Issue with Atomiswave fighting game conversions on DC Arcade Stick

[Spider-Dan]

I already posted this to the Atomiswave Conversions FAQ, but I thought I should post it separately so it's not buried many pages deep in that thread (and potentially unseen by the people who can correct the problem).

As the FAQ mentions, the hardcoded button translation from Atomiswave to DC is:

Code: Select all

                         ATOMISWAVE INPUTS ON TOP
                                           _____      _____      _____
               ___                        /  4  \    /  5  \    /  -  \
              |   |                       |  X  |    |  Y  |    |  Z  |
   STICK      |   |         _____         \_____/    \_____/    \_____/
              \   /        /START\   
               | |         |START|         _____      _____      _____
   D-PAD      _| |_        \_____/        /  1  \    /  2  \    /  3  \
ANALOG STICK / | | \                      |  A  |    |  B  |    |C/L/R|
             \_____/                      \_____/    \_____/    \_____/

                         DREAMCAST INPUTS BELOW

I understand a potential reasoning behind this: A and B are much more comfortable and natural buttons to use on a controller than X and Y. However, for the fighting games, this presents a major problem. When playing many of those games in the arcade, Atomiswave button 3 is physically where Dreamcast Arcade Stick Z is (rightmost button in the top row), and unfortunately SRAM remapping cannot solve this problem (as Dreamcast Z is hardcoded to "no function"). This effectively makes it impossible to play these arcade fighting games on a Dreamcast Arcade Stick with the arcade button layout, which is disappointing.

The list of affected games is as follows:
Fist of the North Star
Guilty Gear Isuka
Guilty Gear X ver 1.5
King of Fighters NeoWave
King of Fighters XI
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum
Rumble Fish
Rumble Fish 2
Samurai Spirits VI

Is there any chance that megavolt85 or yzb can update the hardcoding to the following?

Code: Select all

                         ATOMISWAVE INPUTS ON TOP
                                           _____      _____      _____
               ___                        /  1  \    /  2  \    /  3  \
              |   |                       |  X  |    |  Y  |    |Z/L/R|
   STICK      |   |         _____         \_____/    \_____/    \_____/
              \   /        /START\   
               | |         |START|         _____      _____      _____
   D-PAD      _| |_        \_____/        /  4  \    /  5  \    /  -  \
ANALOG STICK / | | \                      |  A  |    |  B  |    |  C  |
             \_____/                      \_____/    \_____/    \_____/

                         DREAMCAST INPUTS BELOW

As a bonus, this would also immediately correct the button layout on all of the above listed games to match the arcade, including Samurai Spirits VI (which has no button remap feature in the test mode).

Just to reiterate: the primary issue here is not buttons that can be remapped and saved to SRAM, but rather that Atomiswave button 3 has been hard coded to Dreamcast Arcade Stick C instead of Dreamcast Arcade Stick Z. It would be nice if the entire layout were fixed so that future games wouldn't need remapping (and SS6 would have the correct layout), but the showstopper here is really just Atomiswave button 3.

Thanks.

[pentarou]

Yes, that would be more convenient to switch the C button to Z, hoping some smart one has a good idea

[wwywong]

What you suggest totally make sense. Whether it is doable that's another story. I hope @megavolt85 can respond to this request to see if it's possible. The one that is most annoy for me is Samurai Spirits Tenkaichi Kenkakuden because you can't set button even in system menu, and the button layout is messed up with one of the attack button on the trigger... Hope someone can do something about it...

[LeGil]

I already asked for this change and I was only told it was possible... I don't think they want to redo th job for a bunch of fighting games players...

[longsun_zhao]

I would love to see this change as well. One of the best things about the Dreamcast is that all the fighting games have their standard arcade layouts as default - no adjustments are ever needed! You just boot up the game and hit Vs mode.

It would be amazing to have the Atomiswave games match.

EDIT: It's also worth pointing out that while the buttons can be reconfigured in the service menu, the in-game prompts are not updated to match. For example, in KoF Neowave, before every match there is a screen that prompts each player to select the order of their team. The buttons are labelled A, B, and C. When played on an arcade machine, this is consistent with the Neo Geo games in the series. However, even with the button layout changed to match the via hex edit or service menu for the Atomiswave, the prompts will not be consistent with other KoF games, because the prompts are just a static art asset. Changing the button layout to match all other Dreamcast games will naturally fix this problem.

[MoeFoh]

I did this by using a Brook Wingman SD adapter and a Mayflash F101 Arcade Stick. Flipped the wires from buttons (A & X) and (B & Y) and (RT & RB) and (LT & LB). Set stick to X-INPUT and DP mode. Set Wingman to Arcade mode (enables C button). Game SRAM left at defaults. Now have the official Atomiswave button layout on my stick as proposed above. Plus, Turbo buttons can be assigned by the stick (3 different speeds) and the Wingman SD can assign remap button combos to unused buttons. The F101 can be upgraded to a Pro level stick and buttons to boot.

[Keith Courage]

Huh, I just played through both King of Fighters XI and Fist of the North star recently and the button config didn't feel strange at all. Maybe I'm not accustom to how other DC fighters have their buttons mapped?

The only button mapping I feel is weird is for Guilty Gear Isuka since one of the attack buttons is a trigger which is super weird. Should swap the action on Y(change direction) with whats currently set for the triggers. This is how the OG Xbox has it set up.

[MoeFoh]

Huh, I just played through both King of Fighters XI and Fist of the North star recently and the button config didn't feel strange at all. Maybe I'm not accustom to how other DC fighters have their buttons mapped?

The only button mapping I feel is weird is for Guilty Gear Isuka since one of the attack buttons is a trigger which is super weird. Should swap the action on Y(change direction) with whats currently set for the triggers. This is how the OG Xbox has it set up.

The point was using an Arcade Stick to match the arcade cabinet button layout for the sake of realism. Using a standard controller is a different story.

[Keith Courage]

I was using a Ps1 Arcade stick through a Total Control adapter. So maybe that maps buttons differently? It was set up with both strong attacks on the right and both week/jabs on the left. Center 4 buttons obviously.

[MoeFoh]

I was using a Ps1 Arcade stick through a Total Control adapter. So maybe that maps buttons differently? It was set up with both strong attacks on the right and both week/jabs on the left. Center 4 buttons obviously.

Most of the complaints about the button layout were from pro/league players who, as you surmised, learned how to play on the arcade version.