Spinner Turn Count

Purpose

This is intended to be a page to keep track of the correct turns ratio of spinner/dial/paddle/trackball-controlled arcade games. Below is comma-separated text, hopefully this is a useful format.

Q: How do I use this information?

A: To tweak the analog sensitivity in MAME to better emulate real hardware.

An example from the first link below: Tempest, 72 count

if the control you use has 1200 counts per turn, the sensitivity calculation is: Sensitivity = 100 * 72 / 1200 = 6%

Links (Recommended Reading)

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=61381.0

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=23967.0

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=42401.msg474159#msg474159

Data

Effective_Tooth_Count = teeth that pass through the optical sensor per revolution of the knob (multiply by any gear ratios to obtain)

Counts_Per_Revolution = could be 1x, 2x, or 4x of the Effective_Tooth_Count (depends on original hardware interpretation of optical sensor information)

Other_Notes = quantitative information relating to game play (like degrees of turn from one side of the screen to another - useful for potentiometer games like Warlords)

Game	Effective_Tooth_Count	Counts_Per_Revolution	Other_Notes
720 degrees	72	144
Ivan Ironman Offroad	154.286		Geared: 60 teeth on the steering wheel shaft, meshes with a 14 tooth gear on the encoder shaft, which has 36 teeth on its encoder wheel
Disks of Tron	128
Blasteroids	72
Tempest	72		1 full turn moves 5 spaces on first screen
Pole Position	102 6/7		Geared: 60 tooth gear on wheel shaft, 14 tooth gear on 24 tooth encoder disk shaft => (60 / 14) * 24 = 102 6/7
Arkanoid	486		Geared: The knob attaches to shaft #1, which has a 72 tooth gear on it. That gear turns a 16 tooth gear on shaft #2. Shaft #2 also has a 72 tooth gear on it, which then turns a 16 tooth gear on shaft #3. Shaft #3 also has the encoder wheel on it, which has 24 teeth. 120-130 deg = one traversal across the screen
RoadBlasters	24		Limited Wheel/Yoke
Kickman	12		Based on parts diagram in manual. Ball-shaped roller.
Warlords	(n/a - pot)	(n/a - pot)	120-130 deg one traversal end to end of castle
Super Breakout			120-130 deg one traversal across the screen
Turbo			2 1/2 turns to go across the screen
Sprint			1/2 turn is 90 deg
Super Sprint			360 deg turn of wheel moves about 170 deg
Happ 2.25 inch trackball	149.2 (no wear)		2.25 inch ball, 0.362 inch roller, 24 tooth encoder wheel
Happ 3 inch trackball	167.4 (no wear)		3 inch ball, 0.43 inch roller, 24 tooth encoder wheel
Atari 4.5 inch trackball	330.6 (no wear)		4.5 inch ball, 0.49 inch roller, 36 tooth encoder wheel

Trackball Games: Game Name, Notes

Crystal Castles, 1st screen BB moves length of line above his head from center of trackball moved to one side

Centipede, 1 trackball move 1 end to other (stock tb) 2 1/2 mushroom lengths

Missle Command 1 full end to end visible trackball movement goes from left to the right of the little bump after the missile base