Panzer Fight Stick NG

[Jasen Hicks]

Panzer Fight Stick 3: NG Video for your viewing pleasure. Better to shoot some video and show it off vs. just some static pictures.

It's a Panzer Fight Stick twisted with all of the NEO-GEO layouts. Awhile back coin-ops in Japan did a similar thing but with a little less pizzazz using mech knobs to route signals around.

Features:

1. Panzer Fight Stick Construction
2. EZ Build System (plug and play assembly).
3. Digitally Printed to the case NEO-GEO Candy Cab inspired graphics.
4. DB15 output.
5. On the Fly Layout Modification. Simply twist the knob to get to the layout you want.
6. Three different layouts to fit anyone's NEOGEO desires. LEDs change to show which buttons are activated. Colors match the NEO-GEO ABCD colors.
7. Sega inspired layout (its more comfortable in all forms of the NG layouts).
8. Sanwa Buttons and Lever. Seimitsu would work equally as well.

Concerned with latency? Don't be. The O-scope tests show that this 16Mhz processor is polling for presses and outputting them (mapped of course) faster than you, me, or the hardware can identify.

It was a lot of fun working on this project and then working with some of the new camera gear I recently picked up. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mds822aVTBw

 

[madman]

I'd perhaps be interested if it was just a regular 4-button layout and didn't light up. Not sure who would choose the 2nd & 3rd button options, seems pointless to me.

 

[BLEAGH]

This is cool, but could this be used to make a 6 button Samurai Shodown stick that could switch back to standard neo layout on the fly?

 

[Jasen Hicks]

The three layouts are hardcoded to the uP. That being said, I've already thought about making a variant with a 6 button "capcom" layout option at some point in the future, but its on the back plate for other projects I am working on.

The goal of this was to emulate that Japanese Candy Cab feel that used similar technology for NEO-GEO setups. Definitely niche with a very limited audience that 1. is a die hard NG fan and 2. likes having a few arcade/fight sticks around the house.

 

[ChuChu Flamingo]

A long hiatus, haven't seen you post in forever.

A shame it doesn't have the capcom layout.

 

[Xian Xi]

Cool tech, any chance for a sloped face? I always hated the flat top, if you mimic the Hori, that angle feels perfect to me.

 

[sylvie]

this is HOT. Have you considered using a crystal/translucent ball top? it would go more nicely with scheme and plastic of the light-up buttons. would be preferable to have a balltop that can emit a glow in a variety of shades just like the button, but im not sure how plausible that is (probably not worth doing)

 

[Bar81]

Still the GOAT:

 

[Jasen Hicks]

That was, indeed, a great Panzer!

As for the sloped top, I'm sure I could work something like it out but the flat top is very popular.

 

[Jasen Hicks]

I only did the LEDs inder the buttons to help indicate the layout. It was actually a great recommendation by my partner in crime on the project. I chose a black ball too because it was easy and had the classic look to it. Doing a clear or milky whit ball top would be easy enough; there is a vcc point easy to get to to power an led.

 

[Larrs888]

Wow very nice stick, I just picked up a white HORI RAP 4 and Brook Neo Converter......dam I wish I knew! I love it how there are new neo geo centric products coming out. Good luck with he sales on this one I would love to get one but getting a new stick past the other half is a tall order at the moment. Are you having D15 connectors as options on regular Panzer 3s, I believe the P1 and 2 had them as standard?

 

[Electric Grave]

Great tech, looks so pro. Button layout is meh, there is no need for 7 buttons, if this is a Neo stick then make it right, if it is a misc stick with a neo theme then that's different.

Make a 4 button layout and use the New Style Stick button layout, that layout would make this stick the real deal. I know you already spent your money on making boards to reflect the Sega button layout and that's cool, just make the top row on a stick at least, it would look odd as that button layout although comfy isn't really symmetrical in a any way. I'm sure the stick is well made and your tech is awesome, button layout and "Neo" feel not so much.

 

[sylvie]

Still the GOAT:

View attachment 43262

 

[Jasen Hicks]

Great tech, looks so pro. Button layout is meh, there is no need for 7 buttons, if this is a Neo stick then make it right, if it is a misc stick with a neo theme then that's different.

Make a 4 button layout and use the New Style Stick button layout, that layout would make this stick the real deal. I know you already spent your money on making boards to reflect the Sega button layout and that's cool, just make the top row on a stick at least, it would look odd as that button layout although comfy isn't really symmetrical in a any way. I'm sure the stick is well made and your tech is awesome, button layout and "Neo" feel not so much.

As I stated in the description of the video, anyone who has spent time in the Japanese Arcade knows exactly what this is supposed to emulate and why I did it this way. Its easy to do a "neo-geo" single layout, anyone can. Having a selectable, on the fly dynamic layout, thats true to what many coin ops did isn't easy and a good challenge.

Making another NEO-GEO 4 button stick isn't much of a challenge, nor is it unique. In fact, the "shoe-horned" feel was the intent. Making something that wasn't designed for NEO to work with NEO. Though, since I did it for the NEO from the start it is a bit backwards since I purposely designed something to feel shoe horned... I digress.

The reason they did this was because in Japan NEO was a lot more popular and they wanted the cabinets to fit the vast majority of players and the layouts they preferred; i.e. there were a number of different sticks and pads available and they wanted the player to keep dumping yen in the cabinet so they accommodated the main three layouts to appease a lot of people making the NEO cabinets more attractive.

Bar81's PFS is probably the best "simple" NEO stick I have seen that is close to the original stuff, but still doesn't use anything from the NEO line up as its just the top row from a Vewlix layout.

