Does anybody use an MC Cthulhu and it's 100% working with all games?

[Amerika]

Hello!

I recently built a couple of arcade sticks to go with my retro console collection and I used the MC Cthulhu to power them.  The sticks work just fine on all the other consoles but I run into issues with my PCE with some games.  A few games, like Final Soldier, go a bit crazy.  I did find on the MC Cthulhu thread on the SRK forums that using the Home button switches the Cthulhu between modes for the TG16/PCE.  Regular 2 button mode, Neo Geo mode and 6 button mode.  However, each one of these modes produces extremely weird results.  I have also used an 5 player adapter between my arcade sticks and the PCE, as people mentioned in this thread, http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=16578.msg340042#msg340042, that it would fix the issue.  However, it did not for me.

From what I gather most people don't know about how Home switches between modes.  Some games do work for me.  For example, Ninja Spirit works fine but Bonk's Revenge does not regardless of the mode or whether or not a 5tap is being used.  Street Fighter 2 works with the 5tap in 6 button mode.

I'm going to try and troubleshoot and document the issues as best as I can but I figured I would ask here just in case somebody had already done it and I simply can't find the thread.

Thanks!

[SignOfZeta]

If you’re any good an building circuits you can scratch built a six button pad’s works with vastly less technology in it and that probabky work fine.

[Amerika]

If you’re any good an building circuits you can scratch built a six button pad’s works with vastly less technology in it and that probabky work fine.

Padhacking or going that route is something I wanted to avoid since both of my sticks work across many systems.  All I have to do is swap out the cord that are wired up via RJ45.

I could add a second neutrik in or wire directly off of a padhack/circuit.  But I'd prefer to simply see if somebody else already has a solution that works (people have reported to be working correctly now).

[Punch]

Well you'll have to contact the creator of the device then. Is it driven by a MCU? Feels overkill for PCE and other retro consoles.

[Amerika]

Well you'll have to contact the creator of the device then. Is it driven by a MCU? Feels overkill for PCE and other retro consoles.

The creator of it hasn't fielded questions about it for a very long time.  I've already been down this road and it's why I created a thread on this forum to ask if anybody else had knowledge or experience beyond what is generally available via google or the SRK forums.

It's an all-in-one solution where all you do is swap cables to use the same Arcade stick across a large selection of consoles.  I don't see that as overkill.  Overkill is making a new case, buying a new stick, new buttons, new wiring and new pad and doing all the work for each console you want an arcade stick for.  So I guess we'll have to disagree on that point.

The MC Cthulhu works with my NES, Super NES, PS1, PS2, PS3, XBOX, Gamecube, Dreamcast, Saturn, PC and of course the TG16/PCE.  The only system I have issues with is my PCE and that seems to be only particular games (mostly Japanese but not always).  The Cthulhu has 3 modes it can swap between for 2 button mode, SNK mode and 6 button mode.  Which works fine in some games but none of the modes seem to work correctly for other games.  Most likely there is not a resolution based on my testing but othes online have said they got their working.  However, they didn't specify how they did this and they are no longer answering questions about it as the info I found is quite a few years old now.

These two sticks work with all of those consoles which is pretty convenient and obviously higher quality than the 3rd party 25 year old stuff you can buy.  And I might wire in a padhack to get it to work with the Genesis at some point.  So you can probably see why I wouldn't mind putting in some effort to get a resolution.  At least they work fine with a lot of games.  But since the TG16/PCE is a great system for SHMUPS

[jperryss]

The creator of it hasn't fielded questions about it for a very long time.  I've already been down this road and it's why I created a thread on this forum to ask if anybody else had knowledge or experience beyond what is generally available via google or the SRK forums.

He wouldn't help even when he was still selling them. Mine was defective and he basically punted me to the SRK forums to figure it out. I ended up going the padhack route instead.

[Amerika]

The creator of it hasn't fielded questions about it for a very long time.  I've already been down this road and it's why I created a thread on this forum to ask if anybody else had knowledge or experience beyond what is generally available via google or the SRK forums.

He wouldn't help even when he was still selling them. Mine was defective and he basically punted me to the SRK forums to figure it out. I ended up going the padhack route instead.

Yeah, that's what I heard.  The boards were brought back by Paradise Arcade and some for Jasen's Customs (the latter had entirely defective boards though).  I have one of the new run boards and it has been great for every system outside of the TG16/PCE.  And the issue I have is not a new one because a guy who put the same board in one of his sticks around 2008-2009 and he has the same issue as me with a TG16 (and I'm using an PCE).

Maybe he'll pass the code along to an active dev if I bring up the issue with Paradise Arcade or Jasen.  I believe Jasen helped with some of the new board features so that route might be possible if there isn't another solution available.

Or maybe somebody will come along with the magical unicorn solution that I've missed and get me and anybody else reading this in the future fixed up!

[Amerika]

OK, so based on a post made about a month ago on the SRK forums I got an idea.  The person mentioned something about an adapter he used to play PCE games on his TG16 being used in conjunction with his Everdrive and he claimed that all his games worked after that.  So, since, my Duo-R is region modded, I flipped my region switch and I changed my Everdrive to TG16 mode instead of PCE and.........it worked.  All of the oddities I had with every single game, save one, have cleared up.  Everything works like a charm.  I tested probably 30 Japanese games and all of the US games I had issues with and all of them worked except Final Soldier (and the 2 minute time attack version).  That one still had slightly messed up inputs regardless of the mode I put the controller into but there isn't much I can do about that.  If I ever play it I'll just use my regular pad.

So, yeah, I can't believe that worked.  So if you have an adapter to play one regions games on another console or your machine is region modded it seems like this issue can be resolved for the most part.  If I run into any other incompatibilities or issues I'll update this thread so there is something out there for people looking for this type of info.

[turboswimbz]

Great information!  Glad this was resolved. Enjoy some Turbobs!

If Esty ever gets back and catches up (and trust me he will, with 10K incoming posts) I will have him add it to one of this info threads on controllers.  as soon as i find the right one . . . damn this site search sucks

[Arkhan]

MC Cthulhu sounds like a rap artist.   lol  wtf