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Yeah I totally get that - really makes you realise how useful being able to program is, if you ever get the time I'd deffinately reccomend learning!

I can see that the Samco gun code I sent you is messy and incomplete, so I've made a version for you that'll hopefully do what your wanting and commented on it, its available here:

https://github.com/bobbydilley/ArduinoAnalogueMouse

You need to plug your guns into A0 and A1 and then a trigger into digital pin 5.

This will only work for an Arduino Due or Zero or one of those Teensy devices that support HID out.
I can't seem to make this code work. I get this error message when I click "upload":

Arduino: 1.8.10 (Windows 7), Board: "Arduino Leonardo"

Sketch uses 6212 bytes (21%) of program storage space. Maximum is 28672 bytes.
Global variables use 321 bytes (12%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2239 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2560 bytes.
avrdude: butterfly_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: butterfly_recv(): programmer is not responding
Found programmer: Id = "S"; type = p
Software Version = V.

Typical useless computer error message with no hint of what it means or what I'm meant to do about it. I'm starting to remember why I don't use Arduino for projects. Nothing ever works for me.

Anyone got any idea what that error means or what I did wrong?
 
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This will only work for an Arduino Due or Zero
I can't seem to make this code work. I get this error message when I click "upload":

Arduino: 1.8.10 (Windows 7), Board: "Arduino Leonardo"
First, are you using an Arduino Due or Zero?
Second are you selecting the right target board when trying to upload?
 
The only thing it says on my board is Arduino Leonardo. I'm not sure what Due or Zero means in this context or how to answer the question.

This is what I did so far:

I downloaded and installed the app, opened it, selected Arduino Leonardo, then I selected ATmega or something like that from another drop-down menu because it was written in tiny letters on one of the chips on the PCB. I didn't recognize any of the other options but I also tried "Arduino ISP" and any other that mentioned Arduino. Nothing made a difference.

Then, from a choice of port 3 or port 4, I chose 3 (but later tried 4 with no change).

Then I cut and pasted the code into the space. I clicked verify. It did that part ok. Then I clicked "upload" and I got that error message.

I went to check in the Windows devices if it showed up and it did not. I can't even follow their suggestion of manually installing (or reinstalling) drivers because it can't see the device at all.

So, I've done something wrong or my Arduino is broken.
 
there are numerous models of Arduino, when you write an Arduino program it is typically designed for a specific model, or sub-set of models
Due, Zero, and Leonardo are all different models of Arduino

Due: https://store.arduino.cc/usa/due
Zero: https://store.arduino.cc/usa/arduino-zero
Leonardo: https://store.arduino.cc/usa/leonardo

it looks like the Leonardo might support HID output, but you also need to make sure that the Arduino IDE software is set to write to a Leonardo before you can upload the program.
 
I did set it to Leonardo. The problem is that it can't seem to communicate with it. It's not visible to either Windows or the IDE software. A Leonardo can definitely function as a mouse as it's used for most of the Youtube demos.

According to the little I read on Arduino forums, I am meant to be able to see the device in the Windows control panel / device manager but it's not in the list.

Is there something I am meant to do to make it useable beside installing the IDE Arduino software and connecting it to the USB port? I can't see any additional drivers or instructions.
 
yes you should see it in windows before you can flash. is it a genuine Arudino or a knock-off? sometimes the knock-offs need different drivers.

either way it's likely a driver issue.
 
I'm not sure how to tell if it's an authentic Arduino. Is says Arduino Leonardo on it but the $10 watches they sell in Bangkok markets say Rolex on them but that doesn't make them genuine...

It didn't come with any special driver instructions or any instructions of any kind.

From a quick Google search, it sounds like it's a common problem but no obvious solution besides dropping the Arduino in the trash.
 
I've figured out the problem I think. Apparently the micro-USB cable they send with it is not a data cable. It's only for "charging" even though there is no battery to be charged, so it's completely useless.

The idea that they would deliberately ship it with a cable that does not work without even including a little note to explain this fills my heart with thoughts of murder.

Anyway, I'll have another go to see if I can get these guns working as a mouse to make them a little more useful on a PC.
 
I managed to get the mouse code uploaded to the Arduino to test it with the Sega type 2 guns and it works kind of:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOSdHet7RJc


I couldn't make the left mouse button / trigger work on it so I'm going to try wiring the trigger switch to the Arduino directly instead of wiring it via the gun sensor.

what do I have to do to add a right and middle mouse button? These are needed for a lot of games and not all of them allow you to assign buttons from elsewhere. The PC version of HOD3, for example.

The main barrier I can see to this being a credible option currently is the lack of a calibration and screen-out function when it's used as a mouse. When you use the Sega guns as an analog controller, you have windows calibration and off-screen reload works automatically. Not so with a mouse for some reason.

I think that, if there was a calibration method then it could be made to be almost as accurate as the Act Labs light guns (the most accurate light gun of any tech on any system).
 
Using the Sega type 2 guns to play Ghost Squad on the Dolphin emulator is pure magic! needless to say, it's significantly more accurate and more fun than using a Wii remote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-x9bDCvdow

I still haven't managed to figure out how to make any mouse buttons work when I use the Sega guns with my Arduino so my goal of playing House of the Dead 4 with the real arcade gun is still unfulfilled. I can't seem to make any analog controls work in Teknoparrot.
 
Can namco guns work with Sega setups. I do love the recoil on the namco ones even if it seems gimmicky.
 
Can namco guns work with Sega setups.
the only Type II IR style Namco games I know of are Time Crisis 4 and Cobra The Arcade (and I think some of those used CRT guns).

