando controller:

 

 

And just to show off a little bit, here's my newest/second warfare themed controller:

 

 

This Ikari Warriors controller, I built for the NES.  I had originally planned to build it for the 7800, but as I hadn't built myself a custom NES controller yet, Ikari Warriors I, II, and III all have ports on the NES (as does SNK's Guerrilla War), and I found a Scramble arcade joystick to use for a 2nd 7800 controller build for myself...I decided to build it for the NES.  And yes, the joystick is, a legitimate, arcade original, SNK/Seimitsu LS-30 rotary joystick.  If I ever get around to finalizing the details for, and building my Front Line controller for the ColecoVision...I'll have the trifecta!

 

And in other news, for those that like Mini controllers, I built this one up this the other night:

 

 

At 6.5" wide by 5.5" deep, it's the smallest sloped top, aluminum enclosure I can build a controller into...yet its still large enough, that it can accommodate full-sized, and legitimate arcade control hardware...barely.  

[doubledown]

Well I know its been a while, but I finally got around to building my:

 

Scramble Edition - VVG Enhanced Controller

 

 

A special thanks to @PacManPlus for providing us with a wonderful port of Scramble for the 7800, and giving me a reason to create this, yet another new controller (that I probably don't need)!  ?

 

I took a bit of artistic license with this particular controller.  The joystick itself came from a bootleg Scramble cabinet, built by Artic Electronics, and the CPO artwork I designed is a modified copy of Stern's cocktail cabinet CPO artwork.  And while Artic did make use of gold (mustard) push-buttons on their control panel, they used them for their P1/P2 start buttons.  They then chose red push-buttons for their in-game Laser & Bombs buttons, which, with their mostly black background CPO art...really stood out, and popped.  But as the Stern artwork I copied is mostly a field of red, the use of red push-buttons would have caused them to blend in with the background too much, so I selected the gold (mustard) push-buttons...as they stand out more, and very closely match the ball knob.  

 

As previously posted back in December-ish, the joystick I've used here is a vintage, arcade original, all metal, 8-way, rubber diaphragm centered, micro-switch joystick.  So as to match the "clicky-ness" of the joystick, I opted to use the Japanese style micro-switch holders w/ micro-switches, with my vintage, gold (mustard), arcade push-buttons:

 

 

While I really liked the uniqueness and build quality of the joystick when I received it, the one thing I didn't love, was the dead-band off of center before any of the switches made contact.  I originally started playing around with a larger diameter actuator, so that less joystick movement would be required to activate any given direction.  But the original micro-switches required a very little force to actuate, so they presumably designed it as it was, to accommodate for this, so that the stick wasn't too sensitive.  As I knew I was going to replace the old switches with new Cherry switches anyway, I started playing around with different models, with different actuation forces, and settled upon the D43Y lever-arm model, which has an operating force of 86 grams.  Then to lose some of the unwanted dead-band, I installed a set of short unthreaded spacers between the switches and the bottom plate that they mount to (with new longer screws), to move them further down the shaft, which installs them further away from the pivot point, which in turn cuts out some of the unnecessary dead-band.  I can always still fatten the actuator should I decide to increase the sensitivity (and decrease the dead-band) even more...but I'll get some game-play time in with it first, before I make any further alterations.  It's always an easy modification later.  

 

Then for the push-buttons, I of course selected the era-correct, vintage arcade buttons, here in gold (mustard).  But, rather than install the common Western leaf-switch holders and leaf-switches...I decided to appease the gods of "Clicky", and install the Japanese style micro-switch holders w/ lever-arm micro-switches.  The big change I made here was, rather than follow suit with the vintage Japanese cabinets and use a Japanese 10A micro-switch, that can often times require a Herculean effort to actuate, I chose Cherry D42X series lever-arm switches...which only require a feather-esque touch of 22 grams of force to actuate.  I dare say, that they almost have as light of a feel, as their leaf-switch counterparts, and are definitely moving their way up my list of favorite button/switch combinations. 

 

For reference info, the operating force for a "standard" Cherry, pin-actuator micro-switch, used in modern micro-switch push-buttons, is 75 grams...and their "light" version, drops that down to 45 grams.  But here, using these vintage style push-buttons and switch holders (versus modern micro-switch push-buttons), they require the use of 35.6mm lever-arm micro-switches, which, due to the lever's added length, reduces the amount of force required to actuate the same switch...cutting the "light" actuation force more than in half, from 45 grams to 22 grams...and making these push-buttons an absolute joy to hammer manipulate.  

 

Now I can enjoy me some Scramble!