Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad

**Mollocephalus** · 06-10-2013, 05:14 AM

Hey guys!

I decided to do something productive with my passion for music games. I am aware there are no home pads at the moment which give the level of accuracy an arcade pad can provide. I am currently in the process of building a mid-tier metal pad which will feature good simulation at a reasonable price. Then i'll make a revamp of the cobalt flux concept with innovative matierials to make it more sensitive, reliable, closer to the arcade pad feeling and less hard on the knees. And finally, if the first two start to give me some funds, i'll completely redo the arcade metal pad, with a complete set of original sensors inside and pretty much the same functionality. It will made of steel and will be virtually unbreakable.

It is planned to also make a pump it up metal pad.

This is what i have now:

I will post more as i progress! let me know what you think! if any of you has some hints, suggestions or is interested in the pad itself, please say so! This is a young project and i'm sure i can benefit from some feedback.

**Ohaider** · 06-10-2013, 09:18 AM

Holy crap x.x 10/10

James May · 06-10-2013, 09:25 AM

Looks great so far. Can't wait until all that effort pays off in the end mollo :3

**Mollocephalus** · 06-10-2013, 09:58 AM

The arcade owner where i go play gave me 4 new sensors

A friend of mine who is an electronic engineer is making the circuit! Hopefully by next week i can plug in the USB and start testing it!

Arntonach · 06-10-2013, 10:02 AM

This is pretty impressive. That gunk on the bar looks a mite funky though.

**Mollocephalus** · 06-10-2013, 10:58 AM

The bar has been made with very little cost from recycled materials by an old blacksmith near my studio

for reference, this is the guy

**alloyus** · 06-10-2013, 11:41 AM

Wow. Time to start saving up that money

[TeRa] · 06-10-2013, 02:22 PM

I've wanted to build a pad for years, good luck with your project, looks great already.

**rCaliberGX** · 06-10-2013, 02:25 PM

Adjustable bar height would be awesome, but I don't think that's possible for you right now. Looks great!

**Cavernio** · 06-10-2013, 08:03 PM

Holy shit.

Hate to be a downer, but steel's heavy. Home pads are light and portable for a reason, shipping's just one of them. Titanium?

EtienneSM · 06-10-2013, 11:00 PM

http://www.precisiondancepads.com/in...t#/skin-arcade

**3lijah** · 06-10-2013, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EtienneSM

http://www.precisiondancepads.com/in...t#/skin-arcade

350 dollars?? Fcuk that.

Mollo, looks like a very awesome project! Please keep the thread posted, dude

**Mollocephalus** · 06-11-2013, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cavernio

Hate to be a downer, but steel's heavy. Home pads are light and portable for a reason, shipping's just one of them. Titanium?

everything except the bar is made of alluminium. Right now this pad weights less than a cobalt flux. Obviously if someone would go s far as buying a cabinet, weight is not a factor anymore. These people just want to play on the best pads, and even pay otrageous amounts of money to do so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EtienneSM

http://www.precisiondancepads.com/in...t#/skin-arcade

i'm surely not going to bother with these things as my pad will have the same functionality the arcade pad has, with the same kind of sensors et cetera. A pad like this is much simpler to make and i'm not sure what you can do once the sensors wear out. It doesn't look like you can open it? Anyone has first hand experience with those?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rCaliberGX

Adjustable bar height would be awesome, but I don't think that's possible for you right now. Looks great!

Adjustable bar height cannot be done on this pad but it can probably be done on the full metal pad. Thinking of a ~10cm adjustment, don't think you'd ever need more than that. However i don't think there's any problem if you order your custom bar height for this one. It's just not a very good idea cause if you enter a tournament you'll have to put up with normal bar sizes :P

**wildfireskunk** · 06-11-2013, 07:43 AM

That looks swish, but jesus! How high is that bar? Maybe it's the photo angle being deceptive, but it look massive!

**dragon890x** · 06-11-2013, 08:00 AM

I use to own a custom metal pad. I could try to give you some advice, though I'm not sure if it'll help.

First off, make sure you either coat the metal with something to prevent rusting due to sweat, or ensure that the pad is cleaned after every use. It will become a problem if you let it go for too long.

The back bar should have supporting bars that come down to the floor. I'm not sure how stable your bar is. Mine was strong and had supporting back bars. Even with all of that, it still bent slightly after awhile.

