turning a soft pad into something much better?

lyfsuxkunt · Basic Member Joined: 10 Sep 2006

(it's a long read, sorry)

Hi guys, this is my first post in this forum. I've been looking all over the place for directions on homemade pads, and I've found many different metal pad designs. I've been playing DDR since last summer, and I've actually had the same pad ever since, which is an ignition 3.0. Pretty much every few months, it would break down, and I would change the foam inside. First I stretched out the foam and taped the sides down to take away the folds, then I replaced it with the foam from the corner buttons, and now I'm using foam from a 2nd pad that's been folded under my bed for months now. I fix it so often, the for the past few months I've been playing it with the graphics layer cut off the top, exposing the contact layers. Playing on it with socks is extremely comfortable and more slippery than the graphics layer.

I know the pad's going to break down again sometime when the foam wears down, and I'm out of "holed foam" to replace it with, so I want to put together a new pad, or mod it to make it better.

Yesterday I did a little experimentation with the control box of that pad that I took the foam from to refoam my ignition, and I actually wired together one of those ghetto (for the lack of a better term) floor ddr mats using foil wrapped shoes and such, and I was actually surprised I got it working, though it was really shoddy. I actually played the game like it was beatmania for a few minutes with pencils wrapped in foil haha. So yeah, I know how to wire a pad, but I can't find a really cheap design out there that fits those conditions above.

I'm going to experiment a little with the soft pad design and try to make it into something better, without the price of a hard pad. I think that one of the reasons that ghost steps are common in soft pads is because of the fact that the top contact layer (the one that you push through the foam when you step) is one piece. The force of pushing down an arrow on one side is enough to push another arrow down, most likely the 2 next to it, if the foam under it is worn out enough. So now that I've figured out how to wire a pad, I'm thinking of cutting the 4 arrows into separate switches like in a metal pad, and taping them down separately so the force of hitting one doesn't effect the other. Then I'm thinking of putting a different contact design, seeing as the holed foam is prone to breaking down over time.

Now all of this experimentation is going to be done on the $5 soft pad since I already tore open its control box already. The primary goal is to get a pad that's as sensitive as an ignition (which is very good when the holed foam is in good condition), lasts a long time, and build it easily using materials openly available to anyone.

In a nutshell, I'm on a $0 budget. And I have one month before school starts. I'm open to suggestions and ideas.

ChilliumBromide · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR

Instead of replacing the extremely weak foam with extremely weak foam, try replacing it with something else. A thin, high-density foam should work. Use a hole punch to put holes in it, and make sure they're lined up similarly to the ones on the original piece.
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I used to be active here lol

Kalek · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:39 am Post subject:

lyfsuxkunt · Basic Member Joined: 10 Sep 2006

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I went to a few craft stores and hardware stores around here, but I don't know exactly what to get. I there a place I can get a good package online?

And what to you guys think about modding an ignition into a hard pad? Like for example, putting wood or metal above the contact sensors and replacing the hard foam inside the zipper with wood. Good idea or no? I'm also wondering if anyone here's ever tried doing the same thing.

Thanks, as always =)

idConstruct · Trick Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Location: Green Bay, WI

i think thats been suggested before (converting a soft pad into a hard pad) ... but i think the general opinion is that for the same effort and cost, you could build a homepad that would be a lot more reliable and would probably work better. Since you said you have practically no budget, the stealth pad is probably a good choice.

I have a similar budget (plus i also happen to have an ignition that i beat to sh*t), and so i'm making a modified stealth pad. (basically a cross between the stealth and the dt600 except with matrix sensors... my total cost once i get the plywood will be 43 bucks since i already have a controller)
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