Are all Sega drivers created equally?

[rewrite]

So I'm tentatively in the market for a driving cab, and since I have limited space I'm aiming to get an upright Crazy Taxi. Is there anything that keeps me from running Chihiro/Triforce driving games in it as well?

Games I'm mostly interested in playing in it:
Crazy Taxi
Crazy Taxi High Roller
Mario Kart 1/2
Outrun 2/SP

 

[Brettster]

I have run Crazy Taxi, and Mario GP 1 and 2 , out run 2 sp in my upright crazy taxi cab
lack of buttons was the main issue for Mario Kart and I guess high roller would be missing the throttle button too
I now have a pair of sit down outrun 2 sp's but never wanted to play anything else in them

 

[twistedsymphony]

So I'm tentatively in the market for a driving cab, and since I have limited space I'm aiming to get an upright Crazy Taxi. Is there anything that keeps me from running Chihiro/Triforce driving games in it as well?

Mostly interested in:
Crazy Taxi
Crazy Taxi High Roller
Mario Kart 1/2
Outrun 2/SP

I/O mapping I believe the Mario Kart games typically use the Namco I/O which may not be completely compatible with a Sega I/O... @winteriscoming would be able to say for sure.

Also I don't believe Crazy taxi has Force Feeback of any kind. So if that's something you want, you'll be best off looking for a different cab.

 

[terminator2k2]

i run a naomi 2 and a chihiro in my sit down cab with

Outrun 2 sp
Initial d
initial d 2
initial d 3
jambo safari (what a game lol)
Club Kart

all work with force feedback except the great jambo safari lol....

no pins to change on the i/o as they all use the same wiring pinout....

They are also both in my cab at the same time and i switch between the 2 using 1 switch wired to a relay board.....

 

[winteriscoming]

I would recommend OR2 over CT simply for the FFB. You will likely not be able to retrofit FFB into CT cab.

Does the CT cab come with a JAMMA I/O? I don't know much about that one, but it would potentially complicate running other games.

My first choice for stock I/O is Sega Type 1 if you don't hold out for an eventual customizable I/O. All worthwhile driving games can work on a Type 1 with some wiring changes. I feel like this was pretty thoroughly documented somewhere in this forum, but not sure where at the moment.

 

[legoslug]

I you are considering the Mario Kart cab (namco), you might as well get one of the maximum tune variants. Much cheaper.

You're best bet is gonna be either an outrun, crazy taxi, or initial d. All fun games, but with the memory card function, I think initial d is the best of the lot. You won't get card readers otherwise. You can always buy some spare panels, if the extra degrees of steering bother you.

I have an initial d twin. Only thing I wish is that it was the japanese style cab, because I am not a fan of the american wood one I got. They look okay, but compared to my candy cabs they seem cheap. Of course, if you have woodies, it's a non issue.

Don't be afraid to spend the extra dough on a nicer condition cab. It will be worth it in the long run. Things break, replacements can be both expensive and hard to find.

 

[rewrite]

you'll be best off looking for a different cab.

Outside of Crazy Taxi, or an Outrun 2 Naomi Universal variant, what even are the options for other stand-up driving cabs? Outrun, but that's ancient in comparison. And I'm not even sure those Universal-style Outrun cabs were a state-side thing. Or if they even had force feedback anyway (their control panel box looks a little bigger to my eye, so maybe?).

I you are considering the Mario Kart cab (namco), you might as well get one of the maximum tune variants.

Wasn't looking for a MK cab in particular, just to run MK in whatever cab I do get. I don't have room for a sit-down, so I know my options pretty are limited.

Does the CT cab come with a JAMMA I/O?

It's Sega I/O 837-13551-91. Also, I assume you mean one running Type 1 Chihiro? Consider me completely new to driving cabs.

 

[Brettster]

crazy taxi does not have any feedback I'm sure the standup outrun 2 does not have it either as the settings in the game disable feedback checks if you select upright
If you have the space get a sit down outrun 2sp cab

 

[rewrite]

That's some solid information. Thanks!

I'm trying to justify the floorspace for a sit-down, but I can't seem to yet. There seem to be SO many variations of Outrun 2/Crazy Taxi High Roller cabinets. I think I've counted 5 and 4 respectively? Maybe I need to look at some manuals and get some dimensions/weights.

 

[Brettster]

if you get an upright with a seat like crazy tax Naomi then there's not much difference in space they are almost as long as a sit down or2 cab

 

[rewrite]

there's not much difference in space

Wow. Those pictures really put things into perspective. I didn't realize they were so similar in size. That cab looks so nice too! Thank you for that. Does Outrun 2 have the one extra button over the CT upright needed for High Roller at least, even if not enough for Mario Kart?