I'd rather play comfortably than "true to the original" if I that means I am going to enjoy it more.

 

[madman]

Well the 2nd and 3rd layouts you have are for when cabinets weren't dedicated Neo cabs or didn't have dedicated 2P8B panels. In other words, they're less than desirable layouts. You're replicating the Super Neo 29 artwork, which looks great, but you're making button configurations that never existed on dedicated Neo cabs. Layout 2 was used on 2P12B panels because there was no other choice without the op springing for a proper panel. You've essentially designed a custom joystick that introduces layouts used when the proper panels were not available.

 

[Jasen Hicks]

Well the 2nd and 3rd layouts you have are for when cabinets weren't dedicated Neo cabs or didn't have dedicated 2P8B panels. In other words, they're less than desirable layouts. You're replicating the Super Neo 29 artwork, which looks great, but you're making button configurations that never existed on dedicated Neo cabs. Layout 2 was used on 2P12B panels because there was no other choice without the op springing for a proper panel. You've essentially designed a custom joystick that introduces layouts used when the proper panels were not available.

Yes, thats exactly what I did and said.

 

[Jasen Hicks]

Since I can't edit my previous post...

I chose the NEO Super Candy graphics because I like them better than the Blast City graphics overall. While it does take away from the intent a bit (repurposed cab for NEO) it was a small sacrifice from the hommage I am glad I made.

 

[madman]

I think you'd have some buyers here making that stick with the OG 4-button layout using that Neo 29 artwork. Either way good luck, I'm clearly not the intended market of the product.

 

[Jasen Hicks]

To be clear... I'm only showing this off as a project, not as something for sale. If I do decide to sell this or something like it, I won't advertise it here.

 

[Electric Grave]

As I stated in the description of the video, anyone who has spent time in the Japanese Arcade knows exactly what this is supposed to emulate and why I did it this way. Its easy to do a "neo-geo" single layout, anyone can. Having a selectable, on the fly dynamic layout, thats true to what many coin ops did isn't easy and a good challenge.

Making another NEO-GEO 4 button stick isn't much of a challenge, nor is it unique. In fact, the "shoe-horned" feel was the intent. Making something that wasn't designed for NEO to work with NEO. Though, since I did it for the NEO from the start it is a bit backwards since I purposely designed something to feel shoe horned... I digress.

The reason they did this was because in Japan NEO was a lot more popular and they wanted the cabinets to fit the vast majority of players and the layouts they preferred; i.e. there were a number of different sticks and pads available and they wanted the player to keep dumping yen in the cabinet so they accommodated the main three layouts to appease a lot of people making the NEO cabinets more attractive.

Bar81's PFS is probably the best "simple" NEO stick I have seen that is close to the original stuff, but still doesn't use anything from the NEO line up as its just the top row from a Vewlix layout.

I'd rather play comfortably than "true to the original" if I that means I am going to enjoy it more.

If I'm going to make a "Neo" stick I'd rather have something that works comfortably with just the buttons needed and looks the part with the hardware as well. 7 buttons has always been and always will be a lesser button layout to either of the 2 main button layouts. Jack of all trades master of none...if I'm gonna spend good cash making a Neo stick I'd rather do it akin to the original experience.

 

[Jasen Hicks]

If I'm going to make a "Neo" stick I'd rather have something that works comfortably with just the buttons needed and looks the part with the hardware as well. 7 buttons has always been and always will be a lesser button layout to either of the 2 main button layouts. Jack of all trades master of none...if I'm gonna spend good cash making a Neo stick I'd rather do it akin to the original experience.

Your opinion on the device, thanks for sharing it. Different perspectives and ideas are great for the hobby. I'd be interested to see your custom NEO sticks and implementations.

I can appreciate this implementation isn't for everyone but it does meet the intended purpose I set out for it.

 

[Electric Grave]

Pics are somewhere out there, it's been a while, I made the last stick well before you started. Button layouts have always been a thing I took "seriously", I made several, I could go into details but I'd have to dig the templates to tell you the measurements 'cause it's been years since the last time I used them.

One thing is certain, the Sega button layout looks great when is 6 buttons, the 8\7 button setup is dumb, it looks dumb on the Saturn sticks, it looks dumb on the hraps and it looks dumb on the cabs where people add that 7 button in. Turn the hole layout 15 degrees and you'll notice that the original 6 buttons are straight in correlation to each other, the last 2 buttons aren't 'cause it's an afterthought, not meant to be there.

Of course we all have our own opinions, no doubt. I dunno if your invitation's purpose is to call me out or you actually realize I in fact have made sticks for Neo, quite proper I might add, wood case, lexan top, arts done myself as well, no CNC, all hand. I'll find some stuff to post later, it certainly isn't going to wow like your cases and tech do, but it certainly works and looks legit.

Edit: " making a shoehorned neo stick with 4 buttons isn't much of a challenge"...but adding 3 buttons more adds so much more challenge to it! Lol, that is one backhanded BS comment. Come down from that cloud and level with us, it's a generic stick, jack of all trades sort of deal. It seems to me you don't play enough neo to know any better, could I be wrong? Hell of a maker, not a gamer? I dunno, just curious.

 

[sylvie]

eg will you just shut the FUCK up and let this dude enjoy the shit he made, holy shit

 

[Electric Grave]

It's just an opinion. Also you don't know shit, why are you even here?

 

[sylvie]

im here because i wanted to comment on the dudes cool stick on a reasonable level, hbu