This wasn't the pad I owned, but you can get the idea from here: (HUGE picture! sorry)

Lastly, sliding squares. This wasn't a problem for me at first, but after heavy use, the square tiles began to move around. I believe most of that was due to the holding screws loosening. The squares didn't move much, but it would cause buttons to die when they did, and in the middle of a game too. It was very annoying. I could expect having to stop what I'm doing, position the tiles back in place, and screw everything down at least once a session.

I hope this helps, and good luck! I've always wanted to do something like this. From the looks of it, you're already off to a good start.

Edit:
I found a picture of my old pad, but it cuts off right above the supporting bars. .__.

**Mollocephalus** · 06-11-2013, 08:19 AM

Good points! let me reply to what you said.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon890x

First off, make sure you either coat the metal with something to prevent rusting due to sweat, or ensure that the pad is cleaned after every use. It will become a problem if you let it go for too long.

Everything except the bar is alluminium. I don't think it will ever be a problem

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon890x

The back bar should have supporting bars that come down to the floor. I'm not sure how stable your bar is. Mine was strong and had supporting back bars. Even with all of that, it still bent slightly after awhile.

The bar is attached to two metal plates, which will be then tightly screwed to the wood with 6 bolts for each plate. the bar will also be locked at the level of the pads by a wooden structure which will incapsulate it. That will have to be tested, i can't say for sure now if my method will be stable enough, even though by the looks of it, it should be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon890x

Lastly, sliding squares. This wasn't a problem for me at first, but after heavy use, the square tiles began to move around. I believe most of that was due to the holding screws becoming loose. The squares didn't move much, but it would cause buttons to die when they did, and in the middle of a game too. It was very annoying. I could expect having to stop what I'm doing, position the tiles back in place, and screw everything down at least once a session.

This is what bugged me tremendously about cobalt flux and this is why i came up with a radically different system. Screwing down the arrow is a terrible idea, in fact my arrow pads won't have any screws. They will be held in place by the small plates in the inner angles and from the outside by a tightly screwed alluminium bar. There will be a simple system to remove the arrow for mantainance, but in normal conditions it will always stay in place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon890x

I hope this helps, and good luck! I've always wanted to do something like this. From the looks of it, you're already off to a good start.

Well i hope it takes off

Thanks for the support!

**PaperclipGames** · 06-11-2013, 11:39 AM

I know nothing of pads, but this is a really cool project! I hope this is gonna work out, this is really awesome. Good luck! =3

**mellonxcollie** · 06-11-2013, 04:58 PM

Wow, that looks awesome Mollo! I was thinking of building a IIDX controller this summer myself, this is something I've always wanted to do too. Keep us posted on how it goes~

**Arkuski** · 06-12-2013, 01:51 PM

This looks sexy dude I can't wait to see more!

**Mollocephalus** · 06-17-2013, 04:37 PM

hey guys

I finally got the sensors (only 4 of them cause goddamn they're expensive) and with a friend of mine, who's an electronic engineer, we created the circuit on a test board. joypad USB input bitches! With these the pad could be ready relatively soon

i'm so happy!

06-10-2013, 05:14 AM	#1
Mollocephalus Custom User Title Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Italy Age: 35 Posts: 2,600	Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad Hey guys! I decided to do something productive with my passion for music games. I am aware there are no home pads at the moment which give the level of accuracy an arcade pad can provide. I am currently in the process of building a mid-tier metal pad which will feature good simulation at a reasonable price. Then i'll make a revamp of the cobalt flux concept with innovative matierials to make it more sensitive, reliable, closer to the arcade pad feeling and less hard on the knees. And finally, if the first two start to give me some funds, i'll completely redo the arcade metal pad, with a complete set of original sensors inside and pretty much the same functionality. It will made of steel and will be virtually unbreakable. It is planned to also make a pump it up metal pad. This is what i have now: I will post more as i progress! let me know what you think! if any of you has some hints, suggestions or is interested in the pad itself, please say so! This is a young project and i'm sure i can benefit from some feedback. __________________ Last edited by Mollocephalus; 06-10-2013 at 12:24 PM..

