Buying advice for a pad

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
danc1005
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 3237
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:21 pm
Location: Da Fort
Contact:

Buying advice for a pad

Post by danc1005 » Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:18 am

Hey guys, I really want to get a better pad for home, since I'm spending too much money at the arcade now. I was seriously considering getting a metal arcade pad for about $250, but now I'm seriously into Stepmania, and I want a pad with a USB connector. I hear Ignition 3.0 is really good, but the main reason why I don't like my current foam pad is because of delay/lag with the buttons. Does anyone know if the Ignition (being a foam pad) has the same delay problem? Because I would love to spend $80 instead of $250. Or if it does, does anyone know of a good PS2-USB adaptor for a normal PS2 pad?

Thanks,
Dan

EDIT: Not sure if this should go here, but couldn't think of anywhere better, so feel free to move it if you want.

User avatar
MonMotha
Site Code Monkey
Site Code Monkey
Posts: 2505
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 9:18 pm

Post by MonMotha » Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:24 am

The EMSUSB is the old standby for hooking up PS2 DDR pads to computers. It supports mapping all the arrows as buttons rather than joystick axes, so you can actually do jumps.

The Ignition hardly acts like a "foam pad" if you get the good ones that RedOctane sells. The cheap ones on eBay are pieces of crap for the most part that will make you feel like you're playing DDR in quicksand. The good ones have an extremely dense insert that is hardly what I'd classify as foam. It has just enough give to fell decent, but you don't sink into it. I'd highly recommend the RO branded ones as a home controller (though at $110, they're rather rediculuously overpriced, but so is pretty much all DDR gear).

Moved to DDR.
A normality test:
+++ATH
If you are no longer connected to the internet, you need to apply more wax to your modem: it'll make it go faster.
If you find this funny, you're a nerd.
If neither of the above apply, you are normal. Congratulations.

User avatar
WhiteDragon
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 1312
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:04 am
Location: North of Indy
Contact:

Post by WhiteDragon » Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:30 pm

If you're looking to buy an Ignition, now is definately the time to do so, as they're currently on sale for $79.99.
Original Sin wrote:Besides, this is IndyDDR...honestly. What do you expect?

User avatar
danc1005
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 3237
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:21 pm
Location: Da Fort
Contact:

Post by danc1005 » Sat Mar 11, 2006 3:52 pm

Ya I know I have a feeling they're going to stay that way, seeing as they've been "On sale" for over 2 months now. That's why I mentioned spending "$80" instead of 250. What about the ignitions they have at Best Buy? Wouldn't those be straight from RO and therefore good?

-Dan

EDIT: The RO Afterburner doesn't have a bar right? Because I sort of want one with a bar if I'm going for metal.

User avatar
SoDeepPolaris
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 2930
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:55 pm
Location: dónde
Contact:

Post by SoDeepPolaris » Sat Mar 11, 2006 4:13 pm

dance1005 wrote:Ya I know I have a feeling they're going to stay that way, seeing as they've been "On sale" for over 2 months now. That's why I mentioned spending "$80" instead of 250. What about the ignitions they have at Best Buy? Wouldn't those be straight from RO and therefore good?

-Dan

EDIT: The RO Afterburner doesn't have a bar right? Because I sort of want one with a bar if I'm going for metal.
Every single home version metal pad I've played on that has a bar (mainly the TX's and offmarket ones like TX's) are so unstable that the bar really just makes you feel like it's going to break.

Cobalts are the best metals, hands down. If you can do upkeep on a metal pad(ie check/repair contacts and other things of that nature), Afterburner isn't a bad investment. I've never played on an AB so I don't know how they feel.
I really love CS:GO's 64 tick servers.

