Slashdot Mirror
HowTo Build a Quality DDR Deck
Compu486 writes "In an effort to show that quality dance gaming systems can be done affordably, Inventgeek.com has put together an article showing how
to make DDR systems better than arcade quality for not a lot of cash. Using this
type of system and the free stepmania, hopefully schools
in West Virginia can save some scratch and buy some modern text books."
On Slashdot, if DDR is meant to stand for "Dance Dance Revolution" instead of "double data rate," as in "DDR SDRAM," then you're gonna need to spell it out at least once, mmkay?
perl -e 'foreach(values %SIG){$_="IGNORE";}while(){}'
Using the free Stepmania and what..completely original songs?
The songs included with any of the games are all 'protected'. Schools would rather pay $500 per piece of software than have something that might not be completely legal.
Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but why not just toss the kids outside and station a college near-drop-out to shout "run, fat-ass!" at them every few minutes. That certainly sounds cheaper.
Not really. From Lik-Sang you can get a pretty solid metal dance pad for under $150. Maybe not "better than arcade quality", but then I'd question whether the project listed is better either. Without trying it, you can't tell, but hey. Fair play to the guys for doing it though, it's a nice project anyway! :)
Game dev and music blog
You can tell that the author is not a seasoned DDR freak like there are out there.
The arcade pads, higher end home ones (cobalt flux), and even the foam pads have raised sections so that you know where you are while you're playing. It's very easy to get lost and start stomping the wrong buttons while playing on heavy (hard) or challenge mode.
--my 2 cents
I am going to have to disagree. You can build a reputable steel one for less than $100. Howtos are all over the web. The Cobalt flux is far more affordable at $299 as well. Fantastic quality, takes a beating and the polycarbonate plastic and galvanized steel can stand up to a barage of vehicles running over it with no problems. http://www.cobaltflux.com/media/MikesDDRandFoogyDo ogy_Runover+Holic.avi
30% off web hosting. Coupon code "SLASHDOT".
Cheers...
$HOME is where the
-- silver_p
Having worked as an arcade technician and torn apart a REAL DDR pad... I can tell you that this "better then" project is no where near the quality of the real deal.
The real DDR pads are constructed of wood for a good natural overall springiness, then covered in sheet metal for durability. The buttons use presser sensors as opposed to mechanical contacts, so there's no actual movement to them (and they can go for years of abuse without wearing out because of it). Also each button has 2 sensors for redundancy, only one needs to be tripped to detect a push...
Not to mention the best part of the real machine is that there are no ABXY buttons to accidentally push
Collector's Edition
It's really hard to take the creators seriously, their price range itself is quite a laugh, from $250 to $1000.
2 54
I have built my own pads, and as has been mentioned, movement is a very bad thing for actually playing DDR, and the most expensive I have gotten one of my pads to cost was about 150, with LEDs, a polycarbonate surface instead of the acrylic. I had tested an acrylic setup by making a steel square (what I was using to hold up each arrow) and having friends jump on it, which is a little more realistic than "stacking a 55 pound anvil on top of a ballpin hammer and hitting it with a 20 Lb Sledge hammer." at 150lb, with a hard jump, I broke it. My 300lb friend didn't even get a chance to try.
I really think if this kid was trying to be serious about selling them to a school, he would have designed his own control box, it's not hard to make a HID device, and costs much much less.
For more information, check out this thread on making DDR pads: http://www.ddrfreak.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=59
http://www.ddrfreak.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=592 54
That topic has *lots* (too much, probably) of info on this. There are several different designs. Personally I would think that the wood-based ones developed there are better (and they are the most common). I am designing a CCFL-lighted(one tube per arrow which light up permanently, when you step, or when you're SUPPOSED to step depending on mode), microcontrolled (PIC18F4550 based), pressure-sensor-based (no moving parts, at least not substantially moving), adjustable (you can set up how much pressure trips the state machine and registers a step), triple-system (USB,XBOX,PS2) wood DDR pad (check out the last couple of pages on that thread).