The Sensors and the Gun Sense Board have to both be from a Namco setup (Gun-sense will be labeled "NH90"). they're a lot harder to find since it's equipment from one game vs Sega stuff which is equipment from dozens of games released over 2+ decades that is cross compatible.

Personally I'm going to see if I can just retrofit some Sega Sensors into some older CRT Time Crisis guns, it'd be a lot cheaper/easier than sourcing original Time Crisis 4 equipment.
 
I have a bunch of Time Crisis (1,2 and 3) guns and the Sega type 2 sensors do not fit. I've tried...

If you want that style of gun for type 2 (I.e. a recoil pistol with a moving slide), the Pelican Super Jolt guns are a better fit (literally). They have more room under the solenoid and a type 2 sensor can just about fit with a little Dremel work and hot glue.

The other benefit of the jolt guns is that they have a bunch of extra buttons which is obviously helpful for all the type 2 games with grenade, reload, weapon change buttons or pedals etc. The quality of the gun shells is similar to the real Namco guns. The solenoid and slide mechanism is slightly lower quality but not enough to matter. The real Namco solenoid and slide actually fits in the jolt guns.

I put a Terminator Salvation solenoid in my Hod4 gun and I've ordered a Ghost Squad gun (which already has a recoil solenoid). I'm also working on a project to install a type 2 sensor in my Terminator Salvation rifle.

BTW, Razing Storm and Time Crisis 5 also use the gun sense boards and LED boards. Are you 100% sure Sega boards and LED boards are not compatible with the Namco ones? I remember DaveR (on page 7 of this thread) saying Sega boards were compatible with Namco games. It's possible that I misunderstood though.
 
This is the real Namco TC gun. To fit the Sega sensor you'd have to cut a hole in the bottom of the shell:



Here's the Jolt gun with the larger cavity:



To fit the Sega sensor, you'd just have to cut part of the plastic lens support.
 
I've already figured it out it requires either using one of the sensor units without the integrated trigger wiring or trimming the pcb.
 
Seems drastic for such an expensive part when there's a safer alternative. Whenever I've tried to trim a PCB, even parts that looked to have no function, I've managed to break them. There always a risk of them cracking when you cut a PCB too.

To each his own but I'm in favor of using a shell that fits or just buying a type 2 gun that already has a recoil solenoid.

I have a bunch of Time Crisis guns which I've used for PS2 and PC light gun projects. They're great for the Time Crisis games and some older light gun titles but I find the lack of buttons to be limiting. A large percentage of arcade shooters use two or more buttons.

My Hod4 gun has a grenade button but I still can't change weapon in Ghost squad without a 3rd. It doesn't matter so much for me as I own a lot of recoil guns but if you're only going to have one or two, you need at least 3 buttons.
 
for me the appeal of using a TC gun is that it's a TC gun, more so than just the fact it has recoil.

I've already got a setup fit and working.

my pedestal is designed to easily swap guns out (about as difficult as swapping control panels on a candy cab), I'm just about finished restoring a set of Virtua Cop 3 guns with the button in the side, I've got a Ghost Squad gun that is nearly perfect already, so once I'm done with the TC gun setup it will just be another option to swap in for games that can make use of recoil.
 
for me the appeal of using a TC gun is that it's a TC gun, more so than just the fact it has recoil.

I've already got a setup fit and working.

my pedestal is designed to easily swap guns out (about as difficult as swapping control panels on a candy cab), I'm just about finished restoring a set of Virtua Cop 3 guns with the button in the side, I've got a Ghost Squad gun that is nearly perfect already, so once I'm done with the TC gun setup it will just be another option to swap in for games that can make use of recoil.
It's like having a twin. We literally like exactly the same things.

Not many other people would understand the appeal of owning so many different arcade guns just for the joy of playing arcade games the way they were meant to be played.

I like recoil for all shooting games even if the original coin-op didn't have it though. I'm more particular about using the same gun tech as the arcade. Virtua Cop 1 and 2 feels wrong to me with the type 2 guns and Ghost Squad feels wrong with real light guns. Positional gun games need a fixed gun etc.

If anybody ever figures out how to play Terminator Salvation on a home PC, I'd probably make an exception for that. I'm really not impressed with the quality of Raw Thrills guns (or anything else they make). The TS rifle has a terrible solenoid and the gun tech is a very poor quality Wii-style camera.
 
A little House of the Dead 3 with the type 2 guns. I have got to get one of those HOD3 pump-action shotguns!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzTnt25j020&t=10s


I think I finally see the purpose of the screen-out function on these boards. The game reloads when you just point outside the screen (not point outside and shoot). Wiring screen-out to the pump action would allow you to reload without pointing outside the screen.

It's amazing how accurate this gun tech is with the added calibration option in HOD 2 and 3 and Ghost Squad. It was already accurate but accuracy is comparable to real light guns in these games.
 
Can any of you confirm if these guns I just bought are from a Virtua Cop 3 cab?




I won an eBay auction I'd forgotten about from a few weeks ago so I got the two guns for $70. The seller listed them as "arcade light guns with recoil". As far as I know though, none of the Virtua Cop 3 cabs had recoil guns.

So, either they aren't Virtua Cop 3 guns, the seller is mistaken or somebody added an aftermarket solenoid upgrade. Or... I'm wrong and Sega either offered a recoil version of the game or used the same shell for another game.

I figured that I could just use them with my USB2gun if they turned out to be traditional light guns or sell one if they turn out to be Sega type 2 (and keep the other).
 
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