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Fightsticks: octagonal gate vs square gate

For me the pros and cons don't really matter. Whichever feels "right" go with that. Gates aren't that expensive so you should be able to try both out yourself

When I built my first stick recently I tried an Octo gate thinking it would be better but it felt a lot more restricting to me so I went back to square and haven't looked back
 
My general thought process when I first attempted to transition from pad to stick: (mileage may vary)

1. (1 week in) Man, stick is tough. It's so hard to nail the core directions in a pinch with this square gate. I keep jumping and doing other things by accident. I wonder if there's any way I could be making this any easier on myself?

2. (A month in) Hey what's this I hear about Octagonal gates? I'll give this a go. See if it helps me improve. Daaaamn, this is so much better. I can feel the click of every direction right as it moves into its groove, and it's so accurate. This is exactly what I needed.

3. (3~4 months in) Hmm, I can find core directions easily enough myself now. In fact, I feel like this Octagonal gate is trying to give me too much information now that my muscle memory has adapted. I have the corners for reference on my square gate, and that's all I need in order to instinctively hit everything else.
 
adamy said:
maybe I just need to change my grip

can't find a grip I'm happy with yet
Click to expand...

Balltop is another thing you have to get used to. You can switch it to a battop if you want.

SanwaLB30N_BattopA_w__19353.1447541492.1280.1280.jpg
 
I prefer octagon, cuz I like having the stick lock into place for the cardinal directions. I don't just use it for fighters! But this is all making me wanna swap out the gate...
 
Square. There's a few instances where some people may prefer Octagonal but I find that the majority of the time people switch because they can't realize they're riding the gate when they shouldn't. If you get your inputs clean (and it'll take time!), square is better in the long run and the benefit of being able to easily borrow a stick during a tournament if need be.
 
SquareSOFT is no longer the kingmaker but SquareGATE is still.

Tripon said:
Balltop is another thing you have to get used to. You can switch it to a battop if you want.

SanwaLB30N_BattopA_w__19353.1447541492.1280.1280.jpg
Click to expand...

Yup. Had to relearn with the gumball but I can do it just fine now, even dash motions. *borks up Chun's air legs in a crucial moment*
 
"Why would they leave the dead zone a square for a non-square gate?"

They can't alter the dead zone. All a gate does is restrict the movement of the stick on the extremes. The microswitches that determine what direction you're pressing are still in the same place.
 
Octagonal and circular gates are basically just training wheels for people who don't have a feel for the microswitches and only ever intend to play motion characters. They make circular motions "easier" at the cost making a bunch of other things more awkward to do.
 
Mental Atrophy said:
Sounds like a solvable problem to me.
Click to expand...

I don't really understand how, unless you changed the microswitches out too, and put in some of those like... Seimitsu looking ones with the metal tabs and bent them? I dunno if that would even work... I don't think so.

Probably be best to just get off the gate. The switches are loud enough.
 
"Sounds like a solvable problem to me."

How? Given the same pcb and microswitch placement, how do you alter the deadzone with a restrictor plate?
 
Teknopathetic said:
"Why would they leave the dead zone a square for a non-square gate?"

They can't alter the dead zone. All a gate does is restrict the movement of the stick on the extremes. The microswitches that determine what direction you're pressing are still in the same place.
Click to expand...

You said it better than me. Great explanation.

I have been wondering for a while and I may as well ask you now, why don't you just quote people instead of copying and pasting what they said?

Just curious.
 
Teknopathetic said:
"Sounds like a solvable problem to me."

How? Given the same pcb and microswitch placement, how do you alter the deadzone with a restrictor plate?
Click to expand...

Why would you still use digital contacts? We've had potentiometer-based joysticks for decades now. Users could customize whatever deadzone they wanted.
 
"Why would you still use digital contacts? We've had potentiometer-based joysticks for decades now. Users could customize whatever deadzone they wanted."

Given the style of games that use arcade sticks (which use digital input), potentiometers are rather pointless. The feedback confirming actuation on microswitches is also quite helpful.
 
Mental Atrophy said:
Why would you still use digital contacts? We've had potentiometer-based joysticks for decades now. Users could customize whatever deadzone they wanted.
Click to expand...

Most fighting games only register 8 directions, and the tactile feedback offered by microswitches can be useful in a lot situations.
 
Teknopathetic said:
"Why would you still use digital contacts? We've had potentiometer-based joysticks for decades now. Users could customize whatever deadzone they wanted."

Potentiometers are larger, and given the style of games (which are digital input), largely pointless. The feedback confirming actuation is also quite helpful.
Click to expand...

If feedback is a concern, force feedback has also been a thing for decades. Why is size a concern? If it fits in a traditional console gamepad, it'll more than fit in an arcade-style joystick which sits on the lap or a table.
 
"If feedback is a concern, force feedback has also been a thing for decades. Why is size a concern? If it fits in a traditional console gamepad, it'll more than fit in an arcade-style joystick which sits on the lap or a table."


This is starting to turn into a complicated device for absolutely no gain. Potentiometers, force feedback motors, etc. Force feedback is also quite a bit of overkill compared to the simple click of a microswitch.

