New to fightsticks: square or octogonal restriction gate?

[Choco]

I just received my Mayflash F500 and while the joystick comes with a square restriction gate pre-installed, there's also an octogonal one included in the package in case I want to swap.

Which gate would you guys recommend me to use in this game? As a gief player I'm tempted by the octogonal one but I have zero experience with home fightsticks so maybe it's not worth unscrewing the bloody thing.

[Zoid13]

Originally posted by Shuranosuke:

included in case I want to swap.

[Samvega]

Square is strongly advised over octagonal.

Sources: https://steamcommunity.com/app/389730/discussions/0/1457328392109403645/
https://old.reddit.com/r/StreetFighter/comments/6o332v/octagon_vs_square_gate/
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/943711-street-fighter-iv/54087907

Common theme: Square is best to hit corners for down-back crouch blocks.

[Zoid13]

personal pref. i grrew up with octos in all the arcades in the 80's and 90's in my area.

but i do agree. i swapped to square after a few years on my own fight sticks.

[Choco]

Thanks for the inputs.

[Buster]

If you want a sort of usable stick out of a JLF, or JLF clone you need a circular gate a stronger spring and an actuator mod to increase its size. It's also best to put one of those mini bat-tops on them in my experience but, that is preference for how you hold it with your hand. The goal is to make the thing recenter as fast as possible when you let go (eg return to netural) while having a tiny dead zone, a bat-top balances the mass of the shaft better then a ball.

Otherwise your better off Making a HAPP\IL stick yourself which will give a true arcade experience, and bypassing the junk OEM crap on the market most of which is Sanwa\Sanwa clone based.

[C1REX]

I reccomend to buy additional gates, bat tops and oversized actuators as you need to test yourself what you prefer. All these items are very inexpensive.

I personally can’t play on a square gate so octagonal works better for me. I also like a bat top. Bigger actuator can make your stick much faster and many people like it a lot. Sanwa/Hori Hayabusa sticks are slow by default with huge throw to actuation.

[Swansonhart]

Originally posted by Shuranosuke:

I just received my Mayflash F500 and while the joystick comes with a square restriction gate pre-installed, there's also an octogonal one included in the package in case I want to swap.

Which gate would you guys recommend me to use in this game? As a gief player I'm tempted by the octogonal one but I have zero experience with home fightsticks so maybe it's not worth unscrewing the bloody thing.

Since you already have two gates, it makes sense to try both of them. They are easy to install and swap.

Don't believe the "consensus" of square supremacy and experience the octo gate for yourself. Especially with Gief and Super Arts in general it'll be easier to execute them.

[Higon]

You just gotta have both guides. Both are good enough and octagonal gives much easier motion inputs for beginners. Your gief probably needs the octagonal.

As you get better, gradually your stick will not be touching the guide. Because you'll notice along the way that a faster neutral input is the crucial factor for SF. (it gives faster blocking and faster dashing) So your stick will be floating most of the time. At that point you can go back to square one with no problem anyways.

[al64inthedark]

I also have a F500 and kept it like I got it. I'm fine with any characters. I just happen to sometimes jump by mistake with shotos.

[Choco]

Guess I have to learn how to play the game again... I couldn't even do something as simple as a drive cancel or hellstab cancel into SA2 lol. SPDs are easy to do though.
Did you guys fiddle with the in-game settings? Dead zone is still set at default values (20%) but I'm wondering if lowering it would improve the experience.

[nwad]

Originally posted by Shuranosuke:

Guess I have to learn how to play the game again... I couldn't even do something as simple as a drive cancel or hellstab cancel into SA2 lol. SPDs are easy to do though.
Did you guys fiddle with the in-game settings? Dead zone is still set at default values (20%) but I'm wondering if lowering it would improve the experience.

It takes a lot of practice. Dead zone setting won't have any effect, since it's a digital input.

You can switch between octo and square to find the one you prefer. They're both totally viable. It just takes time to get used to.

[Jimmy James]

Sounds like you've decided. I prefer square also.

Nwad is right, it won't make a difference. If you open it up basically the stick bumps some levers when you move it, so the only input is direction on or off, or multiple on for diagonals - nothing in between.

I got the Mayflash F500 as well. If you decide you want to stay with stick spending another 40 or so to put better parts in is worth it. It's really easy as the buttons are spade connectors and sticks can use a 5 pin cable (this is often not included so make sure you pick one up if you swap sticks).

Hitbox may be better for drive rush and dashes, and hell probably motion inputs too but clicking the stick is awfully fun.

[Double Jump]

Even though I moved on to "all button" quite a while ago. I always replaced the squarde gates in my fightsticks with octa ones. Since I was a gate rider it felt just so much better for me. Just like with buttons every direction has a distinct position. I think in the end this is just preference and there is no right or wrong.

[Shifue]

It's preference really but facts are on the side of square gate being better if you can get use to it. When you look at a chart explaining how much area each direction gets the square is better balanced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMIzsIwSkjs

[C1REX]

Originally posted by Shifue:

It's preference really but facts are on the side of square gate being better if you can get use to it. When you look at a chart explaining how much area each direction gets the square is better balanced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMIzsIwSkjs

This chart is interesting but can be very misleading.
My problem with square gate was missed straight back or forward directions.
For one there is no feel where is the exact middle of right and left direction. You may move joystick from diagonal and have an impression that you changed to standing block for example when in reality your diagonal input is still engaged.

Another problem is that square gate can slide your straight movement to the corner when you don't want to. It's almost like magnetic. It feels worse when you want to be quick and push the stick stronger.
So it may look balanced on a graph but in real life it may feel like the joystick only do diagonals and straight lines are less than 5% that are hard to hit and hold.

Semitsu recently introduced new series of joysticks - SELS-70 - with new type of gate that addresses the problem. The gate is a balance between octagonal and square gate.