STEPMAN controller design measurements and specifications for anyone who wants them

[Arch0wl]

video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvpk4w-iouY

measurements:
http://i.imgur.com/niI5Mn6.jpg

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Background:

A while ago Malcolm Torres (Bluhr) and I made this controller called the STEPMAN. It's basically a gigantic Pop'n Music controller made for DDR/Stepmania Doubles, with more space between the left/right arrows on each side than the up/down arrows.

This is designed to play charts I basically made just for me to play. My fascination here is that there's a ton of movements/patterns that are possible with this setup that have never been explored by any chart author to my knowledge. I will release them eventually once I have enough to justify a pack.

There are biomechanical reasons for the decision to space the buttons that way. This because (1) movements that involve taking the hand across up/down are slightly more difficult than movements that involve taking the hand across left/right, insofar as they use different muscles in your arm and shoulder to do this, and (2) with the buttons too close together you can just one-hand every song, which is really boring. We wanted to maximize movement across the buttons to a certain degree, without so much distance that you'd repeatedly miss the buttons.

We used standard jumbo pop'n buttons for this controller, available here: https://www.arcadeworlduk.com/produc...de-Button.html

So far, our initial version works well but it's EXTREMELY loud (louder than even the original Pop'n Music ASC controllers; I am trying to figure out a way to reduce noise) and up+down on the right side does not work but this is not a huge issue in the short-term. This is not too bad for my purposes, but long-term I will need better solutions.

Anyway, I figured I'd post this here in case anyone wants to replicate this controller or even design a nicer one.

[Jousway]

what did ya use for the pcb?

[Arch0wl]

Originally Posted by Jousway

what did ya use for the pcb?

I am not 100% on this, but we bought some kind of USB console controller -- I think SNES --from Amazon and Malcolm rewired that one.

[Snapps]

i fully expected the ultimate rhythm game controller that you passionately showcased using mspaint years ago

[Jousway]

Originally Posted by Arch0wl

I am not 100% on this, but we bought some kind of USB console controller -- I think SNES --from Amazon and Malcolm rewired that one.

man what a waste, also way more work than what I use :P this is what I use http://www.ebay.com/itm/222045406991 in my pop'n controller and my own stepmania controller that i made 3 years ago

[dAnceguy117]

those look like pretty fun manias tbh.