A slight deviation from what's normally posted here ...

I'm big into Fighting Games. Most recently, my video drug of choice is 'Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3' and while attempting to learn Magneto's Hypergrav loops, I found that my inputs were both very sloppy and inconsistent.  Hitboxes, and Stickless Arcade sticks had intrigued me for a while, because I used to play games primarily on the computer, and WASD seems to make a lot more sense than a joystick.

So I did a little bit of tinkering with my old stick, and found out that you could attach buttons for the inputs on the stick, which I promptly did, and began to learn a new method of input. About two days later, I was sold, and I don't think I'll be going back to the joystick anytime soon. However, this frankenstein of a stick was admittedly a very shoddy piece of garbage so in order to have something respectable for MAGfest this year I figured that I'd whip up a new box and stick for my new setup.

More a working prototype than a completed thing, this stick is compatable with both PS3 and 360 consoles. I ended up having to rush the job so I wasn't able to paint up a cover. Reaching for the nearest, colorful, printed thing, 'Two Scoops' was born.

The hole in the middle, in case you're wondering, is for an actual joystick; the notion being that if someone else wanted to play while visiting or while I was visiting it'd function as a joystick arcade stick as well.   It currently functions as a clever way to pick up the stick, as most people who visit have their own sticks. The button on the inside of the box is the turbo button. I'll be putting it on one of the sides, eventually.

Additionally, the plexiglass ends 'early' because I was going to add a bevel from the plexi down to the wood using apoxie sculpt, but then the rasin bran box worked ... too well ... as a shoddy bit around the edges. At one point I started to cut it straight but realized it took away from the character. You may also notice the cracking plexi - this is due to the cardboard's springiness (I used the box you get a sam's club, that is corrugated)

I made it open like the Mortal Kombat special edition stick because not only would that make button swaps stupidly easy, but you can also store the cord and anything else you need (milk, a small bowl, etc) easily in the box.

Experienced modders will notice that I'm using a Paewang PCB. However, I'm having an issue on the PS3, where if I hold down and up at the same time it'll input up and to the right, instead of only up, which does NOT happen on the 360. Have not attempted to use it with a PC yet.

As I mentioned, this is more of a working prototype than anything finished. The future stick that I'm going to make will feature ...

- Use a latch system to keep it shut, instead of wire wrapped around two screws

- Plexi for the bottom so I can make the box itself even more low-profile.

- Bevel the vertical corners

- Custom Art, painted by myself

- Start/Select/Turbo/Home buttons on the back side of the box, instead of the top.

- Detachable USB cable and jack. The Paewang's standard cord is abominably short, and having a few options stored inside the box would be cool.

- Microphone Input! I still have to figure out how to add this but its frustrating not being able to speak with my 360 buddies while playing. 

It went over real well at MAGfest, and I think I'm going to be taking it to Winterbrawl :D.