The Pad Arena Thread:Which pad is better? Ask/Find out here!

ddr4fun-n-fit · Basic Member Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Location: Florida

I am having trouble with the new DDR Game 1" Foam Pads. The company claims they don't have any problems. The pads act as if I'm stepping on a button and scrolls the screen even when I'm not on the pad. I've purchased several for friends and they have the same problem.

Any ideas for a better pad in the $100 price range?

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

An ebay metal pad will do the trick most of the time, but I don't really recommend that.

Homebrew's another economical option.

Buy-n-shop carries some similar pads, except that they don't suck and come with a good warranty.
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ddr4fun-n-fit · Basic Member Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Location: Florida

Thanks for the info. I'm not sure what to do with the DDR Game pads. I bought these for my school, home and friends. Some Christmas gift, they all seem to be failing. I will get some Cobalt Flux school platforms for school but can't afford it for all others. I was hoping to find something new for under $100 that was somewhat reliable. I also wanted to give others on this forum a heads-up on the DDR Game problem. Am I the only one with this issue?

Duality · Basic Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006

I have the money for a nice metal pad. I'm thinking between a Blueshark and a Cobalt Flux. The only thing that worries me a lot is the fact that I live in Canada. If one of the pads were to break, it would cost a lot to ship it back to the US to get it fixed.

Would you recommend a Cobalt Flux or a Blueshark? I've heard lotsa bad rumors about Bluesharks coming in broken though, so I'm leaning towards CF.

Can you guys help me decide? Thanks!!
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ddr4fun-n-fit · Basic Member Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Location: Florida

Everything I read says Cobalt Flux. The Control Box is the most likely part to fail. It's a separate cable so it's inexpensive to ship and replace.

Diet · Trick Member Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Location: California

I've had a CF for 3 years and once I had to replace the control box in that time.

Other than that everything is fine.

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

Actually, ghosting's the most likely issue with a cobalt flux. The sensors will have issues long before any other part of the pad, unless it's just defective. The sensors in a cobalt flux are rediculously simple. Just a couple sheets of galvanized steel. They touch, connection is made. Due to this simplicity and extremely large area of potential contact, a lot of problems can occur.

The most likely one is unwanted contact. The sensor area is huge, and contact anywhere will trigger a response. This is also really easy to fix though. Just add some thin, dense foam between the sensors.

Other sensor problems that can happen are broken solder joints (hint: broken solder joints can be fixed by repairing the solder joints), rusting (unlikely, but they're only gavanized), cracked panels (lexan is only bulletproof over 3/4"), and I'm leaving this indefinite fourth problem just for good measure, because there is certainly something else.
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Diet · Trick Member Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Location: California

elmonty · Basic Member Joined: 24 Feb 2008

I just picked up the Wii package that includes the dance pad. After having played on good quality 1" soft pads on a PS2, this pad is the pits.

I found the following pads online. Which are worth the money and will put up with a very active 10 year old? I'm an older guy and my family plays DDR occasionally. We really like it, but we usually stick to 4, 5, or sometimes 6 difficulty.

http://www.cyphergames.com/dadaredepadf1.html
http://www.ddrfitness.com/ddr.php?id=50110
http://www.mymybox.com/ddrmbsdxwii.html
http://www.toysnjoys.com/ddr_accessories.html
http://ddruniverse.com/1niwiigadeda.html

Thanks!

ksuquix · Basic Member Joined: 31 May 2006

Ok.. here's the situation... I have an event coming up, and both of my homebrews are in really bad shape since I haven't had time to mess with them recently.

I really want to set up DDR at my event and just let random people play. I don't really have a problem telling them no shoes, since it's not a tournament or serious at all.

What I have:
1) two homebrews (one based on original ddrhomepad, the other my own design). Both in non-working condition. If I end up with some time in the next couple of weeks, I will ideally fix them up, but I'm thinking not at this point.

2) Two konami soft pads duct-taped to plywood. They work ok, definitely have had some use on them.

My event is a small local gaming convention, and theoretically, the pads might have to endure 15 hours straight of random people who might range from very small people to very large and all ranges of skill.