06-10-2013, 09:18 AM	#2
Ohaider FFR Veteran Join Date: Jun 2012 Age: 28 Posts: 2,893	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad Holy crap x.x 10/10 __________________

06-10-2013, 09:25 AM	#3
James May FFR Player Join Date: Oct 2012 Age: 30 Posts: 3,799	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad Looks great so far. Can't wait until all that effort pays off in the end mollo :3 __________________ bananas

06-10-2013, 09:58 AM	#4
Mollocephalus Custom User Title Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Italy Age: 35 Posts: 2,600	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad The arcade owner where i go play gave me 4 new sensors A friend of mine who is an electronic engineer is making the circuit! Hopefully by next week i can plug in the USB and start testing it! __________________

06-10-2013, 10:02 AM	#5
Arntonach Owlbears Rock! Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: The coldest place in hell Age: 33 Posts: 2,492	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad This is pretty impressive. That gunk on the bar looks a mite funky though. __________________ pack of hard stuffs pack of my stuffs

06-10-2013, 10:58 AM	#6
Mollocephalus Custom User Title Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Italy Age: 35 Posts: 2,600	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad The bar has been made with very little cost from recycled materials by an old blacksmith near my studio for reference, this is the guy __________________

06-10-2013, 11:41 AM	#7
alloyus ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Massachusetts Age: 31 Posts: 3,268	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad Wow. Time to start saving up that money __________________ ^FFP_D0pey btw

06-10-2013, 02:22 PM	#8
[TeRa] FFR Player Join Date: May 2007 Age: 33 Posts: 9,922	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad I've wanted to build a pad for years, good luck with your project, looks great already.

06-10-2013, 02:25 PM	#9
rCaliberGX D7 Elite Keymasher Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,337	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad Adjustable bar height would be awesome, but I don't think that's possible for you right now. Looks great!

06-10-2013, 08:03 PM	#10
Cavernio sunshine and rainbows Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 41 Posts: 1,987	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad Holy shit. Hate to be a downer, but steel's heavy. Home pads are light and portable for a reason, shipping's just one of them. Titanium?

06-11-2013, 07:43 AM	#14
wildfireskunk Purveyor of tea Join Date: Sep 2004 Age: 37 Posts: 1,247	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad That looks swish, but jesus! How high is that bar? Maybe it's the photo angle being deceptive, but it look massive! __________________ ITG guru, FFR noob, wants to hug every cat.

06-11-2013, 08:00 AM	#15
dragon890x ☆Ξ Phantasy Star Legend Ξ☆ Join Date: Jun 2005 Age: 34 Posts: 565	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad I use to own a custom metal pad. I could try to give you some advice, though I'm not sure if it'll help. First off, make sure you either coat the metal with something to prevent rusting due to sweat, or ensure that the pad is cleaned after every use. It will become a problem if you let it go for too long. The back bar should have supporting bars that come down to the floor. I'm not sure how stable your bar is. Mine was strong and had supporting back bars. Even with all of that, it still bent slightly after awhile. This wasn't the pad I owned, but you can get the idea from here: (HUGE picture! sorry) Lastly, sliding squares. This wasn't a problem for me at first, but after heavy use, the square tiles began to move around. I believe most of that was due to the holding screws loosening. The squares didn't move much, but it would cause buttons to die when they did, and in the middle of a game too. It was very annoying. I could expect having to stop what I'm doing, position the tiles back in place, and screw everything down at least once a session. I hope this helps, and good luck! I've always wanted to do something like this. From the looks of it, you're already off to a good start. Edit: I found a picture of my old pad, but it cuts off right above the supporting bars. .__. __________________ [ Link ] Last edited by dragon890x; 06-11-2013 at 08:09 AM..

06-11-2013, 11:39 AM	#17
PaperclipGames Mrow~ Join Date: May 2008 Location: Netherlands Age: 31 Posts: 647	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad I know nothing of pads, but this is a really cool project! I hope this is gonna work out, this is really awesome. Good luck! =3 __________________ 948 AAAs \| 1461 FCs \| 549 TPs \| 7 FMO AAAs Skype: paperclipgames \| Steam: alegiano \| Last.fm: Alegiano \| Ask.fm: Clippysan \| Facebook: LINK Best AAAs: Exciting Hyper Highspeed Star (69), Nous (69), Pure Ruby (68), Heavenly Spores (68), Ambient Angels (66), Within Life (66), Defection (66) Southern Cross (65)

06-17-2013, 04:37 PM	#20
Mollocephalus Custom User Title Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Italy Age: 35 Posts: 2,600	Re: Hello FFR, today we build an ITG pad hey guys I finally got the sensors (only 4 of them cause goddamn they're expensive) and with a friend of mine, who's an electronic engineer, we created the circuit on a test board. joypad USB input bitches! With these the pad could be ready relatively soon i'm so happy! __________________ Last edited by Mollocephalus; 06-17-2013 at 04:47 PM..

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