 

[winteriscoming]

Oh - I missed the mention of it being an upright. So FFB is out anyway. You might still have some compatability issues depending on the I/O it comes with.

I like the look of uprights, but lack of FFB is a dealbreaker for me for the games that support it. If not playing games with FFB, it's probably just as good to have a hacked together steering wheel controller and save the money on buying a, frankly, low feature cabinet.

After experiencing FFB on Mario Kart, there's no way I'd play it without. Most items in the game are meaningless without the FFB effects.

 

[Brettster]

there's not much difference in space

Wow. Those pictures really put things into perspective. I didn't realize they were so similar in size. That cab looks so nice too! Thank you for that. Does Outrun 2 have the one extra button over the CT upright needed for High Roller at least, even if not enough for Mario Kart?

no you would still need an extra button for CTHR and Mario Kart if you want to fire items, how ever I guess you could re wire the view button to act as the required button that on the OR2 cabs

 

[rewrite]

how ever I guess you could re wire the view button to act as the required button that on the OR2 cabs

It could work!

I think you've definitely talked me into getting an OR2 sitdown instead. I didn't realize the uprights were almost the same size. They also seem to be relatively inexpensive from the couple past sales I've seen!

 

[winteriscoming]

If you go for a sit-down, I recommend OR2 (several variations, but should be relatively the same) or Maximum Tune 1 or 2).

I'm working on a FFB translator that will eventually be available for others that allows for different games to work on different FFB protocols.

OR2SP was my first driving cab and was my impetus for building my custom JVS I/O (MEGA JVS), but I recently got a pair of Maximum Tune cabs, so will be working to make them universal, too.

FYI: Mario Kart is plug and play compatible with a Maximum Tune cab.

I personally like Maximum Tune a lot more than OR2 since you can save progress with cards (or card emulator I released), but they're pretty different types of games - OR2 being a casual, quick game and Maximum Tune taking many hours to upgrade a car and get through everything. Plus Maximum Tune has an awesome 6-position shifter.

 

[rewrite]

FYI: Mario Kart is plug and play compatible with a Maximum Tune cab.

Thank you for all of that information .

Does it matter which version of Maximum Tune in regards to being MK plug and play? I'd honestly be a bit hesitant on one of these just because I don't dig the look of the cab.

I'm not a fan of the deep racing games usually. The Initial D series is not my thing at all though I've played a good bit because my brother loves it, and I've played maybe two credits worth of Maximum Tune ever so I'm not very familiar with it.

Burnout was probably my favorite driving game series though not arcade, then Crazy Taxi, and fond memories of Cruis'n games.

 

[zero238]

what are the chances I can play mario kart on a AX cab?

 

[winteriscoming]

Does it matter which version of Maximum Tune in regards to being MK plug and play? I'd honestly be a bit hesitant on one of these just because I don't dig the look of the cab.

I think Maximum Tune 1 or 2 are your best bet. 3's appear to be conversions from 1 and 2, so may have all of the same wiring and PSU, but not sure. With 1 or 2 you'll get a Chihiro capable of netbooting Crazy Taxi High Roller and OR2, though. You won't get that with 3 as it's on a dedicated N2 board that won't play anything else AFAIK.

If you don't like the look of Maximum Tune, go for some variation of OR2. The Maximum Tune cabs are freaking wide! I had to delicately separate the head from the base to break the cabinets down enough to move into my basement. I don't think a single door in my house is wide enough to accommodate the width of these cabs. My OR2SP is still a beast, though. It was narrow enough to fit through the doors, but the side panels are all one piece, at least on my variation, so there wasn't much possible in the way of breaking the cabinet down for easier moving.

 

[winteriscoming]

what are the chances I can play mario kart on a AX cab?

I don't quite remember the pinout for AX. For sure it uses different FFB than Mario Kart. As long as you've got analog for steering and 2 pedals (I know there's an extra analog axis on the handle that would just get ignored), controls should be able to be rewired to accommodate MK as needed. The FFB is the MIDI one, but if I get to the point of releasing the protocol translator, it should be usable with MK (i.e. OR2 uses the same FFB and I have my work-in-progress translator working to let me play MK with FFB in the OR2 cab).

 

[rewrite]

what are the chances I can play mario kart on a AX cab?

Seconded, but toss in Crazy Taxi, CTHR, and OR2SP questions as well. There are 7 total buttons, and two pedals.

There's a big stupid deluxe AX near me for next to nothing that only sort of works, debating grabbing it, tossing it in storage until I move, and having an all-in-one super swag racing cab when I'm done.