I can only speak for the joysticks I have, but you may be surprised to find out that they're a bit cramped on the inside with the simple electronics they already have, especially underneath the lever.. You *can* make a larger and more unwieldy chassis, but again...why? For what gain? There's no benefit to having an analog, force feedback arcade stick.
 
Mental Atrophy said:
If feedback is a concern, force feedback has also been a thing for decades. Why is size a concern? If it fits in a traditional console gamepad, it'll more than fit in an arcade-style joystick which sits on the lap or a table.
Click to expand...

That sounds expensive as all hell. If an arcade joystick were to use a pot (I think some expensive as all hell Happs do?), I doubt it'd use the same parts as a delicate one that only really touches a thumb in a gamepad.

Tain said:
Appropriate octo thrashing in this thread
Click to expand...

AF02Kv0.png
Click to expand...
 
Fermbiz said:
I use the Octagonal Gate.

Everyone says the Square Gate is easier and superior but I always fuck up with it. When I hold back, My joystick tends to slide either up or down resulting with me jumping back when I don't want to or I'm crouching by mistake. I need the sides of the octagon to help me out, been using it for years.

Seimitsu LS-56-01 Joystick with the Octagonal Gate is heaven to me.
Click to expand...

This is exactly why I switched to an octagonal gate.

After I switched it felt way more natural. I don't mind that there's less area for the diagonals since the gate stops me where I need to be.
 
Fermbiz said:
I use the Octagonal Gate.

Everyone says the Square Gate is easier and superior but I always fuck up with it. When I hold back, My joystick tends to slide either up or down resulting with me jumping back when I don't want to or I'm crouching by mistake. I need the sides of the octagon to help me out, been using it for years.

Seimitsu LS-56-01 Joystick with the Octagonal Gate is heaven to me.
Click to expand...

Same here. Everyone's like "Ooh, square gate's better better because of the diagonals," but hitting the diagonals were never the problem. It's the cardinals that's the problem. Without being able to feel where forward is, my fireball motion tends to either not go far enough and I accidently DP, or too far and I'm jumping forward. With an octo, I can just feel where I am so I can concentrate on the fight and not trying to guess where the cardinals begin and end.

Also, I've played so much Smash on the GC controller that fighting without an octo just plain feels weird.
 
Teknopathetic said:
"If feedback is a concern, force feedback has also been a thing for decades. Why is size a concern? If it fits in a traditional console gamepad, it'll more than fit in an arcade-style joystick which sits on the lap or a table."


This is starting to turn into a complicated device for absolutely no gain. Potentiometers, force feedback motors, etc. Force feedback is also quite a bit of overkill compared to the simple click of a microswitch.

I can only speak for the joysticks I have, but you may be surprised to find out that they're a bit cramped on the inside with the simple electronics they already have, especially underneath the lever.. You *can* make a larger and more unwieldy chassis, but again...why? For what gain? There's no benefit to having an analog, force feedback arcade stick.
Click to expand...

You don't need to make the chassis bigger. Arcade joystick chassis are already gigantic. There is a benefit to analog: the gate and corresponding deadzone doesn't matter, so the image I quoted would be completely irrelevant. It works on any game whether it has digital or analog input. The parts are inexpensive and ubiquitous thanks to the size of the console market.
 
I'm the unidentified funk octopus and I love my octagonal. I play with it every night.

But seriously, ive owned many fight sticks and I think it depends on your character. On SSFIV I mained Blanka and used a square gate. Now, on SFV I main Chun and switched to an octagonal gate. Me love it long time.
 
I play with an octogate. When I started to really get into SF4 I switched form a 360 controller to a stick and it was terrible. Played way worse than I had before, a lot longer than should be needed when transitioning from pad to stick. It turns out that when using a square gate I tend to slide along the edges when holding purely forward or back, causing me to jump randomly or block crouching when I meant to block standing or jumping forward when I meant to neutral jump. I'm not very delicate, I pretty much hold forward or back intensely when I play. This where an octogate comes in, it "catches" in the forward or back (and up or down) position and therefore you don't slide from corner to corner. Never went back.
 
"You don't need to make the chassis bigger. Arcade joystick chassis are already gigantic. There is a benefit to analog: the gate and corresponding deadzone doesn't matter, so the image I quoted would be completely irrelevant. It works on any game whether it has digital or analog input. The parts are inexpensive and ubiquitous thanks to the size of the console market."


This is the definition of creating a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. And Force feedback still isn't an acceptable replacement for microswitch feedback, why would I want to rumble my entire arcade stick?
 
Teknopathetic said:
"You don't need to make the chassis bigger. Arcade joystick chassis are already gigantic. There is a benefit to analog: the gate and corresponding deadzone doesn't matter, so the image I quoted would be completely irrelevant. It works on any game whether it has digital or analog input. The parts are inexpensive and ubiquitous thanks to the size of the console market."


This is the definition of creating a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
Click to expand...

If it isn't a problem then why does this thread exist and why are you posting in it?
 
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