About the arcade stick gate restrictors

Tech Talk
#1

I should note that I’ve just began trying to learn how to play with arcade sticks recently and although I’ve been playing fighting games on the pads for awhile, I’m very new to modding sticks and whatnot.

I’m looking to exchange my square restrictor which came with my HRAP2. I have a lot of difficulty pulling off moves with the current restrictor I have (a lot of unwanted jumps, can’t do shoryus etc).

Now I have to choose between octagon and circle. Is there a dramatic difference between the circle and the octagon gates? It’d be much cheaper for me to just go with the octagon one but which is recommended for games like ST3S?

Also, if I find Sanwa sticks too sensitive, should I look in to Seimitsu?

#2

i suggest learning 4way regardless. if you cant get good on 4way there’s no hopes for winning any cabinet based tournaments unless they use p360s. basically you need to start out learning how to adapt. you get spoiled right off and you’ll have big issues later.

edit

also, sanwa doesn’t make circular gates for the JLF series.

#3

look into a happ stick but know that you should be moving you wrist, and even then as minimal as possible

#4

I was thinking… maybe my problem isn’t the restrictor but from the sensitivity of the stick instead. I do a lot better playing at my local arcades than on my HRAP2 but I just assumed it was because they use circular gates. Or maybe it’s because I’m using a balltop? I’m not sure but the whole thing just feels really awkward compared to the sticks at the arcades.

I was going to switch to JLW stick if circular gates were to be suggested.

I’ve tried Happ before and it’s way too stiff for me. Which is why I’m debating whether to just stay Sanwa and get used to it or go with Seimitsu, which I heard was a little less sensitive (I think).

Thanks for the tips, guys. I’m trying to read around to see what I should do but I’m having problems on deciding. Any tips for a newbie is appreciated, really.

Only games I plan to play are: 3S, CvsSnk2 and Melty Blood (with friends at home).

#5

In my experience, a square restrictor Sanwa is probably the best stick for srks. Unwanted jumps doesn’t sound like a restrictor issue either. Maybe if you were having trouble doing supers, it would more than likely be because of the square.

According to other posts and some charts I’ve seen, Seimitsu LS-32 (the most common model) is even more sensitive due to slightly less total and switch-engage movement (but a bit stiffer) than a Sanwa JLF. I doubt getting one of those will solve your problems, if anything it’ll worsen it.

Best bet would be to stay with the current stick. It’s a good first Japanese stick. If you’re having trouble doing supers, 360s, or anything requiring circular motion then a octagonal gate might do the trick. Never tried a JLW so no comment on those.

#6

I agree, it sounds lke you really need to warm up to using a stick, period.

Although i’d suggest trying to mount the GT-O using a few screws and a few nuts on the top of the stick and see if that mounts.

#7

like the others say, stick with square gate. like you, i “was” used to playing with circle gates and i bought an hrap2 as well… i’ll stick with square gate.

#8

there is no way you could play a fighter in 4 way mode- four way refers to when you turn a square restictor sideways, only good for games like Pac-Man that don’t use diagonals.

Octo restrictors are a good happy medium. with a circlular gate, it is difficult to find corners, and with a sanwa stick those little notches are helpful. they are easy to change out, mind you, but you should try an octogon restrictor first. If you want a good circular motion, I’d just recommend switching to an american style happ stick like a MAS or the like.

Granted, you don’t want to do that because of the stiffness, so I’d say stick it out and maybe it’ll make you a better player using what you have already.

#9

Thanks guys, I’ll try to get used to the square restrictor. The worst problem I’m having is doing supers in any directions fast enough like I do on the pad without making it obvious to the other player that I’m doing the down-forward motion.

I do especially bad when I’m on the right side as using the stick that way gets really awkward. But like many of you said, it’s probably because I’m not used to it.

I was originally going to get the JLW with the bat top and switch the gate to the circular one but I’ll stay with this stick for now.

Can anyone tell me why someone would choose a bat top over the ball top? Appreciate all the tips, guys.

#10

people just prefer the way the bat fits in their hand, rather than a ball

#11

just get an octagon gate… nothing wrong with that… i personally hate squares cuz their stupid to do motions on. it cost 5 dollars and its an easy switch out for an already good stick.

and dont worry about cabinet tourneys… i mean how many of them are there… all the majors here in USA are console based so get used to your own stick… love your own stick and if you lose its not the sticks fault itll be yours.

thats the way i always see it.

#12

I use to have a lot of problems doing supers on a square gate too but then got used to doing circular motions without even touching the gate. Once I got used to that supers came out faster and easier than on the Happ sticks I grew up playing.