User avatar
danc1005
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 3237
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:21 pm
Location: Da Fort
Contact:

Post by danc1005 » Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:05 pm

So, just for me to fully understand which pad would be the best to buy, if you could PLZ rank the following in order of goodness. Try to take into account everything (price, quality, features like USB, etc.).
Ignition 3.0
TX####
Afterburner
Cobalt Flux
Any other pad you think is worth mentioning

Thanks,
Dan

User avatar
FLAKK
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 1004
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:04 pm
Location: Louisville, KY
Contact:

Post by FLAKK » Wed Mar 15, 2006 4:54 pm

http://www.levelsix.com/product_info.ph ... ucts_id=30

I had the PS2 version of this and used an EMSUSB to hook it up to my computer. IMO, this pad is just as good as a RedOctane Ignition and is half the cost ($43.95 + shipping)
Yea, I'm like Mother Teresa, except I pwn.

User avatar
danc1005
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 3237
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:21 pm
Location: Da Fort
Contact:

Post by danc1005 » Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:30 pm

So this is just as good as Ignition? Cuz, right now, from the pics, it looks dangerously like my current pad (the one that makes it feel like you're dancing in quicksand). Oh, and about the EMSUSB: it works with all the steps right? Like simultaneous steps 2? And no lag right? Cuz that's what annoys me about my quicksand pad, the crazy lag...Perfects=Greats, Greats=Goods, anything else is miss lol.

-Dan

User avatar
mexican ninja
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 1016
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Fort Sweet
Contact:

Post by mexican ninja » Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:29 pm

Hey, your in Fort Wayne right? Wanna buy a second generation Cobalt Flux (I'm like 99% sure that it can play PIU) for like $175.50?

It's in great condition. I tried it out recently, and the only reason you get pad misses is because it takes about 1/2 of an hour to get used to it. But after that it rocks.

EDIT: Even better buying advice, buy it here for only $150.00!
viewtopic.php?t=1387

CHEAP AS FREE!

User avatar
FLAKK
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 1004
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:04 pm
Location: Louisville, KY
Contact:

Post by FLAKK » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:01 pm

dance1005 - Make sure it has the dense foam insert. I agree, the soft foam is horrible.
Yea, I'm like Mother Teresa, except I pwn.

User avatar
danc1005
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 3237
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:21 pm
Location: Da Fort
Contact:

Post by danc1005 » Sat Mar 18, 2006 10:17 am

I would seriously think about buying that pad but I have no money right now, and I think I'm gonna have to buy Elder Scrolls IV before a pad because that game is going to be pwnz0rs. So yeah, but that's a good deal...you said it took some getting used to, does that mean that after you get used to it you won't be used to the arcade? Or if you're used to the arcade you'll already be used to it? Like what makes it so you have to get used to it?

-Dan

User avatar
FLAKK
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 1004
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:04 pm
Location: Louisville, KY
Contact:

Post by FLAKK » Sat Mar 18, 2006 12:37 pm

It's flat. Meaning, none of the arrows are raised or lowered to help keep you centered. If you end up getting a CF, I recommend raising the center panel. I played on one modded like this at the OhayoCON tourney and it was really easy to stay on the pad. Then I tried a pad that was not modded. Halfway through the song, I found myself centered on the right arrow everytime.
Yea, I'm like Mother Teresa, except I pwn.

User avatar
danc1005
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 3237
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:21 pm
Location: Da Fort
Contact:

Post by danc1005 » Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:07 pm

Oh all right. Well that would be easy to fix...or get used to. Well thanks for the offer mex, and I'll seriously consider it, but I'm not gonna have the money anytime soon, so if someone else makes you an offer, go ahead and take it.

-Dan
Image

User avatar
mexican ninja
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 1016
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Fort Sweet
Contact:

Post by mexican ninja » Sun Mar 19, 2006 12:26 am

dance1005 wrote:Oh all right. Well that would be easy to fix...or get used to. Well thanks for the offer mex, and I'll seriously consider it, but I'm not gonna have the money anytime soon, so if someone else makes you an offer, go ahead and take it.

-Dan
Already did, but thanks for the consideration.

User avatar
Pheonixguy
Heavy
Heavy
Posts: 1044
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:53 pm
Location: Apeture Science
Contact:

Post by Pheonixguy » Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:16 pm

are the metal pads worth the money?

Post Reply