My questions are these:
Will my soft pads survive something like this?
Would they survive it if I go get floor covering and mod them with it?
Would I be better off getting some hard foam pads (buying reasonable metal is beyond price range at the moment)?
Does anyone live in kansas and is willing to let me borrow a nice metal or homebrew pair for a day?

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slvrshdw · Trick Member Joined: 05 Jan 2005

if i were you, i would get some relatively cheap softpads (no inner foam padding is needed)
use 2 brand new ones, mod them with the vinyl covering + wood on bottom
just set that up and it should last for the day

...i actually wouldnt recommend any other more expensive pads, because from my anime convention experiences, (10+), *any* pad that i have seen has ended up messing up by the end of the weekend anyway

from that solution above, if it does mess up, you're only out about 40 bucks instead of 200
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Agent J · Trick Member Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Location: Dimension X

Has anyone bought a Cobalt Flux recently? DancingTofu said earlier that they're still pad of choice for the most part. Like ksuquix, I also have an event coming up where I want to set up DDR and let people play. There's been a DDR setup at this event in the past, but it consisted of two lousy soft pads that weren't even capable of AA'ing Standard songs. I want to buy some good pads for it, since there's at least a few Heavy/Expert Level players there, and I want to get back into DDR again after not having played it in months. So, in terms of quality are CFs still the pads to get? I was considering either those or the Nexen. The Nexen seems to be mediocre at best, so I'm kind of leaning towards CFs at the moment.

slvrshdw · Trick Member Joined: 05 Jan 2005

CFs actually might be better for durability

at a mall semi-near me, this shop used 2 CFs for "customer use" and they last quite a while. (not sure exactly cause i didnt ask), but the graphics were worn off like crazy, yet it still worked fine

so, CFs might be better for extreme use.
i havent tried/seen that on BSs
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DAVE101 · Trick Member Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: Indiana

Which foam pad is better?

BNS Xtreme Fusion
or
RO Ignition 3
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poop

ddr4fun-n-fit · Basic Member Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Location: Florida

For 1" foam pads, I like the Red Octane Ignition 3.0. The older DDR Game Energy Pad is great too but no longer made. The newest DDR Game Energy Pad is a waste. It fails (I know of 5 and have had 3 myself) almost immediately. It scrolls the screen as if you're on an arrow even if you're not on pad. The company claims there is no problem. Beware.

I have a Cobalt Flux School platform which is awesome. I've ordered a Cobalt Flux home platform and anxiously await its arrival.

rlpowell · Trick Member Joined: 11 Dec 2003

So last I checked (maybe 6 months ago?) the state of things if you wanted a Really Good Pad (i.e., metal, arcade-like, etc) was this:

1. Recent CobaltFlux have problems; don't get one.

2. MyMyBox has *atrocious* customer service, so if you get something from them and it's DOA, you're out of luck.

3. So, build your own.

It looks like that's not quite how it works anymore. It looks like it's more like this, but I'd like some confirmation from people who read here regularily.

1. CobaltFlux is fine; not perfect arcade feel, but lasts a long time.

2. BlueShark is better, but won't last as long. Maybe same with Afterburner?

3. So, don't build your own.

Is that a good summary?

-Robin

ksuquix · Basic Member Joined: 31 May 2006

DAVE101 · Trick Member Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: Indiana

slvrshdw · Trick Member Joined: 05 Jan 2005

i would wear socks because the vinyl will tear much easier with shoes

if you do get the blisters though, get some slipper-style shoes.

i wouldnt use anything with much grip like tennis shoes on softpads regardless of if they are modded or not
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rlpowell · Trick Member Joined: 11 Dec 2003

Here's my impression of the current state of the hard pad world; can people confirm or deny?

1. CobaltFlux is fine; not perfect arcade feel, but lasts a long time.

2. BlueShark is better, but won't last as long. Maybe same with Afterburner?

3. So, don't build your own.

Is that a good summary? Last I checked CF was churning out bad pads, and MyMyBox's customer service was so bad people wouldn't use them; has that changed?

-Robin